Ansel Adams Zone System
Zone | Description |
---|---|
0 | Pure black |
I | Near black, with slight tonality but no texture |
II | Textured black; the darkest part of the image in which slight detail is recorded |
III | Average dark materials and low values showing adequate texture |
IV | Average dark foliage, dark stone, or landscape shadows |
V | Middle gray: clear north sky; dark skin, average weathered wood |
VI | Average Caucasian skin; light stone; shadows on snow in sunlit landscapes |
VII | Very light skin; shadows in snow with acute side lighting |
VIII | Lightest tone with texture: textured snow |
IX | Slight tone without texture; glaring snow |
X | Pure white: light sources and specular reflections |
Read more about the Zone System at Wikipedia