Ansel Adams

Yellowstone Falls

Nevada Fall, Rainbow

Unicorn Peak, Thunderclouds

Winter Sunrise, from Lone Pine

Cathedral Spires and Rocks

Dogwood, Blossoms

Grand Teton

Evening, McDonald Lake, Glacier National Park

Leaf, Glacier Bay National Monument

Mountain Pine, Mono Creek

            Ansel Adams not only a great photographer by also a strong environmentalist. Adams had a severely broken nose from an earthquake in his childhood that caused him to be shy and not have many friends. Most of his time was spent hiking along Lobos Creek, down to Baker Beach near his home or meandering anywhere in nature. He found companionship in nature that he never received from his peers. His first photography success was from the Sierra Club. According to a biography of Adams, “His black-and-white images were not "realistic" documents of nature. Instead, they sought an intensification and purification of the psychological experience of natural beauty. He created a sense of the sublime magnificence of nature that infused the viewer with the emotional equivalent of wilderness, often more powerful than the actual thing.” This is the perfect summary of his work. He chose to amplify the wonder of these national nature preserves in order to emphasize their conservation.

            I really like the way Adams photographed the majestic landscape. Personally, I don’t even think that these images are all that unrealistic portrayals of the actual scenery. My family took a cross-country road trip when I was about ten years old and we got to experience some of America’s beauty firsthand. We saw Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon during that trip. Adams photographed both parks during his career and looking at those photos brought me back to that time when I saw them for the first time. “Yellowstone Falls” really had an impact on me because my family took a picture in that exact spot.

            The photographs’ compositions are great as well. The angle that some of them were taken makes them that much more interesting. The aerial views of the landscape allow the viewer to see more the landscape. The framing of the photos complement his style. I particularly like the way he captured the clouds in a number of his photographs, including, “Unicorn Peak, Thunderclouds,” “Grand Teton,” and “Evening, McDonald Lake, Glacier National Park.” His depth of field varies in his pictures, making them more interesting than typical landscape photography.

            The black and white aspect of these pictures also makes them look more powerful. The coloring of these parks in real-life is phenomenal. The way Adams eliminated this element makes viewers focus on the subject in the photos and not on the different shades of nature. With all of these characteristics in mind, it’s no wonder Ansel Adams is one of the most applauded landscape photographers of all time.