Andrea G. Stillman

Adams the wilderness champion; illustrated.

Most people know Ansel Adams’ iconic photographs of gorgeous natural scenery in US national parks. But Adams’ passion for national parks went farther than documentation. He was also a forceful advocate who spoke and wrote in defense of preserving wilderness in national parks. This small gem pulls together familiar Adams images of national parks with his writing, both formal and informal, on national parks especially his most beloved Yosemite. show more

Adams’ most significant contribution to conservation was popularizing the concept of wilderness as spiritual retreat; a concept that demands we protect wilderness from too much human use, too much human carelessness, and even too much human love. This is where this book offers something enlightening and became more than just another pretty compilation of Adams’ photos. The images illustrate the places his words seek to describe, defend, and protect within the historical context of the national parks system formation and development at critical junctures.

The images are smaller scale than we are used to seeing them; however, they are sharp high-quality reproductions. This is not a comprehensive treatment of Adams’ views or a complete compilation of his writing. The selections in this book introduce his views to new readers and remind those, like me, who may have overlooked it that Adams was a serious conservationist. show less

While I am normally one more drawn to urban-centric photography rather than scenic landscapes, I found this collection of Ansel Adam's work to be stunning. His thematic range may not be very broad, but his aesthetic touches - specifically in regards to composition, image depth, and light quality - are perfection. It is no wonder that he is one of the greats in the world of photography.

So Ansel Adams is widely regarded as the pre-eminent photographer of the North American landscape and that view is amply justified by this book spanning his entire career from amateur teen to elder statesman of the photographic world. More surprisingly it also demonstrates that Adams was also capable of great work in the genres of protraiture, architecture and macros, too.

The book is organised by decade and it is interesting to note that Adams attained technical mastery before he fully show more grasped compositional mastery. (He openly admitted this and it's clear in the book.) Now my photographic skills are insignificant compared to many a dedicated amateur, let alone one of history's greatest, but the bit I find interesting and rewarding is the framing of a picture. Technicalities bore me. It's encouraging to find that even a genius such as Adams surely was had to actively learn how to do it.

Anyway, great book if you want an overview of Adams' personal (as opposed to commercial 'gun for hire') work. show less

Title: Ansel Adams in Color
Author: Andrea G. Stillman (Editor) and John P Schaffer (Editor)
Copyright: 2009 (revised)
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Type of Book: Photography
General Subject Matter: Landscape
Price: $35.00
ISBN-10:0316056413
Language: English
Pages: 168

“At one with the power of the American landscape, and renowned for the patient skill and timeless beauty of his work, photographer Ansel Adams has been a visionary in his efforts to preserve the country’s wild and show more scenic areas, both on film and on earth. Drawn to the beauty of nature’s monuments, he is regarded by environmentalists as a monument himself, and by photographers as a national institution. It is through his foresight and fortitude that so much of America has been saved for future Americas.” -The Presidential Metal of Freedom, 1980

I am familiar with Adams work, throughout school I was intrigued when I heard my professors discuss Adams, and his vision. I remember rummaging through image after image, viewing snow covered mountains, and his knack for preserving the natural world. His images had a lasting impact on me.

The work he is known for are those black and white images that only he could develop with technical mastery and confidence. I remember hearing how he would walk for miles in heat or snow to capture the right light, to get the right image. He knew the camera well, he could even capture moonrise without a light meter sometimes just setting tone with candles per square foot.

So when I came across this book, I was surprised to see that he created images in color, actually over 3,000 color transparencies. There were several images that caught my eye, for example:
1. Yosemite Valley form the Esplanade, Yosemite National Park California copyright 1948
2. Lower Yosemite Fall, Yosemite National Park California.1946
3. Mono Lake, White Branches and Clouds, California.1947
4. Autumn Forest, Yosemite National Park 1947

I could really go on about this book, the color plates are remarkable.
I believe part of this is due to today’s digital advancements that help bring together vibrancy, hue, and contrast in a way that may not have been achieved in the past. He achieves the emotional connection between subject, environment, and viewer successfully. Therefore developing a sense of quality and passion that make his images clean, clear, and extraordinary.

What makes this book, distinctive are the essays which enable the reader to connect to Adams’: perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. (frustrations included) This book was well done, the visual imagery as stunning and the essays were complimentary to Adam’s body of work. If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, I would recommend this to anyone, to put on their reading list. show less