When editing photographs in grayscale, the primary focus is on the tonal values of the shades of gray and the contrast between these values.

By placing sample points within the image, the Digital Zone Gradient instantly shows where each tone falls on the zone scale. Using Photoshop's built-in Curves and Levels tools, we can then adjust these tones to match our envisioned final output. For more precise control, we can also paint directly onto the curve mask to apply localized adjustments, refining the tonal balance further.