Posted
on February 20, 2015
I
bet that, at some time, somewhere, you have seen an Ansel Adams
photograph.
Maybe
on a poster. Or a calendar. Printed on a T-shirt or mug or greeting
card.
He's
THAT ubiquitous. (Which is a way of saying that his photos can be
seen everywhere.)
 |
| Self-portrait of Ansel Adams |
Born
in San Francisco, California, on this date in 1902, Adams was lucky
enough to be a part of a well educated and well-to-do family. He
loved nature and explored the out-of-doors, collecting bugs, checking
out sea cliffs and shipwrecks, and star watching with his dad using a
small telescope.
We
could say that Adams was “homeschooled” starting at age 12, since
he was so restless and inattentive that he was kicked out of several
private schools; his dad brought him home to learn from family
members and tutors. He learned a lot about Robert Ingersoll
and Ralph Waldo Emerson,
who were amazing thinkers and writers.
It
was at that time that Adams became interested in music, especially
the piano. He studied music for 12 years and intended to become a
professional musician, but he had another developing passion, as well
– which was birthed at age 14 when his family went to Yosemite
National Park.
He
later remembered that "the
splendor of Yosemite burst upon us and it was glorious...
One wonder after another descended upon us... There was light
everywhere... A new era began for me."
Adams's
father gave him his first camera on that trip. He returned the next
year with a better camera and a tripod. He began to learn darkroom
technique and started working for a photo finisher, reading
photography magazines, attending camera club meetings, going to
photography exhibits.
He
also started hiking and exploring (and of course photographing) the
High Sierra, and at age 17 he joined the Sierra Club, a group
dedicated to the conservation of the Sierras and other wild places.
He was hired as a caretaker of the Sierra Club visitor center in
Yosemite Valley, and he took over a gallery in Yosemite Valley with
his work.
So,
with all that hiking and photography, and all of that conserving and
photography, Adams soon found his music practice pushed into the
background, and photography became front-and-center.
During
Adams's 20s, many photographers were trying to elevate photography
to the same level of respect in the art world as painting. Some photographers experimented with effects that made
their photographs look more like paintings, including hand coloring the
black and white prints.
Adams did not go that route.
Instead, he
concentrated on keeping his photos realistic, keeping them black and
white, but using sharp focus, strong contrast, and the exact right
amount of exposure to create beautiful prints.
Adams
did experiment with color film, but he didn't like it as well because
he had learned so well how to control black and white photography.
Also
on this date:
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ahead:
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out my Pinterest boards for:
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