Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams set out to be a concert pianist, but before he turned 20, he had fallen in love with a camera and the breathtaking vistas of the American West. It all began in 1916, when he visited Yosemite National Park with his family, and in the ensuing years, he took hundreds of black and white photos that captured its beauty and grandeur. Adams devoted much of his life and his life's work to preserving the environment, particularly along the Big Sur coastline of California and in Yosemite, where over-use was taking its toll on the natural beauty of the park. He died in 1984, but not before he had raised national awareness about the environment and elevated the skill of photography to a whole new level of art.

Black and White Photography

Is it possible to hear the words "black and white photography" and not think of the clear, sharp images of Ansel Adams? Or the breathtaking, daredevil photography of Margaret Bourke-White? Both of these photographers knew how to capture the substance and the shadow of images and settings, producing photographs that to this day touch your heart and take your breath away.