Turret Arch, Arches National Park, Utah • April 22, 2021

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Creating a black and white image is different today than it was in Ansel Adams' time. Instead of dedicated black and white film and darkroom chemistry, a digital camera captures the image in full color, and the image must be converted to black and white with the computer. But it's not just a simple matter of removing color, or completely desaturating the image. Careful attention must be given to tonal values (shades of gray) in order to produce excellent contrast. Ansel Adams frequently darkened his skies in the darkroom to match how he felt the scene was speaking to him. With proper light on the subject, a dark sky frames the subject nicely.