America’s Photographer - Ansel Adams
Photographer Ansel Adams shot some of the most amazing and iconic images of American landscapes and nature.
Born in San Francisco and the grandson of a wealthy timber baron, he grew up near the dunes of the Golden Gate. During the 1904 San Francisco earthquake as a 4 year-old, he fell and broke his nose, leaving him with a crooked nose for life.
As a child, he was a bit of a loner but loved nature. He often took long hikes in the woods and coastal areas surrounding the San Francisco Bay area.
In 1916, he took the Kodak No. 1 Box Brownie on area hikes, which had cost about $1.00 and was given to him by his parents. In 1919, he joined the Sierra Club and three years later they published the first of his nature photographs.
Taking more time to hone his craft, he lost interest in playing the piano professionally. Taking annual month-long trips up into the Sierra Nevadas that required mules-trains to carry provisions and supplies, he photographed the mountains and nature in stunning black and white.
By 1927 he had published his first portfolio. Six years later, he held his first photography show in New York and wrote a series of technical articles for a camera magazine. Two years later, he published his first widely distributed book, Making a Photograph.
Adams worked as a commercial photographer in New York, but was unable to make any real money at his craft.
He regularly works long hours, upwards of 18 hours a day without taking time off for long periods on end. His love of San Francisco and Yosemite called him so during times of slow or no work, he would return to take nature photos.
Over the years, his success grew as did him commitment to the wilderness and the environment, especially for Yosemite National Park.
He was also a prolific writer of letters, estimated at over 100,000 and during his life, he published eight books of prints, and contributed or authored another 45 books.
Around 125 of Adam’s images are on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s newest exhibit, Ansel Adams.
Ansel Adams
The Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th Street, NW – at New York Avenue
Washington DC 20006 (map it)
Tickets - Adults - $14.00, Seniors and military - $12.00, Students - $10.00, kids under 12 are free. Tickets are available online.
Dates and Times - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursday until 9:00 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Through January 27th, 2008
Nearest Metro subway station - Farragut West – Orange, Blue lines or Farragut North - Red line, then a 3-block walk.
Images - Adams portrait - © The Imogen Cunningham Trust; all others excluding camera, © 2007 The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust; Monolith–The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, 1927, gelatin silver print, The Lane Collection courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, © 2007 The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust; Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941, gelatin silver print, The Lane Collection courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, © 2007 The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust
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