Ansel Adams - Photographic hero AT 6.2

Ansel Adams' photography depended on sharp focus, heightened contrast, precise exposure and darkroom craftsmanship. He utilized plates of glass and dark red filters to heighten the contrast and tone in his images. This is why his images seem to 'pop', and are so crisp and clean. His first majorly successful print was that of Half Dome in Yosemite National park in California, titled 'Monolith'. This was the beginning of a new technique that defined Adams' work. Ansel Adams specialized in 'straight photography' emphasizing on the clarity of the lens and content, abandoning any extra post-production. He invented the Zone System as a way of actualizing a desired visualized image. Given the time period of Adams' body of work (Monolith – 1927) he can be considered a pioneer of what our photography is today.

From AT 6.2 Photographic Hero

Ansel Adams did more with less. To me that says more than any digitally rendered, post-produced image that could be created at this day in age.

As far as style, Ansel Adams desired to not just photograph what he saw, but what he wanted to convey as the image. The stark contrasts, the crisp lines, the way you feel when you see one of his images was all calculated before he took the photo. He wanted you not to see what he saw, but to feel what he felt. To be able to convey more than just a visual through a photograph is remarkable. Myself, I can only dream of creating images that evoke the same kind of primal awe as if you were there yourself.

From AT 6.2 Photographic Hero

Photo One: “Church, Taos Pueblo” taken in 1942. This photo's high contrast causes the texture to stand straight out of the image. Looking at it you can feel the rough texture scratch the palm of your hands as you run them along the surface. The super dark shadows give a sense of seriousness, but the bright white tones provide relief, allowing your eye to move through the photo and pick up on the small details. I like this photo because you can feel the heat of the sun, and sense the cool relief the shadows provide. I like the texture and grain that the photo has, it adds to the ruggedness of the image. His framing of the image allows enough information, without over-stimulating you. With such high contrast and texture it could be very busy and distracting if it was framed differently.

From AT 6.2 Photographic Hero

Photo Two: “The Tetons & Snake River” taken in 1942, gelatin silver. The bright sheen from the river gives a cold, slick feel to the photo. I like the framing, with the river snaking through the mid to foreground. It gives a path for your eye to follow. The lingering sun in the top left compensates well for the river. The dark looming clouds, mountain bases and almost silhouetted trees in the foreground give a sense of urgency - as though you are not wanted at this scene. Ansel Adams always created very powerful images that conveyed the sheer strength of nature, the volatile and the serene in one.

From AT 6.2 Photographic Hero

Photo Three: “Siesta Lake” taken in 1958, gelatin silver print. This photo feels very different than the other two. It's not as bold or powerful, rather more serene and lurking. You can pick up on the silence and stillness of the scene. You almost feel as though you are trespassing, there's something eerie about the mid tones. There isn't as much obvious and stark contrast, but rather details in the trees, the white log, the cloud's reflection. I like that the dark shadows of the tree line just frame the top of the photo. It builds suspense as to what may be waiting in those shadows.