QUOTATIONS
Ansel Adams
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, are the most well know. He published many books over his long career and was a contemporary of Georgia O'Keeffe, Alfred Sieigiliz, Nancy and Beaumont Newhall and Edward Weston.
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 5x4 and 8x10) 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.
“There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
“Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.”
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”
“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.”
“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”
“There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.”
“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
“Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film. Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum.”
“A photograph is usually looked at- seldom looked into.”
“Not everybody trusts paintings but people believe photographs.”