Forgotten Ansel Adams Murals Brought Back to Light

The many federal buildings of Washington, D.C., house more than just bureaucracy and thousands of federal workers. They are also home to some hidden gems of art.

A new exhibit on the walls of the Interior Department's headquarters displays a series of photographs taken by Ansel Adams — murals commissioned in the last century, but never before displayed.

Read and hear the NPR story by Bryan Naylor and see photographs from the exhibit.

The Adams murals and other art in the Interior Department can be viewed by appointment.

Sand Dunes, Full Moon, Fantastic Rock Formations, and More!

Our 2010 Lone Pine to Death Valley workshop from April 26-30 with Alan Ross is an experience of extremes. Alan will take you through some of the most celebrated (and filmed!) landscape in the country. The rockscape of the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine will likely bring back many visual memories -- from a zillion Westerns, to Star Trek, to many car ads - to the boulders in Ansel's famous "Mt. Williamson" photograph. Aside from the rocks of the Alabama Hills, we'll also be able to visit the High Sierra cascades at Whitney Portal; the site of the WWII Japanese Relocation Camp, Manzanar; and of course, sunrise on the dunes in Death Valley. In 2010, we will have the added treat of evening moonsets on the dunes! Death Valley isn't only dunes, though, and we will work with volcanic terrain, the salt flats of Badwater and the wild architecture of Scotty's Castle and a visit to the ruins of an old Nevada mining town. In all, our travels will take us from 8600 feet at Whitney Portal to 282 ft below sea level, the lowest point in the Continental US!

This is a field photography workshop and is open to all formats and working methods analog and digital, black-and-white and color. Please go to our website for more information.

Water Works: New paintings by Penny Otwell Exhibit & Reception

WATER WORKS: New Paintings by Penny Otwell
April 14 - May 25, 2010
THE ANSEL ADAMS GALLERY
Yosemite Valley, Village Mall

You are invited to a reception at the gallery on
Thursday, April 15 (TAX DAY) from 4 - 6 p.m.


This collection of new paintings was inspired by the magnificence of water in the Yosemite Sierra. Spring's melting of winter snow rushes into waterfalls, clean and pure, and into fast moving streams before it's slower journey down mountain. Yosemite's granite domes and cliffs continue to be sculpted from this powerful element. Sustaining life, water also delights us as we reflect our place in nature.

These new paintings are done in oil, acrylic, and watercolor and were done en plein air and in Penny's studio outside the park.

Come see the show of all new work and we hope you can attend the reception!

Remembering A 'Quiet Hero': Edgar Wayburn, 1906-2010

The Ansel Adams Gallery staff and family mourn the passing of our dear friend and lifelong conservationist Edgar Wayburn. If you are not already familiar with Ed Wayburn's long list of accomplishments in support of our environment, please read on.

News release from the San Jose Mercury News

From the Pacific Forest Trust blog-
The conservation community is remembering and celebrating one of its greatest advocates this week, following the death of Dr. Edgar Wayburn at the age of 103...... Read more

More insights on Ed Wayburn from The Sierra Club website.

The Wayburn family requests that gifts in his memory can be made to Pacific Forest Trust, Alaska Conservation Foundation, or Earth Justice Wayburn Fund (Alaska)

The Enduring Impact of Ansel Adams: Presentation in Clovis this weekend

The work of Ansel Adams has influenced generations and is very
much alive through his acclaimed artistic interpretations of nature.

On Sunday, March 21, Ansel Adams' daughter-in-law Jeanne Falk Adams will present images and discuss the "Enduring Impact of Ansel Adams" at the Unitarian Universalist Town Hall in the Sanctuary.

Jeanne Adams, daughter-in-law of Ansel Adams and a long time Fresno resident, has been involved with photography since 1971 when she took over operation of The Ansel Adams Gallery for the next 25 years. She has designed workshops and symposia, curates exhibitions, and reviews portfolios --- as well as being an activist in arts, higher education, and the environment.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno Sanctuary is located at 2672 E. Alluvial Ave. Clovis, CA 93611. Call (559) 322-6146 for more information.

Gorgeous Spring Conditions for the Paint-Out Event on the McKenzie Reserve

This past Saturday, 17 of the 24 invitational artists created works for Sierra Foothill Conservancy's Plein Air Project on the glorious McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve in Eastern Fresno County. The Foothill Invitational Exhibition will take place in Fresno (location TBA) and the Embarcadero Invitational Exhibition at the spacious San Francisco office atrium of EDAW/AECOM. Both events are tentatively scheduled for the August of 2010, specific dates to be determined. Partial proceeds from sales at these events will benefit Sierra Foothill Conservancy.

For more information on Sierra Foothill Conservancy projects and the Plein Air paint-out events and auction visit www.sierrafoothill.org/pleinair.

The Ansel Adams Gallery supports the efforts of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy to help preserve open space in the neighboring foothills and is proud to be a sponsor of the Plein Air Auction in August.

Spring is a great time to visit the foothill region on your way to Yosemite. The orchards are blooming as well as many wildflowers! All three highways leading to Yosemite from the west side of the Sierra provide a taste of the California grasslands dotted with stately oaks.

The Ansel Adams Gallery® Awarded New Concession Contract in Yosemite National Park

We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a new contract with the National Park Service to operate in Yosemite National Park. We look forward to continuing to serve Yosemite visitors for years to come.

From National Park Service Press Release....

Best's Studio, Inc. doing business as The Ansel Adams Gallery® in Yosemite National Park, was the awarded a new 10-year concession contract that became effective March 1, 2010. The Ansel Adams Gallery® has been operating in the park since 1902, making them the oldest, family owned and operated concessioner in the National Park Service. The Ansel Adams Gallery® is a photographic and art business with an emphasis on Ansel Adams and the history of art and photography in Yosemite. In addition to selling Ansel Adams photography, the gallery also rents photographic equipment, sells photographic and art supplies, park related publications, and authentic American Indian handicrafts. The gallery also provides instruction in photographic and artistic methods and complementary visitor education programs. Ansel Adams is inexorably associated with Yosemite and is recognized worldwide. Images of Half Dome, Inspiration Point, and El Capitan made by Ansel Adams set photographic standards of the national parks that are still respected and admired today. “We are pleased to offer this concession contract to The Ansel Adams Gallery®. Art and photography are incredibly important to Yosemite, and all national parks, and there is no greater example than the work of Ansel Adams,” said Acting Yosemite Superintendent Dave Uberuaga. The Ansel Adams Gallery® is located in a historic building in Yosemite Village, where Ansel Adams lived and printed some of his iconic photographs. The new concession contract runs through February 29, 2020. Above photograph of Vernal Fall by Ansel Adams. Details about the image on our website.

Center for Creative Photography Online Database of Ansel Adams Images

Check out the new comprehensive database of Ansel's work on the Center for Creative Photography's website. They have over 2600 images in their collection that have been digitized, and in some cases, have more than one version of a particular image. Fun to see how Ansel's printing preferences changed over time.... They also have a number a rare images as well. Enjoy!

Staff Exhibit Opens at The Ansel Adams Gallery

The Ansel Adams Gallery Staff Show

From March 1 to April 13, 2010














(Photo of Gabe Mange by Evan Russel)

A group exhibit showcasing the works of our talented staff - Nick Ahlgrim, Christine White-Loberg, Dustin Nelson, Gabriel Mange, Sally Owens and Evan Russel. The exhibit will feature both black and white and color images, and include original watercolors by Sally Owens. We invite you to stop by this spring and see the exhibit. Staff artists are available daily and happy to talk with you about photography techniques, the best locations in Yosemite to inspire your creativity, and answer any questions about their work.

While visiting Yosemite this spring and summer, consider a Photography Guiding Session or a photography class

We offer two classes- Using Your Digital Camera and In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams

The In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams class will visit a number of locations from where Ansel composed some of his most famous images and share insights into Ansel's life, photography and philosophies. In both classes, students will gain an understanding of their digital cameras, whether it be an advanced point and shoot or a D-SLR. You will learn the basics of operating your camera including how to focus, work with depth of field, proper exposure, reading your histogram, ISO & shutter speed selection and more.

A private guiding session with one of our gallery staff photographers in Yosemite National Park will allow you to learn about and photograph at a selection of the prime locations within Yosemite National Park. From famous vistas of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley, to more intimate locations throughout the park, our staff photographers will lead you to areas to capture unique images and make the most of your photographic experience.

For questions and to inquire about arranging a guided session or photography class, please email photoclass@anseladams.com or call (888) 361-7622 You can also visit us online.