12 Zone System

Your camera’s metering modes are built to give you a correct reading under most average situations. But when you’re faced with an exceptional situation, your camera’s metering can easily be fooled, thinking a scene is brighter or darker than it actually is. This is where knowledge of the zone system can save you a lot of trouble, and help you capture not only correct but also intriguing exposures every time.

 

Although calculations for the zone system were originally based on black and white sheet film, the Zone System is also applicable to roll film, both black and white and color, negative and reversal, and even to digital photography.

 

The Zone System’s Key Concepts
The zone system divides a scene into 10 zones on the tonal scale (though there are variations of 9 and 11 zones). Every tonal range is assigned a zone. Every zone differs from the one before it by 1 stop, and from the one following it by 1 stop. So every zone change equals 1 stop difference. Zones are identified by roman numbers, with the middle tone (with 18% reflectance) being a zone V which is zone 5.
Photographers, usually are only concerned with zones III through VII (zones 3 through 7). The darkest part of a scene would fall into zone III, while the brightest part of a scene would fall into zone VII. Anything darker than zone III would render as pure black with no detail (under-exposed), while anything brighter than zone VII would render as pure white with no detail (over-exposed).
If you point your camera at an area with average reflectance and obtain the correct meter readings (a zero on the light meter), that area would be rendered as average. If you open up your lens or slow down your shutter speed by one stop, that area will become over-exposed by one stop. If you close down your lens or increase your shutter speed by one stop, that area will become under-exposed by one stop.
An average tone is naturally placed into zone V. If you over-expose it by one stop, you’ll be placing it in zone VI (zone 6), causing it to render brighter than it actually is. If you under-expose it by one stop, you’ll be placing it in zone IV (zone 4) causing it to render darker than it actually is.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The Zone System is a photographic technique for determining optimal film exposure and development, formulated by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in 1939–1940. The technique is based on the late 19th century sensitometry studies of Hurter and Driffield. The Zone System provides photographers with a systematic method of precisely defining the relationship between the way they visualize the photographic subject and the final results.

 

 

 

0-I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII-VIII-IX

 

Zone Scale
0 Pure black

 

I Near black, with slight tonality but no texture

 

II Textured black; the darkest part of the image in which slight detail is recorded

 

III Average dark materials and low values showing adequate texture

 

IV Average dark foliage, dark stone, or landscape shadows

 

V Middle gray: clear north sky; dark skin, average weathered wood

 

VI Average Caucasian skin; light stone; shadows on snow in sunlit landscapes

 

VII Very light skin; shadows in snow with acute side lighting

 

VIII Lightest tone with texture: textured snow

 

IX Slight tone without texture; glaring snow

 

X Pure white: light sources and specular reflections

 

The relationship between the physical scene and the print is established by characteristics of the negative and the print. Exposure and development of the negative are usually determined so that a properly exposed negative will yield an acceptable print on a specific photographic paper.

The Assignment

1. First- find an image by Ansel Adams an identify all of the zones.
2. Then you are to go out with a grey card and a roll of Black & White Film and take portraits and landscape photos around the area.  Take an overall reading from your light meter in your camera and take that photo.
3. Then point your camera at a middle grey card set your exposure to that setting and then take the photo of your scene. Note if there is a difference in exposure.
4. Bracket your photos at least one up and one down for each photo.
5. Print a contact sheet and one 5 x 7 evenly exposed and contrasted print.

11/12 Random Rolls

For many of you, this is a chance to catch up on Random Rolls. For others, this is a chance to get ahead. Here are a few suggestions of Random Rolls to try:

1. Short depth of field and dead flowers (some of you still need to do your "APERTURE" Random Roll).
2. New growth, shapes and textures
3. Slow shutter
4. Portraits and landscapes long depth of field.
5. Make ugly look beauitful
6. Ant's eye view
7. Explore colours, shapes and lines of the new tennis court.
8. Colour Balance- Remember this one? Some have forgot to do it...
9. Take a whole random roll on "M" make adjustments to imporve.

Take a random roll of 20 or more photos and then print out a contact sheet and hand it in by the end of the day. This is your attendance and assignment for the day. Be creative and have fun...

Random Rolls

Hi Folks, while I am home sick, I want you to take advantage of this beautiful day and take some photos. Make sure you take 20+ photos and print a contact sheet by the end of class and hand it in by the end of class.


Option #1
Sunny Day Photos, a few things to try: shoot into the light, look for shadows, try over exposing a little, add a fill flash to a portrait, play with white balance, experiment with depth of field, and horizon line...


Option #2
Grade 12s start your Abstract Self-Portrait project with a random roll today go out with a camera and photograph objects, your challenge is to make simple everyday items look interesting.
Grade 11s work to develop your Book project ideas both with examples from the internet post to your journal and with a random roll.

Abstract Self-Portrait/Studio Still-Life

This is a 2 part project. First we are going to learn about lighting objects in the studio. Then you are going to use the different lighting effects to creatively and stylistically light objects that represent something about you.

Studio Still Life

You are to create three studio still life compositions using metal, glass and textured objects. Compose a series of photos for each object; include backgrounds, a table and covering, and use one or two lights. Here is the Still Life Project Criteria


Abstract Self-Portrait
Create 5 interesting, creative, and eye catching images that represent something about you. This is sort of a photo essay of yourself except the images are going to be abstract photographs of objects that represent aspects about you. When you abstract things photographically, you don’t have to make it completely unrecognizable; though you should choose an attribute of that object and really explore it through the lens. Your compositions challenge the viewer to notice basic essence of objects.

Look for elements of design (shape and colour) and use the principles of design to help you compose the items that you choose to represent you.
Abstract Self-Portrait Criteria

Photoshop Tutorials

Try the three Following tutorials using one of your B/W portraits from the InsideOut Project and post your image to your blog BP (before Photoshop) and AP (After Photoshop).

Basic Photoshop Touch-Ups
Photoshop Sketch Effect
Selective Colouring an Image

Find a Photoshop portrait tutorial that you are interested in trying. Work through the tutorial to see if you like it and then post your image to your blog and before and after Photoshop. Critique the tutorial.

Picture of the Year 2011

Find your 3 favourite photos from the following sites:
Top 2011 News Stories
New Years 2012 from Around the World

Christmas Images Around the World

Top 2011 News Stories from Reuters

Here's what you do:

1. Select your 3 favourite "news" photo from 2011, msnbc.com, Reuters, and the NewYears fom msnbc.
2. Upload to blog.
3. Answer the questions below for all three.
4. Comment why it is your favourite.
5. Explain what the event is. What is the significance of the event/photo?
6. Describe the photos, how does the image document the event/ how does the image tell the story?
7. Identify the main subject and what emphasizes it. (Leading lines, repetition, rule of thirds, contrast, framing).

Tips for Photographing Frost and Ice