The Zone System is a photographic technique developed by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in the 1930s that helps photographers determine optimal exposure and development for their images. It divides the tonal range of a scene into eleven zones, from pure black to pure white, allowing photographers to visualize how light and shadow will translate into different shades in their final print. This system is crucial for achieving precise tonal control and is particularly relevant to various styles of photography, including environmental photography and straight photography.
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