1. ANSEL ADAMS
The Man Behind the Mountains
“A true
photograph
need not be
explained, nor
can it be
contained in
words.”- Ansel
The Tetons- Adams
Snake River
Presentation by
Taylor Ferguson

2. The Life of Ansel Adams (1902-1984)
 Ansel Adams was born in San
Francisco, California, on
February 20th, 1902.
 Adams first visited Yosemite
National Park in 1916.
 His original career choice was to
be a famous concert pianist. He
taught himself how to play at
the age of 12.

3. The Story of the Nose
 At the age of four, during an aftershock of
the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the
young Adams was thrown headlong into a
wall. The impact shattered his nose. Never
having it reset, Adams’ nose remained
crooked for the rest of his life.

4. Ansel Adams in Photography
 Adams began to experiment
with photography after his
trip to Yosemite in 1916.
 Adams’ first success came
with the publication of his
first portfolio, which included
the now famous
“Monolith, the Face of Half-
Dome”.
Monolith, the
Face of Half-
Dome

5. Ansel Adams in Photography (cont.)
 Between 1929 and
This photo incorporates
1942, Adams’ work and mirror-like symmetry and
interesting negative space.
reputation developed in the
world of photography.
 He became friends with
artists including Alfred
Stieglitz, Georgia
O’Keeffe, Dorthea
Lang, and Paul Strand.
Taos Pueblo Church

6. Who influenced Ansel Adams?
 “Albert M. Bender, a San Francisco insurance
magnate and patron of arts and artists…”
(anseladams.com).
 Paul Strand
 Mary Austin
 Edward Weston
 Alfred Stieglitz
Georgia O’Keeffe and Orville Cox

7. Who did Adams influence?
 The people who had an impact on Adams
were generally also influenced by him.
 Edward Weston
 Paul Strand
The tree is framing the
mountains and the rule of
odds is exhibited with the
combination of branches and
rocks.
Jeffrey Pine

8. The Zone System
 Ansel Adams, together with Fred
Archer, created, developed, and introduced
the complex technique known as the zone
system into the world of photography.
This photo emits
a serene and
peaceful
feeling, using
symmetry, rule of
odds, and a soft “You don’t take a
Mt. Moran, Teton
contrast of photograph, you make National Park
grayscale. it.”- Ansel Adams

9. The Zone System (cont.)
 It consisted of controlling and relating
exposure and development, enabling
photographers to creatively visualize an
image and produce a photograph that
matched and expressed that visualization.
This photo uses a
high-key contrast to
show of the stark
bareness of the
landscape.
Half Dome, Apple
Orchard, Yosemite

10. Group f/64
 Adams founded the
Group f/64 along with
fellow photographers I love the eerie feeling this
Willard Van Dyke and photo gives off. Even though
the tree is in the center of the
Edward Weston. frame, the branches work the
 It was comprised of 7 golden points.
San Francisco
photographers who
were attempting to
promote a new
“Modernist” aesthetic.
Oak Tree, Sunset
City, California

11. The Members of Group f/64
 Ansel Adams
The contrast in this
 Imogen Cunningham photo is very
defined. It gives of
 John Paul Edwards an aura of
foreboding and
 Sonya Noskowiak death.
 Henry Swift
 Willard Van Dyke
 Edward Weston
Roaring Mountain, Yellowstone National Park

12. An Interesting Point of View
 Adams took most of his photographs from
the roof of his Cadillac “woody” station
wagon.

13. Others On Ansel Adams
 "He set himself problems of extreme depth of
focus and of extreme rendition of
textures”(Nancy Newhall).
The negative space and
texture of this photo is
interesting. It also
incorporates the rule of
thirds and exemplifies
dominance and
subordination.
"The Rock of Ages in
the Big Room”

14. Things You Probably Didn’t Know
 Ansel Adams did a brief commission as a
street photographer in the 1940’s.
Residents of the
Olympic Trailer
Court in Santa
Monica relax and
play with their dog
outside their
trailer.
Cole and
Dorothy
Weston

15. Manzanar
 Adams did a commission at the war
relocation center in Manzanar, California.
Mrs. Naguchi and two Baseball game at Manzanar, 1943
children, Manzanar Relocation
Center

16. Adams in the Caverns
 Ansel Adams had the opportunity to shoot in
the Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico.
"The Chinese
Pagoda, Big
Room, detail"
Both photos have
interesting negative
space and texture.
"In the
Queen's
Chamber"

17. Adams in Yellowstone
 Ansel Adams shot photographs of
"Old Faithful Yellowstone National Park for the "Central
Geyser, Yellowston Geyser
e National Park” National Parks Service. Basin, Yellowst
one National
Park”
Both photos show extreme
contrasts in color and also
in the elements. Old
Faithful almost looks
cold, even though it is a
boiling geyser. Central
Geyser Basin combines
water and fire to make
steam.

18. Adams in Yosemite
 Adams is generally best known for his
photographs of Yosemite National Park.
This photo
combines
the
textures of
both the
soft, fluffy
clouds, and
the
sharp, well-
defined
Yosemite mountains
Valley, Clearing within
Winter Storm them.

19. Adams in Yosemite (cont.)
I love this picture
because it combines
both the natural
elements of the
mountain and the
river, and man made
element of the bridge.

20. Adams in Yosemite (cont.)
Yosemite Falls
Both of these photos incorporate the rule of
thirds, as well as interesting negative space.
Yosemite Valley

21. Works Cited
 The American Experience. PBS, 2009. Web. 16
March, 2013.
 Ansel Adams Photographs. Records of the
National Parks Service, N/A. Web. 16
March, 2013.
 Ansel Adams Wilderness. National
Geographic, 2013. Web. 16 March, 2013.

22. Works Cited (cont.)
 Ansel Adams Quick Biography. Drowlord.com,
2005. Web. 16 March, 2013.
 Ansel Adams, Street Photographer: 1940s Los
Angeles. The Picture Show, 2013. Web. 16
March, 2013.
 The Best of Ansel Adams. The History Place,
N/A. Web. 16 March, 2013.

23. Works Cited (cont.)
 Ansel Adams Quotes, Brainy Quote. 2013.
Web. 16 March, 2013.
 Ansel Adams Biography, The Ansel Adams
Gallery. 2013. Web. 16 March, 2013.