Transition of tone is what we see that gives shape and emotion to our visual perceptions. It is arguable that the most emotive light we see is not man made. It is also true that the uncontrolled range of brightnesses we encounter outdoors is the most difficult environment in which to make emotive photographs because on a practical basis, uncontrolled means it might not fit our ability to capture the light, much less render it with it's emotion intact. Departures from reality are another matter altogether. The successful manipulation of transition of tone can allow us to see what we otherwise couldn't see, but rather what the worker who rendered it properly, wanted us to see.

The successful manipulation of transition of tone has been a long time goal, going back to 1971 with the acquisition of my first real camera, a Nikon Ftn. Although I wasn't able to quantify then what made a photograph good, bad, or indifferent then, I can do it now. I know the specific requirements of making appropriate transition of tone in the highlight areas, the midtone areas, the shadow areas, and everywhere in between. I know how to make it "sing" in any area, on any target. While it has been a long and often frustrating trek, I would not trade my current abilities for a minute of the time I spent mastering the skillset.

Successfully understanding a concept can be demonstrated by using it compellingly and by sharing it with others. Any understanding of transition of tone can be quantified best, by viewing what can be done with one's crafstmanship of it, on an image by image basis. If a worker can successfully communicate a feeling of light, if a worker can successfully emote an audience, then he can successfully communicate. Successfully rendering tranisition of tone is an acquired skillset. In your quest to better communicate visually with your tools, seek out the individual parts of the process you need to acquire. This site is dedicated to the concept of appropriately crafting the useable number of tones for your chosen target. This concept embodies the methodology I use when I make of considered transition of tone. You can see how it works at http://LuckyWithLight.com. If you too have an interest in crafting transition of tone, you might find this to be an interesting site.

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