PhotoBiography: Ansel Adams

19th December 2017 Black and White, Landscapes, PhotoBiographies 3223

Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American photographer and environmentalist. His black and white landscape photographs of the American West, especially Yosemite National Park, have been widely reproduced on calendars, posters, books, and the internet.

Adams and Fred Archer developed the Zone System as a way to determine proper exposure and adjust the contrast of the final print. The resulting clarity and depth characterized his photographs. He primarily used large-format cameras because the large film used with these cameras (primarily 5×4 and 8×10) contributed to sharpness in his prints.

Adams founded the photography group known as Group f/64, along with fellow photographers Willard Van Dyke and Edward Weston.