The New Zone System Manual

148 Pages·1990·12.45 MB·English

by  Minor White, Richard Zakia, Peter Lorenz

NEW
THE
MANUAL
ZONE SYSTEM
WHITE ZAKIA- LOR.ENZ
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
2010
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http://www.archive.org/details/newzonesystemmanwhiOOwhit
NEW
THE
ZONE SYSTEM MANUAL
WHITEZAKIALORENZ
V
Since Seeing depends on Craftsmanship
and Craftsmanship depends on Seeing,
then some part of photography depends
on balancing both.
The Art?
First Printing,January1976
Second Printing,October1976
Third Printing,April 1977
Fourth Printing,January 1978
Copyright©1976
Minor White, Richard Zakia, Peter Lorenz
All rights reserved in all countries.
No part of this book may be reproduced
or translated in any form, including
microtiling, without permission
in writing from the authors and publisher
International Standard Book
Number 0-87100-100-4
Library ot Congress Catalog Card
Number 75-428-77
Typesetandprintedby
Printed in U.S.A. ,Incorporated,DobblFerry,N
Table of Contents
Introduction,NathanLyons. 1
Author'sPreface. 2
OverviewofaZoneSystem,DavidR.Young. 5
VisualizationbyaZoneSystem. 10
CouplingZoneRulerstoLuminanceMeters 22
ReadingExposureMetersinZones 24
ExercisesinVisualization 26
ZonalIdentificationsofSubjectTonalities 31
PhotographingbyaZoneSystem:GeneralOutlineofSteps 34
Interface 45
Calibration 48
Preparations 50
PreliminaryRun(ZoneI) 54
EstablishingRun(ZoneV) 66
Fine-TuningRun(ZoneVIII) 67
Dilutions 67
Contrast-Control 70
byVariousPaperGrades 71
byVariableFilmDevelopment 75
CExopmapnascitoinoCnalCiablriabtriaotnison(sN(+N)-) 7785
AlternativeModeforVisualThinking 83
PrintAsPerformanceoftheNegative 90
TheGraphsofSensitometry 92
PaperCharacteristics 99
FilmCharacteristics 104
DerivationofContrastIndexesfromPublishedData 109
ZoneReproductionCycle 112
ShapingandDiscovery 118
Appendicies
A.FilmDevelopmentData 122
B. ReadingMfgrsFilmDevelopmentCurves 123
125
C.FlareLight
D.DiffusionandCondenserEnlargers 126
EF.. CRoecnitprraoscti-tCyonEtfrfeocltbyExposure 112269
G.SlopeandContrast 130
H.GlossyandMatteSurfaces 130
)IK...CBSraeilleiefbnrFiaHutisimtooTnroywnioitfnhtghDeenZsointeomSeytsetresm I11'33*56'
'Some of the young photographers today enter photography
where I leave off. My "grandchildren" astound me. What I
worked fortheyseemtobebornwith.SoIwonderwhereTheir
affirmations of Spirit will lead. My wish for them is that their
unfolding proceedstofullnessofSpirit, howeverastonishingor
anguished their lives."
Minor White
Mirrors, Messages Manifestations
The Efficacy of Craft and Vision manual, published in 1961, he stated:
Any artist or craftsman uses mental tools
The most distinctive feature of this present work, to guide himself as he molds materials
under the combined authorship of Minor White, with hisphysicaltools. Someofthesecon-
Richard Zakiaand PeterLorenz, isthat it provides ocrepthsaramroeniccosd.ifiIend,phsoutcohgraaspchoylosrucshysctoenm-s
the reader with the most comprehensive discus- cepts have their counterparts in optics,
sion of the zone system yet published. Through thatpertainstotheimageprojectionqual-
their combined talents, they have been able to ities of lenses; and sensitometry, that is
articulate not just simply a methodology, but a the study of the effect of light intensities
on photographic emulsions. Man's mental
very challenging interplay and clarification of the
tools are in the nature of approaches or
interdependenceofcraftas it can relatetovision. workingphilosophiessuchastheMemory
One should not consider the system as an in- Recall school of acting. In photography,
trusion in any way upon a visual response. The Ansel Adams was the first to codify how
declarative or expressive position of the photog- experienced photographers have, in
srhaopuhledr ibnerbealsateidonuptoonthtehephfoultloegstraupnhdiecrsmteanddiiunmg ePflfAaencdtna,emdaslPwfhairoyststocguarslaelpdedhytih.tetiCrhreimtZaitoceinrsiemalShsya.sstebmeeonf
of all the ingredients essential to his craft. The aimed at anything so intellectual as plan-
proposition is one of vision, and in an interesting ning a photograph, by persons who fear
way vision can ultimately extend craft, and it is thattheslighesttraceofthinkingwillspoil
even possiblefor a sense of craftto aid in theex- their spont—aneity. There is some truth in
tension ofvision.When technical confidenceand their fears as any young musician learn-
tnootgrjaupshtesrimwpillly c—nootmpreetveenalceinishtihsewisosruke,dtihsetipnchtol-y ttianogngersoacupashlleeysrswt"iollwththeoesitircfayi.nntLrueaigitsiieovenaaceryaeeme—trheaan"sdpphofonai--l
separate talents craft with the absenceofvision, to produce a print. The parallel still holds
orvision with the absence of craft—but rather an between word-men who breathe poetry
appropriate fusion. Union of technique and into the restrictions of the sonnet and
those picture-men who breathe spon-
imagination will be an important basis for his taneous life into planned photographs.
expressive concerns. It will be this confidence
that will enable him to engage freely and spon- The zone system provides an exceptional
taneously. method of revealing and understanding the syn-
As I interpret the authors' position, the system tax of photography. The establishment of mean-
is intended to generate a symbiotic relationship ingful patterns to communicate thought and
between response and pictured response. The feeling isthe province of language, be itvisual or
system is in effect syntactical and a wide latitude verbal.Thetaskofthephotographeristodevelop
for personal interpretation is inherently possible. a personal vocabulary, a cogent and cognitive
Ineffect,thesystem helpsto revealandclarifythe reflection of his expressed concerns through the
syntax and should not be considered an end in photographs he makes.
—
itself. This position has been consistently main- Nathan Lyons
tainedbyMinorWhite. In hisoriginalzonesystem Visual Studies Workshop i
Authors' Preface
Photographic chemistry is changing.
Equipment is in the throes of automation.
Weston exposure meters are phasing out.
As foolproofing advances, Contrast-Control diminishes.
But the principles of sensitometry upon which the Zone System stands, remain firm.
And visualization always has the creative power to accommodate whatever changes are ahead.
Believing thatthreeauthorsmight reflectthepre- images; White concentrates on previsualization
sent nature of a zone system more clearly than because he can not think in numbers.
one, a trained sensitometrist (Zakia, under 50), a Each of us presents a different "picture" of the
free-lance instructor of zone system workshops Zone System: the general view, the view from
(Lorenz, under 30) and an exhibition photog- the calibration side and the sensitometrist's view-
rapher (White, under 70) joined forces. Long be- point, in that order. The "pictures" overlap, but
fore we started to work together we had sepa- in a way that helps explain what went before.
ratelyconcludedthateffortstosimplifythesystem Moving from generalities to specifics forced a
are wasted. We believe that only clarification, change from simplicity to complexity. In the
rather than simplification, can steer us through beginning at least we were able to keep in mind
the complexities of the photographic process visual minded photographerswhoarebewildered
that an introduction to the zone system soon re- by numbers and who shrink from "candles-per-
veals. Therefore weaimtoclarify itsmechanics in square-foot".
this book; its alchemy we leave to another. People ask, "What is this Zone System?"
Persons intrigued by the system are led, unsus- It explains little if anything to say that essen-
pectingly, to examine some of photography's tiallythesystemamountstopracticalsensitometry
many complexities. In their attempts to clarify combinedwithsensitizedvision; ortoputit inthe
photography and system to themselves, some negative, say that without visualization thesystem
persons write books. The present authors are no is an over complicated set of finger exercises.
exception. Zakia makes his approach through Or to point out, in a positive tone again, that
sensitometry because science and light-sensitive visualizationmixedwithzonesystemsensitometry
materials are his realm of involvement; Lorenz can evolve into a way of life, much as flour and
2 stresses calibration because he loves well-crafted water when heated turn into bread. Bread that
nourishes each of us according to our needs. and effective. In brief it givestoa photographer's
Littleisexplainedwhenwesaythatphotography's imagination a "keyboard" to photography's gray
unique physical problem is to neatly couple (tone) and color (hue) possibilities. Asweexperi-
exposure control to development control in the ence calibration, it will be easy to comprehend
endless struggle with subject contrast; or to add that calibrated exposure meters also guard the
that it is all done by visualization, a zoned gray heart of the system.
scale, standardized processing, and a calibrated Harder for photographers to grasp is the place
luminance meter. Is anything clarified when we of sensitometry in making photographs. Let's
say that the problems characteristic of photog- dwell on this for a moment. Between the art of
raphy may besymbolized by theastrological sign, photography and the science of photography
Pisces—twofish tied togetherswimming in oppo- rumor has it that a wedding will take place any
sitedirections? However,apromiseismadewhen day. No one is sure which is groom and which is
we say that the system offers still photographers bride. As we worked on the book we—wondered
who are willing to work, control of the controls. if we might find ourselves minister inadver-
These unexplained statementsaretrueenough, tently, of course. What we did find surprised us:
but any understanding of them will only be sensitometristssaythatgraphsand curvesare pic-
reached by exploring them. tures of photographs and equivalent to photo-
Practice makes us believe that visualization is graphs, if not actually photographs! What was
of the essence when creativity relates to photog- more, we found that a sensitometrist poring over
raphy. Photographerscanvisualizebeforemaking his graphs and a cameraman poring over his
the exposure, before printing the negative, and photographs are both linked to the creative.
visualize how viewers may respond before show- Though sensitometrists favor facsimile reproduc-
ing the print. Once they have previsualized they tion and pictorialists lean toward personal inter-
may revisualize at any time they wish and for pretation, each seeks to predict results, the one
whatever reason. However it is used, visualiza- by mathematics, the other by intuition. Each
tion sparks all zone system activity: the system exercises creative imagination in much the same
as process, calibration and sensitometry. All way, by some form of visualization.
three support the creativity that visualization Ouraimforsometimenowhasbeentoencour-
brings to photography. age the incorporation of sensitometrists' views
about materials with photographers' views about
CalibrationsandSensitomery vision. Pioneer photographers never knew the
At the head of the system stands the luminance dichotomy of manufacturer and operator; now
meter: measurement-taker, expediter and guard- the two live in different worlds. We would draw
ian. But meters must be calibrated to measure them together again for mutual gain. When we
luminances in zones. Consequently calibration notice that thetrend toward automation tends to
and material testing is an on-going part of a sys- further separate photo scientist from photogra-
temized photographer's career; because it keeps pher, we feel a little lonely.
all variables under control, connects photog- Regarding the text, the material has been com-
rapher to medium, makes visualizing possible pressed enough so that we suggest three read- 3
ings: • •, skim to gain orientation; second, understandings of familiar problems; for this
make notes for understanding and reference; we are deeply grateful.
and ttiird, use camera, film, and developer. We observe the passing of the Weston Elec-
Weclosewith awarning about lettingtheprac- trical Instrument Company with misgivings and
tice of this system drift into mechanical ritual. profound regret.
At first, newness of ideas and routines will keep Richard Zakia wishes especially to thank EHollis
thepractice lively. Eventuallyit is likelytoatrophy Todd, tor his close scrutiny of the manuscript;
into mechanical gestures, despite New Year's George DeWolfe, John Dowdell, Sue Martin for
resolutions every day. So, invent new questions their help in this work; and Lois for her constant
frecjuently as the years accumulate. Two model encouragement.
approaches follow: the photographer may apply Peter Lorenz wishes to thank Carolyn Sagov,
variations of them whenever stagnation seems Curt Lamb and EHelen McMullen who supported
imminent. and encouraged his first teaching in zone system
1. After grasping an intellectual meaning of workshopsin1973; ArtRobbinsforhiscalibration
some one zone, for example, let heart inform work with D-76; and EHarry DeRham who con-
you about its emotional meaning. Still later let tinues to be a source of inspiration for his work.
body-understanding inform you about the sen- Minor White welcomes this moment to ac-
sory nature ofall ten zones, one at a time, as you knowledge and express his gratitude to a host of
feel ready. sourcesandwriters,studentsandassistants,typists
2. When a formal, zone system meaning of the and proofreaders. Hewantstothank Lisa DeLima,
term "normal print" has been digested, begin Steve Slesinger and Kelly Cross for yeoman duty
to ask how Normal relates to photography's at typewriter and blue pencil.
psychology; how it relates to an aesthetic sense,
to your emotional experience of normalcy, and
so on, seeing ever wider relationships.
Theform ofthe model for revivifyingquestions
follows: first introduce some phase or item into
yourself by way of the mind; then expand the
experience of—it through both the emotional and
sensory sides through the wholeness of your
self; think up new leading questions to activate
both sensory and emotional participation.
Acknowledgements
We are all indebted to Ansel Adams for his en-
(ouragement and advice as the work progressed,
and wish to take this opportunity to express our
4 gratitude. Working together brought about new