Ansel Adams

Paper Summary:

The paper examines how Ansel Adams was a "straight photographer" who captured the beauty of natural America, particularly the West. The paper explores how he was also a national icon who worked tirelessly for the preservation of the national parks and furthered the cause of environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. The writer proposes that Adam's art was an expression of himself, in the sense that he found the sublime in nature and transmitted it so that others could experience the same refulgence.

From the Paper:

"An artistic sensibility characterized the young Ansel Adams. "When Adams was twelve he taught himself to play the piano and read music. Soon he was taking lessons, and the ardent pursuit of music became his substitute for formal schooling." He imagined himself becoming a concert pianist. Such training was not wasted, even though he did eventually give up the piano in favor of the camera. "From music, he brought to camera work long hours of practice. This accustomed him to technique and hard work; intense study of great composers led him to a deep sense of esthetics, also the direction of creativity required of a performing artist, which interestingly enough, fit photography very well."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adams, Ansel. An Autobiography. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1985.
• Nash, Eric P. Ansel Adams: The Spirit of Wild Places. New York: Smithmark, 1995.
• Turnage, William. Ansel Adams, Photographer. Published by Oxford University Press for American National Biography. Accessed April 21, 2006; available from www.anseladams.com
• White, Minor. Ansel Adams. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1972.

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