Ansel Adam Zone Area System for Black and White Landscape Photo
Ahmadzargon. Talking about black and white landscape photo means talking about Ansel Adam. He is a famous black and white landscaper photographer in the world. He captured the world landscape in monochrome tone photo. After discovering Zone System, Ansel adam has succeeded to help other photographer to understand simple gradation in black and white photo. So, what is Zone area?
Zone area is the area between black to white gradation of tone. The zone are divided into 10 areas. The darkest area without details of image represent with 0,I and III scale and the most white area without any details represent with IV scale. Zone III – VII is details zone area or textured zone. Zone VII and IX is a white zone. Understanding zone area system will help us to make a landscape black and white photo.
Zone Area simple explanation:
1. Uncovered Sunlight zone area is in zone 0 – II
2. Shadow Area with a little texture is in zone III
3. Normal area or area which is in middle of dark and light is in zone IV and V
4. Area which is near from the ligth source is in VII
5. White without texture area or sometimes is light source is IX area.
6. Some Software may give extra level until X level.
Zone system is an important in post processing photo, especially for dodging and burning process on your photo. If you took a good mattering at the capturing process, your photo will be easy to edit in post processing. Base on that argument, zone area initializing is in capturing process. Silver Efex Pro is the one of famous black and white photo editor that embedded with Zone Area System Feature.
When you open Silver Efex Pro and entering interface of this application, zone area should be in bottom-right side of your screen. The zone area panel show you zone area from zero to ten level. If move the cursor in to on of the zone area level, all of equal level will shown in your screen with red signed. This red sign gives us information to burn or to dodge the area. As the last idea area without detail such as 0 and ix/x does not show a significant different when burn or dodged.