Perfecting the system

For accurate previsualization the photographer must be familiar with all the materials and equipment in the chain of image creation. A common mistake is choosing a few very dark shadows to place in Zone III and the brightest highlights to place in Zone VII. The result may be a flat low-contrast image with the majority of the image placed in only three zones. Each time the system is operated the individual’s ability to accurately previsualize the outcome improves.

Summary

Take a reflected meter reading of a shadow tone. Place in Zone III by closing down two stops. Take a reflected meter reading of a highlight tone. Calculate how many stops brighter the highlight is than the shadow. Calculate the processing time using the information below.

Average processing adjustments for 100 ISO film

Contrast Processing time %

Highlight 6 stops brighter than Zone III N+2 75 Highlight 5 stops brighter than Zone III N+1 85 Highlight 3 stops brighter than Zone III N-1 130 Highlight 2 stops brighter than Zone III N-2 150

Activity 5

Revisit the location you photographed in Activity 1 at the same time of day with the same lighting (directional sunlight required). Using the zone system create an image with a full tonal range. Choose the shadow and highlight details you wish to place in Zone III and Zone VIII. Expose, process and print the negative to obtain the final image. Compare the results achieved in this activity with the image created for Activity 1 and discuss the visual qualities with other students.