Review: Ansel Adams In The National Parks

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Review: Ansel Adams In The National Parks

30 Oct

“Ansel Adams In The National Parks Photographs of From America’s Wild Places” has just been released today (10.18.10) and I was quite fortunate to receive an early preview of the book. Unlike “Ansel Adams in Color” a book I just purchased, “Ansel Adams In The National Parks” only contains the iconic black and white prints that Adams’ is best known for. This latest release of Adam’s work is also a refreshing read in contrast to recent controversies swirling over a find of lost glass slides that have been purported to be Adams’.

“Ansel Adams In The National Parks” excels in that Andrea G. Stillman, the books’ editor, has pulled not just amazing photographs from the Adam’s archive, but also his writing & correspondence that breath life into an otherwise historical photo anthology. As one would expect viewing the artistic images and reproductions of his finely crafted prints is nothing less than inspirational. What separates this book from his others are the great anecdotes and quotes that bring Ansel Adams down from the pedestal so many of us keep him on to a mere human with family, everyday challenges and a variety of relationships spanning the average to celebrity. Especially fascinating was being able to read these anecdotes in relation to select images featured in the book adding an entirely new dimension to his photographs.

What I found most interesting as a landscape photographer was the inclusion of several image sets at the end of the book. These image sets reveal the seconds in relation to some of Ansel Adams most iconic photos. This provides a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of what Ansel Adams saw, photographed and selected as he reviewed his work.

Will every photograph in “Ansel Adams In The National Parks” be new or as high impact as Moon and Half Dome? No, but you will certainly see work that sheds light on a journey of life, art and creation. This book has made a great addition to my library and is one I’ll be viewing often.