January 25, 2010

Learn the Digital Zone System with Lee Varis

Over the years much effort has been applied to photography to enhance the precision with which we record images. Digital photography has evolved to give us a range of control that far exceeds anything that Ansel Adams ever dreamed of!

However, this promise of precision and control is often hidden behind a trend in U.I. design that invites a more casual involvement in the image-making process. Everything is automated and almost all feedback data is confined to what the image looks like on screen. We are led to believe that "color management" will take care of everything. The professional image-maker needs something more... well... professional.

To this end I have developed an adaptation of the Zone System to digital technology that I share with students in my classes – take a look at a preview tutorial to give you a feel for the material. Or download the printable PDF version.

Of course I go into this in a lot more detail in class – see you there!

You can learn more from Lee in his workshop 
Portrait Photography: Beyond Skin Deep
March 7-13, 2010

Visit his web site www.varis.com to see what he's up to.

1 comments:

Peggy A. Morsch said...

Great article! I've tested for these exposure differences for camera/lens/incident meter vs. correct exposure in calibrated monitor, and found up to a 1 stop difference. My lenses now have little pieces of white tape with numbers written on them, like +.3. Now I want to try your method and see what the results are. Thanks! Testing takes some time but it's worth the time I save correcting exposures in the computer!