Tone

TONE
THEORY AND DEFINITION

Tone can mean two separate things in photography. 

1. The overall lightness or darkness of an area of an image.
2. The colour of all or part of the image, usually in relation to its warmth or coolness.

Without form, tone does not exist which makes it an essential part visualising a 3D object. 

Tone can be categorised in ways as shown in the sphere diagram. 

THE ZONE SYSTEM

Ansel Adams developed the 'zone system' as a way of finding the correct exposure.

 

Zone 10 is pure white, also containing no detail. Zone 5 is mid grey. When using a light meter, either external or in-camera the meter will always expose for Zone 5, whether this will give you the best image or not.

Firstly we must understand how a light meter or in-camera light sensor works. A light meter will always expose for zone 5-mid grey, meaning that if you point your camera into a dark bin, on auto exposure, a grey image will be produced. Similarly if you point a camera at some bright white snow on auto, the camera will give a grey toned snow.

The image of Damion Auburn has the light coming from just above the forehead as that is where the whitest tone of light is recorded. The tones of the image are quite harsh and show the darker tones of Ansel Adams zone system, this creates this very masculine image as it defines the features of the face, the muscles, the jaw structure which give off this impression of strength which are very masculine stereotypes. Direct lighting leads to these dark pools of shadows which can be seen in the image, just above the eyes and around the cheeks. 

The use of diffuse lighting, light coming from several directions, hides the wrinkles as the face is mostly light zones to make her seem like a piece of art to show off her beauty which is a very feminine theme. 

Black and White Photography

• In the absence of colour our ability to create a narrative (story) in image is restricted

•This is viewed as an advantage to practitioners of Black and white photography

•Particular attention is given to ensure a wide range of tones are used

•This is evident in the work of Pictorialist photographers such as Edward Weston and Ansel Adams

Pictorialist photographers, those who believe pictures should look like art. 

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