“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”
- Ansel Adams
The name Ansel Adams is synonymous with landscape photography. An aesthetic and technical genius behind the camera, he helped pave the way for future generations of aspiring photographers, landscape and otherwise. Born and raised in the bustling city of San Francisco, California, not far from the picturesque wilderness of Yosemite National Park, where, in 1916 while on a family trip, with the snap of the shutter on his Brownie Kodak Camera, he would begin a grand and exciting adventure that would not only impact the world of photography, but the natural world as well.
Like many artists, Adams started at the bottom learning the basics, while creating techniques of his own; such as his process of “visualization,” his process of visualizing what his final image would look like before he he made his exposure, and while completing the development of the image. Out of this process came his “zone system, “ created to help aid his visualization process by measuring the highlights in a composition using a simple exposure meter. The information would be utilized used during the exposure and
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What you have caught on film is captured forever.” I believe, sometimes I believe that we become too wrapped up in creating a complex project with over the top technical elements and Photoshopping, that we lose sight of creating a true and emotionally meaningful image. Some of us have lost sight on where we as photographers come from. We come from the the pioneers like Ansel Adams who were blazing their own trails, creating work from passion and truth, inspiring new generations. Let’s take a page from them, and create work to inspire the next
Henry Peach Robinson and Peter Henry Emerson were two opposites fighting for the same principal; the acknowledgement of photography as an art form. By Robinson’s view, the most valuable aspect of photography was the presence of a distinct and original fantasy outlined by filters of editing enhancements. In addition, he employed a diverse amount of configurations to his illustrations. Techniques such as image misplacement, negative manipulation, and texture tampering were all utilized to exemplify a glorious theme conceived from the imagination.
Johnson, Brooks. Photography Speaks: 150 Photographers on their Art.” New York: Aperture Foundation Inc., 2004. Print.
Adams not only was an excellent photographer, but he even taught himself to play the piano and read music at only twelve years old. Not much after teaching himself how to play, he began to take lessons which became a “substitute for formal schooling” for him (Turnage). He spent twelve years of his life committed to the piano and even planned on making it his profession. Although, he ended up giving up on music, playing the piano brought structure and discipline in his life; the training and craft also helped enlighten his artistic vision. His artistic vision was not only enlightened by his practice of the piano, but by his love of nature as well. His love of nature began by ...
It is said that, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Ansel Adams proved this statement correct with every single image he produced. Some of his best-known photographs were taken in the Yosemite Valley, including his first ever picture of Monolith; the Face of Half Dome nestled in the heart of the valley. When the thought of Yosemite comes to mind, Ansel Adams' name follows right behind it. Adams' life revolved around Yosemite in many ways, and he was often called "Ansel Yosemite Adams" (Fischer 8). He was a caring man and cared deeply about the Sierra Nevada, and seemed to have a psychic connection with Yosemite (Spaulding 615). Ansel Adams once recalled his first visit to Yosemite:
Born of Irish immigrants in 1823 in a little place called Warren County, New York; Mathew Brady is known as “The Father of Photojournalism.” While a student of Samuel Morse and a friend of Louis Daguerre (inventor of the “Daguerreotype,” a method of photography that the image is developed straight onto a metal coated surface), in which he had met while under the study of Morse, Brady took up his interest in photography in the year of 1839, while only seventeen years of age. Brady took what he had learned from these two talented and intellectual men to America where he furthered his interest in the then-growing art of photography.
There is one sensational man who managed to create some of the most intelligent photographs known to the world using only shades of white and black. Ansel Easton Adams was an all American landscape photographer and conservationist. When he made his pictures, he didn’t let others opinions in; he simply took the shots he wanted, and captured them the way that he would like to see them if they were not his own. Throughout Adams’ life, he didn’t only construct work that taught others, but also inspired many along the way.
The art world of photography is changing all the time. Peter Schjeldahl starts out with a very strong and well written paragraph about the world of art. Peter Schjeldahl says, “You can always tell a William Eggleston photograph. It’s the one in color that hits you in the face and leaves you confused and happy, and perhaps convinces you that you don’t understand photography nearly as well as you thought you did”. These couple of sentences are very strong and flow so well together, and they grab the reader’s attention. Peter explains how William Eggleston was known as a great American photographer.
Toshio Shibatas and Robert Adams work isn’t entirely different from each other’s, though. They both combine organic landscapes with manmade structures, highlight the interaction between humans and their natural environment, and have both photographed during times of economic growth, industrialization, and exponential population expansion. Aside from similar timeframes, visual qualities, and photographic techniques, the greatest differences between their photography exists behind their artistic purposes and personal
Edward Burtynsky is landscape photographer who focuses on finding unique locations that are barren with environmental degradation. He is concerned with the current state of our world and wants to change it by using photography as a medium. Burtynsky 's photolistic style often shows incredible scale and detail within his photos by using multiple vantage points. Burtynsky approaches his subject in a very urgent manner, each and every photo is taken to create a deep impression from its viewer. His work is housed in more than 50 museums including the Guggenheim Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
With his Kodak Brownie his parents gave him in hand, Ansel soon visited Yosemite National Park and became fasciated by the nature around him. The Yosemite National Park became Ansel’s favorite place to go to and photograph in the years to come. His phenomenal image of a landmark in Yosemite titled, “Monolith, the face of Half Dome”, received critical acclaim in
A picture is more than just a piece of time captured within a light-sensitive emulsion, it is an experience one has whose story is told through an enchanting image. I photograph the world in the ways I see it. Every curious angle, vibrant color, and abnormal subject makes me think, and want to spark someone else’s thought process. The photographs in this work were not chosen by me, but by the reactions each image received when looked at. If a photo was merely glanced at or given a casual compliment, then I didn’t feel it was strong enough a work, but if one was to stop somebody, and be studied in curiosity, or question, then the picture was right to be chosen.
One person Adams was influenced by was Albert M. Bender, an insurer and patron of arts and artists. after they met, Bender helped publish Adam’s first portfolio. Bender’s friendship, and connections changed Adams’s life forever, he finally had the energy and creativity to have his photos be great and be seen.
Before becoming an avid photographer, Adams was a musician who strived to become a concert pianist. He taught himself to read music and then began taking lessons. After that, he played the piano for a number of years. Ultimately, he discovered his love for photography and decided to pursue that as a profession, however his time spent as a pianist served him well as a photographer. Playing the piano helped Ansel hone his craft for photography because in order to do these things, an individual needs structure, substance, and self-discipline. (Turnage)
Ansel Adams was born in San Francisco, California and his very early interests were more in music and other things than in photography. He hoped to one day become a professional of some sort in this venue. Adams, known for his great pictures of the western side of the United States, first took pictures in Yosemite National Park in 1916. This experience was so touching to Adams, he took it as a life long view of inspiration. Every summer he returned to Yosemite National Park to take more pictures. He also developed an interest in the conservative movement going on in the United States at the time. By 1920, he had become part of the Sierra Club, a group that wanted to preserve the western beauties. In 1927, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras was published. This was Adams' first portfolio.
When going for a walk, a person takes in the beauty around them. On this particular day, the refulgent sun is extra bright, making the sky a perfect blue. White, puffy clouds fill the sky, slowing moving at their own pace. The wind is peacefully calm, making the trees stand tall and proud. There is no humidity in the air. As this person walks down the road, they see a deer with her two fawns. The moment is absolutely beautiful. Moments like this happen only once in a great while, making us wanting to stay in the particular moment forever. Unfortunately, time moves on, but only if there were some way to capture the day’s magnificence. Thanks to Joseph Niépce, we can now capture these moments and others that take our breath away. The invention of the camera and its many makeovers has changed the art of photography.