Ansel’s license plate? “Zone V” (Matthew Adams, his grandson now has them on his car, how they ended up there is another interesting story…)

Zone V is of course middle (18% ) gray that all of us middle-gray (excuse pun) photographers know so well. It’s the middle zone that your light meter goes after.

But could it be that Ansel also had a slightly more philosophical message behind the obvious?

Photography is a balance: You have to be well versed technically, but you need the eye to find the image. Too far on either side and you’ll see it in the image. A perfect technical rendition but no emotion or story in the image. Or a great image but weak technically. Both will fall flat. But how about a balance between the two? Zone V.

When I teach, I try to balance the student’s attention between how to look for the shot and how to get it.

Ansel remarked that photography is a language. We’re speaking to others with our images, your use of the language must be clear, but so must what you are “talking” about.

How is your balance? Are you in Zone V?