Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>Rod Fleming wrote: >> >> It's funny that so far no-one has mentioned what all of this is actually >> about- and that is one of the great axioms of photography- >> >> Expose For The Shadows And Develop For The Highlights >> >> That's all any zone system, Ansel's or Jim's, is teaching you to do. >> Martin Howard responded to the above: >Well, almost. As I understand it, the "expose for the shadows and develop >for the highlights" rule of photography is really just a convenient >mnemonic for what is the real truth: Exposure controls negative density; >Development controls negative contrast. > >"Playing around" with these two and matching them to a known paper to >reproduce the subject brightness in the scene is what it's all about. > >Right?>>>>>> Guys, you know all this zone stuff is great if you're shooting one sheet of film or one roll of film all in the identical light and shadow effects. It's never been my thing to be involved with it, as I see it as quite impossible when I'm using 5 or 6 cameras all at the same time shooting various compositions and bits and pieces of a situation. Like, what happens to KISS in this kind of scene? Keep it simple doesn't apply here one iota! Imagine you're walking down the street, there is a scream from above, a person has jumped off the Empire State building! On the way down, they pass through several light levels and contrasts and you have to shoot the rapidly descending body before it goes big time splat on the side walk. Which zone to you pick? Now you're into this Zone system! Hell by the time you figure out which zone it is the body has passed through 18 light zones, let alone a few time zones and all you're left with is a hell of a messy spot on the sidewalk. The zone system is great for rocks and ferns, peeling paint and non-breathing things! Other than that, who the hell cares if your a Leica photojournalist or user! I know, I know there are going to be all kinds of come backs about "yes you can do it on 35mm film!" I've usually heard them all, but excuse me, I'm a man in motion with things happening and the zone system still comes down to the only one that we need to be concerned with....the "demilitarised zone!" Unless you're a rock and fern photographer. And if that is the case....go big time 4X5 film, one sheet at a time. And that keeps life and darkroom simple. ted Ted Grant This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler. http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant