Ansel Adams, 1902-1984

Ansel Adams (1902-1984) was born and raised in San Francisco. He took his first photograph in 1916, and after training to become a concert pianist, he changed directions and became a photographer. Adams is famous for his spectacular images of the American West and is also known for his technical skill, pioneering the zone system method of exposure and development control. He believed in straight, unmanipulated photography, and in 1932 Adams cofounded Group f/64, which promulgated those ideas. That year he exhibited his work with the group at San Francisco's M. H. de Young Memorial Museum. In 1936, his images were featured in a one-person exhibition at Alfred Stieglitz's New York gallery, and three years later he was in a group show at the Museum of Modern Art. In 1940, Adams helped found the department of photography there and later was awarded two fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to photograph America's national parks. He authored numerous books and published several portfolios of his images. He also wrote a series of very influential technical books on photography. In addition, Adams was highly regarded as a teacher, lecturer, and conservationist. In 1980, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.

Notable photographs1. Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, 1927.Rose and Driftwood, San Francisco, California, 1932.Georgia O'Keeffe and Orville Cox, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, 1937.Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, 1940.[79]Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941.Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada, from Lone Pine, California, 1944.Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958.El Capitan, Winter, Sunrise, 1968

The above information for each photograph is taken from Adams's 1983 book Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs.

At work

Young & Old

Rivers and Creeks

The Tetons and the Snake River

Jackson Lake in Foreground with Teton Range in Background, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Tenaya Creek, Spring Rain

Merced River, Cliffs of Cathedral Rocks, Autumn

Grass and Pool

Rushing Water, Merced River

Water and Foam

"Old Faithful" Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Geyser Pool, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Hills

Evening McDonald Lake Glacier National Park (1942)

Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake, 1923

Ansel Adams - Farm workers and Mt. Williamson

Autumn Moon

View With Rock Formation in Foreground, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, 1937

Thunder Clouds

Moonrise over New Mexico

Winter Sunrise, The Sierra Nevada, from Lone Pine, California, 1944

Trees

Jeffery Pine

Jeffery Pine

Roots, Foster Gardens, Honolulu, 1948

Cacti

Involute Cactus, Saguaro National Monument, Arizona, 1952

Winter Woods

Trees and Cliffs

Trees and Snow

Branches in Snow

Oak Tree, Snowstorm, Yosemite National Park, 1948

“The Dome”

Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, 1927

The Half Dome

Half Dome, Blowing Snow, Yosemite National Park, 1955

Half Dome, Thunder Cloud

Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, 1960

El Capitan, Sunrise

Waterfalls

Lower Yosemite Fall

Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park, 1932

Nevada Fall, Rainbow

Waterfall

Textures of Nature

Aspens

Close-up of leaves In Glacier National Park (1942)

Dogwood Blossoms

Rose and Driftwood

Nipomo Dunes, Oceano, California, 1950

Nevada

View of Valley From Mountain, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

Looking Across River To The Dam, Boulder Dam, Arizona/Nevada

Hoover Dam

The Nevada Valley

Road, Nevada Desert

Others

Baton practice at the Manzanar War Relocation Center, 1943

http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/006189.php

Central Park and Skyscrapers, New York City, 1945

Arches, North Court, Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, Arizona, 1968

Church, Taos Pueblo (1942)