Artist to Artist 1: Ansel Adams

An artist's talk about the works, the technique and the ideas of Ansel Adams.
Here you do not find the opinions of a professional critic nor those of an historian, but sincere, straightforward impressions of another artist.
For an extensive Ansel Adams archive of images, where it is possible to find also some of his lesser known works, consult: cspace.arts.ar...
Looking at ist variety may be surprising, but it is surely worth to spend some time there.
The images for this video where mostly taken from this archive.
There are hundreds of videos about Ansel Adams on KZbin, some have been iteresting and inspiring, some... you know. Here three that you shall not miss.
The famous BBC documentary-interview is here, we have put some key parts of it in our video.
• Ansel Adams BBC Master...
This is by famous historian and critic Beaumont Newhall, we all had his book as textbook, once.
• Ansel Adams, Photograp...
This one is really competent, engaging and informative: • Ansel Adams
My photo workshops: www.corsifotoanalogica.it
The Italian Film Photography forum: www.analogica.it
My FB group: / 375397533101415
Instagram: @acromaticaofficial

[@ihbihvbpb1ppbv]

This is a great idea for a series, thank you.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Thank you fro watching. In fact We hope this will be the beginning of a series!

[@lukemakayabu4369]

Love it . . . perhaps Artist to technique series would be great too I think we can also improve on sound a bit, a good mic would help

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Hi! Good idea... Another format to think about. We just bought the new microphones! We shall do better.

[@harryschaefer8563]

I've been a photographer since age 14 (I'm 76 now), had a 40 year career as a photographer at the National Institutes of Health, (working in the same building where Doctor Fauci worked). I went to school at The Rochester Institute of Technology studying "photographic Illustration". As a freshman we had Beaumont Newhall lecture us on the History of Photography. Mr. Newhouse was the Director of the George Eashman House which became a museum of photography afer the death of George Eastman.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Very good times to work and study! I've been at the museum some years ago. I was there invited at SYU as visiting artist. I used some spare time to visit some fellow artists teaching at RIT, as well. I would have liked to be a student of Beaumont Newhall, though, I guess, I would have had different ideas, from time to time.

[@andreanovello5852]

Una bellissima lezione, materiale raro su YT, spero che sia l'inizio di una lunga serie.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Grazie! Speriamo anche noi! L'idea è che sia il primo di una lunga serie.

[@CharlesOConnor-q9k]

Thank you for this balanced argument. The zone system is a wonderful way of explaining how to use the tools of photography properly and achieve the image in your minds eye. Unfortunately, practitioners become convinced that photography can only be a pursuit of technical mirroring of the subject often calling out those who apply any technique or device not used by past artists as “manipulated”. This I believe is shortsighted but has been an issue for artists (painters) across the centuries. We must all encourage each other to do our own thing. Critique, admiration, open minds, are useful as well to build a community and respect for the medium that is fine art photography (something still not really built even in the time of Ansel). Ansel’s work is beautiful and I have a version of Monolith on a wall in my home, but no desire to duplicate it. This I believe is the curse of Ansel’s success and has become the only thing worthy in B&W that respectfully can go on a wall. A bit of a ramble response. Anyway thank you for addressing a tough topic. Most of all welcome back to this KZbin after so many years you video on contrast “perfection “

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Thank you very much. Indeep, interesting, comments like yours are really important for us. It seems we agree on a lot of things! I must confess a bit of jealousy for what's hanging in your home! Lucky you!

[@Davide_LP]

Intresting insight on A. Adams. It would be appreciated if you included some adivce about books to read on the subject of the video.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Hi Davide, you can start from Ansel Adams' own books. His theories and techniques are well expressed.

[@Davide_LP]

@@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint Is ther maybe some book about landscape in art (not only photography but also painting), and how the idea of landscape evolved, that you reccomend reading?

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

@@Davide_LP I am not able to point you to a few books... sorry. I would say that maybe is just simpler to get an History of Art textbook to start, and then you will know what you will like to study more.

[@micheledesantis5762]

Super interessante Andrea 😊

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Grazie Michele!

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Grazie Michele!

[@valeriogalantini]

Molto interessante, come sempre (fai anche qualche video brutto così non divento ripetitivo nei commenti!). Le riflessioni sulla contraddizione dell'idea del superamento del pittorialismo tramite una reinterpretazione dell'immagine in camera oscura sono intelligenti e fanno riflettere, effettivamente c'è questo effetto paradossale per cui quando tutti possono caricare contenuti parlando di qualche cosa si finisce, invece che avere visioni diverse e spunti di riflessione differenti, ad avere lo stesso contenuto ripetuto mille volte... ed è così che di Ansel Adams, uno dei fotografi più famosi al mondo, si parla solo del sistema zonale (con tanto di fraintendimenti come dici bene tu!).

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Grazie Valerio! Grazie anche del commento intelligente. Cercheremo di fare qualche video brutto allora!

[@valeriogalantini]

@@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint daje!😂😂 Comunque prima o poi vengo a fare un corso di camera oscura!

[@emanueletorelli79]

“Il pittorialismo gli è rientrato dalla finestra”, citandoti 😂 concordo sui ritratti, che avevo trovato molto interessanti anche nei suoi libri. Lo so che sono fissato con gli scritti di Baltz, ma trovo che dica il vero quando afferma che la fortuna di alcuni fotografi è dovuta al fatto che il loro lavoro coincida con le sensibilità ( o le mode, aggiungo ) del tempo. Nello specifico, i movimenti ambientalisti e i paesaggi di Adams. Questo per dire che forse non è un caso che sia più famoso per i paesaggi che per i ritratti benché questi ultimi siano molto interessanti e moderni. Forse sono andato un po’ fuori tema, ma mi piacerebbe sapere che ne pensi.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

@@emanueletorelli79E po' sempre così, per la visibilità spesso si sacrifica la ricerca più onesta. Però Adams ha fatto tante cose diverse, e tra quelle meno famose, ci sono tante cose sorprendenti, ma appunto, poco appetibili al grande pubblico.

[@harryschaefer8563]

I'd like to see episodes on: Edward Weston, Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Frank, Edward Steichen, Alfred Steiglitz, and Diane Arbus.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Well, thank you for the appreciation! We will try to cover as many "classical photographers" as possible, but it takes a lot of time. I am still struggling to chose the next one, but my eyes and heart - at the moment - are looking at the origins, so maybe next one could be Roger Fenton. Then, maybe, HCB could follow... he's very difficult for the philosophical and ethical implications, though.

[@philipulanowsky4661]

As always, thought-provoking, which we all need, as artists and humans. The idea of the series offers an excellent vehicle for this. One aspect of what you said surprised me and, if I understood you correctly, it something with which I would take issue strenuously -- but not in a KZbin comment. It touches on the most profound characteristics of the human mind, and therefore also on fundamental ideas about art and its role in society, if we consider art having such a role rather than being merely self-expression of the arbitrary. I believe you sad that it is sad that Adams wanted to impose order on nature (I'm paraphrasing); that this is religious and a contradiction to appreciation of nature. I must disagree. Art aside, discovery of principles is fundamental to the distinctly human mind. Out of perceptual chaos, we not only discern what works for us biologically and socially for our survival; we discover the principles that allow us to apply knowledge to improving our condition in innumerable ways, and we communicate principle to others over generations, through countless languages and cultural differences. I adhere to the view of the great European Renaissance artists, Friedrich Schiller, and others, that, while art may be, on a lower level, decorative or just pleasing, fine art has to potential to engage its audience, to evoke not only emotions but ideas, by means of irony and metaphor, that have the power of elevating the conceptual power of the individual. I would argue further, that the universe, fundamentally, is not chaotic; rather, it is a developing process of self-perfection, in which randomness/chaos is an apparent product in the comparatively small and in the comparatively short term. What, then, is the value of "art" that expresses nothing but the arbitrary? This is a culturally pessimistic view indeed -- though I don't think it is what you meant to convey.

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Hello Philip, thank you very much for this well articulated comment! I will be back to you during the weekend, You comment deserves a more articulated answer than what I could do now, wish I had more time...

[@AndreaCalabresiSilverprint]

Back to you Philip (I have some spare time, not much, though). The matter is subtle and delicate. You comment may give room to be more specific on some thoughts expressed in the video. Starting from the end of your comment: "I would argue further, that the universe, fundamentally, is not chaotic; rather, it is a developing process of self-perfection, in which randomness/chaos is an apparent product in the comparatively small and in the comparatively short term." There is probably what you share with Adams, and the where I disagree (it's mainly one word "self-perfection"). Of course, since there is no equilibrium and a lot of energy involved, things change continuosly and stasis is impossible. We have undestood a little of this immensity, or better we know many things that have the greatest probability to happen, BUT I feel unconfortable when we see in thise a "process of self-perfection", because i think that this is a human hope, rather than a fact. I just see an inevitable process; i see no "self" in it and I think that the idea of perfection is totally human. Back soon...