well i was watching a video game video and it was about a girl who loved photagraphy and i always like the photos with meaning, like a broken bridge,hilers,a train, a empty playground and stuff and its pretty amazing so yeah
@@treefallleaves6711and that is why I use the same type of cameras Ansel Adams used! (well it's a monorail 4x5 and not a field 8x10 but it's still a large format film camera so my point still stands)
The Neil Spiel photography is a beautiful medium. But the way it can be easily monetised saturates the world with rich kids with high end rigs who produce cookie cutter passable photos for a hefty price is pretty sad :/
Spazzsticks this is very frustrating, but if you actually take the time to learn and practice you can take amazing, well thought out and visualized photographs with your phone. If you know what you're doing, the worlds best camera is the one that you have with you.
I printed for a man who apprenticed in Adams' studio and said he was a very demanding perfectionist. All the work was in the darkroom, since the camera could only record one single exposure. His prints would require making masks to block parts of the image as the exposure took place, then burning (darkening with additional exposure time) 15-20 more exposures of very tiny areas to get that detail in the highlights. Dozens of attempts would yield a single perfect print and then repeated until he had a dozen perfect prints to sell, archive, or give away. I have an original print of him with photographer Imogen Cunningham and a naked Twiggy and Ansel's Cadillac with CA license plate ZONE V that I printed while I worked at the lab. I have been photographing with intention since I was 16 years old and see the world as being full of amazing, beautiful images waiting for me to capture.
+Nerdwriter1 What are the names of the pieces of music that you use in this video they sound lovely and if you know if there's sheet music of them, then all the better :). p.s. sorry I have to post it here, youtube won't let me post an independent comment of my own :(
I studied under Ansel in the 1970s and have watched him printing during a workshop with him. Your video is one of the best I've seen on him, his history, his concepts, the Zone System ..a lot. You've managed to be very concise yet relatively comprehensive. Bravo.
NW1, I want to share something intimate. My entire life I've been a pretty lonely guy. I seem to have a hard time making deeper connections with a great deal of people. This includes my closest family and friends. Over my life I have developed a good sense of charisma, and I think I'm pretty decent looking, so it's not that this has been out of not trying, or that I'm throwing some type of pity party. There's always just been something...missing...from my interactions with people. And it's people like you who take some of that away. The way people like yourself look at the world, for what it is, yes, but of what it could be. And more importantly, why it matters. Your precise analysis of a myriad of topics is amazing. I know this not because you making fancy videos and use big words, but because you reduce the idea into such a concise and joyous expression that one cannot help but gain understanding. You do all of this, and with no trace of self satisfaction. Complete humility. I don't know where the people like you are, but you give me determination to keep looking!
Don't give up! Hearing you say that reminds me that I might be able to find people like that, too, and there are plenty of us out there looking for each other. I won't give up either.
I know this was 3 years ago, but I just wanted to say thank you for making this comment! I too feel the same way. It’s encouraging to know that I am not completely alone.
JaysEpiphany I know but the fact that he uploads a video a week and they're this impressive after a week of research... whenever he discusses an art form, he sounds like he's been studying it his entire life. I guess he's just a great speaker, but it's still just amazing. Bottom line, I love this channel. I wasn't really looking for explanations lol, but I'm sure you're right
+Mobley Hernandez You know, Einstein once said, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Curious people are endlessly inquisitive -- and not just about their own fields, but other disciplines as well. I think curiosity is the reason.
Thank you for this. As a 60 year old shooter, I’ve studied Ansel and his work, own his volumes on Photography and went to school to learn my craft, hauled large format cameras over dunes and into valleys to [make] a photograph and spent hours with my hands in chemicals, under enlargers, burning and dodging my way to my end product with baited breath and joy at success. Ansel was right to hold excitement over the digital wave to come. I resisted and resented it at first, but have come to realize that our small clique has been liberated. Photography is now democratized and anyone with an iPhone can see what I see. Its maddening and wonderful all at once. But in the end, we get future artists who do not have to suffer the pain of technology to arrive at their vision to share with us all.
Your videos are so healthy for my creativity, I watch them and rewatch them ever so often just to keep my brain in good condition. Thank you for this gift. P.S I hope that one day, I can watch a full-lengh documentary made by you. Not to replace this excellent format, but to complement it :)
There's so much more than the zone system to that Tetons photo, and also Half Dome... The print process was so involved for Adams, you'd have to show the zones on the negative instead of the print. It'd be a whole essay unto itself. He was visualizing not only the exposure but his process during the print. Digital photogs get a taste of this in Photoshop or whatever, but none of the wracked nerves and expense.
+Paul Mitchum There's so much more to Ansel Adams than this video communicates. I tried to give people a primer about his significance in the age of Instagram/Snapchat.
+Paul Mitchum Agreed, and the other process besides developing the print was developing the negative. He realized that when pushed or pulled (over-developing or under-developing) a negative, that the highlights and shadows respond to this in a non-linear way, and thus you can "compress" highlights and "stretch" shadows based on whether you're tweaking the development of the negative one way or the other. This was all from the start, in his minds eye... he knew to expose one way, such that it could be developed in a specific way to better maintain highlights or shadows, etc, in order to make the print come out the way he imagined. These glass plates weren't manufactured either... they were coated with emulsion in a very DIY fashion... I've read stories of some of these great photographers sitting in cars in the desert, covered in blankets, all that heat, just to simply coat the negative in emulsion. The gear was extremely heavy then too... wood and metal tripods, all the clothes were made of wool or other natural materials... they packed in canned food... Ansel typically used mules on his trips through the mountains. BTW, his autobiography is an amazing read... he was also a good writer. His first passion though was music, as a pianist.
I stumbled upon Ansel Adams in a book store while I was attending film school back in 2014. I immediately knew he was a creative genius. So this video really hits home. I try to use his visualization technique when I write my scripts, in terms of depicting my characters the way I see them in my mind. Similar to Cezanne's mode of presentation. I'm actually for the saturation of photo uploads on the internet. Creative work shouldn't be available to only serious artists. It's for all people. But the true artist will always be able to distinguish themselves from the amateur. Great video, my friend. Your wide range of interests cease to impress me.
He seems like such a warm person - what's really lovely is that he was actually excited about the advent of electronics in his field as opposed to getting all snobbish about it. The photos are amazing, and showing the contrast before the red filter and after makes you really appreciate the work that must have gone in to those photos. Great video! :)
I love Ansel Adams since the moment I had to research him for my intro to photography class in high school. His images trigger within me a feeling of awe. Whenever I see an Ansel Adams Landscape photo I lose my breath for a moment. His talents inspire my photos and have fostered my love of film photography. Thank you for shining a light on this great photography genius!
Sometimes I get made at myself for wasting away time on RUclips but videos like these definitely make me think I am spending my time on the right website
I very much appreciate how you do these videos. They feel like you're translating the methods, thoughts, and ideas of the artist or work at hand very faithfully. I feel like I am learning what made these subjects so successful almost by just looking at them directly. Your own voice isn't sitting between me and the subject as a lens, but more like a bridge. At the same time, it's quite clearly a strong and informed voice. The bridge will not collapse. Even when I disagree with you, the video keeps the same quality in my mind. Thank you for the videos; they're great.
I love the comment at 6:24 ...near the very end of the video where he mentions the "entirely new medium of expression of the electronic image i know the potential there... and its going to be wonderful". it has arrived and we are responsible for using it at its best, Thank God for Ansel Adams
I've been watching your videos for about a year because I'm a huge film buff. I'm also a photographer and when I saw that you did a video on Ansel Adams I got pretty excited. Ansel Adams is one of my favourite photographers and it's amazing to see you bring your attention to detail, passion, and level of sophistication to him and the medium which I make a living with and are passionate about (still photography). You've easily convinced me to start supporting you on Patreon and I can't wait to see what you do in the future. Cheers!
One of my favourite photographers, along with Bill Brandt and Edwin Smith. All of them have not just a command of technique but that indefinable sense of place that makes them stand out from the rest.
I love this. I particularly like the way that his art is iconic because he because he applied a systematic almost scientific approach to it. Before that his pictures simply didn't have the same impact consistently.
I think it's great that everyone can easily take and share photos, it's made the world smaller and more connected. It might not be art but there'll always be photographers like Adams, Nixon and Duda who make art out of nature and mundane life
_"Thanks to things like Instagram and Snapchat photographs in general are so ever present in our lives that _*_standards about what we believe to be great work in this field are drowned out_*_ by the literally billions of photos that are uploaded everyday"_ I've been thinking the same for years, but I don't usually speak my opinion because I don't want to be called snob or something like that. THANK YOUUUUUU!!!
I've been a professional photographer for over 10 years and I honestly can't remember the last time I have felt this much love for my craft. Your videos are excellent and I thank you for making them. If you ever get a chance and/or have the interest, I would love to see an episode about Robert Frank. Keep up the good work.
To enjoy a thing, it must come to you at the correct level. Not the desired or social norm, but in that perfect balance. His balance of his vision is what makes it a delight to see. I feel you captured that well in your vision of this video. Art, music, film, and life are all about creating the needed effect without carrying it to far.
I was just at the C/O Amerika Haus Gallery in Berlin for an opening, but was immediately drown to another room filled with magnificent landscapes and magical mountain views. I had no idea who is Adams and am happy I randomly saw this video, thanks for sharing. Now I appreciate the photographs even more.
Ahh Ansel Adams...his work is so beautiful if you ever get the chance to see them. I only remember his work from a class I took a while back, but not his process. Lovely explanation, sir~
Thanks so much for this. I've been Don Quixote-ing the idea that serious imaging is not bang away in RAW and "fix" it in photoshop or other software. And, as I've been saying for years, "it ain't about megapixels". While news and sports photography is about capturing the moment as best you can, photographing nature, etc. requires knowing how your camera works, it's dynamic range, more than pointing a light meter at a subject and shooting. I know of few photographers that pre-visualize. Most barely "post-visualize" and just "fix it in photoshop". But most folks don't want to wait for the light, research how their cameras really work, etc. You don't get as many images doing it right, but the ones you get are so much more satisfying.
I have a good friend who is an amazing photographer, and his craft is beautiful and mysterious to me. Seriously, I can look at a painting or a play and understand what went into it, see the years and decades of technique and effort playing out. With photography... it has always seemed to me that the most powerful photography would be either nothing like reality or the most perfect replica of it. But I've never understood it, grasped it. Thank you for this video! It has definitely given me at least a glimpse into this incredibly mysterious art form. Very proud to be able to support such an insightful and interesting channel
+Foomandoonian Thank you. I put the work in. It's funny, I work /far/ more now, on an hours/week basis, than I ever did at a day job. But I love it so much!
Nerdwriter1 It shows. I follow many interesting RUclips channels and the quality on your videos is above and beyond. I've always loved Ansel Adams too. You've made me want to get back into film photography.
You couldn't have uploaded a better video for me at this time. I've just gotten news that some of my street photographs are going to be featured at our local gallery, so this video just inspires me more. Thank you, Evan!
Let me tell you something Nerdwriter at minute 2:23 you literally had me in awe when you show the original picture coupled with the way that you were explaining the process and then you showed that really super dope second take...wow you are so good at your job sir
This is an inspiration for me. I just started getting into photography lately and usually, I am very intrigued by B&W photos. This helps me a lot in developing my craft and appreciation for B&W photography.
Thanks for this!! Ansel was a master in the truest sense. But to truly appreciate just how good his work is you have to see a real print he made and not just a poster. The depth and detail is astonishing, and most of that gets lost in reproduction.
This video really made me appreciate photography as an art because I usually do pass by some of his works. and also I love this channel, you are probably one of my favorite RUclipsrs out there!
Excellent video! I was travelling in California in 1984 with my medium format camera gear. Heading back north to Canada, I picked up a newspaper in a small town and read of Ansel's death. Saddened, I stopped in at Carmel to see a show I'd heard about, at the Photographer's Gallery. It was closed, with a note on the door that, due to Adams' death, the scheduled show had been postponed, to be replaced by a retrospective of Adams' work, handpicked by his wife and friends. It would open the following week. Someone saw me at the door and opened it a crack to reiterate the news. "Please come back next week," the man said. When I told him that I was on my way back to Canada, the kind gentleman opened the door and motioned me inside. The show was almost fully hung, so I got a personal tour, complete with personal anecdotes, guided by Ansel's friends. There were rare older prints, much different than Adams' later "Beethovian" interpretations. His grand piano stood silently in the centre of the gallery. This story and more on Adams' Zone System in this post: raymondparkerphoto.com/looking-back-and-forth-at-ansel-adams-zone-system/
People have taken objectivity and thrown it out for a subjective system that morphs to their desired argument or need at the time. Art is such a great example. Positive and Negative space, color usage, composition, balance, symmetry all have been shoved aside for like or because. People don't like the idea they might like something that is bad or not like something is good. A great way to start this is discussing Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow," seeing how many people say their child or they themselves could do that, or how people like or dislike it and never discuss the historical value or composition of the piece.
Thanks for this video. I'm not sure how many non-photographers look at his work and appreciate what they're seeing. Well, they appreciate the beauty, but probably not the craft. His ability to capture tonal range was, and is, simply unmatched. I'll struggle with a modern, top-of-the-line DLSR, Lightroom, and Photoshop to capture the range of detail he got with that ancient equipment. It's the definition of genius. FWIW: I still use his zone system in my head, even though modern cameras have largely made it unnecessary. It just works.
I stayed in Ansel's favorite camp spot in Yosemite a few years ago. I felt as if I understood his passion while looking at Yosemite Falls through the trees.
I've heard of him before but have never actually taken the time to find out about his work, so thank you for making the video. I think I'll do some more research on him now.
What a beautiful video, and what a good reminder to slow down every now and then and appreciate our surroundings a little more than we've gotten used to in our fast-paced world.
LOVED this video's format and how concisely you explained Adam's contribution to and methods of photography. Really helps me appreciate photographs more!
i love how much fun you have with these videos, especially seeing your face light up at the end when you say "I'm excited!" in multiple videos now. well it makes me excited too! keep up the great work
I've always loved your videos, but that edit at 2:45 actually sent a chill down my spine for what was to come next. It was awesome and helped remind me why I love photography.
Ansel Adams' photos always seemed to me to be impossibly sharp, almost "hyper" focused. Thanks for the explanation of his technique of using tonal values in his compositions.
Nowadays many people think they're professional or talented photographers because the own an expensive camera, which takes great photos. However, people like Ansel Adams are the real photographers. You don't need a fancy camera to express your emotions. You need passion
Nerdwriter1 I actually thought about whether I should add discipline but I wasn't sure;) I think discipline is indeed an important factor. Usually I have to take 20 photos to get one that's "acceptable":)
Fantastic video Evan! I'm a photographer myself and picturesque landscapes have never really been my thing, but Adams had vision (not to mention massive talent) and the zone system is an amazing tool - one that I need to utilise more. You pick such diverse yet well thought out topics from a variety of mediums. One thing I would like to see would be a behind the scenes type video on how you decide on a subject!
This video inspires me, the passion and love for photography Adams had excites me. I am a photographer, and have always visualized my pictures before I close the shutter. I close my eyes and see the subject/object I am working with, in my mind rotate around this object in hopes to visualize the perfect angle to immerse my viewers into something I see, not something my camera dictates for me. I use a 50mm lense, the "closest" millimeter you can get to the human perception. I do this not only for the low aperture capabilities, but so I can see in my mind and get the same product. Photography is not an easy field, everyone owns a camera, but do they really know what a "good" picture is, and how to acquire it?
Thanks for this wonderful video, and the time and work you take from your life to talk about art . . . Don't be discouraged by opinions out of the reach of the subject . . . It's about photography, not men or women . . . don't miss the point, there are better forums to carry militancies on . . .
I like how you design your videos! Alot of people in youtube try to copy a kind of TV-style when it is about getting more professional. But you edit your videos in some new style that fits perfect for youtube.
I am very grateful to you for showing me a different way of looking art that I didn't know before. Please, keep doing those amazing videos. Hugs from Brazil!
Great thanks for sharing from a light sculptor from the Show Me state! I was so proud of myself when I mastered the zone system way back in the olden days of film. I feel that has transferred into my digital work as applied to color.
Another inspiring and incisive report. Ansel Adams was the first photographer that truly spoke to me and I owe him a great debt in shaping how I see the world through my lens. I would love to see what you make of Sally Mann. I find her work to be compelling, urgent and a wonderful bridge between the photographic processes of yesteryear and contemporary issues. If you've not seen or read her books and imagery, I urge you to do so. Immediate Family would be a great place to start. You would bloody well love it.
you are Ansel Adams of video editing... the way you arrange the order or sequence of what should come next and the way you make the nerd viewer(like me) to find interest in the topic, even if I don't wanna is really (what to say...) love from india.
Wow, you opened my eyes to the zone system. I had never heard of that before, but I guess it is how we measure Dynamic Range in photography now. Thank you.
Evan, I love all of your videos. Every new one that pops up in my subscriber feed is another chance to learn about someone or something great. Your topics consider subjects that should be considered and remember people that should be remembered. Thank you for helping me remember and consider them.
That's so amazing that he recognized and optimistically encouraged the use of electronic image, or what we would call digital photography. I can understand myself the want to preserve the art of classic photography but you seldom come across an artist from an older generation that understands or wants to see the new innovations of their media. New respect found ;)
Oooo this was great. Loved the editing choices! Saw an exhibit for Adams at the SFMOMA years ago. It was a struggle to keep moving through the museum to see it all because I kept getting drawn in to each photograph... unable to stop staring. They're mesmerizing. I also don't engage much with social media, but I do follow some folks on Twitter, Instagram, and even Snapchat, who clearly take more time than most to compose an image in a special way. I really appreciate it. We're definitely in a different world now where everyone has a camera able to capture every mundane moment. And I think there's something cool about that. But it also makes you value the carefully crafted and thoughtful images all the more.
Man, your Sandman video really touched me but if I had to choose a favorite, this would be it. I studied Ansel Adams work as means to understand black to white composition. His work is certainly one of my greatest teachers.
Brilliant video man. I just started teaching photography to middle school students and I'm going to screen this episode as an introduction to landscape photography. Thanks for your work, keep it up!
Ahhhhhh, this is a beautiful piece. I too know the frustration of picking up a still camera and failing to capture what I see in my mind's eye. Taming the dynamic range is so hard to do unless you wait for the golden hour.
It's very important with his work to seek out the actual prints he made during his lifetime in a museum or gallery, as the detail and contrast are much more dramatic than in the reproductions but I learned a lot here. Thanks!
yoooo evan i just started the photography course in my degree and this actually helped drive home a few points abt tone + visualisation... almost felt like i was studying........ but really thanks 4 the extra tips!! i promise ill get an a+
This video really makes you think about how easily we take good photography for granted!
well i was watching a video game video and it was about a girl who loved photagraphy and i always like the photos with meaning, like a broken bridge,hilers,a train, a empty playground and stuff and its pretty amazing so yeah
life is strange? :P
Didn't expect life noggin here
@@treefallleaves6711and that is why I use the same type of cameras Ansel Adams used! (well it's a monorail 4x5 and not a field 8x10 but it's still a large format film camera so my point still stands)
@@maximilianshootsfilm whaaaaat
Photography is a beautiful thing that we often take for granted.
+The Neil Spiel Indeed.
Very much true
This should be a fact.
The Neil Spiel photography is a beautiful medium. But the way it can be easily monetised saturates the world with rich kids with high end rigs who produce cookie cutter passable photos for a hefty price is pretty sad :/
Spazzsticks this is very frustrating, but if you actually take the time to learn and practice you can take amazing, well thought out and visualized photographs with your phone. If you know what you're doing, the worlds best camera is the one that you have with you.
This is the difference between taking a photo and being an artist. A true photographer. Ansel is great.
+NeoSmoke21 True, the great artists do what others can't see!
+NeoSmoke21 making is not the same as taking.
what ya been smoking ? giv me some of that. Theres devil dancing in my minds eye.
I printed for a man who apprenticed in Adams' studio and said he was a very demanding perfectionist. All the work was in the darkroom, since the camera could only record one single exposure. His prints would require making masks to block parts of the image as the exposure took place, then burning (darkening with additional exposure time) 15-20 more exposures of very tiny areas to get that detail in the highlights. Dozens of attempts would yield a single perfect print and then repeated until he had a dozen perfect prints to sell, archive, or give away. I have an original print of him with photographer Imogen Cunningham and a naked Twiggy and Ansel's Cadillac with CA license plate ZONE V that I printed while I worked at the lab.
I have been photographing with intention since I was 16 years old and see the world as being full of amazing, beautiful images waiting for me to capture.
As a hobbyist photographer I appreciate this video very much. Not for me but for people who has yet to understand the value of good photography.
+Paul Staker Thank you!
Nerdwriter1 You're welcome.
+Nerdwriter1 What are the names of the pieces of music that you use in this video they sound lovely and if you know if there's sheet music of them, then all the better :). p.s. sorry I have to post it here, youtube won't let me post an independent comment of my own :(
I studied under Ansel in the 1970s and have watched him printing during a workshop with him. Your video is one of the best I've seen on him, his history, his concepts, the Zone System ..a lot. You've managed to be very concise yet relatively comprehensive. Bravo.
NW1, I want to share something intimate.
My entire life I've been a pretty lonely guy. I seem to have a hard time making deeper connections with a great deal of people. This includes my closest family and friends. Over my life I have developed a good sense of charisma, and I think I'm pretty decent looking, so it's not that this has been out of not trying, or that I'm throwing some type of pity party. There's always just been something...missing...from my interactions with people.
And it's people like you who take some of that away. The way people like yourself look at the world, for what it is, yes, but of what it could be. And more importantly, why it matters. Your precise analysis of a myriad of topics is amazing. I know this not because you making fancy videos and use big words, but because you reduce the idea into such a concise and joyous expression that one cannot help but gain understanding. You do all of this, and with no trace of self satisfaction. Complete humility.
I don't know where the people like you are, but you give me determination to keep looking!
+MKG176 Wow. Thank you. This means so much to me.
Don't give up! Hearing you say that reminds me that I might be able to find people like that, too, and there are plenty of us out there looking for each other. I won't give up either.
🙋♀
I know this was 3 years ago, but I just wanted to say thank you for making this comment! I too feel the same way. It’s encouraging to know that I am not completely alone.
I'd recommend the song "casual party" by Band of Horses
I love Ansel Adams. He's like a kind and wise old grandpa.
How is it that you're so (seemingly) well educated in film, tv, literature, painting, photography, music, and video games? HOW?
+Mobley Hernandez he's got principles.
***** I agree, but I find it amazing that he's so interested in THAT many art forms.
+Mobley Hernandez He knows film theory and then researches for each video.
JaysEpiphany I know but the fact that he uploads a video a week and they're this impressive after a week of research... whenever he discusses an art form, he sounds like he's been studying it his entire life. I guess he's just a great speaker, but it's still just amazing. Bottom line, I love this channel. I wasn't really looking for explanations lol, but I'm sure you're right
+Mobley Hernandez
You know, Einstein once said, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Curious people are endlessly inquisitive -- and not just about their own fields, but other disciplines as well. I think curiosity is the reason.
I dont know why but at 2:52 i felt so relieved and good because of all that suspense. Good job Evan!!
Thank you for this. As a 60 year old shooter, I’ve studied Ansel and his work, own his volumes on Photography and went to school to learn my craft, hauled large format cameras over dunes and into valleys to [make] a photograph and spent hours with my hands in chemicals, under enlargers, burning and dodging my way to my end product with baited breath and joy at success. Ansel was right to hold excitement over the digital wave to come. I resisted and resented it at first, but have come to realize that our small clique has been liberated. Photography is now democratized and anyone with an iPhone can see what I see. Its maddening and wonderful all at once. But in the end, we get future artists who do not have to suffer the pain of technology to arrive at their vision to share with us all.
Your videos are so healthy for my creativity, I watch them and rewatch them ever so often just to keep my brain in good condition. Thank you for this gift.
P.S I hope that one day, I can watch a full-lengh documentary made by you. Not to replace this excellent format, but to complement it :)
There's so much more than the zone system to that Tetons photo, and also Half Dome... The print process was so involved for Adams, you'd have to show the zones on the negative instead of the print. It'd be a whole essay unto itself. He was visualizing not only the exposure but his process during the print. Digital photogs get a taste of this in Photoshop or whatever, but none of the wracked nerves and expense.
+Paul Mitchum There's so much more to Ansel Adams than this video communicates. I tried to give people a primer about his significance in the age of Instagram/Snapchat.
Yah, I didn't mean to slag your video, which is excellent. I mean, it has animated zone technique! :-)
+Nerdwriter1 speaking of snapchat..... will we be fortunate enough to view yours?
+Paul Mitchum Agreed, and the other process besides developing the print was developing the negative.
He realized that when pushed or pulled (over-developing or under-developing) a negative, that the highlights and shadows respond to this in a non-linear way, and thus you can "compress" highlights and "stretch" shadows based on whether you're tweaking the development of the negative one way or the other.
This was all from the start, in his minds eye... he knew to expose one way, such that it could be developed in a specific way to better maintain highlights or shadows, etc, in order to make the print come out the way he imagined.
These glass plates weren't manufactured either... they were coated with emulsion in a very DIY fashion... I've read stories of some of these great photographers sitting in cars in the desert, covered in blankets, all that heat, just to simply coat the negative in emulsion.
The gear was extremely heavy then too... wood and metal tripods, all the clothes were made of wool or other natural materials... they packed in canned food... Ansel typically used mules on his trips through the mountains.
BTW, his autobiography is an amazing read... he was also a good writer. His first passion though was music, as a pianist.
Moral of the story: shoot film. Just do it.
to think that this was done on film, without instant preview is simply mindblowing. It's an almagamation of practice, talent and instinct
I stumbled upon Ansel Adams in a book store while I was attending film school back in 2014. I immediately knew he was a creative genius. So this video really hits home. I try to use his visualization technique when I write my scripts, in terms of depicting my characters the way I see them in my mind. Similar to Cezanne's mode of presentation. I'm actually for the saturation of photo uploads on the internet. Creative work shouldn't be available to only serious artists. It's for all people. But the true artist will always be able to distinguish themselves from the amateur. Great video, my friend. Your wide range of interests cease to impress me.
I remember studying Ansel Adams and his work a few years ago during a photography course... He truly is a master of his art! :)
He seems like such a warm person - what's really lovely is that he was actually excited about the advent of electronics in his field as opposed to getting all snobbish about it. The photos are amazing, and showing the contrast before the red filter and after makes you really appreciate the work that must have gone in to those photos. Great video! :)
I love Ansel Adams since the moment I had to research him for my intro to photography class in high school. His images trigger within me a feeling of awe. Whenever I see an Ansel Adams Landscape photo I lose my breath for a moment. His talents inspire my photos and have fostered my love of film photography. Thank you for shining a light on this great photography genius!
I loved the sort-of integrated style of this video: the pictures on Instagram, the poster in the offices, that sort of thing. Really cool technique.
+Sean Bailey I experimented with a lot here, love how it came out.
Sometimes I get made at myself for wasting away time on RUclips but videos like these definitely make me think I am spending my time on the right website
I have one of his photos in my bedroom and one in my changing room and stare at them every day. Such incredible work.
I very much appreciate how you do these videos. They feel like you're translating the methods, thoughts, and ideas of the artist or work at hand very faithfully. I feel like I am learning what made these subjects so successful almost by just looking at them directly. Your own voice isn't sitting between me and the subject as a lens, but more like a bridge. At the same time, it's quite clearly a strong and informed voice. The bridge will not collapse. Even when I disagree with you, the video keeps the same quality in my mind.
Thank you for the videos; they're great.
I love the comment at 6:24 ...near the very end of the video where he mentions the "entirely new medium of expression of the electronic image
i know the potential there... and its going to be wonderful".
it has arrived and we are responsible for using it at its best, Thank God for Ansel Adams
I've been watching your videos for about a year because I'm a huge film buff. I'm also a photographer and when I saw that you did a video on Ansel Adams I got pretty excited. Ansel Adams is one of my favourite photographers and it's amazing to see you bring your attention to detail, passion, and level of sophistication to him and the medium which I make a living with and are passionate about (still photography). You've easily convinced me to start supporting you on Patreon and I can't wait to see what you do in the future. Cheers!
One of my favourite photographers, along with Bill Brandt and Edwin Smith. All of them have not just a command of technique but that indefinable sense of place that makes them stand out from the rest.
His work reflects true passion! a pioneer indeed !!
Thanks for the tribute to such a great man & his vision.
I love this. I particularly like the way that his art is iconic because he because he applied a systematic almost scientific approach to it. Before that his pictures simply didn't have the same impact consistently.
I think it's great that everyone can easily take and share photos, it's made the world smaller and more connected. It might not be art but there'll always be photographers like Adams, Nixon and Duda who make art out of nature and mundane life
Respect, most photographers don have the eloquence you have while describing other peoples work. Thank you.
_"Thanks to things like Instagram and Snapchat photographs in general are so ever present in our lives that _*_standards about what we believe to be great work in this field are drowned out_*_ by the literally billions of photos that are uploaded everyday"_
I've been thinking the same for years, but I don't usually speak my opinion because I don't want to be called snob or something like that. THANK YOUUUUUU!!!
I've been a professional photographer for over 10 years and I honestly can't remember the last time I have felt this much love for my craft. Your videos are excellent and I thank you for making them. If you ever get a chance and/or have the interest, I would love to see an episode about Robert Frank. Keep up the good work.
To enjoy a thing, it must come to you at the correct level. Not the desired or social norm, but in that perfect balance. His balance of his vision is what makes it a delight to see. I feel you captured that well in your vision of this video. Art, music, film, and life are all about creating the needed effect without carrying it to far.
Wow- as a photographer that really struck a chord with me. I don't think it could have been described any better. Thank you for making these videos!
Animation last week and now photography! Your range is growing
I was just at the C/O Amerika Haus Gallery in Berlin for an opening, but was immediately drown to another room filled with magnificent landscapes and magical mountain views. I had no idea who is Adams and am happy I randomly saw this video, thanks for sharing. Now I appreciate the photographs even more.
Ahh Ansel Adams...his work is so beautiful if you ever get the chance to see them. I only remember his work from a class I took a while back, but not his process. Lovely explanation, sir~
Thanks so much for this. I've been Don Quixote-ing the idea that serious imaging is not bang away in RAW and "fix" it in photoshop or other software.
And, as I've been saying for years, "it ain't about megapixels".
While news and sports photography is about capturing the moment as best you can, photographing nature, etc. requires knowing how your camera works, it's dynamic range, more than pointing a light meter at a subject and shooting.
I know of few photographers that pre-visualize. Most barely "post-visualize" and just "fix it in photoshop".
But most folks don't want to wait for the light, research how their cameras really work, etc.
You don't get as many images doing it right, but the ones you get are so much more satisfying.
this is so amazing, i remember writing a thesis on his works. The visualization, the range. amazing
This video got me into photography. I've watched it 5-6 times over the years. This is such an important video for me.
I have a good friend who is an amazing photographer, and his craft is beautiful and mysterious to me. Seriously, I can look at a painting or a play and understand what went into it, see the years and decades of technique and effort playing out. With photography... it has always seemed to me that the most powerful photography would be either nothing like reality or the most perfect replica of it. But I've never understood it, grasped it.
Thank you for this video! It has definitely given me at least a glimpse into this incredibly mysterious art form. Very proud to be able to support such an insightful and interesting channel
Ansel Adams: the ne plus ultra of photographic landscape potraiture. Bravo
Evan, you do such a great job with these videos.
+Foomandoonian Thank you. I put the work in. It's funny, I work /far/ more now, on an hours/week basis, than I ever did at a day job. But I love it so much!
Nerdwriter1 It shows. I follow many interesting RUclips channels and the quality on your videos is above and beyond.
I've always loved Ansel Adams too. You've made me want to get back into film photography.
You couldn't have uploaded a better video for me at this time. I've just gotten news that some of my street photographs are going to be featured at our local gallery, so this video just inspires me more. Thank you, Evan!
Let me tell you something Nerdwriter at minute 2:23 you literally had me in awe when you show the original picture coupled with the way that you were explaining the process and then you showed that really super dope second take...wow you are so good at your job sir
I can't explain why, but I teared up. Thanks for you're videos, they're always a pleasant surprise.
This is an inspiration for me. I just started getting into photography lately and usually, I am very intrigued by B&W photos. This helps me a lot in developing my craft and appreciation for B&W photography.
Thanks for this!! Ansel was a master in the truest sense. But to truly appreciate just how good his work is you have to see a real print he made and not just a poster. The depth and detail is astonishing, and most of that gets lost in reproduction.
This video really made me appreciate photography as an art because I usually do pass by some of his works. and also I love this channel, you are probably one of my favorite RUclipsrs out there!
Excellent video!
I was travelling in California in 1984 with my medium format camera gear. Heading back north to Canada, I picked up a newspaper in a small town and read of Ansel's death. Saddened, I stopped in at Carmel to see a show I'd heard about, at the Photographer's Gallery.
It was closed, with a note on the door that, due to Adams' death, the scheduled show had been postponed, to be replaced by a retrospective of Adams' work, handpicked by his wife and friends. It would open the following week.
Someone saw me at the door and opened it a crack to reiterate the news. "Please come back next week," the man said.
When I told him that I was on my way back to Canada, the kind gentleman opened the door and motioned me inside. The show was almost fully hung, so I got a personal tour, complete with personal anecdotes, guided by Ansel's friends.
There were rare older prints, much different than Adams' later "Beethovian" interpretations. His grand piano stood silently in the centre of the gallery.
This story and more on Adams' Zone System in this post:
raymondparkerphoto.com/looking-back-and-forth-at-ansel-adams-zone-system/
People have taken objectivity and thrown it out for a subjective system that morphs to their desired argument or need at the time. Art is such a great example. Positive and Negative space, color usage, composition, balance, symmetry all have been shoved aside for like or because. People don't like the idea they might like something that is bad or not like something is good. A great way to start this is discussing Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow," seeing how many people say their child or they themselves could do that, or how people like or dislike it and never discuss the historical value or composition of the piece.
Thanks for this video. I'm not sure how many non-photographers look at his work and appreciate what they're seeing. Well, they appreciate the beauty, but probably not the craft. His ability to capture tonal range was, and is, simply unmatched. I'll struggle with a modern, top-of-the-line DLSR, Lightroom, and Photoshop to capture the range of detail he got with that ancient equipment. It's the definition of genius.
FWIW: I still use his zone system in my head, even though modern cameras have largely made it unnecessary. It just works.
I stayed in Ansel's favorite camp spot in Yosemite a few years ago. I felt as if I understood his passion while looking at Yosemite Falls through the trees.
I've heard of him before but have never actually taken the time to find out about his work, so thank you for making the video. I think I'll do some more research on him now.
I laughed when I saw you at the end, the light contrast in your room and yourself represents his picture so much
What a beautiful video, and what a good reminder to slow down every now and then and appreciate our surroundings a little more than we've gotten used to in our fast-paced world.
LOVED this video's format and how concisely you explained Adam's contribution to and methods of photography.
Really helps me appreciate photographs more!
i love how much fun you have with these videos, especially seeing your face light up at the end when you say "I'm excited!" in multiple videos now. well it makes me excited too! keep up the great work
It's really nice to see a video on photography when my feeds is full of photos without intention. I'm excited for the next video now.
+Michelle Wu I'm excited you're excited. Working to make you proud.
I've always loved your videos, but that edit at 2:45 actually sent a chill down my spine for what was to come next. It was awesome and helped remind me why I love photography.
This video is one of the most important videos that everyone should watch.
Ansel Adams' photos always seemed to me to be impossibly sharp, almost "hyper" focused. Thanks for the explanation of his technique of using tonal values in his compositions.
Nowadays many people think they're professional or talented photographers because the own an expensive camera, which takes great photos. However, people like Ansel Adams are the real photographers. You don't need a fancy camera to express your emotions. You need passion
+eins passion and discipline
Nerdwriter1 I actually thought about whether I should add discipline but I wasn't sure;) I think discipline is indeed an important factor. Usually I have to take 20 photos to get one that's "acceptable":)
Love this guy,love to see more people like him,hope you make more content mate.
Fantastic video Evan! I'm a photographer myself and picturesque landscapes have never really been my thing, but Adams had vision (not to mention massive talent) and the zone system is an amazing tool - one that I need to utilise more.
You pick such diverse yet well thought out topics from a variety of mediums. One thing I would like to see would be a behind the scenes type video on how you decide on a subject!
beautiful and inspiring!
All your videos on art make me appreciate it more.
Ansel Adams, a name I won't soon forget.
Great video.
This video inspires me, the passion and love for photography Adams had excites me. I am a photographer, and have always visualized my pictures before I close the shutter. I close my eyes and see the subject/object I am working with, in my mind rotate around this object in hopes to visualize the perfect angle to immerse my viewers into something I see, not something my camera dictates for me. I use a 50mm lense, the "closest" millimeter you can get to the human perception. I do this not only for the low aperture capabilities, but so I can see in my mind and get the same product. Photography is not an easy field, everyone owns a camera, but do they really know what a "good" picture is, and how to acquire it?
Thanks for this wonderful video, and the time and work you take from your life to talk about art . . . Don't be discouraged by opinions out of the reach of the subject . . . It's about photography, not men or women . . . don't miss the point, there are better forums to carry militancies on . . .
+Ignacio FS Well said
I've been trying to figure out for awhile now what makes Adams' work a masterpiece. This answered my question, so thank you!
+Michael Reed My pleasure!!
I always watch these videos when they come out, they're just that amazing
2:40 f22 is his aperture, not exposure. Other than that a pretty neat, well presented analysis, thanks for putting in the work.
+Daten Raten gah yes! good catch
Dear Nerdwriter1, you have just unhinged a jar of curiosity and fascination I have toward Ansel Adams. Thanks.
I like how you design your videos! Alot of people in youtube try to copy a kind of TV-style when it is about getting more professional. But you edit your videos in some new style that fits perfect for youtube.
I love your videos about artists! I studied Ansel Adams when I was in High School. This brings me back~ thank you!
Thank you so much for putting this together. It is wonderful. Mr. Adams has affected my life as much as Mr. Jobs.
I am very grateful to you for showing me a different way of looking art that I didn't know before. Please, keep doing those amazing videos. Hugs from Brazil!
I actually haven't seen Ansel Adams before and this stuff looks beautiful.
Man. I got a little teary eyed again.
Great thanks for sharing from a light sculptor from the Show Me state! I was so proud of myself when I mastered the zone system way back in the olden days of film. I feel that has transferred into my digital work as applied to color.
Another inspiring and incisive report. Ansel Adams was the first photographer that truly spoke to me and I owe him a great debt in shaping how I see the world through my lens. I would love to see what you make of Sally Mann. I find her work to be compelling, urgent and a wonderful bridge between the photographic processes of yesteryear and contemporary issues. If you've not seen or read her books and imagery, I urge you to do so. Immediate Family would be a great place to start. You would bloody well love it.
This channel is such a gift. I look forward to these videos.
you are Ansel Adams of video editing... the way you arrange the order or sequence of what should come next and the way you make the nerd viewer(like me) to find interest in the topic, even if I don't wanna is really (what to say...)
love from india.
Wow, you opened my eyes to the zone system. I had never heard of that before, but I guess it is how we measure Dynamic Range in photography now. Thank you.
Dude your videos are very informative and awesome!
Thank you for putting hours of research and making it.
Evan, I love all of your videos. Every new one that pops up in my subscriber feed is another chance to learn about someone or something great. Your topics consider subjects that should be considered and remember people that should be remembered. Thank you for helping me remember and consider them.
That's so amazing that he recognized and optimistically encouraged the use of electronic image, or what we would call digital photography. I can understand myself the want to preserve the art of classic photography but you seldom come across an artist from an older generation that understands or wants to see the new innovations of their media. New respect found ;)
Oooo this was great. Loved the editing choices!
Saw an exhibit for Adams at the SFMOMA years ago. It was a struggle to keep moving through the museum to see it all because I kept getting drawn in to each photograph... unable to stop staring. They're mesmerizing.
I also don't engage much with social media, but I do follow some folks on Twitter, Instagram, and even Snapchat, who clearly take more time than most to compose an image in a special way. I really appreciate it. We're definitely in a different world now where everyone has a camera able to capture every mundane moment. And I think there's something cool about that. But it also makes you value the carefully crafted and thoughtful images all the more.
So glad I found your channel! So refreshing to have intelligent topics explained! And your voice is extremely soothing.
Dude, this gave me goosebumps. As always, great analysis.
Man, your Sandman video really touched me but if I had to choose a favorite, this would be it. I studied Ansel Adams work as means to understand black to white composition. His work is certainly one of my greatest teachers.
Brilliant video man. I just started teaching photography to middle school students and I'm going to screen this episode as an introduction to landscape photography. Thanks for your work, keep it up!
Ahhhhhh, this is a beautiful piece. I too know the frustration of picking up a still camera and failing to capture what I see in my mind's eye. Taming the dynamic range is so hard to do unless you wait for the golden hour.
I really, *really* love these videos on specific artists and their aesthetics. They're some of my favorites from all the stuff you've made. Cheers :)
It's very important with his work to seek out the actual prints he made during his lifetime in a museum or gallery, as the detail and contrast are much more dramatic than in the reproductions but I learned a lot here. Thanks!
I just found out about this channel and I dont regret subscribing.
+M. Smith I'm very glad you don't regret it. I'll work to keep it that way.
yoooo evan i just started the photography course in my degree and this actually helped drive home a few points abt tone + visualisation... almost felt like i was studying........ but really thanks 4 the extra tips!! i promise ill get an a+
Wow, I probably have seen Adams work before. But now that you have introduced me to his methods I have to get to know his work better. Thanks man!
learned something new today
+ihath You've made me happy.
+Nerdwriter1 :-)
Amazing! Very nicely summarized the essence of Ansel Adams work in condensed way!