Ansel Adams: Self Taught Talent

Ansel was a genius. He could have followed a career as a concert pianist. But then we would not have his photographic legacy.
 
In the 1970's I was a student at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara I recall visiting Art Center Pasadena.
The Joke then was,

"Art Center students have great ideas but don't have the technical know how to carry them out."

AC's retort: "Ansel Adams is on our faculty, how about yours?"
 
People who have learnt the hard way by making and then correcting mistakes are best at teaching since they do not have that superior attitude that frightens students. Knowing what can go wrong and how to avoid it is essential because good teachers have to understand it from the students' point of view.



Regards, David
 
To me his talent was on the technical side. He is unsurpassed for making superior negatives and darkroom prints. Content... I'm not finding it very fascinating as content, but, again, quality of prints brings fascinating. I think, static objects, wide spaces were best match to reveal his technical genius. Is it interesting to look at it,as on the art? Honestly, I like more photos with people. And I like early Impressionism and Group of Seven for landscapes and mountains. This is the art to me. Good, super quality darkroom prints are also art, but technical kind of art. Something which is called as the craftsmanship.
 
Thanks for this post, AA's books were the start of my quest for the perfect negative.

EDIT: Things change though, I just checked my county library system (Contra Costa County population 1.15 million) they have just one copy of 'The Negative.' When I lived in Panama' ('69-'72) our little library had all his books (English section).
 
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