Ansel Adams: An Autobiography, Vol. 1 FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
An accomplished musician, ardent conservationist, master photographer and teacher, Ansel Adams (19021984) made a major cultural contribution to the American nation, which awarded him the Medal of Freedom. This life story describes his boyhood discovery of California's Yosemite and High Sierra, a land he loved and photographed the remainder of his life. He traces the development of his esthetic beliefs and technical style, including the widely emulated Adams ``zone system'' of scenic composition and exposure. A chapter on his early efforts offers one of the best definitions yet articulated about photography as art. There are lively accounts of his acquaintance in conservation work with several U.S. presidents, and of relationships he had with photographer colleaguesStieglitz, Steichen, Weston, Georgia O'Keeffe, Nancy and Beaumont Newhall, Paul Strand, Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Edwin Land and others. The 270 illustrations here include personal shots of family, friends and wilderness high jinks, as well as many Adams masterworks like ``Yosemite Half-Dome'' and ``Moonrise, Hernandez.'' BOMC featured alternate. October
Library Journal
Adams's commitment to the serious study of photography lasted from 1930 until his death in 1984. He influenced hundreds of photographers through ex hibitions, books, and workshops. His work for the Sierra Club (photographic and otherwise) brought national recog nition. His autobiography moves from family reminiscences to his experiences with Edward Weston, Paul Strand, Dorothea Lange, the Newhalls, Geor gia O'Keefe, Steiglitz, and Steichen, giving Adams's perspective on devel opments in the visual arts. It portrays a deeply felt concern with both craft and aesthetics, and a lifelong dedication to preserving the glory of the Western en vironment. No library with any sort of collection in photography should be without this book. Illustrations not seen. J.R. Mosler, Hackettstown P.L., N.J.
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