i've been studying and focusing on Ansel Adams' images a lot these days, and i have been studying the Zonal System as well. i certainly think this can be replicated in digital, and i'm trying to achieve that.

the way i understand it, the Zonal System is basically about exposure and development.

since with digital cameras, as in film, we can meter, can we not apply those techniques?

Adams' technique is so powerful and incredible if you ask me! he was able to show the brightest brights and the darkest darks and the the shades inbetween in such a way to show such extreme contrast. and he did it without losing details. i look at his images and am just amazed at the tonal ranges.

i've been trying to understand my camera's metering system better (it's digital) and trying to learn how to understand metering better.

In the Zonal system, Adams spoke about pushing and pulling the film. pushing was underexposing and pulling was overexposing.

so, as you can see, in digital photography, we can certainly meter and we can push and pull.

i need to start over and underexposing by a step or two, besides taking a correctly exposed image.

Anyway, i've only begun studying the Zonal System for a short time now, and i really feel like i'm just kinda "out there" on my own, HOPING i'm understanding what Adams was trying to say, and HOPING i can achieve a better looking photograph. i may not be understanding things correctly. i never read his book. i would like to though. i just read pieces of articles. i have no idea if i'm on the right track.

great thread, and i'd love to hear from others. i would like to know if i'm doing anything right or if i'm understanding things correctly.