The Practical Zone System: For Film And Digital... [RECOMMENDED ★]

Middle Gray (18% reflectance). This is what your camera’s light meter thinks it’s looking at, regardless of the actual color.

Check where the background falls. If the background is in , you know it will be a deep, dark black with almost no detail. The Practical Zone System: For Film and Digital...

In film photography, your goal is to ensure the darkest parts of your image have enough information. Middle Gray (18% reflectance)