Both xyking and quickshiftin include errors in their comments. xyking's error is in looping through negative numbers. quickshifting is incorrect in stating that 0 *increases* contrast (it does not - it decreases it).
Here is a (tested, working) method to increment or decrement contrast:
<?php
class Images {
public function contrastImage($contrast, $imagePath){
$this->image = new Imagick();
$this->image->readImage($imagePath);                     
 if ($contrast > 0){
                for ($i = 1; $i < $contrast; $i++){
                    $this->image->contrastImage(1);
                }
            }else if ($contrast <= 0) {
                for ($i = 0; $i > $contrast; $i--) {
                    $this->image->contrastImage(0);
                }
            }
     }
}
?>