“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” -Ansel Adams
The art of Ansel Adams is a reflection of the social, political, and economic conditions of the 20th century. The 20th century was a time of industrialization, war and manifest destiny, which meant that the preservation of land was not on the minds of Americans, but that wasn’t the case for photographer Ansel Adams.
Ansel Adams was born on February 20, 1902 in San Francisco, California. Adams was luckily born into a family of wealth. Unfortunately, during the panic of 1907 the Adams family’s fortune collapsed, leaving them struggling. As Adams grew older his teachers said he was hyperactive and dyslexic, …show more content…
Bender, a San Francisco insurance magnate and a patron of arts and artists. Bender helped Adams create his very first portfolio, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras. As Adams and Bender’s relationship progressed and grew, Benders support greatly impacted Adams photography. In the early 1930s Adams began to grasp the idea of “straight photography”, depicting an image with great detail and focus. Soon after learning of this new technique, Adams used it in nearly all of his photographs. His pictures became known just by their outstanding detail and beauty. Another man that greatly influenced Adams photography was Alfred Stieglitz. Adams had always admired Stieglitz and in 1933 Adams traveled to New York to meet him; they connected immediately. Being friends with Stieglitz made Adams’ popularity grow. In 1936, Stieglitz gave Adams a one man show at An American Place, the beginning of his success as a …show more content…
Although, Adams never took a photo solely for environmental reasons, he was still an environmentalist. Adams was involved in fighting against or for many bills about wildlife. For example, the Wilderness Act and Wild Alaska. Despite all the positive things Adams was fighting for for America’s wildlife, he still had critics. Adams was criticized because while he was taking photographs of nature, the Great Depression had its hold on the world. One critic, Henri Cartier-Bresson, a French photographer said “the world is falling to pieces and all Adams and Weston photograph are rocks and leaves.” Adams didn’t let criticism affect him; he continued to believe in the possibility and probability that humankind could live in sync with the
The art of Ansel Adams is a reflection of the social, political, and economic conditions of the 20th century. The 20th century was a time of industrialization, war and manifest destiny, which meant that the preservation of land was not on the minds of Americans, but that wasn’t the case for photographer Ansel Adams.
Ansel Adams was born on February 20, 1902 in San Francisco, California. Adams was luckily born into a family of wealth. Unfortunately, during the panic of 1907 the Adams family’s fortune collapsed, leaving them struggling. As Adams grew older his teachers said he was hyperactive and dyslexic, …show more content…
Bender, a San Francisco insurance magnate and a patron of arts and artists. Bender helped Adams create his very first portfolio, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras. As Adams and Bender’s relationship progressed and grew, Benders support greatly impacted Adams photography. In the early 1930s Adams began to grasp the idea of “straight photography”, depicting an image with great detail and focus. Soon after learning of this new technique, Adams used it in nearly all of his photographs. His pictures became known just by their outstanding detail and beauty. Another man that greatly influenced Adams photography was Alfred Stieglitz. Adams had always admired Stieglitz and in 1933 Adams traveled to New York to meet him; they connected immediately. Being friends with Stieglitz made Adams’ popularity grow. In 1936, Stieglitz gave Adams a one man show at An American Place, the beginning of his success as a …show more content…
Although, Adams never took a photo solely for environmental reasons, he was still an environmentalist. Adams was involved in fighting against or for many bills about wildlife. For example, the Wilderness Act and Wild Alaska. Despite all the positive things Adams was fighting for for America’s wildlife, he still had critics. Adams was criticized because while he was taking photographs of nature, the Great Depression had its hold on the world. One critic, Henri Cartier-Bresson, a French photographer said “the world is falling to pieces and all Adams and Weston photograph are rocks and leaves.” Adams didn’t let criticism affect him; he continued to believe in the possibility and probability that humankind could live in sync with the