Have you been to Yosemite? After visiting with my sis and her family last month in Mammoth Lakes, we took a trip through Yosemite and I have to admit that I have a little less respect for Ansel Adams as a result.
Why? Yosemite hands you its photographic beauty on a silver platter. Adams' images are right there for the taking. This is not to detract one bit from Adams artistry in the darkroom, but his images of Yosemite are pretty standard fare.
I know I'm going to get villified for this entry, but really, go see for yourself.
In terms of the sheer magnificent views of Yosemite you are right (also walk around the beaches of Carmel/Monterey area) - but the brilliance of Adams was not in conveying views of mountains.
Adams was a master (The Master) printmaker - if you have ever handled a copy of 'Moonlight over Hernandez' you will see a technical capability in the making of the negative, the print, and a clear and perceptive eye.
Adams is not an 'Artist' like Justin Kurland, or had an individual vision like Harry Callaghan or William Eggleston - be is equally great.
If we see Adams as the starting point, I think it fair to say that his love of technique was picked up and taken futher by the likes of Thomas Joshua Cooper and John Blakemore in the UK....
But I see your point, when I first walked a mile south of Carmel I remember thinking...I have seen this all before :-)
Posted by: alan pelz-sharpe | November 16, 2006 at 07:48 AM
I understand what you are saying, but please consider that we are viewing Yosemite post-Ansel. What would we have been doing in Ansel's day? Venturing out to find perspectives on such a place with our cumbersome view camera? Maybe, but he definitely opened up a lot of eyes to a place they may have known nothing about. I'm not arguing that we should be trekking to Yosemite to repeat his act, BTW.
Posted by: JT | February 07, 2007 at 05:13 PM