The Practical Zone System: For Film and Digital Photography

by Chris Johnson

This sixth edition of The Practical Zone System by Chris Johnson updates the classic manual on Ansel Adams's landmark technique for the digital age. For photographers working digitally or with film, in color or black and white, in the studio or on the go, this simple visual language helps to control contrast and, through a process called Previsualization, provides photographers with the power of free creative expression. This new edition discusses recent advances in technology and potentials for their use in zone photography, including HDR, smartphone cameras that shoot in raw format and smartphone light meters. Johnson demonstrates how the Zone System is a universal visual and conceptual language that dramatically simplifies the problem of creating and rendering complex lighting setups.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published 10 years ago, so it's already outdated. The digital stuff especially so, but the film info is still relevant (of you can still find and shoot film)

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't find the edition I have, which only passingly mentions digital photography, as it was not even obtainable other than to professional photographers at the time that I got the book (I have the second edition, first run).
When I was in school, I had trouble grasping the zone concept for some reason(always backwards probably dyslexia related), and I found this at the library in order to help me sort things out.

It just made it all click for me, and it was all second nature for me after that. I brought the book to my professor's attention and she seemed impressed with what I had to say about it, as well as my demonstrated mastery of it.

I still refer to it from time to time, though I think I want to pick up the newest edition to see what it's added and updated for digital photography, since that's what I've been working in for the last 10 years. I've read some reviews, and I'm going to keep my current copy as the images in the more recent edition are said to not be very high quality and the examples are hard to see what they are discussing in the text. The ones in my book are very well done, so I might just refer to them as needed, when necessary.

[Kurt Alderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been using the zone system since March of 2012, but I wanted to know more. That is what I got, a lot more! This is the fifth edition of the book for anyone who cares. There is an emphasis on digital photography in the new addition. There is also quite a bit about understanding dpi, pixals, and how the zone system works for printing. It is a very detailed book, and I'll have to read it more than once, probably several times, to let it all sink in.

Even though the book is remarkably detailed, the zone system is really easy to learn. When it was first described to me, I picked up how to do it inside of an hour. I wanted now to know why I'm doing what I'm doing. This is where this book really does well. The person who is interested in using manual mode in their photography will be able to do so and learn an awful lot about light and exposure. I'd call it a challenging read, but a good read.

Another note about the book is that I read the Kindle edition; I almost wish I could have had a paper copy to leaf through. There is something about an instructional book and having a hard copy in your hand; that's just my preference though.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent explanation of the zone system with about one half of the book dedicated to using it for digital photos. It might have been better to break this into two books, nether are covered in depth. Still it's a useful book, I read a perfectbound library copy.

[Petabyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended reading for the Advanced Black and White class I'm taking this fall semester.

[Petabyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapters 4 5 6 for exercise 2 in the ABW class. Shot today at the CBG. Quite good. Eta, 9 November - I'll have to read through chapters again for an exercise that needs re-doing.

[dv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful resource especially for who - like me - is completely new to the zone system. The reader should be aware that a lot of reflections are related to analog B/W shooting and - maybe even more - printing, which is not given can be under the control of the photographer. But there's also a wide part of te book - tough not up to date in terms of software - related to digital workflow.