chapter 5
The
Peephole Discover the Pattern of Light and Shadow
A helpful technique to aid your eye in establishing the scale of your tones is to use a peephole.
Peepholes are easy to make. Take a square piece of cardboard
and punch a small hole through it. Look through the hole with
one eye to isolate various areas in your subject. You can make
comparisons between tones that you are unsure of. The peep-
hole concentrates exactly on a small area. Your eye will there-
fore see only what is necessary and will not be influenced by
all of the other tones in that area.
Help Your Eye to See
If by chance you forget to bring your peephole tool with you,
you can always create one with your hand, as demonstrated
in the photo. This method is helpful when you just can’t deter-
mine how light or dark any given area is next to another area.
You can also use this method to double-check your sight, as
there are often surprises in the world of tonal relationships.