Post by kenpossum on Jan 24, 2011 9:49:15 GMT -8
Image tones refers to the range of contrast between the brightest and darkest elements in your picture. Older film photographers may remember the 11 Zone Tonal Range system from 0 - very white with no detail to X - very dark with no detail. A middle zone VI is the reading for an average scene, or from a grey card. The same Zone System still works for digital photography.
Tones can set the mood for your image. A light tone (high key) often can be uplifting, whereas a dark tone (low key) can evoke darker, somber feelings.
I took the image below at Cheam Wetlands, and the tonal range is average (Zone VI). There is a wide range from Zone 0 - the mist above the mergansers to zone X the dark areas of the tree trunks. One must be careful with Zone 0 tones (white with no detail) to keep them to a small area of the image as Zone 0 can overpower an image all too quickly. I usually prefer Zone 1 (White with some detail) which I will illustrate in the third image.
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In the second image, I underexposed slightly to change the mood. I like both images as each conveys a different mood.
Tones must be carefully controlled, especially the bright whites. Too much Zone 0 in an image will give a washed out effect which may take away from the image. The problem will often occur if your bird is set on a dark background, and your camera is set to AUTO, AV, TV, or PROGRAM. the camera meter will often read the darker background and try to turn that background into Zone VI or a mid-tone, and in doing so, will overexpose the lighter areas of the image ie the white feathers of mergansers, buffleheads and bald eagles. The bufflehead image below has a lot of darker tones in the water, but I checked the exposure to make sure the white feathers still retained some tonal detail (Zone 1 instead of Zone 0). I also made sure that the darker tones in the feathers still held their detail.
Tones can set the mood for your image. A light tone (high key) often can be uplifting, whereas a dark tone (low key) can evoke darker, somber feelings.
I took the image below at Cheam Wetlands, and the tonal range is average (Zone VI). There is a wide range from Zone 0 - the mist above the mergansers to zone X the dark areas of the tree trunks. One must be careful with Zone 0 tones (white with no detail) to keep them to a small area of the image as Zone 0 can overpower an image all too quickly. I usually prefer Zone 1 (White with some detail) which I will illustrate in the third image.
I
In the second image, I underexposed slightly to change the mood. I like both images as each conveys a different mood.
Tones must be carefully controlled, especially the bright whites. Too much Zone 0 in an image will give a washed out effect which may take away from the image. The problem will often occur if your bird is set on a dark background, and your camera is set to AUTO, AV, TV, or PROGRAM. the camera meter will often read the darker background and try to turn that background into Zone VI or a mid-tone, and in doing so, will overexpose the lighter areas of the image ie the white feathers of mergansers, buffleheads and bald eagles. The bufflehead image below has a lot of darker tones in the water, but I checked the exposure to make sure the white feathers still retained some tonal detail (Zone 1 instead of Zone 0). I also made sure that the darker tones in the feathers still held their detail.