The Practical Zone System for Film and Digital Photography, 5th Edition

chapter ten   

The Zone System and Digital Photography

Introduction

One interesting way to consider the profound transition fine art photographers have gone through in recent years is from the perspective of what it took to become a fully functional practitioner before the digital revolution began.

Not long ago, it was possible to be a completely self-contained photographic artist if you could afford the thousand dollars or so it took to purchase a decent camera, enlarger, timers, trays, and chemicals. Photographic paper was an ongoing expense, but with a little bit of rough carpentry, you could build a sink. And if the room could be made dark ...