Digital BW, The Print

I'll second that!
--
Hogarth Hughes


B. Campbell wrote:

> Paul Roark said:
>
> >I get tired of hearing about
> > the "zone system."  It was mostly developed for a time before there
> was even
> > graded printing paper.  As such, the negative had to be fit to the few
> > printing paper contrasts that were available.
>
> With all due respect to Paul and his many contributions here and 
> elsewhere,
> not to mention is knowledge and ability, as others have pointed out the
> above statement is factually incorrect. The zone system was developed by
> Adams and Fred Archer  in the 1940s, at a time when graded papers were
> plentiful.
>
> More importantly, I think it ignores the principal value of the zone 
> system.
> While the zone system could be used to squeeze the contrast of the 
> negative
> into the available contrast range of the paper, that wasn't (and 
> isn't) its
> principal value.  The real value of the zone system lies in its use as a
> creative tool, to permit the photographer to decide what kind of print 
> he or
> she wishes to make and then to produce a negative (or a digital image) 
> that
> will make it possible to produce that print as easily and as closely as
> possible. While we certainly have greater controls than were available in
> Adams' and Archer's time, I think it's still important to begin at the 
> best
> possible starting point (negative or digital image) for the final 
> print and
> understanding the zone system will help accomplish that.
>
>