The Zone System

2/5/2014(Week 5)

Imani Najwa Binti Nordin(0319405)

The Zone System

Lecture:

Today coming in class I've prepared in advance for the topic that was to be discussed 'The Zone System".As always we would be sitting in a circle and share our research and thoughts about the topic.However before that session begin Mr Vinod has us open up Twitter ,which might I add that I didn't have one before,so it was a rush to get the hang off it but anyways He made us use twitter to answer some sort off pop quiz which he would update his twitter with a question and we(the students) had to answer(re tweet).Basic questions like "What effects depth of field?","How much is the main scale of the aperture?' and so forth.After the short quiz's we proceeded with the group discussion.Our main topic of the day was The zone System.This time we all were well prepared to keep the conversation ball rolling.After a while Mr Vinod came to give an explanation regarding the Zone System.The Zone system was formulated by Ansel Adams  and fed Archer in the 1930's.Basically it guaranties a correct exposure in every situation because as we all learned, the exposure meter is dumb,really dumb.This is because the exposure meter tends to assume that all scenes have an average tonal value which is middle grey(zone 5).The zone system has a scale of 1 till 9 however photographers are only concerned about zone 3 till zone 7.This is because,anything below zone 3 is pure black and anything above 7 is considered white.With that being said there is alot of tricky parts when it comes to the zone system.

After the whole presentation Mr Vinod set us off with our exercise of the day which was to prove that the camera can capture shades white/grey/black.

Exercise :

3a) Highlights, Middle Tones and Dark Tones

3b) Ansel Adams Shot.

  Exercise 3.a
3a) Light, Middle & Dark Tones (5%)

Instruction to Exercise 3.a
1.Take a photo of any photograph with the colours white,grey and black using the exposure meter of the camera
2.Take another photograph of the same object  but this time use the exposure using the method of the zone system.
3.Repeat these steps with all the shades of black,grey and white.
4.Observe the differences.


Marking Criteria:Show evidence of using the Zone System technique to capture an ‘accurate exposure’ of a subject with light tones, a subject with middle tones and a subject with dark tones. An accurate exposure entails ‘visible tonal values and details’ in all three tonal areas.

White :

What the camera thinks is the best exposure:

Aperture:4.0,Shutter speed:1/160,Iso:200

Using the zone system concept:

Aperture:4.0,Shutter speed:1/40,Iso:200

Grey:

 What the camera thinks is the best exposure :

Aperture:5.0,Shutter speed:1/80,Iso:200

Using the zone system concept :

Aperture:5.0,Shutter speed:1/40,Iso:200

Black : 

What the camera thinks is the best exposure:

Aperture:4.0,Shutter speed:0'6,Iso:200

Using the zone system concept:

Aperture:4.0Shutter speed:1/13,Iso:200

Exercise 3.b

Instruction to exercise 3.b

1.Using the zone system find a location that has all 9 zone system.

2.Take a photograph of the location depending on the exposure meter of the camera.

3.Sketch out the photograph on a piece of paper and record the aperture,iso,shutter speed.

4.Retake the same photo but this time using the concept of the zone system and pick a zone you want to focus.

5.Change the shutter speed,higher or lower depending on the zones you choose and snap the photo.

6.Add the details of the change in shutter speed on the piece of paper. 

Marking Criteria: Students must show evidence of using the Zone System. Student must produce 1 black & white image that captures depth and richness in tonal value by capturing light, middle and dark tones while maintaining details (texture and tone) in the dark and light areas of the image.

Ansel Adams Shot

Using the camera's meter exposure:

Aperture:3.5,Shutter Speed:1/1600,Iso:200

Using the Zone System Concept :

Aperture:4.0,Shutter Speed:1/500,Iso:200

23

Using camera exposure meter:
Aperture:3.5,Shutter Speed:1/1250,Iso:200

Using the Zone System Concept:

Aperture:3.5,Shutter Speed:1/1000,Iso:200

Using the camera meter exposure:

Aperture:3.5,Shutter Speed:1/640,Iso:200

41
Using the Zone System Concept:
Aperture:3.5,Shutter Speed:1/1250,Iso:200

What the camera thinks is the right exposure:

Aperture:4.0,Shutter Speed:1/400,Iso:200

50
What I think is the best exposure:
Aperture:4.0,Shutter Speed:1/800,Iso:200

 What the camera think is the right exposure:
Aperture:4.0,Shutter Speed:1/400,Iso:200

57
What I think is the best exposure:
Aperture:4.0,Shutter Speed:1/1000,Iso:200

Feedback:

General Feedback:

There was no specific general feedback for us,but Mr Vinod did say that all of us did a good job on our exercise.

Specific Feed back :

Mr Vinod said that I have done a very great job regarding my exercise 3.b.He said that I have grasped the zone system well and had evident it in the pictures that I've captured. My e-portfolio was also well written and was revealing.He had no other comment other then for me to keep up the good work.

Hardcopy:

Reflection:

Experience:

From todays class I've experienced that it is important to recap what you have studied in the previous classes ,for instance what Mr Vinod did was that he made all of us pull out our smart phones and go on twitter to have a little pop quiz .I find this sort of brilliant,in a way student get to use their everyday social website to actually gain information and also helps us students to use our brains early in the morning.The questions that Mr Vinod asked us via twitter was more of a recap to what we have learned for the pass 5 weeks .This exercise was good for us as it shows how important it is to recap on things you've learned.I've also experienced a good learning environment.Today most of us students came prepared with questions regarding the 'Zone System".Even though not many of us fully understood how it actually works ,we roughly know how its supposed to work and how the zone system guaranties a correct exposure almost in every situations.

As for the experience of  hiking up the mountain to get my assignment photos,the experience left me speechless.With all the assignments pilling up,this photography assignment in  particular was one that i was looking forward too.It was slightly difficult hiking up the narrow pathway.There were a couple of trees that blocked our path although that didn't stop me. I roll down under the tree to get to the other side.I've also got bitten by mosquito bites and had to face the humidity of the sun.When I finally reached the lake on top which might I add was beautiful,I sketched and took my time with the photos,meanwhile my friend observed me sketch.All and all I would still love to go on another adventure as it was sort of a small getaway which gave me a breather.

Observation:

From todays observation,I've realised that the camera meter exposure is dumb.Dumb in the sense that it assumes that all scenes have an average tonal value,which is middle grey(zone 5).Hence this is why Ansel Adams and Fred Archer formulated the zone system.I've observed that not everything is easy.Ansel Adams had went through many obstacles to get the perfect picture,he climbed mountains,camped to observe the scenery only to come back again just to take the perfect shot by being at the right place at the right time.He did his research in advance and put all his effort into his work.This proves to show that with hard work great things can be achieved.I've also observed that the picture I've took had a major difference between the camera exposure meter and the difference when I decided which zone was the best exposure.I've realised that just by changing the shutter speed the picture becomes either darker or brighter  depending on the shutter speed.This has something to do with the previous lessons "shutter speed".The greater the number of shutter speed the less amount of light entering the camera sensor thus producing a darker picture.I've realised that it will be difficult to get the perfect well exposed picture,this is because not all the zones you prefer will be exact ,you will have to compromise.However still make sure that the main focus of the subject is being well exposure.I've also realised that you don't have to make a full stop just to get the right exposure,sometimes making a half stop is just about enough to create a well exposed picture.

Findings:

I found out that the zone system is great,it allows you to get a correct exposure in almost any situation even with tricky lighting such as backlighting,extreme difference between light and shadow areas of a scene and so forth.I've found that the zone system has a total of 9 zones however digital photographers are only concerned about zone 3 till zone 7 as it is considered anything that falls below zone 3 is considered pure black and as for zone 7 which is the brighter part(white).Zone 5 is the middle grey tone.I've also came to realised how the zone system not only is for black and white photographs but also consist of many different shades of colour.For instance a dark shade of red will fall in the category zone 3 and blue will fall just slightly on the middle grey zone .This makes the zone system more versatile with using colours in the photograph.I've also realised that it takes time to calculate and adjust the zone system to get the prefect exposure.When i was taking the exercise 3.b photos often times if the picture is to over exposed,there are certain areas that are being washed out and are lacking of details.The less contrast,the more tonal value.I remember Mr Vinod explained how a good black and white photo makes you forget that it is black and white.

The zone system: