Thanks for the suggestions Ghot, I finally got around to trying them and decided to go with Irfan View. It opens the picture file without any adjustment to the exposure or highlights. just what I need.
When I open any of my photographs from their file folder, Windows 11 automatically brightens it after a couple of seconds. Most annoying as I need a true representation of the picture especially for my astro photography
The file type, jpeg, raw ect seem to make no difference, it does it to them...