Seeing the original masterpiece
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
With the wonders of the web you really don't have to go very far to do any research or see a famous photographers work, however everytime I make the effort to go and see real photographs I am never disappointed and so it was today when I took a trip to Oxford to see an exhibition of Ansel Adams photographs. I was thrilled to see Mono Lake and Mount Willimason there in front of me and they looked so much better than on a screen or even in a book.
I've long been an admirer of Adams's work but what struck me today was the amazing variety of shots he took, he is best known for his landscapes but amongst the Yosemite 's and Sierra Navada shots there were some stunning portraits, still lifes, flowers and more abstract shots. What was interesting was to see how is style changed over the years and you could see the f64 club influence creeping in.
I also learnt something more of his technique, quite often he would elevate himself high above an object in the foreground of his shot and use this as an anchor and then have a vast space of water, stone or sand seperating the foreground from the background objects and perhaps leaving the most minimal of sky areas.
Adams developed the zone system which I have to confess I have never fully sat down and studied believing it to be more associated with developing film and making prints than to digital, however the tonal range of these prints was very good no doubt down to the way the prints had been made to Adams exacting standards.
The quality of his photographs is just breathtaking and with all the digital technology there is today rarely do you see anything with such richness and detail as you find in these 60 year old photographs.
Posted by Gordon at 21:01
