When Ansel Adams was four years old, he survived the 1906 San Fransisco
earthquake-- his only injury was a broken nose (which he never got
fixed). Before attending private school, he was tutored at home due to lack of behavioral success at various schools. He was hyperactive and sickly, so from the age of twelve he was educated by private tutors and members of is family instead. Adams managed to teach himself how to play piano, and was actually set to be a pianist. However, photography piqued his interest soon after and became his profession. Aside from being a photographer, Adams was an environmental activist, with most of his focus on national parks. Yosemite National Park in California was one of his favorites, and held a famous photo shot there. His first fully visualized photograph, Monolith, the Face of Half Dome was created in 1927, in Yosemite. Two of his accomplishments include helping create the Kings Canyon National Park and developing "zone system".
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| I picked this photograph because it has varied tones of contrast, as well as interesting textures and layers to look at. The shadows and highlights are on both sides. Somehow it looks equally sinister and pleasant, as if during the day this would be heaven and at night the opposite. |
