Ansel Adams

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Ansel Adams was a hero who changed the world of photography for ever. Ansel was a pioneer when it comes to photographing nature. With these photographs he taught people the importance of conserving the natural beauty of forests and mountains (Yosemite in particular). Ansel also showed Americans that anyone can take a decent picture. All you need is a camera!

Ansel Easton Adams was the only son of Charlie and Olive Adams. Born in San Francisco, Ansel was a rambunctious boy. Every year during the summer, the Adams would go on a camping trip to Yosemite. Ansel would take his little Kodak Brownie. Ansel starting taking pictures at a very young age. Ansel went to a private school for Kindergarten through 4th grade. Ansel was struggling so his father pulled him out and home schooled him for 5th through 8th grade. After that, Ansel was done with school and went on to play the piano for a couple more years then later much more extraordinary things!

Through the years, Ansel struggled to be who he is today. Ansel didn’t have a lot of money to start with. He couldn’t even pay for a house for his wife Virginia and himself. Ansel also got the flu that lasted a winter and he was weakened. Ansel was later hospitalized because he was weakened by his travels as well. Depression also set in and when it worsened, Ansel was diagnosed with Mononucleosis. At this time Ansel and Virginia had a photography studio in Yosemite. It was just for the pictures that Ansel took when he was out hiking and camping with the Sierra Club (a group of people that loved Yosemite just as much as Ansel and Virginia and devoted their life to saving and exploring it). Ansel later took these photos and sold them or displayed them in galleries. One summer day in Yosemite, the studio went up in flames. 5,000 negatives were lost. Ansel then lost his contract with YP&CC, Yosemite Park and Curry Company. This contract stated that Ansel’s photos would be used by YP&CC to promote winter tourism. That resulted in a lack of money and supplies for Ansel. Now Ansel and Virginia had two sons. Ansel had been traveling for most of the boy’s infant life. Virginia filed a divorce. She said that she could not run the studio and take care of two kids on her own. Ansel rushed back home to California and begged for Virginia’s mercy. Virginia decided that she wanted to stay with Ansel. The fact that someone could overcome all this and still come out on top, definitely makes Ansel Adams a hero.

Ansel made many contributions to the world of photography. Ansel showed photography as an art form. He was one of the first people to photograph natural environments, not posed sets. Moonrise Hernandez and Monolith, The Face of the Half Dome, are some of Ansel’s black and white pictures. Ansel also worked with the Sierra Club to save the natural parks. He used his photos to show the government what they were planning to build roads on. Ansel believed that these parks and mountains should be private to campers. He even fought with Walt Disney. Disney wanted to build a ski resort in Sequoia National Park. Ansel’s contributions saved parks and raised the popularity of photography forever.

Through his years Ansel also received many awards. Ansel was showcased in the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA) many times and also received a Guggenheim Fellowship three times. A Guggenheim Fellowship is an American grant awarded to those who “demonstrate exceptional creative abilities”. In 1980 President Carter awarded Ansel the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Carter commended Ansel for his “visionary efforts to preserve the county’s wild and scenic areas both on film and on earth”. One of Ansel’s biggest honors stands tall in his beloved Yosemite. Ansel’s spirit will stay in forever on Mount Ansel Adams.

Ansel’s character made him the man we remember today. Ansel was a devoted man. Ansel was always trying to be showcased. He had galleries across the country showing Ansel Adams photos. Ansel wanted people to see Nature’s beauty. He was also very hard working. Ansel hand printed every photo, sometimes 200 at a time. Ansel published three books with hand printed pictures, was in five major expos in six years and printed seven portfolios. Another way to describe Ansel is multi tasker. In his spare time Ansel was a pianist. He played in all the Sierra Club performances. He also directed the Christmas pageants. Ansel also planned all the Sierra Club outings and camping trips. Most importantly Ansel was a father. Ansel tried to spend as much time as he could with his sons. He took his oldest son, Michael, with him on some of his outings and tried to squeeze in some father son time. All these characteristics helped him be great.

To some people, Ansel was just photographing a rock or a tree. But to others it was much more. Even though horrible things were going on in the world Ansel took a beautiful picture and everything was okay!