Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 11:52 AM 9/27/99 +0200, Anthony Atkielski wrote: >Every time I think about the Zone System, I get the impression that it is very >time-consuming. The kind of pictures I like to take are not of a type >that will >stand still for twenty minutes while I calculate zones in my head. Then you must be a very slow thinker. :-) This kind of exaggeration serves only to discourage people from trying the Zone System. Or at least reading about it to glean what they can from it in terms of useful information. I can zone system at football games. And still get the picture. It's not slow! It's a way of visualizing in your head (instantly most often) what you want the final picture to look like. There are only about six zones that one has to worry about anyway. When shooting 35mm it's even simpler, because development is applied to the whole roll! Just process N-1, set the exposure meter properly, and pick your shadow or highlight. Then shoot! No time for even that? Just remember you're shooting N-1 and say, "I'll fix it in the printing." That is the Zone system on the run. The long, hard work is at the calibration stage where you determine your personal film speed for your given equipment and processing methods. Once standardized, you can be free to worry only about setting the exposure right - which you have to do regardless of what system you use. No difference in timing once the basic understanding is there. It's easy. Really. Eric Welch St. Joseph, MO http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch "The "C" students run the world." - Harry S. Truman