Ansel Adams Landscape  Photography  &

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The  “Godfather”  of  Landscape  Photography  

•  Born  Feb  1902  •  American  photographer  and  

environmentalist  •  Originally  studied  music  •  First  first  visited  Yosemite  NaGonal  Park  

in  1916  with  his  family,  father  gave  him  his  first  camera  at  the  Gme  

•  Following  year,  returned  to  Yosemite  with  a  beLer  camera  and  tripod  

•  Age  17  joined  Sierra  Club  {group  dedicated  to  protecGng  wild  placed  on  earth}  eventually  served  as  a  director.  

•  Opened  his  own  art  and  photo  gallery  in  San.  Fran  1933  

•  One  of  the  founders  of  the  magazine  Aperture  

•  Ansel  Adams  is  one  of  the  most  respected  names  in  photography.    

•  Produced  hundreds  of  images  that  became  familiar  across  the  world,  as  tributes  to  the  epic  landscapes  of  North  America.    

•  Most  well  known  for  his  innovaGve  and  brilliant  black-­‐and-­‐white  photos  in  landscape  photography.  

•  Adams  Style:  sharp,  clear  depicGons,  not  blurry  abstracGons  in  imitaGon  of  painGngs.    

•  The  contribuGons  of  Ansel  Adams  to  the  world  of  photography  go  beyond  preLy  pictures  of  landscapes  and  natural  forms.    

•  Developed  “Zone  System”.  •  The  Zone  System  is  a  way  

to  manipulate  the  tonality  of  the  images  and  capture  the  stark  and  vivid  contrasts  in  nature  that  could  never  by  recorded  by  the  camera’s  limited  capabiliGes  

•  Ansel’s  technique,  bought  out  detail.  •  His  wriLen  technical  photography  manuals  

are  sGll  regarded  as  influenGal  and  relevant  in  the  modern  era.  

The  Tetons  and  snake  river  1942,  Ansel  Adams  

Evening,  McDonald  Lake,  Glacier  Na>onal  Park  -­‐    Ansel  Adams  

The  Tetons  and  the  Snake  River  (1942)  –      Ansel  Adams  

Winter  Sunrise,  from  Lone  Pine  –    Ansel  Adams  

Many  present  day  PHOTOGRAPHERS  are  inspired    by  the  work  of  ANSEL  ADAMS  

Photograph  by  Peter  Essick  

Photograph  by  Peter  Essick  

Photograph  by  Peter  Essick  

Photograph  by  Peter  Essick  

Photograph  by  Peter  Essick  

Photographs  by  Peter  Essick  

You  don’t  take  a  Photograph,  you  make  it.                                                                                                                      -Ansel Adams

[Discuss]  

If  you  could  make  a  Photograph  of  your  surrounding  environment  in  a  posiGve  light  what  

would  your  landscape  look  like?

Part 1:

[Discuss]  

It  is  horrifying  that  we  have  to  fight  our  own  government  to  save,  the  environment.                                                                                                                -Ansel Adams

[Discuss]  

If  you  could  make  a  Photograph  of  your  surrounding  environment  in  a  negaGve  light  

what  would  your  landscape  look  like?

Part 2:

[Discuss]  

•  “Make”  14  landscape  exposures.  •  7  of  the  well  composed  images  should  aim  to  capturing  the  BeauGful  landscape  of  our  town  or  the  surrounding  area.  

•  7  of  the  well  composed  images  should  make  a  statement  about  the  transformaGon  of  the  landscape.    

Photograph  a  Photograph  of  your  surrounding  environment  in  a  negaGve  light  what  would  your  

landscape  look  like?

Shooting assignment:

[Discuss]