Ansel Adams Research

 Extrapolated from biography: http://www.anseladams.com/anseladams_biography_s/51.htm


Ansel Adam's education was a struggle because of his early difficulty with social relations. He eventually acquired an education from the Mrs. Kate M. Wilkins school, which was probably comparable to completing eight grade. Despite this, his work and biography suggest he was indeed gifted with a creative and masterful mind.

Ironically enough, Ansel Adams became what this biographer dubbed a "communicator;" lecturing, writing, and promoting his photography. Most of this work advanced his goals as an ardent environmentalist. He held a particular fascination for Yosemite and other national parks, but focused on all this with a pure concern for the wilderness, opposing efforts "which had led to the over development of the national parks and their domination by private concessionaires."

In 1927, Ansel Adam's famous Face of the Half Dome ("Monolith") photograph was taken.

Adams consistently faced fiscal difficulty and financial worry during his life, from when his father lost most of the family's money in 1907 to later on, when Adams was known to work in excess of 18 hour days without weekends. To many, Adams was seen as the final person to capture conventional romantic art in photography, through his immersive use of (primarily) black and white landscape photography. Furthermore, a fun fact - although not so amusing for Adams - is that Ansel himself suffered a broken nose as a child from the great 1906 fire.

Here I have included an insufficiently small photo of the Boulder Dam on the Colorado River. It's an Ansel Adams picture that I chose to share simply because it exemplifies a stark contrast between nature and mankind's attempted taming of it. Both of these features are commanding and powerful; in a sense they are foils of each other, although they also compliment one another through their opposing existence. This disparity is quite comparable to the differences that we try and create with black and white photography.

Colors

Camera Settings

Aperture 1

Aperture 2

High Speed 1

High Speed 2

Low Speed 1

Low Speed 2

Panoramics

My favorites from each category

Creative

Inside

Outside

Portrait

Panoramic photos found online

This first picture is neat to me because it combines a panoramic with rules of thirds elements. It makes the fighter jet seem dramatic and powerful.

The second photo has both a foreground and a background with important tones, and since the panoramic shot is set vertically, the sky becomes a major element. The tower serves as a meeting grounds of earth and sky. This panoramic literally (and seamlessly) incorporates three major elements.

found faces

storytime face

Nestled against the exterior wall of a hidden campus location hides the amused face of a quiet and majestically inanimate object. Gerbert usually prefers to be passed by, tolerate tinfoil stuffed in his face, water running down his nose, atmospheric air oxidizing his body, or be altogether disregarded by society. On the rare occasion that an observant passerby casts an intrigued glance at his suggestively symmetrical bolt eyes or inherently living facial structure, Gerbert’s blood pressure skyrockets with intense anxiety. He appreciates his secret of life to be kept under the metaphorical and physical rain drain.

            Based on his past, you could say Gerbert was a forgotten kid. Almost seven years ago, his cousin was relocated to the opposite end of J-Building, and Gerbert does not dare to spill his secret of life; utilizing a messenger and attempting to reinitialize contact with old Rumpert the rain drain. What would you expect? It was probably the uncontrolled squeaks that Rumpert used to issue during heavy windstorms which provoked the janitor to reposition him. Sometimes Gerbert is certain that he can still hear him over in the direction of the main office. Gerbert’s primary occupation consists of redirecting water and ensuring that it’s routed to the underworld. He’s done this with a sort of content passion, like a housewife amused by domestic chores.

            During Oregon’s semi-heated summer months, Gerbert is allowed an escape from the typical chaos and nervousness generated by countless students, and is instead awarded with a relatively tranquil campus. Furthermore, the responsibilities brought by rain during the other three seasons are mostly alleviated. He takes advantage of this free time to catch up on his taxes and recalculate his lost revenue caused from depreciation. Eventually, Gerbert hopes the district will one day replace his lower torso section with fresh steel. For now, he works on.

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Name: Gerbert

Family: Long lost cousin Rumpert the rain drain

Occupation: Funneling rain water and hiding from society

Favorite pass time: Taxes

Hidden talent: Life!

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Compositional Photos (#2, taken at school)

Converging

Vertical

Horizontal

Point of View

Rule of Thirds

 Diagonal

Framing

Filling the Frame

I found this image captivating for a few reasons. The horizon and person are both a deep black that contrast to the rest of the image. Just above the sloping horizon is a golden glow that illuminates the picture in comparison. The diagonal line is impressive, and draws the eye upwards and to the left, but also leads back to the person at the edge of the right third section. A horizontal line at the right left me perplexed and impressed.