Page 17 - 2004 DT 9 Issues

Wha t’ s Insi d e !
Featured Articles
Ansel Adams................................................1
Exploring the Mojave Preserve...................6
Special
Boot Tracks.................................................5
Quiz............................................................7
Departments
March 2 0 0 4 News & Notes............................................2
Programs & Hikes........................................4
Desk Schedule............................................6
Bulletin Board.............................................8

ANSEL ADAMS – heart. Now in his twenties, Ansel visited portfolio for exhibition in 1936, Adams
Yosemite every year and began to take became infatuated with Patsy English, his
America through the lens photographs. Using a big-frame, view photographic assistant. It developed into
by Chuck Kleber camera, he developed a unique talent for a deep love, leaving Ansel in the quan-
translating the natural grandeur of sites dary of agonizing choice. He still cared
“Ansel Adams was one of the great pho- like Yosemite’s Half Dome into spectacu- for Virginia, and by now they had two
tographers of this century. He was also lar black and white pictures. The use of a small children. He finally made what he
one of the best-loved spokesmen for the red filter turned sky and clouds into a felt was the right decision, remaining with
obligations we owe to the natural world.” vivid framework. Virginia. In the spring of 1937, the fam-
When San Francisco arts patron ily returned to Yosemite, the site of their
igh praise indeed from John Albert first meeting and so
Szarkowski, director emeritus Bender saw much happiness.
H at New York’s Museum of Mod- Adams’ pic- Adams wrote to his
ern Art. Few would challenge that tures, he was close friend, Cedric
assessment. Ansel Adams captured the so impressed Wright: “A strange
beauty of America, particularly the West, he offered to thing happened to
in stunning black and white photographs pay for a port- me today. I saw a
over much of his life. Go into any book- folio of the big thundercloud
store or library . . . he will be there. best at a cost move down over
Adams’ long life began with a bang, of $5,000. It Half Dome, and it
so to speak. He was just four years old was the break was so big and clear
and in San Francisco in 1906 when the Adams and brilliant that it
great earthquake struck. Fortunately, the needed. In Kings River Canyon, 1936 made me see many
young boy was only thrown against a wall March 1933, things that were
and his nose broken. As he grew older, the famous photographer, Alfred drifting around inside me; things that re-
school became a constricting burden for Stieglitz, saw the portfolio. “These are late to those who are loved and those who
him. The courses and teachers just some of the finest photographs I have are real friends. For the first time, I know
weren’t ringing the bell. But Ansel’s fa- ever seen,” he exclaimed. An exhibition what love is; what friends are; and what
ther, Charles, recognized something in of Adams work was arranged, “An art should be.”
the young child that sent him in the right American Place.” It was a great success, By now, Ansel Adams was so well
direction. Ansel was 13 when his father and Adams was on his way to fame. known that the Sierra Club invited him
gave him a year’s pass to the Panama Success as a photographer was, how- to a conference on national parks in
Pacific Exposition. The boy was thrilled ever, not matched by his personal life at Washington D.C. They wanted him to
with it all. He went there, day after day, the time. When only 19 years old, Ansel spur their efforts to get Kings Canyon
fascinated by all he saw and learned . . . met an attractive young girl at Yosemite established as a national park (it was done
including painting and sculpture. Al- who shared many of his interests, classi- in 1940). He threw himself into the task
though his artistic nature spurred hopes cal music and the outdoors. Virginia Best
of becoming a concert pianist, it was the was just 17. They fell in love and were
outdoors that captured his emotional married in 1928. While preparing his Ansel Adams, continued on page 6