Digital BW, The Print

Of all of Ansel's images, this is without doubt the worst to use to 
judge the Zone System by.

Ansel's ideas for the zone system were to visualize what you wanted in 
the final print, carefully consider what you had to have in the negative 
to get that, then methodically go about exposing and developing the 
negative to get the necessary tones on the negative.

Moonrise was the antithesis of how he used the Zone System. Ansel's own 
account was that Moonrise was a "grab shot." He didn't have time to 
visualize anything except sliding his vehicle to a stop and running like 
mad. He couldn't find a light meter, so he guessed. He flipped the film 
holder to try to make another exposure, but the light was gone.

By all accounts, he hated the negative. It represented everything he was 
working to correct with the Zone System. That he could get a good print 
at all from it is amazing. That he could pull his amazing Moonrise 
prints is nearly miraculous and certainly a testament to his skills.

But of all his images, this is the last one to use to judge the Zone System.
--
Bruce Watson


Clayton Price wrote:

> Greetings,
> About 4 years ago I saw three original prints of "Moonrise" in a New 
> York gallery. They were fascinating, and it gave
> a real insight into how Adam's worked in the darkroom.  The first 
> print was straight from the negative - as I recall the
> the sky was almost white, and few of the details related to the 
> values of the final piece.  The second print was somewhat
> corrected, but still a long way from what we usually see.  The third 
> print was  what we've come to expect  --perfect !
>
> When I was a student, much longer ago than I want to think about, we 
> learned and worked with Zone System, in the belief
> that if one follows it carefully, you could make a straight print 
> from a negative with minimal dodging and burning.
>
> Well, seeing those three prints, 2 of which were in process, the Zone 
> System bubble burst within me, and I realized
> Adam's fantastic darkroom skills, just as Weston, and Gene Smith, who 
> I don't think worked in Zone System - at least
> not formally!
>
> Clayton Price