Concisely written in Adams' own scholarly style, "The Negative" is a valuable resource for photographers learning the foundation of technically correct (as opposed to generally good) base exposure in a variety of scenes, both pedestrian and those that are more conflicting. One must, however, consider that more than 4 decades have passed since the techniques were founded and the technology described can be viewed, in many cases, with a quaint tug at nostalgia. Today's evaluative and matrix metering systems, programmed along the Zone System, do a remarkable job where once exposure was tedious and error prone, and this is where learning the Zone System to competently handle difficult scenes is a useful addition to a photographer's "book of tricks". But despite the clarity of explanation and steps, Adams' Zone System remains a complex, intertwining system to understand (theory) and apply (field application); it never was and never will be a five-minute task. For B&W fine art photographers, "The Negative" holds a timeless reference quality with many techniques remaining the solid benchmarks for fine art production. In summary, a tremendously good read and a most valuable addition to any learned photographer's library.

The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2)

I am new to large format photography. This book is extremly informative and focuses just on negative construction, manipulation and b&w processing. An excellent and timeless resource! Excellent for all formats!

If film shooting is interesting to you (and you should; I'm 26 and grew up with cameras, then I move to digital, and recentlly, I discovered the wonders of a darkroom and BW prints) then this book is a MUST Well, the whole series)!!! there aren't enough words to emphasize my feelings over the 3 books of Ansel Adams (camera, negative & print)

If you don't believe me, then please take a deep look at Ansel's master BW work... that should convince you!!!

Ansel Adams was a master of photography but not the most exciting storyteller , in my opinion.

This book is one that you should read as part of a complete education in photography, but there are some long sections in it. The parts of the book explaining Adams' zone system are very worthwhile and great stuff. Much of the rest of the book is only interesting if you are shooting film (not digital), as it deals specifically with darkroom processing.

Read about the zone system here or somewhere else, but learn it. If you are a film photog, read this whole book. For digital shooters, you might want to read only the sections of interest.

This is an excellent book that will help experienced and newcomers in photography. Pay attention to the Zone system that Adams has devised. It will realy help you take total control over your pictures with a helpfull and very creative perspective. The last part of the book (developing negatives) might be ommited by the person who is into digital, although it helped me comprehend a lot about the various Adobe Photoshop features and relate them to classic photography.

One little remark I have to make is for the publisher. The book is printed into gloss paper (all the three books in the series) with a high reflectance index. This results in dificulty reading the book at certain angles.

A must read. The explanation of the zone system is outstanding. I had taken a number of skyline photographs of Austin which when reviewed by professional photographers got 2 thumbs up. After looking at them with a critical eye on exposure and armed with my new understanding of the zone - I retook those same pictures and WOW. What an amazing ability to move your camera off of matrixed metering and know how to really set the exposure for what you want to show. Also helps you understand the tradeoffs the camera is making in it's exposure settings so you can be more purposeful in changes you might make. A critical read if you also intend to ever move into large format photography.

excellent information on understanding photography. Touch on zone system and exposure.

Although I did classic film photography for several years, I am now just digital. This is still a great book as it covers the zone system (still great for digital) and darkroom techniques that can easily be applied to the "digital darkroom". GREAT BOOK!

Although I did classic film photography for several years, I am now just digital. This is still a great book as it covers the zone system (still great for digital) and darkroom techniques that can easily be applied to the "digital darkroom". GREAT BOOK!

What can one say that has already not been said about Ansel Adams. I too am on the digital wave, but this book reminded me of what a pleasure making (art)a photograph can be. The information helped me to see my subjects from the negatives perspective. Very good to excellent for improving all of my photography.

What can one say that has already not been said about Ansel Adams. I too am on the digital wave, but this book reminded me of what a pleasure making (art)a photograph can be. The information helped me to see my subjects from the negatives perspective. Very good to excellent for improving all of my photography.

Read it once, and forget everything you get in this book.
And make your own photo.
Some months later(or some years later), you can read it again.
And make it yours.

Ansel Adams is arguably the finest technician in the history of photography. This book covers the art and science of creating the perfect negative - the vital ingredient in making a perfect print. This book does not disappoint. Ansel's genious lives through this and other books he helped write. This book is a valuable asset to any photographic library.

We're actually not too far from the end of digital/analog war. Adams' book bought something back from the golden age of home labs and help us to realise our own dreams and ideas without the help (and destruction) of consumer labs. This book is much more than just a guide how to measure light for the best exposure, how to navigate through zones or how get out of the best from your papers and chemicals, but an ode to black and white photography.
May be also useful to digital-negative enthusiasts.

There are a number of good reviews here, and I recommend to you especially the one by S. White. This is a great book, a classic that is important both historically, because it defines the zone system as no other work can, and practically, because it gives you the best combination of practice and theory available in print (at least that I have found). For the uninitiated, in the "zone system" you stop thinking about "the" one correct exposure for a photograph (which is usually the correct exposure for a single subject in the photograph) and instead think about the range of exposures needed across a scene with a variety of subjects with different colors, textures, and light characteristics. This approach is made possible by the observation that a one-stop shifts in exposure, in black and white photography, ultimately create 10 "zones" for aesthetic purposes - that is, the full range of grays between black and white can be associated with 10 stops of exposure.

I don't want to make this review just an echo of the praise offered by others, so let me point out several things about this book that may be helpful if you haven't yet decided to purchase it:

First, the zone system advocated by Ansel Adams is the most influential approach to taking black and white photographs out there. There are advocates and detractors, and this book is inspired in part by Adam's advocacy of this technical and painstaking technique. Because he is an advocate, he works very hard to make the system comprehendable, while retaining fidelity to its technical and intellectual side. He also does not give you the full story on the criticism of his method.

Second, even if you are not going to "follow" the system, this book will give you an understanding of the process by which light becomes a photograph, and insight into how meters (whether built into the camera or not) and film interact with objects that are colorful and textured. This insight is indispensible, and better explained that anywhere else I have read. Whatever you think of the zone system as a method for taking photographs, it is a fantastic educational method.

Third, some have commented that the information is most useful to those using view cameras and not working with 35 mm roll film. I disagree. While view cameras can give you the ability to deal with each negative separately in a darkroom, today's automatic and, yes, digital cameras can give remarkable flexibility once you understand the ins and outs of the zone system and how exposures work. With today's camera's capable of giving you a honeycomb display of exposures over the entire photograph, taking multiple exposures on one roll can get you much the same impact as manipulating exposures in the darkroom. Today's cameras also allow you to re-roll and switch films mid-roll, so it is now possible to do astonishing things in the darkroom using Adams methods and a 35 mm camera.

Digital SLR cameras can be even more readily adapted to these methods than View cameras, since they give instantaneous displays as well as the ability to make a detailed analysis of an exposure. Because Ansel Adams fully explains his method and its technical underpinnings, it is possible to really apply his teachnings to modern technology. At some point, we need to revisit Adams' contributions in the modern world, but I suspect we will discover when we do so that he was well ahead of his time.

After read this book,my B&W photograph expose have imporve dramatically,before that,I just using average meter to optain exposure.good book

Ansel Adams reviews the characteristics and limitations of the B&W negative. It is very comprehensive and describes both exposure and processing techniques. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about B&W photography.

Simply put: The best out there.

Make sure of a few things:
a)you are an advanced amateur
b)you love B&W
and it woundn't hurt if
c)you can do your own B&W work.

Wonderfully written, if you have the talent this book could make the difference

This is the book I turn to for the heavy duty technical data on the most important aspects of photography, but guess what? This is probably one of the most readable and easy to digest technical books on photography you are ever likely to read or need. Adams has a way of making mysterious worlds within Photography accessable. I will admit though that this book is not for the absolute beginner, though having said that those who want to stretch a little could find much that is of use without having too much knowledge off the mark.

When I looked at the three books of this series, The Camera, The Negative and the Print, I waded into each wanting to choose only the best one from the series. I quickly realised that neither of the other two had what The Negative had and I have subsequently realised that this was by far the best choice for me. The negative deals with Visualization and image values, Light and Film, Exposure, The Zone System, Filters and Pre-Exposure, Natural Light, Artifical Light, Darkroom processes, Dark Room equiptment and procedures and value control in processing.

This book is an absolute must for intermediate photographers who have mastered the basics and want to take a step up into the world of greater control over their imaging with an eye to developing and processing their own film and prints. Everything you need to know about getting your images right before you even hit the shutter is in this book, all you need to do now is accentuate the positive by going and buying The NEGATIVE!

This book is the second of Ansel Adams three instructional masterpieces (see the Camera and the Print). In it one will find everything they require to become masters of exposure and development. This is the greatest single book on the subject of black and white films ever written. And despite its age, it remains indispensable.

This whole series (The Camera, The Negative, & The Print) are highly recommended for anyone seriously interested in learning more about photography and improving their skills. If you're not interested in that, then the books are probably still worth adding to your collection just to see all of Adams's stunning images.

With little doubt, this is the very best book on photographic technique I have read to date. This book does not insult one's intelligence nor does it mire one in excessive technical detail (practical information for the practical photographer). Upon reading just the first few chapters, one will be able to understand what 'correct' exposure is and how 99.9% of the camera metering systems calculate 'correct' exposure and why 99.9% of these camera metering systems fail under so many circumstances (i.e. backlighting, shooting in snow, etc.).

In lieu of buying cameras with 'smarter' meters (multi-segment, color sensing wonders) I would suggest that photographers read this book and learn how to make-do with the gear they currently have.

I was really interested in getting to the bottom of how Adams has developed his Zone system for exposure control. My photography instructor had alluded to it's complexities. The book explains a huge range of technical details and the thinking behind them really clearly.

For those of us shooting in 35mm some of the lessons cannot be put into practice directly because pushing or pulling is limited to whole rolls of film rather than individual frames. However the insights are really valuable.

I recommend it.

Hands down this is the best B&W photography book written. The second in a three book series, Ansel Adams meticulously details every aspect of capturing an image on B&W film. The Zone System offers the reader the opportunity to create perfectly exposed photographs with precision. Both novice and experienced photographers will find this book beneficial. The three volume set is well worth the investment.

The book were Ansel Adams explains his well known zone system.

It is the best book of the three books of the series "the camera", "the negative", "the print". The camera book is more interesting to someone using a view camera. The print is more interesting for someone doing a lot of photography printing. But the negative I found it interesting for someone interested in advance photography and that wants to learn how to better control exposure. In that area this book is a classic.

It is not a simple book for a beginner, so if you are picking a camera for the first time and just want to know how to load the film there are better books in the market to fulfill with that purpose.

Despite the heavy emphasis on chemical negatives, this book's essentially a clinic on Adams' Zone System for contrast control. As such, it's still totally relevant for the digital age. If you're using chemical negatives, this book's an absolute must have.

Adams' attention to detail in testing contrast and resolution in various lighting situations forms the core of the Zone System and of this book.

Issues such as filtration remain the same today as they did with negatives. Although pushing and pulling film is carried out differently in the digital age, it's not impossible if you have even a modicum of exposure control (for instance, overexposing and lowering brightness will still yield lower contrast). And if you are into digital, you'll gloat at your full control of exposure tweaks beyond the one-dimensional control you get with timing chemicals in solution.

One thing that may be disappointing is the emphasis on black and white. There's a brief description of color, but it really deserves a book of its own. This is especially true for filtration and contrast control.

The three books in this series can be read independently, but together provide a complete clinic from positioning the camera to displaying a final print.

A NEW PHILOSOPHY IN PHOTOGRAPHY (IN THE EUROPEAN MIND) IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS AND FOR EXPERIENCED JUST FIND YOUR LEVEL

I wish to own this book. But I have doubts. Not of author. I heven't seen here publishing company name and nothing about number of pages. So I can't judge is it worth assigned price.

I believe the book is excelent. But I can't get nothing about publisher name and number of pages. So I can't judge is it worth assigned price.

This serie of books is ideal for serious photographers. If you are just going for a mechanical registration of events, then look elsewhere. However, if you believe that photography is a mean to comunicate, these books will certainly be of interest for you.

IÂ'm trying to get in the wonderfull world of photography through the well-known work of Ansel Adams but I need this three books ( The Camera, The Negative and The Print ) in Spanish. Would somebody advise if Amazon has them in this language? Besides, I can see clearly that Mr.Adams is the right one to guide every photographer knowledge.

Ansel Adams expressed more with B&W then most can even DREAM of doing with color...

This is my second foray into learning the basics of exposure through the Zone System, and who better then The Master himself to lead. He has taken a fairly technical system and made it a breeze to grasp. No misleading sidebars or relationships here. Just the facts. Much better then my first indoctrination. No matter how deeply you wish to delve into his techniques, even a redimentary understanding of previsualization before exposure will improve ones photo making, even in color. An outstanding reference. The entire series, Book 1: The Camera, Book 2: The Negative, and Book 3: The Print are invaluable additions to a personal photography library.

Ansel Adams' experience, talent and visualization come together in this book to describe (with relative ease) even the most complex aspects of photography. His comprehension of the matter is wildly beyond most (if not all) other authors. I would especially recommend this book to intermediate photographers who have had fairly enough experience in the field. Amateurs will no doubt find it useful yet a bit complex in some technical issues. This book is a must for the serious photographer as it enlightens doubts.

I read the book and I've found it very interestin

This is the only book I've ever read that explains a concrete scientific system for controlling film exposure and processing. This book does not cover the artistic process, but instead the chemical/physical process. Ansel Adams explains in great detail the process of visualization of the desired image and a scientific method for achieving that goal through use of the Zone System.

A must read for any aspiring b/w photographer.

Being a mere amateur, I had never really devoted any time to a serious reading of books on the theory of exposure until I bought Ansel Adams "the camera", "the negative" and "the print" a few weeks ago. I haven't finished reading them, but I have already read enough about the zone system to find it tremendously interesting. The way Adams explains things is well structured, accurate, deep and wide! It takes you through all the aspects of photography, gives real answers to all the questions (which do of course bear a certain level of complexity), even those you haden't thought about! Everybody should receive these books with any camera in my opinion, they are just great!!! Don't look for it any longer somewhere else, it's all here!

This book is basically about films and light. It is the most useful book i have ever read on films and taking pictures. It offers no shortcuts nor does it give you easy solutions. But it shows the reader how he or she can develop an eye for taking pictures. The authors goal is not just to take a picture of whats there but to see something in his mind and using the media of film and light to portray what he sees. He calls this visualization. His primary tool is the film and a system of controlling exposure through what he calls the zone system. As Adams was not explaining easily understood concepts with his book it is a complicated book. But it is meticulously written and detailed. And it radiates with Adams'love for his subject. The only flaw I could find on the book is that many of the films he mentions are not in use by ordinary lay-photographers.I have had it for a year now and read it more often than I can remember.