Zone System
E478452
The Zone System is a photographic technique for controlling exposure and development to achieve precise tonal range and image detail, widely used in black-and-white photography.
Statements (52)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
exposure control system
ⓘ
photographic technique ⓘ |
| appliesTo |
black-and-white photography
ⓘ
film photography ⓘ printmaking ⓘ |
| authorOfDocumentation | Ansel Adams NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| basedOn |
characteristic curves of film
ⓘ
relationship between exposure and density ⓘ sensitometry ⓘ |
| coreConcept |
division of tonal scale into zones
ⓘ
placing and developing zones ⓘ previsualization of final print ⓘ separation of exposure and development decisions ⓘ |
| creator |
Ansel Adams
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Fred Archer NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| developedDuring |
early 1940s
ⓘ
late 1930s ⓘ |
| developedIn | United States NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| documentedIn |
The Negative
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
The Print NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| field | photography ⓘ |
| highestZone | Zone X NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| influenced | modern exposure practices ⓘ |
| lowestZone | Zone 0 ⓘ |
| middleGrayZone | Zone V ⓘ |
| notableProponent | Ansel Adams NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| purpose |
achieve precise tonal range
ⓘ
control development ⓘ control exposure ⓘ maximize image detail ⓘ predict print values from scene luminance ⓘ |
| requires |
control of development time
ⓘ
spot meter ⓘ understanding of film speed ⓘ |
| technique |
N development
ⓘ
N+ development ⓘ N- development ⓘ adjust development to control highlight zones ⓘ place important shadow on specific zone ⓘ |
| usedBy |
darkroom printers
ⓘ
fine art photographers ⓘ large format photographers ⓘ |
| usesScale | eleven-zone scale ⓘ |
| Zone 0 description | maximum black with no texture ⓘ |
| Zone I description | near black with slight tonality and no texture ⓘ |
| Zone II description | first suggestion of texture in shadows ⓘ |
| Zone III description | full shadow detail ⓘ |
| Zone V description | middle gray ⓘ |
| Zone VII description | delicate highlights with texture ⓘ |
| Zone VIII description | textured highlights near paper white ⓘ |
| Zone X description | pure paper white with no detail ⓘ |
| zoneCount | 11 ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.