The Zone System Express 7
I have spent the last ten years perfecting my photographic workflow. One of the major innovations I made in this time was the development of the Zone System Express, an incredible tool that helps me maintain a consistent and predictable workflow. It has been through 5 iterations so far and the 6th is going to revolutionize the way you edit your photos.
I can’t just leave you with a tool, while it is a powerhouse, it is nothing without the education to go along with it. With the panel comes 8 hours of education that will teach you my workflow of Tone, Color, and Effects
Minutes of Education
Pages of Documentation
Gradients
High Quality Videos
EXAMPLES
Before and After the Zone System Express
The Flint Hills Came to Life
Without the Zone System Express, this image would have been next to impossible to pull off. There were a lot of elements to balance in this shot. From the lightning to the clouds, and the house in the foreground, the ZSE pulled through in minutes!
With this scene, it is all about how the ZSE handled the subtleties. The Clouds have the right amount of depth to complement the foreground without putting them in competition with one another.
Milky Way, So Sweet
This Milky Way shot was very difficult. It was composed of multiple images, a few for the foreground, one for the middle ground, and finally one for the Milky Way. The act of exposure blending is a typical process for night sky images, but it can be challenging to get them unified. With a few clicks of the ZSE, this image came to life, just like I remember seeing it when I was on location. Clearing skies, Lightning, and Fireflies, what else can you ask for?
That Moment Revisited
After processing this photo, I am immediately brought back to this Cathedral in Arcachon, France. I can almost feel the cool air and smell the recently blown out candles. This is so refreshing.
Before I nailed down my workflow, I had collected all these memories, but I always felt the photos I took did not represent the way the scene felt when I was there. Luckily for me now, I can revisit those places through my post processing and allow the viewer to see what I saw and feel what I felt. I want the same for you!
Portraits Too
The first thing everyone assumes is that this is for landscapes… nope! The Zone System Express and my accompanying workflow can be used on any photo because the workflow is broken down into elements and not genre specific you can use it anytime on any image!
The best part about the ZSE is the new modified batch processing workflow. With it, you can process one photo with the ZSE and use those settings to transform every picture in the series. This makes it a valuable asset for weddings, senior sessions, family portraits, or even event sessions.
REVIEWS
Responses to the Zone System Express