ANSEL ADAMS American Photographer “Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” ― Ansel Adams ANSEL EASTON ADAMS (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) What made Ansel Adams Famous? • American landscape photography • Environmentalist • Known for his black-and- white images of the American West Yosemite- El Capitan AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER • Adams helped found an association of photographers advocating "pure" photography. They wanted images in sharp focus and the black and white tones to create depth and clarity. • Developed a system of image-making called the Zone System, which is a technique for determining optimal film exposure and development. • The resulting clarity and depth of such images characterized his photography. See the above pictures for examples of the Zone System. ENVIRONMENTALIST • Life-long advocate for environmental conservation • At age 12, he was given his first camera during his first visit to Yosemite National Park. • He developed his early photographic work as a member of the Sierra Club. • He was later contracted with the U.S. Department of the Interior to make photographs of U.S. National Parks. • Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980. Securing Photography’s Institutional Legitimacy • Adams was a key advisor in establishing the photography department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York • Helped to stage that department's first photography exhibition • Helped found the photography magazine Aperture • Co-founded the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona. CONNECTIONS TO YOSEMITE • Yellowstone always remained a source of inspiration and opportunity for Adams. • Yellowstone inspired him to take up photography. • Adams sold his first photos to Best’s Studio in Yosemite Valley. • He eventually became good friends with the studio owners and married their daughter Virginia in 1928. • Best’s Studio is now the Ansel Adams Gallery and is run by his descendants. Yosemite Falls Horizons • During his earlier work, Adams would place the horizon line very high in the frame. • Many say that his best work was in the decades to come, when he favored a Drop Horizon. • Placing the horizon so high helped the viewer to realize the scale of the image, in comparison to the sky that surrounded it. • Which do you prefer? Why? He Was So In Tune With His Equipment, Taking Photos Became Instinctive! • Ansel’s most famous photograph, Moonrise Over Hernandez, was taken within a few seconds of pulling his car over to the side of the road he was driving along. • This way many years before digital cameras, and photographers needed to choose the aperture and exposure for the picture. If they calculated incorrectly, the image was ruined! • This is much easier to do using a light reader, but Ansels did not have time, so he very quickly calculated the exposure for the photo. • The image was perfect! • The photograph became so popular that Adams personally made over 1,300 photographic prints of it. • A 1948 print sold at auction "for the then-unheard-of price of $71,500" in 1971 ($442,300 in 2018); the same print sold for $609,600 in 2006 ($757,600 in 2018) at a Sotheby's auction. Do you think the picture is worth over $757,000? Ansel Adams Went to Great Lengths to Capture his Photos • To capture these landscapes, it often meant climbing mountains and hiking for hours at a time. • It was normal for Ansel to leave before dawn and arrive home after dusk. He Always Knew Before He Took The Photo • Adams often only took two of the same photo, one extra for safety. • He always knew the shutter speed and aperture for the photo he was going to take. • He could tell just by looking at the frame, what settings he would have to use and whether he needed a filter. How many photos do you take of the same scene? Interesting Extras • Adams worked in natural light and sometimes waited for days to get just the right kind of light for his photograph. • 50% of the creative process occurred in the dark room. • The first thing most people notice about Adam’s photography is the scale of the images and that man seems so insignificant in comparison. • He wanted people to understand the world, through his images. That we live in a world that exists in a larger world. • When Adams took a photo, he didn’t just capture a scene, he captured a feeling. • Adams fought hard to lobby congress to create more national parks and was successful with Kings Canyon National Park. • Adam’s commissions were irregular and did not improve until very late in life. Mount Legacy Ansel Adams • Ansel Adams passed away in 1984 due to a heart attack. • After his death in 1984, an area of national park was named The Ansel Adams Wilderness • AND a mount was named after him, Mount Ansel Adams. Ansel Adams Wilderness .