The Ansel Adams Gallery Blog

New Year's Resolution - Master the Digital Darkroom

2010-12-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

Photoshop and Digital Printing Workshop, January 16-20, 2011

It’s time to master the digital darkroom!

Do you want your photographs to really capture what you saw and felt when you made the exposure? Do you think that sometimes they don’t live up to their potential?

You know you could get the most out of your images if only you could learn the complexities of Photoshop. But this program seems incredibly daunting. Sure, you can pick up useful tips here and there. But how do you put it all together? How do you know when to use this trick, and not that one? How can you cut through the clutter and develop a time-saving workflow?

Michael Frye, author of Digital Landscape Photography, has designed this workshop to demystify Photoshop and the digital darkroom. You’ll learn simple, powerful techniques that take advantage of Photoshop’s power but avoid it’s complex pitfalls. You’ll learn a comprehensive workflow to take your images from capture to print. Most importantly, find out how to convey your vision and make your photographs express their full potential.

In this workshop we’ll work in The Ansel Adams Gallery’s digital lab learning simple, powerful, step-by-step procedures for taking a Raw file to a finished print. Morning and evening field sessions will allow you to refine your composition and exposure skills, and beautiful light and the potential for clearing storms make winter a great time to photograph Yosemite. The class size is small—no more than eight students—so you’ll get lots of personal attention.

Here’s a partial list of topics covered:

-Zone System Exposure for Digital Cameras

-Color Management

-Overall workflow

-Raw Image Processing

-Making a Master File

-Using Layers for Flexibility

-Controlling Contrast

-Mastering Curves

-Dodging and Burning

-Retouching

-Making Difficult Selections Easy

-Converting to Black and White

-Sharpening

-Combining Images for Greater Depth of Field

-Combining Images to Expand Dynamic Range, both with HDR and Photoshop

Click here to join this workshop and learn the secrets to mastering the digital darkroom!

Ted Orland- Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity

2010-11-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

You are invited to this exhibit at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite.
Reception with the Artist on Thursday, November 18th from 3-5pm. Refreshments and drinks will be served, and Orland will be attending. On display from November 10th - December 31st.

Orland’s hand-colored black & white photographs follow in the West Coast tradition of fine craft printmaking, but engage a wide range of contemporary subject matter. Recently he has begun scanning his hand-colored work and generating an edition of inkjet prints of existing images that seem to translate well to that medium. Even more recently he’s begun bypassing the darkroom entirely(except film developing) and either “hand”-coloring images on the computer or re-working color negatives. His photographs are exhibited widely and appear in most major museum collections.
Take this opportunity to come experience the peaceful Autumn season in Yosemite and enjoy the exhibit. See more of Ted Orland's work here:
http://www.anseladams.com/category_s/65.htm

Ted Orland lives in Santa Cruz, California, where he pursues parallel careers in teaching, writing and photography. Ted first visited Yosemite in 1966 as a student in Ansel Adams’ Summer Photography workshop, and in the early 1970’s became assistant to Ansel Adams and printer of Adams’ Yosemite Special Edition Prints. He taught at the annual Ansel Adams Yosemite Workshop fifteen times, and continues to visit the Park frequently.

In 1987 Orland became the first photographer to receive a National Park Service Artist in Residency in Yosemite, and for the past ten years has participated in the Park Service’s annual High Country Artists’ Pack Trip. In 1988 he received a Certificate of Special Recognition from the United States Congress for his work in the conservationist movement to save Mono Lake. More recently he has twice served as Juror for the annual Yosemite Renaissance Exhibition, which promotes artwork made in Yosemite National Park. Currently he teaches master classes for University of California Extension, and at workshop centers across the country.

Orland is author of Man & Yosemite, which traces the early history of Yosemite as it can be interpreted through photographs of the period; he also wrote the Introduction to Uelsmann/Yosemite, a book of decidedly contemporary images by photographer Jerry Uelsmann. A major selection of Ted’s photographs and writings appear in his monograph, Scenes of Wonder & Curiosity. Ted is the co-author (with David Bayles) of the book Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Printmaking, which explores the nature of the art-making process. Art & Fear has been on the best–seller list for art books ever since its publication in 1994, and is currently in its tenth printing.

Autumn's Peak

2010-11-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Fall seemed to come a little late this year, with the Oaks and Dogwood finally at their most brilliant right now. Heavy rains earlier in the month knocked some leaves down, but we still have abundant color especially in protected areas. The light has been buttery-golden and crisp all day long, getting even more spectacular in the morning and evening. Gauzy blue-white morning fog has been gracing the meadow areas, creating a wonderful scene for those willing to get up early while on vacation!

Tioga Pass (on Eastern highway 120) has been closing intermittently, and most recently re-opened on Tuesday the 2nd. The high country is also sublime right now, with dustings of snow on the high domes, golden meadows, and lots of solitude. The coming storms may close the pass for the season, check to make sure it is open before planning a trip. The most up-to-date National Park Service information on Yosemite road conditions can be found at: (209) 372-0200.
Image by Staff Photographer Evan Russell

Upcoming 2011 Workshop Sneak Peek!

2010-10-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

We'll be announcing our 2011 workshop schedule soon, but thought we'd give you a sneak preview of Photoshop and Digital Printing Workshop with Michael Frye, since it's only a few months away! January 16-20, 2011.

This is a perfect class for anyone who wants to improve their knowledge and skill with Photoshop. Photoshop is an incredibly powerful program, yet because of that power it’s also complex. This workshop is designed to help you cut through the clutter, and all the conflicting, confusing information out there, and learn simple, powerful techniques for making great digital prints. You’ll leave the class with new skills, confidence, and increased mastery of Photoshop. Here's a partial list of the topics covered:

-Zone System Exposure for Digital Cameras

-Color Management

-Overall workflow

-Raw Image Processing

-Making a Master File

-Using Layers for Flexibility

-Controlling Contrast

-Mastering Curves

-Dodging and Burning

-Retouching

-Making Difficult Selections Easy

-Converting to Black and White

-Sharpening

-Combining Images for Greater Depth of Field

-Combining Images to Expand Dynamic Range, both with HDR and Photoshop

Registration for this and all our 2011 workshops will be open soon, but in the mean time don't forget to mark this down on your calendar!

YOSEMITE: In Detail, Watercolors by Sally Owens

2010-09-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

The work of artist Sally Owens will be featured in an upcoming solo show of paintings in Yosemite National Park. Owens, a longtime park resident and winner of regional, state & national awards, is best known for her subtle & detailed portrayals of natural "found objects" such as leaves, feathers and branches, meticulously rendered in watercolor.

The exhibit, YOSEMITE: In Detail, will run from September 27th through November 7th at the Ansel Adams Gallery, located in Yosemite Village. Come renew your spirit after a long, hot summer, and welcome Autumn to Yosemite. The weather cools, the crowds dwindle, and glorious fall colors adorn the landscape. Paint, hike, and enjoy the scenery, then swing by to meet Sally. Artist's Opening Reception Wednesday October 6th from 4 -6:00 p.m.

See more of Sally Owens' work!

About Sally Owens:
"I was born in Japan and have long admired the graceful simplicity in asian art and design. I grew up in California, where the natural landscape is tremendously varied and inspiring, raised by two teachers for whom travel and the arts are passionate interests. Our family visits to Yosemite forged a connection which endures to the present.
My husband, a wilderness ranger, also profoundly influenced my direction, and continues to inspire me with his keenly felt love of nature. Since 1988 we have built our lives around the singularly beautiful place that is Yosemite. In our increasingly fast-paced, complex world, it remains a sanctuary where I find great satisfaction dedicating hours to a solitary pursuit requiring only brush, water, paper and paint.

While artistic inspiration abounds in the many majestic landmarks, I am particularly drawn to what is found in their shadows, common things with a quiet beauty that often goes unnoticed. I hope the subjects of my paintings speak for themselves. My aim is to keep the painting process simple, and I strive to create artworks as spare & elegant as the objects themselves. In my work I hope to reveal the subtleties of the natural objects around us, and to illuminate the extraordinary in ordinary things."

Yosemite Facelift Cleanup- Sept 22-26

2010-09-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

The annual Yosemite Facelift park wide cleanup is approaching! Join hundreds of other volunteers as they undo the summers' damage. Special events have been planned and raffle prizes will be given away throughout the weekend. Organized by the Yosemite Climbing Association, this helpful annual event is very popular and effective. Reserved camping may available for registered participants. More information is available at yosemiteclimbing.org.

John Sexton: Photographs from Three Decades

2010-08-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

We invite you to join us for John Sexton's new exhibit at the Yosemite Gallery.

John Sexton is one of the most widely known contemporary black and white landscape photographers and educators. He was Photographic Assistant to Ansel Adams for many years, and his work, in high demand, demonstrates the technical and artistic expertise that one would expect from such an association. John's work has a very distinctive feel and is immediately recognizable, for he has clearly stepped out of the shadow of his mentor and established a worldwide reputation. The show will be on display from August 18th to September 26th.

A reception will be held on August 21st, from 4-6pm at the Yosemite Gallery with refreshments and beverages.

We also invite you to join us for Sexton's lecture, Inspired by Yosemite: Photographs by Ansel Adams and John Sexton, which will be held following the reception at the Yosemite Lodge Outdoor Amphitheater beginning at 8:30pm.

John Sexton was born in 1953, and resides in Carmel Valley, California. Respected as a photographer, master printmaker, and workshop instructor, he is best known for his luminous, quiet photographs of the natural environment. John’s most recent book is Recollections: Three Decades of Photographs, an award-winning retrospective volume, published in late 2006 by Ventana Editions. John’s previous award-winning books include Quiet Light, a monograph representing fifteen years of his work, and Listen to the Trees, which were published by Bulfinch Press/Little, Brown and Company, along with Places of Power: The Aesthetics of Technology published by Ventana Editions.

His photographs are included in permanent collections, exhibitions, and publications throughout the world. His work has been featured on CBS "Sunday Morning" show with Charles Kuralt, and on the MacNeil Leher News Hour. Bank of America, General Motors, and Eastman Kodak have used his photographs in national advertising campaigns. Sexton's photographs have been included in numerous publications including: Time, Life, American Photo, Backpacker, Photo Techniques, Darkroom Photography, LensWork Quarterly, View Camera, Black and White, Zoom, Outdoor Photographer, Outside, TWA Ambassador, Southern Accents, and Popular Photography.

He is the Director of the John Sexton photography Workshop program, and has taught numerous photography workshops each year for other programs in the United States and abroad, emphasizing printing technique and mastery of the Zone System. These programs include: The Ansel Adams Gallery Workshops, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, The Friends of Photography, Maine Photographic Workshops, and the Palm Beach Workshops. His informed and entertaining lectures for photographic and professional organizations, colleges, and universities discuss the aesthetic and technical aspects of fine black and white photography. He has presented lectures for, among others, Boston University, George Eastman House, The Friends of Photography, Los Angeles, County Museum of Art, Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, and the Seattle Art Museum.

A recipient of the 2005 North American Nature Photography Association Lifetime Achievement Award, John is a consultant to Eastman Kodak Company and other photographic manufacturers. He served as both Technical and Photographic Assistant, and then Technical Consultant to Ansel Adams from 1979 to 1984. . Following Mr. Adams’ death Sexton served as Photographic Special Projects Consultant to The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust. From 1985 to 1993, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of The Friends of Photography.

See more of Sexton's work!

Family Trip to the Ansel Adams Wilderness

2010-08-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

This past week, Michael and Matthew Adams took a short trip into the Ansel Adams Wilderness. They were joined by writer Robert Poole and photographer Peter Essick, who were both from National Geographic Magazine. On this trip, the exact GPS coordinates were found for Ansel's Banner Peak, Thousand Island Lake image. The weather was pleasantly balmy in spite of the elevation, and the late snowmelt this year nurtured a healthy crop of mosquitoes!
For the curious, here are the coordinates: 37N 43.640, 119W 10.806!
Above: Summit Lake looking down the San Joaquin.
Right: Michael Adams at lunch, near the location that Ansel's Banner Peak, Thousand Island Lake was made.
See the original image made by Ansel Adams

Response to July 27, 2010 Article -- Experts: Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million

2010-07-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Matthew Adams
July 24, 2010
Yosemite, California

I was provided access in November 2009 to the evidence that the “Norsigian Team” had accumulated. No further evidence has been presented, and my comments are based on the information provided at the time and not updated.

Negative Sleeves –
The negative sleeves are manila envelopes with a stamp to organize handwritten information as:
No_
Name_
Remarks_

Each sleeve is numbered with a 4 digit number, starting with “8”, and a title in the “Name” field. The title is suggested to be in the hand of Virginia Best Adams, Ansel’s wife (married 1928). The dates of the any glass plate negatives pre-date the marriage, meaning that the sleeves would have been new after 1928. The supposition presented is that the negatives were rescued from Ansel’s darkroom fire of 1937, sleeved and marked at that time. Ansel’s negative numbering system usually referenced glass plate negatives as “GP”. “1-GP-##” would mean 8x10 glass plate image number ##. 1937 is certainly after Ansel started using this negative numbering system, and these examples are inconsistent with that schema.

I am not aware if any carbon dating of the negative sleeves has been done. Presumably it would be possible, and might provide scientific evidence of the date of the sleeves and possibly the date of the marking.

Handwriting – The handwriting of the negative number does not match the handwriting of the title. The handwriting of the titles has been identified by Mr. Norsigian’s team as belonging to Virginia Best Adams. The expert, Michael Nattenburg, used samples from 1927, 1929, and 1950. My opinion, without expertise but familiarity only with her handwriting of a later date, is that it does not belong to Virginia. I have viewed the sample handwriting from the 1920s and subject handwriting, and found differences that I would consider significant.

In addition to not recognizing her handwriting, several of the titles, including “Bridal Vail *sic+ Falls”, “Happy Iles*sic+”, “Washborn *sic+ Point”, Glaciar *sic+ Point” are misspellings of common place names in Yosemite. Virginia had lived in Yosemite every year of her life, and at the time of the darkroom fire, she was 33 years old. Virginia was an intelligent, well read young woman, enjoyed Yosemite and the outdoors, and it is inconceivable to me that she would misspell any Yosemite place names.
Negatives –

There are 61 negatives, all 6½”x8½”, consistent with Ansel’s Korona camera. The negatives originally surfaced in the sale of contents of a storage facility in Greater Los Angeles, per “Norsigian Team”. They were acquired by Mr. Norsigian in 2000 at a garage sale in Fresno.

The negatives have been tentatively dated 1924, within a broader range of 1919 to 1932. The broader range of dates is irrelevant, as it begins with Ansel beginning to photograph and ends with the demise of glass plate negatives. Part of the dating is based on the emulsion silvering, a loose method of dating at best. I have seen prints from 1960 silvering, and prints from 1927 with no silvering. Further evidence of date was not provided. I have not inspected negatives, and do not know whether silvering is as varied with negatives as with prints.

Some of the negatives have been scorched, presumably by fire, and it has been suggested that this was from the 1937 darkroom fire in Yosemite Valley. Chemical analysis of the char or fire residue has not been conducted. I have suggested it, as this would provide at least one piece of hard circumstantial evidence. To the best of my knowledge, this has not been done, or at least is not part of the evidence provided to me.

Images –
The images include 50 images of Yosemite, six images of Carmel (possibly Pebble Beach?), one image of Baker Beach, and four images of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. I am not sure to what extent the location of the last five can be positively identified.

One image of Yosemite is of Jeffrey Pine on top of Sentinel Dome. Mr. Norsigian’s experts compared it with a print of Jeffrey Pine at the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) in Tucson, where Adams’ archive is housed. Mr. Norsigian’s experts have verified that based on the cloud formation, shadows, and snow pack, the two negatives were made at the same time. However, that particular Jeffrey Pine is one of the most photographed trees in the world. The old Glacier Point Road ran very close to the dome, it was easily accessible to the many visitors that came to Yosemite. It was photographed in the late 19th century by Carlton Watkins, and the most common image by Ansel was made in 1940. The reference snow pack is on mountains that are 15-40 miles away, too far to make a distinguishing assessment of relative annual coverage and melt patterns. The clouds are Spring evaporation clouds, and commonly build over the same areas of mountains daily for several months every year. A similarity in photographs without corroborating evidence does not provide hard evidence. They could very easily be made in different years, let alone different days by different people.

Relative to the same image, the CCP negative is 5x7, whereas the subject negatives are 6½”x8½”. Mr. Norsigian’s experts explain this by either: the (purportedly common) use of a reducer back, which allows a camera to expose a smaller negative; or two cameras. The two negatives also have a slightly different perspective. A more simple explanation is that the two photographs were made by different people at different times.
The evidence did not include any reference to exposure records for the negatives. Ansel was meticulous about keeping track of exposures (for development notes and learning, it helped him develop and use the Zone System). If the subject negatives were indeed made by Ansel, it is logical to assume that there would be exposure records for them, and that if the subject Jeffrey Pine negative was made at the same time as the CCP negative, it should be in the same exposure record notebook.

Images –
Mr. Norsigian’s team speculates that these are from the “Pictorialist” period of Ansel’s career, or mark a transition from pictorialism to straight photography. Such speculation does not provide positive or negative evidence to whether they are in fact Ansel Adams’ images. “Pictorialism” was the standard practice in photography well into the 1930s.
Mr. Norsigian’s team uses the locations of the body of work on the whole as evidence of provenance. Again, it does not provide positive or negative evidence. Ansel was not the only photographer in Yosemite or the San Francisco Bay area in the 1920s. The subject matter of these photographs would be common subjects for any photographer living in or visiting these highly touristed areas.

Other photographers active –
Mr. Norsigian’s team did some research on other known photographers who were active in Yosemite. They have ruled out amateur photographers based on the quality of the negatives. That is a subjective opinion, but does narrow the field of alternatives. Boysen, Fiske, & Watkins were deceased by the estimated time of the negatives. Arthur Pillsbury was active in Yosemite, and moved from Yosemite to Los Angeles, however the negatives have been disclaimed by his grand-daughter, Melinda Pillsbury-Foster. Harry Best would have been active, and in his 60s during the period. This fact does not rule him in or out, nor does it rule in or out any of his employees. This is under an assumption that the handwriting is Virginia Best Adams’, which I don’t believe. These are areas that were highly visited tourist destinations, and it is conceivable that it was in fact a photographer from Los Angeles, where they originally surfaced, who made the negatives.

Circumstances –
The question that cannot be proven is how these photographs ended up in a storage facility in Los Angeles. Mr. Norsigian’s team speculates that they may have been a part of Ansel’s teaching process at the Art Center School in Los Angeles in 1941. It is reasonable to assume that Ansel would have used some of his negatives during a teaching process, and perhaps even damaged ones. What is less clear is how Ansel would have let negatives get out of his care, in any circumstance. Particularly after the fire, Ansel was very careful about his negatives. He kept them in a bank vault in San Francisco, and would go to the bank to pull a negative to work with. How 61 negatives could get out of his possession is hard to fathom.

Burden of Proof –
It is my opinion that with an artist of the stature of Ansel Adams, the burden of proof is on Mr. Norsigian and his team, and that the level of proof should be at a minimum “certainty”. This is based on the fact that a positive or negative conclusion is made for posterity, and therefore becomes a part of the legacy of Ansel Adams.

William Neill Reception, 4-6pm

2010-07-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce William Neill's reception tonight, from 4-6pm. refreshments will be served and Neill's wonderful new work will be on display!

William Neill, a resident of the Yosemite National Park area since 1977, is a landscape photographer concerned with conveying the deep, spiritual beauty he sees and feels in Nature. Neill's award-winning photography has been widely published in books, magazines, calendars, posters, and his limited-edition prints have been collected and exhibited in museums and galleries nationally, including the Museum of Fine Art Boston, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, The Vernon Collection, and The Polaroid Collection. Neill received a BA degree in Environmental Conservation at the University of Colorado. In 1995, Neill received the Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award for conservation photography.

Yosemite Climbing Association Art Auction

2010-07-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Yosemite Gallery will be hosting the 5th annual YCA Art Auction which benefits programs such as the highly successful Yosemite Facelift parkwide cleanup.
The work was hung yesterday and looks great. There is a wonderfully diverse showing of art. The donations will be on display until Saturday July 10th, when we will be hosting the Gala event from 5-7:00pm. At that time, silent auction sheets will be posted and the bidding will take place. There will also be refreshments, drinks and a drawing for prizes. This event benefits a wonderful organization, we hope to see you there!
Image by Charles Cramer

The Mono Basin Workshop with Ray McSavaney, September 29th- October 3rd.

2010-06-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

The emphasis of this workshop will be on exploring aspects of the photographic process that strengthen personal vision. The location of this workshop will be Lee Vining with its varied landscape of the surrounding desert-like lowlands to high alpine forests and lakes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Other nearby destinations include an abandoned ranch and the gold rush town of Bodie. The workshop takes place at the beginning of October with fall arriving in the high country, turning foliage yellow and gold.
Click here for more information or to sign up.

Ray McSavaney began his serious photography in 1972. Since then he has explored various aspects of photography and the environment which were shown in his award-winning book, Explorations, and numerous other publications. He has staffed more than 200 workshops, co-founded the Owens Valley Photography Workshops in 1975, initiated his own workshop series in 1991, and has instructed for The Ansel Adams Gallery and John Sexton Workshops, among others.

Happy Earth Day 2010

2010-04-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.

- Wendell Berry

Today is a day to reflect on ways we can live on this planet more sustainably. Find Earth Day information, activities, and the many ways you can take action in your area at EarthDay.org.

Top Nature Photographs to be Featured in Earth Day Auction

2010-04-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Discovery News online reports.....

The "top 40 nature photographs of all time," as selected by the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), will be auctioned by Christie's International on April 22nd in honor of Earth Day.

Proceeds will be divided among the following environmental organizations: Conservation International, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Central Park Conservancy.

The collection spans over 100 years of photography and features iconic images of nature in the 20th and 21st centuries. The photographers include National Geographic Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Johns, Pulitzer Prize-winning landscape photographer Jack Dykinga, and underwater documentarian Brian Skerry.
Article continues.......

Visit www.abidtosavetheearth.org to bid on items in the silent auction, including signed prints of some of the Top 40 images. You can also check out the complete gallery of 40 photographs at this Flickr page.

Yosemite Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

2010-04-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Earth Day in Yosemite
The weekend of April 17-19 and....Earth Day: Thursday, April 22, 2010.

Where better to celebrate Earth Day than in Yosemite? Expect to enjoy activities such as sampling food from our sustainable and organic salad bar and browsing vendor tables to discover products that can help you to protect the environment. You could also make a fun souvenir, enjoy a theatrical performance or find out what Park Partners are doing to keep the Park “green” on a guided tour around Yosemite Valley. Whatever your interest you will find plenty of exciting activities to inspire you to make every day Earth Day!

Yosemite´s Earth Day Events span four days this year. Events are free and throughout the park. We look forward to seeing you there!

Earth Day 2010: "Stand Up for What You Stand On" Schedule of Events is posted on the DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite website.

For more information on Earth Day events contact Emily Jacobs. ejacobs@dncinc.com

Above image is by Charles Cramer. To see more of his work please visit our online gallery.

Black & White Digital Printmaking Workshop with Rich Seiling

2010-04-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

Just a few spaces left in Rich Seiling's Black-and-White Digital Printmaking Workshop in June.

Black-and-white photography provides a deeply expressive means for personal communication. Using the vocabulary of tone, density, contrast, boldness, and subtlety to render light and physical subjects onto a print, black and white provides photographers with a language that is unique to this medium. Rich is an outstanding photographer and printmaker in his own right and an excellent teacher. You can view some video tutorials on his blog to see some examples of his teaching style.

Rich Seiling is the President of West Coast Imaging, a speciality lab that caters to the needs of fine art photographers...those who use photography as a means of personal expression. WCI offers services that produce prints of the finest quality for display in galleries and museums, and offer their services to anyone who demands this standard of excellence.

This workshop is designed to unlock your potential to express yourself through black-and-white prints made with digital tools. For more information, please visit our website.

Spring Events at The Ansel Adams Gallery

2010-04-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter

Happy Spring!

It's a great time to visit Yosemite...

Redbud are blooming in the Merced River Canyon along Highway 140. The beautiful pink violet buds mixed with the fresh green leaves of the buckeyes and oaks are exciting and very photogenic.

Water Works -Upcoming exhibit for Penny Otwell, reception on Thursday April 15 from 4:00 to 6:00. Refreshments will be provided. Come meet Penny and see her lively exhibit of new paintings.

This year we are offering two Waterfalls of Yosemite photography workshops with our talented and enthusiastic instructor Mike Osborne. Please see our website for more information. You don't want to miss this opportunity to explore and photograph the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley with the man who wrote the book - Granite, Water, and Light.

If you are not able to be in Yosemite, we hope you enjoy the glorious spring season wherever you are.

Forgotten Ansel Adams Murals Brought Back to Light

2010-03-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

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.

Mini Waterfall Workshops with Mike Osborne

2010-02-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Announcing two "Waterfalls of Yosemite Valley" Workshops with the local photographer Mike Osborne. First workshop is April 29 & 30, second is May 20 & 21. Both are scheduled to take full advantage of spring conditions with the spectacular landscape of Yosemite Valley for inspiration.

These one and a half day workshops will allow you to visit many of the best viewpoints to photograph the Valley's fabled waterfalls. In addition to sharing photographic tips and expertise, each session will cover the factors that make each waterfall individual as well as spectacular: its geology, watershed, water cycle & volume, and the contributions of glaciation and erosion to its current presentation. We will also briefly examine how the manifestations of global climate change have been affecting the waterfalls in recent years.

The primary goal of this workshop is to send participants home with wonderful images of Yosemite. Because there is so much to see in a short day and a half, this workshop will not include any indoor class time. Students will be out shooting the entire day and a half covering standard workshop topics such as exposure, aperture & shutter speed considerations, composition, etc. in the field.

Mike has actively photographed nature in Yosemite and other wild places for over thirty-five years. His images have been used in promotional programs and literature supporting the Yosemite Fund and the Yosemite Association. He is the author of the book Granite, Water & Light , an interpretive and photographic paean to the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley. Mike also recently participated in a five-year project visually celebrating the Yosemite Wilderness with four other photographers. Sponsored by the Yosemite Fund, a book of their images called First Light: Five Photographers Explore the Yosemite Wilderness was also published in 2009.

Lodging for both workshops is reserved at The Yosemite View Lodge just outside the park in El Portal. Please see our website for more information.

Upcoming Spring Wildflower Paint Out Event for Sierra Foothill Conservancy

2010-02-22T22:48:00.000-08:00

Celebrating The Land With Art! March 13 at the McKenzie Reserve

An exciting event featuring the Sierra foothills is taking shape. It's called "The Foothills en Plein Air". “En Plein Air” is a French term that means in the open air. When combined with painting it means artists paint directly from the landscape, as it appears at that moment.

Sierra Foothill Conservancy is inviting a selection of local and nationally-known artists to paint the foothill lands protected by the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. Artists' perspectives have historically been significant in public awareness and support for various movements and regions. For example, John Muir's writings and Ansel Adams' photographs demonstrate how an artist is able to create intimate expressions that connect with the public and remain in our consciousness.

As artists paint our local foothills en plein air, they will capture the fleeting light and colors that make this work unique and exciting. Sierra Foothill Conservancy's 17,000 acres of protected land includes a variety of habitat types: seasonal creeks, unique geologic formations, oak studded rolling hills and savannas, oak woodlands, working ranches, open meadows, and dense conifer forests.

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 August of 2010, specific dates to be determined. Proceeds from sales at these events will benefit Sierra Foothill Conservancy.

You have an upcoming opportunity to observe the artists at work on Sierra Foothill Conservancy landscapes and enjoy a picnic amongst the blooming wildflowers of the McKenzie Reserve in the foothills outside Fresno California.Watch paintings emerge during these Paint Out Events and see those same landscapes on display at one of the exhibitions.

Next Public Paint Out Event is March 13 at the McKenzie Reserve! For more information please see the Sierra Foothill Conservancy website.

See photos of our first paint out at Trabucco Ranch held on November 14, 2009

Happy Birthday Ansel Adams!

2010-02-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

"At one with the power of the American landscape, and renowned for the patient skill and timeless beauty of his work, photographer Ansel Adams has been a visionary in his efforts to preserve this country's wild and scenic areas, both on film and on Earth. Drawn to the beauty of nature's monuments, he is regarded by environmentalists as a monument himself, and by photographers as a national institution. It is through his foresight and fortitude that so much of America has been saved for future Americans."

President James E. Carter
Presenting Ansel Adams with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Celebrate Ansel Adams Birthday with 10% off
Ansel Adams Yosemite Photographs, Archival Replicas, Posters and Matted Reproductions

Yosemite Renaissance XXV Awards Reception Friday, February 26, 2010

2010-02-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

Happy 25th Anniversary!
Yosemite Renaissance XXV: An Exhibition of Contemporary Art of Yosemite and the Sierra

Celebrating its 25th season, the Yosemite Renaissance is an annual competition/exhibition which is intended to encourage diverse artistic interpretations of Yosemite. Its goals are to bring together the works of serious contemporary artists that do not simply duplicate traditional representations; to establish a continuum with past generations of Yosemite artists; and to help re-establish visual art as a major interpretive medium of the landscape and a stimulus to the protection of the environment. Historically, the arts have played a very important role in the establishment of our State and National Parks. It is the hope that they can be just as important in future efforts to preserve and protect that heritage.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, February 27 and will run through Sunday, May 2, 2010. The public is invited to the Awards Reception on Friday, February 26, 2010, from 5:30 to 7:30. A list of the exhibiting artists is available on the Yosemite Renaissance website.

The Yosemite Renaissance is a non-profit organization for the arts of Yosemite, supported in part by funds and services from the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the National Park Service and The Ansel Adams Gallery.

Winter/Spring Travel Deals to Yosemite

2010-02-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

Travel Zoo, a leading publisher of travel deals, evaluates and tests thousands of published offers to find those with true value.

Their top destination for travel deals this week is Yosemite. Now is a great time to make your plans to visit.

Golden Hour- The Color of Light by Keith Walklet

2010-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

Photographers speak fondly of the golden hour of light just after sunrise and just prior to sunset, a brief window of time that features lower contrast, warmer hues and pronounced shadows that typically add drama to the scene, and are easier to capture on transparency film or digitally. Hence, conventional wisdom dictates that the most compelling color landscape images are typically made within the first two and last two hours of the day.

In the summer months when there can be nearly 16 hours of daylight in Yosemite, the time between the first and last two hours of the day can seem like an eternity. Not so November through March, when one hardly has an opportunity to put the camera away. And that’s just midday.

Have you ever stared in disbelief at the color of light in image of a Yosemite sunset? Have you noticed how many of those images depict autumn, winter and early spring scenes?

Here’s the secret: The color of the light in Yosemite gets warmer in the cooler months.......

New Ansel Adams Exhibit Opens at the Phoenix Art Museum

2010-02-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Ansel Adams: Discoveries

Ansel Adams: Discoveries offers new insights into the photographer’s greatest works by bringing the vast holdings of the Center’s Ansel Adams Archive to light. The exhibition—featuring 120 photographs and dozens of archival documents including video footage, original correspondence, photographic equipment, proof prints, alternate views, negatives, and portraits of the photographer—allows for a richer understanding of Adams’ beloved photographs.

Exhibit runs through June 6, 2010. See the Phoenix Art Museum website for more information.

Stay at the Historic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. Save Up to 50% this Winter

2010-01-25T18:18:00.000-08:00

We thought our readers would like to know that special rates are now available on select dates this February at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Go to the DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite reservations website for more information. Also ask about special rates at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls and Curry Village.

The Current View from the Yosemite Association's Webcam on Turtleback Dome

2010-01-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

Winter Storms Continue to Bring Heavy Snow to Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada

2010-01-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

This was the scene yesterday morning in Yosemite Valley during a Gallery photography workshop with Michael Frye.

If you are considering traveling to Yosemite, or anywhere in the higher elevations of the Sierra, please check with the local road and weather information channels before heading out. While all park roads are currently closed due to heavy snow accumulations and tree failure, conditions are constantly changing.

Get the latest news on Yosemite National Park here. Assessment of all roads in Yosemite will occur throughout the day. For 24-hour road information please call 209-372-0200.

Reflections on Yosemite's winter storms on Michael Frye's blog.

Rain? or Snow? Stay Up on the Latest Conditions in Yosemite Valley on our Facebook Fan Page

2010-01-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Just in case you have not heard, a series of strong winter storms are bringing a lot of rain (below 4,000ft) and snow to the higher elevations in Yosemite. We just posted video of the snowfall outside the Yosemite store on our Gallery Facebook fan page.

Click on the Facebook link on our website homepage and become a fan of The Ansel Adams Gallery. We will continue to post photographs and videos of current conditions in the Yosemite National Park for you to enjoy wherever you are.

Photography Classes Featuring Horsetail Falls

2010-01-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

Photograph by Jeff Grandy

Jeff told us it had been snowing on and off the day he made this photograph. At just the right moment the clouds broke for a minute allowing him to make 5 exposures before the clouds and mist moved in again and the nice evening light was off the waterfall.

Each February photographers come from far and wide in hopes of catching perfect light on Horsetail Falls. Next month if conditions look good, our staff photographers will lead afternoon photography classes to the perfect spot for photographing Horsetail Fall. At only $95 for a four hour session, our afternoon digital photography classes are a tremendous value. Read more on our website or call Christine, Evan, or Dustin at the Gallery for detailed information. 888-361-7622. You can also send us an email at yosemite@anseladams.com

We invite you to read more about photographing this unique waterfall on Michael Frye's blog. Michael is the author of the The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite. Signed copies of his book are available by mail order or by stopping by the Gallery on your next trip to the park.

Best Wishes for a Very Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

Clearing Winter Storm, Sentinel Rock
by William Neill

Just a Couple of Spots Left in the Upcoming Digital Printing & the Zone System and Winter Light II Workshops

2009-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

With recent cold storms blanketing the park with snow, Yosemite is oh so beautiful!

Winter is a great time to visit the park, and the New Year is the perfect opportunity to focus on learning new photography skills. We have a couple of spaces left in the Digital Printing and the Zone System workshop with Michael Frye and the Winter Light II field workshop with Keith Walklet.

Don't delay!

May Your Christmas be Merry and Bright!

2009-12-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from all of us at
The Ansel Adams Gallery.

Two New B&W Digital Printmaking Workshops for 2010

2009-12-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce two new black-and-white digital printing workshops next year in June and September with Rich Seiling, President of West Coast Imaging. Black-and-white photography provides a deeply expressive means for personal communication. Using the vocabulary of tone, density, contrast, boldness, and subtlety to render light and physical subjects onto a print, black and white provides photographers with a language that is unique to this medium.

This workshop is designed to unlock your potential to express yourself through black-and-white prints made with digital tools. For more information, please visit our website.

Before starting his own business, Rich was a fine print curator and staff photographer for The Gallery. He founded West Coast Imaging in 1997 and turned this into one of the premier fine-art digital printing studios in the country. Rich is an outstanding photographer in his own right and an excellent teacher. You can view some video tutorials on his blog to see some examples of his teaching style.

Digital Printing Workshop with Michael Frye - Making the Complexities Easy to Understand

2009-12-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

Digital Printing and the Zone System
January 19-23, 2010
(Yosemite National Park)

From Michael Frye's blog....

"Do you have a love-hate relationship with Photoshop? You’re not alone. One the one hand, it’s an incredibly powerful tool, capable of doing fantastic things. You know that if you mastered this program you could get the most out of your images and make beautiful prints. On the other hand, Photoshop can be cryptic, complex, and confusing. The learning curve can seem downright crooked.

"I was lucky. When I first started using Photoshop in the late ‘90s, I got to spend a weekend with Bill Atkinson, who probably knew more about digital imaging than anyone else in the world at the time (maybe he still does). He started me in the right direction and helped me avoid the confusion caused by gathering random bits of information from books and the internet. Like Charlie Cramer, Keith Walklet, and many other fine-art photographers Bill taught, I still use a variation of the simple, powerful, and flexible workflow that Bill showed me.

"I’ve since taught Photoshop (and now Lightroom) skills to dozens of people in workshops for West Coast Imaging and The Ansel Adams Gallery. I try to make the complexities of Photoshop easy to understand. The truth is that Photoshop is simple. Anyone can learn to use it. And if you’re already familiar with it, you can learn to harness its full power. The secret is that you don’t have to deal with most of the tools. If you learn to use a few powerful tools well, you can do almost anything in Photoshop.

"My next workshop with The Ansel Adams Gallery, Digital Printing and the Zone System (January 19 - 23, 2010) is designed for people who already have some Photoshop experience but want to master this powerful beast. You'll learn both simple and advanced techniques for getting the most out of your images and making beautiful, fine-art prints. I included the Zone System in the title because getting good exposures in the field is vital to getting good results in Photoshop, so we’ll be working with the entire process, from capture to print. The Zone System also gives us a framework for understanding contrast throughout the workflow—an important tool in this age of HDR. Here’s a partial list of the topics covered:

- Zone System Exposure for Digital Cameras
- Color Management
- Overall workflow
- Raw Image Processing
- Making a Master File
- Using Layers for Flexibility
- Controlling Contrast
- Mastering Curves
- Flexible Dodging and Burning
- Retouching
- Making Difficult Selections Easy
- Converting to Black and White
- Sharpening
- Combining Images for Greater Depth of Field
- Combining Images to Expand Dynamic Range, both with HDR and Photoshop"

There’s still space available in the class if you’d like to join us. Click here to register or get more information.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

2009-12-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

Four to five inches of snow have fallen in Yosemite Valley and more is on the way. National Weather Service predicts a total accumulation of 7-11" of new snow in Yosemite Valley by 4:00 pm this afternoon. More in the higher elevations.

Badger Pass Ski Area is scheduled to open December 18, and the skiing should be great!

Happy Winter!

Above photograph of Sentinel Rock by Charles Cramer

Moon and Half Dome Revisited

2009-11-30T10:35:00.000-08:00

Visitors and residents alike gathered in the Ahwahnee Meadow to watch the gibbous moonrise last Saturday afternoon at 4:04 pm. Just as the correct time for viewing the Moon and Half Dome encore of Ansel's famous photo made in December 1960 was approaching, blustery winds from the east blew snow showers across in front of Half Dome blocking the view of the moon. Staff Photographers Evan Russel and Gabe Mange took matters into their own hands after Evan found a yellow golf ball in the meadow. Encore complete!

Visit our newly created Moon and Half Dome Flickr Group or check out our Facebook fan site for more creative images made that evening.

Michael Frye also has a nice blog entry on the evening as well.

Enjoy!

Moon and Half Dome Celestial Encore Tonight!

2009-11-28T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a look at Ansel's original contact sheet from the 120 roll film he used in 1960. Notice how his attention wanders a couple of times and that he used more than one lens.

Weather Alert- Chance of rain and snow this morning in Yosemite Valley, but it appears it will clear this afternoon for the Moon and Half Dome celestial encore. Follow our weather link for more information.

Can't make it up to Yosemite for the encore? Tune in to the Yosemite Association's live Yosemite Web Cam views at 4:04 pm PST.

Special Notice- Black Friday Online Sale will be extended through the weekend! Save 15% on Ansel Adams merchandise (excluding original photography and photography education).

Our biggest and last sale of the year. Don't miss this one!

Michael Adams on the Making of Moon and Half Dome

2009-11-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite, California, 1960

Michael Adams recently recalled the events surrounding the making of Moon and Half Dome by his father in 1960:

Ansel claimed that he had always been moonstruck and had many moons in pictures. This photograph was taken in December of 1960 when in Yosemite to direct the Bracebridge Dinner. It was a cold afternoon with snow on the ground. Ansel was using his Hasselblad camera on a tripod and took a number of photographs using different lenses. The contact prints of the image reveal a number of similar photographs that look wonderful. In 1962 when Jeanne and I married, Ansel offered this image to use as our wedding announcement. Jeanne feels that Ansel took his most exciting images when emotionally engaged and comments: “This was taken my first Christmas with the Adams family and Ansel was particularly happy for Michael and the family.”

It has turned out to be one of Ansel’s most popular and sought after photographs. Ansel stated: “I have photographed Half Dome innumerable times, but it is never the same Half Dome, never the same light or the same mood. I am told by mountaineers that the three most distinctive mountain shapes in the world are the Mustagh Tower in the Karakorams, the Matterhorn in the Alps, and Half Dome in Yosemite. Half Dome is a great mountain with endless variations of lighting and sky situations and seasonal characteristics; the many images I have made reflect my varied creative responses to this remarkable granite monolith.”

A reminder: An"encore" of Ansel's much-loved photograph of the Moon and Half Dome will take place in the afternoon on Saturday, November 28 at 4:04 pm. Special programs led by our staff photographers begin at 12:30 p.m. For more information or to register, please go to our website.

Moon and Half Dome is available as a poster and as a matted reproduction. It is also available as a beautiful Special Edition Photograph. Ansel Adams former assistant, Alan Ross has been printing the Special Edition Photographs to Ansel's exact specifications for over 30 years.

This month, Alan presents his own elegant black-and-white photographs in our current exhibit, Visions of Yosemite and the West, on display in Yosemite through January 3, 2010. The Gallery will host a reception for Alan following the the Moon and Half Dome programs on Saturday, November 28 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.

To commemorate the encore, Alan Ross will sign and date the back of a limited number of Moon and Half Dome Special Edition Photographs. The prints will be available during the Thanksgiving weekend only to celebrate the encore and will not be made available again in the future. Select from three metal frame colors; german silver, contrast gray, and matte black. An acid-free seal in the cut-out window of the backing protects the print and allows the identifying stamp, signature, and date to be visible. Call the Gallery at 888-361-7622 to reserve yours.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate this holiday and count our blessings, we are most thankful for you!

May you enjoy the peace and comfort of friends and family today and every day.

Our best wishes,
The Ansel Adams Gallery

Two Workshops Added To The Schedule

2009-11-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Digital Printing and the Zone System
With Michael Frye

January 19-23, 2010
(Yosemite National Park)
When Ansel Adams developed the Zone System with Fred Archer in 1940, he gave photographers a great tool for controlling their images - but only with black-and-white film, and only with view cameras, where sheets of film could be processed individually. Today any photographer with a digital camera can have even more control, in black and white or color.his workshop will explore the techniques for making great digital prints. You'll learn how to use the Zone System in the field with digital cameras, and how to apply sophisticated processing to images in Photoshop.

Winter Light II
With Keith Walklet

February 17-22, 2010 (Yosemite National Park) *Newly Added*
While each season offers its own special qualities, winter conditions add even more beauty to an already spectacular landscape. Using a combination of field and classroom time, Keith Walklet will cover topics including composition, lighting, exposure and more while leading the workshop group through Yosemite Valley to capture the winter landscape.
Contrasted with the cool hues of frost and snow, the fiery light of February is unforgettable. Veteran Yosemite photographers know that winter conditions add even more beauty to an already spectacular landscape. This workshop was scheduled specifically to take advantage of these conditions and the potential to capture one of the park's most elusive images; Horsetail Fall backlit by the setting sun.

Heated cabins with baths at Curry Village in Yosemite Valley have been set aside for both workshops. Once you register for the workshop online you will receive more information on acquiring accommodations. For more information visit our website, or contact us at workshops@anseladams.com.

One-Day Workshop with Mike Osborne Update!

2009-11-16T11:10:00.001-08:00

Rooms still available at the river-front Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal for $51.00. The Yosemite View Lodge is located just outside Yosemite National Park on Highway 140. The workshop meets in the motel lobby at 7:00 am. Register today!

Still Time to Sign-up For One-Day Workshop With Mike Osborne This Coming Saturday, November 21

2009-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

Don't miss out! The River NoBody Knows One-Day Workshop with Mike Osborne will take you to wonderful locations on the lower Merced River you never knew existed. Mike is a wonderful instructor. Join him as he shares his love of photography and knowledge of the prime river locations.

Yosemite National Park is composed almost exclusively of granite, and who could dispute the marvelous terrain that rock has produced? But granite is basically various shades of gray. In contrast, large stretches of the Merced River downstream from the park are carved out of much older metamorphic rock. Not only is this rock often layered and contorted, it also comes in fantastic shades of blue, red and orange. It provides some truly wonderful compositions in conjunction with autumn reflections in the river and is all the more remarkable in contrast with all the gray rock upstream.

This is guaranteed to be a day you will not soon forget. Visit our website for more information or call us at 888-361-7622.

Signed Commemorative Photograph Available at the Yosemite Gallery Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-11-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

To commemorate the Moon and Half Dome encore on November 28 at 4:04 pm, Alan Ross will sign and date the back of a limited number of Moon and Half Dome Special Edition Photographs. If you are planning to be in the park on November 28, and have signed-up for our special In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams-Moon and Half Dome photography class, we invite you to reserve one of these prints to memorialize the occasion. The prints will be available during the Thanksgiving weekend only to celebrate the encore and will not be made available again in the future. Select from three metal frame colors; german silver, contrast gray, and matte black. An acid-free seal in the cut-out window of the backing protects the print and allows the identifying stamp, signature, and date to be visible.

We are reserving the Moon and Half Dome prints with Alan Ross’ signature on the back for Yosemite visitors taking part on our classes that weekend. Any prints not sold to class participants during the encore programs will be available for sale only at the Gallery. Please call: 888-361-7622 or email us at sales@anseladams.com for more information, and to register for the class and reserve your print for pick-up at the Gallery. This commemorative photograph will not be available online.

Alan’s new exhibit at the Gallery entitled Yosemite and the American West opens November 17. We invite you to join us for a reception for the artist following the Moon and Half Dome encore, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at The Ansel Adams Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

Upcoming New Exbibit in Yosemite- Reception for Alan Ross

2009-11-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

A new exhibit entitled Visions of Yosemite and the West featuring the black and white silver gelatin photographs of Alan Ross opens November 17th.

After his 1971 graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, with a BA in Design/Photography, Alan Ross began his illustrious career in photography serving as assistant in the M. Halberstadt studio in San Francisco. As an apprentice there he practiced black-and-white and color illustration photography, general studio, and darkroom techniques. After three years of studio work, he started freelancing as a commercial photographer until joining Ansel Adams in Carmel as his photographic assistant from 1974-79.

Alan regards himself as a classicist with regard to his photographic approach, but not a purist. His work in the last twenty-five years has been mostly with an 8×10 view camera, but he has no philosophical objection to digital photography or “point-and-shoot” cameras. Alan's beautiful images of Yosemite the American West will be on display at the Gallery in Yosemite until January 3, 2010.

The Gallery in Yosemite will host a reception for Alan following the the Moon and Half Dome programs on Saturday, November 28 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.

A reminder: An"encore" of Ansel's much-loved photograph of the Moon and Half Dome, originally made in December 1960, will take place in the afternoon on Saturday, November 28 at 4:04 pm. Special programs led by our staff photographers begin at 12:30 p.m. For more information or to register, please go to our website.

Moon and Half Dome "Encore" November 28, 2009 at 4:04 p.m. PST

2009-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

On November 28th a celestial "encore" of Moon and Half Dome will appear in the sky east of the Ahwahnee Meadow in Yosemite National Park. The moon will be a fraction of a degree north of where it was on December 28th, 1960, when Ansel made this photograph.

Texas State University astronomer Donald W. Olson and his team have studied Ansel's famous moon photographs and worked out the exact dates the negatives were made. To do this they had to find the precise location of his camera to calculate the position of the moon and sun.

In honor of this event, our weekly photography class
In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams will present a special program focused on the making and printing of Ansel's famous image of Moon and Half Dome on Saturday November 28th, starting at 12:30 p.m. The fee is $95.00 and includes our logo camera strap. Please see our website for more information, or call us at 209-372-4413.

Following the program join us for a reception at the Gallery. our curators, staff photographers, and invited special guests will be present to talk about Ansel's technique and vision.

Sign-up for November Workshops

2009-10-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

November is a great time to be in Yosemite Valley. The Park is much quieter than in summer, and the fall color is inspiring! Not to mention the weather is perfect for enjoying a workshop.

Platinum/Palladium and Gum Bichromate Workshop

November 12-15, 2009 (Yosemite National Park)

Platinum/palladium and gum bichromate are two of the most venerable of the alternative processes. Used alone they are each capable of creating beautiful, evocative images. When used in combination they become a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. Combining the two processes provides a palette with which truly unique prints can be made. Whether you have some experience in either or both of these processes or if you have never before made a hand-made print, this workshop is for you.

The Mirror Image

November 10, 2009 (Yosemite National Park)

The Mirror Image will focus on photographing the Merced River, the heart and soul of Yosemite Valley. Water is perhaps the most colorful and dynamic of all photographic subjects. And nowhere is it more spectacular than when reflecting the autumn splendor of Yosemite Valley. Participants will explore the creative choices involved in making water and reflection photographs.

Beautiful New Ansel Adams Book!

2009-10-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

We are often asked if Ansel Adams made color photographs. Yes, he did, and they are beautiful!

From the book, Ansel Adams in Color:

"Ansel Adams has long been revered as America's greatest landscape photographer. His luminous black-and-white images showcase gorgeous subtleties of light and shadow and have become icons of the American West. But Adams also photographed in color, beginning soon after Kodachrome film was invented in the mid-1930s. In addition to commercial assignment work, he did creative photography in color, and his distinctive visualization of a scene and technical mastery are immediately evident in the beautiful images in this volume.

"Overall, Adams made nearly 3,500 color photographs, but only a small fraction has ever been published. This newly revised and expanded edition of Ansel Adams in Color includes twenty previously unpublished photographs from the Adams archive. New scanning and printing techniques mean that Ansel Adams in Color now offers a more faithful representation of Adams' color photography than was possible before."

A beautiful book attractively priced at $35.00

Signed Copies of First Light are Available Again

2009-10-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

We have copies of First Light: Five Photographers Explore Yosemite's Wilderness signed by all the photographers!

Reserve a copy for yourself, or for holiday giving.

We Want to See Your Photographs!

2009-10-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Enter Our National Park Photography Contest

Many of you have already entered your photographic masterpieces taken at a U.S. National Park, Landmark, or Monument. We are enjoying seeing all the nice work!

For those of you who have not yet entered your favorite images, you still have time. You can submit up to three images per participant. Entries must be received by November 15, 2009. See our website for all the details. Prizes will be awarded based on jury decision. Our jurors include: Gallery owners- Jeanne and Sarah Adams, photographer and former assistant to Ansel Adams-Alan Ross, master digital photographer and printer- Charles Cramer, and our Gallery curator- Glenn Crosby.

The above black and white image of Mt. Watkins and Mirror Lake is by Bob Kolbrener from our current exhibit, Bob Kolbrener and Ansel Adams, 90 Years in the American West. Bob will be present in Yosemite on Saturday, October 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for a special artist's reception. We hope to see you there.

Click here for the latest update on fall color from Gallery photographer and instructor, Michael Frye. Michael reports the beautiful big leaf maples in Yosemite Valley are at their peak!

Reception In Yosemite for Bob Kolbrener This Coming Saturday

2009-10-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

90 Years in the American West(on display in the Yosemite Gallery through November 16) is a traveling exhibition of select photographs from two masters of the Great American West, Ansel Adams and Bob Kolbrener. The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite is the last stop on this national touring exhibition of over 25 vintage and modern prints, all printed in the traditional darkroom.

Bob Kolbrener spends over three months each year in the Great American West focusing his camera on the changing landscape, and the balance of his time printing beautiful works as limited edition gelatin silver prints. "I have always responded to the grand, ephemeral gestures of Nature. When there is a lightning, fog or winter storm, I am alive with emotion. Through the teachings and inspiration of Ansel Adams I have been able to direct this energy to the making of exciting photographs."

The photographs in the exhibit compare and contrast the work of two visionary masters, as well as their love and respect for Yosemite and surrounding areas.

Bob Kolbrener will be present for an artist's reception October 24, from 4:00 to 6:00pm.

November One Day Workshops with Mike Osborne

2009-10-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Mike Osborne has photographed nature for more than thirty-five years. Recently retired after thirty years as a ranger in Yosemite, he knows the park intimately. His images have been used in promotional programs supporting The Yosemite Fund and the Yosemite Association. He is the author/photographer of Granite, Water and Light, an interpretive and photographic tribute to the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley. Mike also collaborated with four other photographers in a five year exploration of Yosemite's Backcountry resulting in a beautiful new book, First Light: Five Photographers Explore Yosemite's Wilderness released this past summer.

Mike's enthusiasm for the photography and Yosemite, as well as his in-depth knowledge of the best places to photograph along the Merced River are unparalleled. We guarantee you will enjoy your day with Mike, and come away from the workshop with new skills and an appreciation for Yosemite's ever-changing landscape.

The Mirror Image

November 10, 2009 (Yosemite National Park)

The River Nobody Knows

November 21, 2009 (Yosemite National Park)

How many times have you driven to Yosemite on Highway 140 and been in such a rush to get to the park that you've given only a passing glance to the 15 miles of the Wild & Scenic Merced River below the park boundary? The River Nobody Knows workshop offers you the opportunity to correct that oversight.

Tuition for the workshops is $185.00

Our website has more information on all our upcoming workshops.

Two More Workshops Added For 2010

2009-10-17T05:19:00.000-07:00

Digital Printing and the Zone System

January 19-23, 2010
(Yosemite National Park)

When Ansel Adams developed the Zone System with Fred Archer in 1940, he gave photographers a great tool for controlling their images - but only with black-and-white film, and only with view cameras, where sheets of film could be processed individually. Today any photographer with a digital camera can have even more control, in black and white or color.

Hidden Yosemite

July 7 - 11, 2010
(Mono Lake and Yosemite National Park)

Yosemite is as famous for its crowds as its scenery. And sometimes it seems that every visitor is a photographer, and every viewpoint is filled with tripod holes. But just beyond the pavement, crowds, and over-photographed vistas lies a beautiful world that few photographers reach.

Registration now open for all the 2010 Photography Workshops. See our web site for details.

Four New Archival Replica Images to be Released Next Week!

2009-10-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

Just in time for holiday shopping we're releasing four new Archival Replica images.

The Archival Replicas are very high quality reproductions of Ansel Adams images, available in multiple sizes, made using the most advanced digital technologies today. Each one is individually produced and inspected, assembled with the best materials, and designed to provide the most elegant presentation possible. Available exclusively from The Ansel Adams Gallery.

For more information please visit our web site, or call 888-361-7622

Great Turn Out in Yosemite For Alan Ross

2009-10-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight Alan Ross gave an abbreviated version of his wonderful powerpoint presentation on Ansel Adams. He shared many stories about working Ansel as his darkroom assistant from 1974 to 1979.

It was also a beautiful day today in Yosemite. After heavy rains and snow in the highest elevations, the sun broke through to reveal a roaring waterfalls falls and a swollen Merced River! The fall color is just beginning it's seasonal change on the Valley floor. It is a great time to visit Yosemite.

Yosemite Renaissance Celebrates It's 25th Anniversary

2009-10-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

Bruce Klein, Pink Sky, acrylic, 22x28

The Yosemite Renaissance annual juried competition and exhibition, which is intended to encourage diverse artistic interpretations of Yosemite, celebrates it's 25th season! Its goals are to bring together the works of serious contemporary artists that do not simply duplicate traditional representations; to establish a continuum with past generations of Yosemite artists; and to help re-establish visual art as a major interpretive medium of the landscape and a stimulus to the protection of the environment. Historically, the arts have played a very important role in the establishment of our State and National Parks. Through art programs and competitions such as this, it is the hope that the arts can be just as important in future efforts to preserve and protect that heritage.

The Yosemite Renaissance XXV competition is open to all living artists. Subject matter is limited to recent works on the landscape, environment, wildlife and people of Yosemite or the environment of the Sierra. Both representational and non-representational submissions are accepted. Original artwork may be in any medium including the following: Painting (any medium); Photography/Digital; and Other (All other two- and three-dimensional media, including drawings, pastels, printmaking, textiles, and all 3-dimensional works)

At least $4,000 in cash awards will be distributed at the discretion of the judges. Purchase awards may be given as well.

A special award of $300 will be given to the best piece inspired by Hetch Hetchy that the jurors select to be included in the exhibit.

Deadline for submissions is November 14, 2009. Please visit the Yosemite Renaissance website for more information.

The Yosemite Renaissance is a non-profit organization for the arts of Yosemite, supported, in part, by funds and services from the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the National Park Service and the Ansel Adams Gallery.

The Rotary Club of Yosemite will a host a Wine Tasting and Art Auction at The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

2009-10-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

The festivities begin at 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 17. Tickets are $15 at the door. Includes commemorative glass and appetizers. All proceeds benefit Rotary Club of Yosemite National Park Scholarships.

This is the social event on the season! Come enjoy a great selection of local wines and beautiful works of art.

Correction! An Evening with Alan Ross is Wednesday October 14

2009-10-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

New Exhibit in Yosemite: 90 Years in the American West, Bob Kolbrener and Ansel Adams

2009-10-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

90 Years in the American West (on display in the Yosemite Gallery through November 16) is a traveling exhibition of select photographs from two masters of the Great American West, Ansel Adams and Bob Kolbrener. The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite is the last stop on this national touring exhibition of over 25 vintage and modern prints, all printed in the traditional darkroom.

Bob Kolbrener spends over three months each year in the Great American West focusing his camera on the changing landscape, and the balance of his time printing beautiful works as limited edition gelatin silver prints. "I have always responded to the grand, ephemeral gestures of Nature. When there is a lightning, fog or winter storm, I am alive with emotion. Through the teachings and inspiration of Ansel Adams I have been able to direct this energy to the making of exciting photographs."

The photographs in the exhibit compare and contrast the work of two visionary masters, as well as their love and respect for Yosemite and surrounding areas.

Bob Kolbrener will be present for an artist's reception October 24, from 4:00 to 6:00pm.

An Evening with Alan Ross

2009-10-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

The Ansel Adams Gallery Presents.....

An Evening with Alan Ross

Ansel Adams' Darkroom Assistant

Join us for refreshments as Alan shares stories
about working for Ansel Adams and printing the Special Edition Photographs.

Wednesday, October 14, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Alan was Ansel Adams' Photographic Assistant in Carmel from 1974 to 1979, and was integrally involved with Adams' books, teaching in Yosemite, and production of fine prints. He has been the exclusive printer of Ansel Adams' Special Edition Prints for over thirty-five years and has made over ninety thousand prints from Adams' negatives.

Alan continues to teach for The Ansel Adams Gallery. His next workshop, Crafting the Black and White Photograph begins next week. This workshop is devoted to teaching the photographic process as an integrated whole, from the beginnings of picking up the camera to matting the finished print. Through a combination of classroom discussions, darkroom demonstrations, print critiques, and camera use to help students refine their black and white photographic process.

The Ansel Adams Gallery and Blue Earth Alliance Exhibit and Lecture Series at Mumm Napa

2009-10-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Ansel Adams Gallery And Blue Earth
"Changing Earth: Photographer’s Call to Action"
At Mumm Napa

The Ansel Adams Gallery and Blue Earth are proud to host an inspiring photo exhibit and lecture series featuring our dramatically changing planet titled "Changing Earth: Photographer’s Call to Action" opening September 19, 2009 at Mumm Napa Fine Art Photography Gallery and running through March 13, 2010.

The exhibit features works from a variety of acclaimed Blue Earth project photographers who document earth’s changing environment and the impact of those changes on society. Blue Earth photographers and projects in the exhibit include: Daniel Beltrá (Amazon: Forest at Risk), Benjamin Drummond & Sara Joy Steele (Facing Climate Change: Global Change. Local People), Stephen Harrison (Visualizing Earth), Anne Marie Musselman (Finding Trust/The Sarvey Wildlife Project), Camille Seaman (Melting Away – The Last Iceberg), Florian Schulz (Freedom To Roam: Wildlife Corridors), John Trotter (No Agua, No Vida: The Thirsty Colorado River Delta), and Rebecca Norris Webb (The Glass Between Us: Reflections on Urban Creatures).

Mumm Napa Winery is located at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, CA 94573. Visitor center and fine art photography gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Lecture Schedule
Nov. 7th - Drummond/Steele, "Facing Climate Change"
Dec. 5th - Camille Seaman, "Connection and Purpose"
Feb. 6th - Stephen Harrison, "Visualizing Earth"
Mar. 6th - John Trotter, "The Future of the Colorado River"
TBD - Florian Schulz, "Freedom To Roam"

Special Room Rate Available For Eastern Sierra Fall Color One Day Photography Workshop

2009-10-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

There's still time to join Michael Frye's Eastern Sierra Fall Color One Day Workshop October 19, but today is the last day for the special room rate at the Murphey's Motel in Lee Vining, CA. Register today for the workshop to get your special rate!

The Ansel Adams Gallery National Park Photography Contest Begins Today! Enter Your Masterpiece

2009-10-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

This beautiful photograph is by William Neill, Cloud Reflections and Mt Moran at the Oxbow Bend on the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

See more of his images on our website.

PRIZES BASED UPON THE ANSEL ADAMS GALLERY JURY DECISION:

ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: One $500 Ansel Adams Gallery gift certificate and their choice of ONE 20”x24” Ansel Adams Archival Replica.
ONE (1) FIRST PRIZE: ONE $300 Ansel Adams Gallery gift certificate and their choice of ONE 16”x20” Ansel Adams Archival Replica.
ONE (1) SECOND PRIZE: ONE $200 Ansel Adams Gallery gift certificate
ONE (1) THIRD PRIZE: ONE $100 Ansel Adams Gallery gift certificate.
*No cash equivalent shall be made available on prizes. Prizes are non-transferable.

View Contest Rules
Submit Your Masterpiece - Click here to Enter

Questions or Comment, please email photocontest@anseladams.com

Opening Reception at Mumm Napa Fine Art Photograhy Gallery

2009-09-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Attending the reception last Saturday night (left to right) were TAAG Presdient Matthew Adams and his wife MingZhu Hu, Mumm Winery rep. Kathy McClure, Rich Krause, John Trotter, Larry Ockene, Adam Weintraub, Benjamin Drummond, Annie Marie Musselman, and TAAG curator, Glenn Crosby.

The Ansel Adams Gallery is thrilled to join the Blue Earth Alliance in hosting a new exhibition entitled Changing Earth: Photographer's Call to Action at the Mumm Winery in Napa, California from September 2009 – March 2010.

The Blue Earth Alliance is a non-profit ogranization focused on raising environmental awareness. The exhibit features images from Blue Earth projects around the world, including work by Annie Marie Musselman, Daniel Beltrá, Rebecca Norris Webb, Florian Schulz, Benjamin Drummond & Sara Joy Steele, Camille Seaman, Stephen Harrison, and John Trotter.

The Mumm Napa Fine Art Photography Gallery is located at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, CA 94558, and is open from 10:ooam to 5:00pm daily.

Calling All Photographers!

2009-09-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

Announcing The Ansel Adams Gallery National Park Photography Contest.

Enter your photographic masterpieces taken at a U.S. National Park, Landmark or Monument. Lots of great prizes will be awarded including Ansel Adams Archival Replicas and Gallery Gift Certificates.

On October 1st we will post all the details on our website.

Get Ready for Fall in Yosemite

2009-09-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Ansel Adams Gallery workshop instructor Michael Frye just posted information on where and when to find the best color this fall season.

When in Yosemite, don't forget to visit the Gallery. We are now showing Michael's Color, Light and Form exhibit through October 4.

Beginning October 5, we present a traveling exhibition, 90 YEARS IN THE AMERICAN WEST, featuring select vintage and modern prints by Ansel Adams from the 30’s and 40’s, and Bob Kolbrener's gelatin silver prints. Reception October 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Fresno Community Shows it's Support For Yosemite National Park

2009-09-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Yosemite Fresno Neighbors and The Yosemite Association presented An Evening in Our Backyard hosted by the KJEWEL/KYNO Radio Station and Art Gallery in downtown Fresno. Images from the First Light exhibit, on loan from The Ansel Adams Gallery, provided a backdrop for the event. This show presents the work of five photographers over five summer seasons, and is accompanied by a beautiful book titled First Light: Five Photographers in Yosemite's Backcountry.

Refreshments were provided by Fresno State University and live Native American flute music and blues by Lance Canales. The evening featured a 9-minute trailer of the new Ken Burn's documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, which premeres Sept 27 on all PBS stations.

The evening was capped off by an inspirational presentation by Ranger Shelton Johnson, who is featured in the Ken Burn's documentary and recognized for his work in educating the public through his interpretive program, Yosemite Through the Eye's of a Buffalo Soldier, 1904.

All Roads Open In Yosemite

2009-09-09T23:15:00.000-07:00

Staff Photographer Nick Ahlgrim visited Foresta earlier this evening, and areas burned in the Big Meadow Fire. For more information on park roads and conditions, please visit the NPS website.

Fall is a Great Time to Take a Workshop!

2009-09-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

See all of our remaining workshops for 2009. While Digital Landscape:Autumn in Yosemite and Digital Printing for the Fine Art Photographer workshops are FULL, we do have some limited space available in our more traditional offerings.

We hope to see you in Yosemite this Fall!

Eastern Sierra Fall Color One-Day Workshop

2009-09-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

October 19, 2009 (Lee Vining/ Mono Lake)

Every October the aspens on the eastern side of the Sierras turn yellow, orange, and gold, putting on the most spectacular display of fall color in California. Instructor Michael Frye will lead you to some of his favorite aspen groves near Mono Lake, at the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park, and help you learn the essential skills needed to capture the beauty of these autumn scenes - including how to use your histogram for proper exposures, making simple, strong compositions, and how to find the right light for your subject. Visit our website for more information or to register.

Painting Workshop with Penny Otwell- Last Class this Season!

2009-09-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

September 21, 2009, Yosemite National Park

Let out the stops with color in this one day of "serious play" with watercolor painter Penny Otwell. Through guided examples of color combinations, loosen up and enjoy the process of watercolor painting outdoors in a fun and supportive environment.

For more information or to register, please visit our website

It's a New Day in Yosemite! Park is Open for the Holiday Weekend

2009-09-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Big Meadow Fire is 70% contained. Firefighters made excellent progress constructing a fireline in the Tamarack Flat Campground Road area. This is the last uncontained portion of the fireline. During the last two days, smoke from interior hot spots and burning operations settled in Yosemite Valley and the foothill communities, especially in the morning. This morning, the smoke is not visible in Yosemite Valley.
Tonight and tomorrow, firefighters will continue restoring roads, trails and fireline to their natural condition, mopping up hot spots, and removing hazard trees in order to open the roads as soon as possible.

Special Announcements: Although road closures will remain in place through the Labor Day weekend, Yosemite Valley is open and accessible from Highway 140 via El Portal and Highway 41 from Wawona. In addition, visitors on the east side of the park can still access Tuolumne Meadows, Olmsted Point, and White Wolf via Highway 395 from Lee Vining. Hodgdon Meadow Campground remains open to visitors.

The Ansel Adams Gallery / Blue Earth Exhibit

2009-09-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Ansel Adams Gallery is thrilled to partner with Blue Earth Allaince to host a new exhibition at the Mumm Winery in Napa, California from September 2009 – March 2010. The exhibit features images from Blue Earth projects, including work by Annie Marie Musselman, Daniel Beltrá, Rebecca Norris Webb, Florian Schulz, Benjamin Drummond & Sara Joy Steele, Camille Seaman, Stephen Harrison, and John Trotter, as well as a lecture series.

Through their support of Photography that Makes a Difference, Blue Earth has helped raise almost a million dollars for important issues often overlooked by traditional media--The Arctic. Global warming. The loss of open space in Los Angeles. Racism suffered by farmers. Disappearing traditions of New England fishermen. The role of grandmothers in AIDS-ravaged Africa.

Join us for the opening reception September 19, 6:30 p.m., at Mumm Napa Fine Photography Gallery at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, CA 94558.

Click here for slide show of images in the exhibit

Above photograph by Camille Seaman

Fire Continues to Burn In Yosemite-Smoke Heads North Away from Yosemite Valley

2009-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

The view from the Yosemite Association webcam at 12:19 pm today looks like a normal day in Yosemite National Park. To quote Jim Dean in the Gallery's shipping and receiving department, "This is one of the nicest days we have had in some time."

Current Situation: The fire continues to burn actively (a large column of smoke was visible yesterday) in the wilderness towards Tioga Road near Tamarack Flat and northwest in Upper Crane Creek drainage. Today, firefighters will continue to aggressively build indirect fire lines away from the fires edge. The strategy is to use indirect fire lines along with opportunities to conduct burnout operations (when conditions safely permit) to stop the forward progress of the fire. Firefighters will also continue to reinforce fire lines east of El Portal and around Foresta. No major fire activity was reported in these areas. Read more on the National Park Service Incident website.

Reflected Light on Water from Big Meadow Fire

2009-08-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Beautiful photograph of smoky light taken by staff photographer Nick Ahlgrim. No matter what is going on in Yosemite, there is always something to photograph.

The Big Meadow Fire continues to burn near Foresta, El Portal, and across Highway 120 heading north. Everyone involved is doing their best to manage this situation.

Our best wishes to our friends and neighbors, and the firefighters working on the front lines. Yosemite is, and always will be a wonderful place to live, work, and visit.
Stay tuned for more information.

New Ken Burns Film-The National Parks: America's Best Idea , Fresno Screening Event and Ansel Adams Gallery Exhibit

2009-08-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

Center for Photographic Art- Ansel Adams Portrait Exhibit Closes Soon

2009-08-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

People, of and by Ansel Adams

March 23 through August 30, 2009

The Center for Photographic Art is proud to present the exhibition: People, of and by Ansel Adams, curated by Jeanne Falk Adams and Sarah Adams.

Rarely seen portraits by Ansel Adams from the personal collection of Michael and Jeanne Falk Adams highlight this truly historic show held in Ansel Adams' hometown of Carmel, California.

Highlighted in this exhibit are portraits of Ansel's contemporaries--people who were significant in Ansel's life- such as Georgia O'Keeffe & Orville Cox, Robinson Jeffers, Mary Austin, Albert Bender, Cedric Wright, Beaumont Newhall, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston combine with loving images of his family.

Although Ansel is universally known for his landscapes, Jon Holmes wrote this of his portraits: "His portraits really stand apart. These are tactile images in which the viewer can reach into the frame and touch the subject." Also included in the exhibit are portraits of Ansel Adams taken by his friends, family, and colleagues.

The exhibition: People, of and by Ansel Adams is sponsored by Betty and Jim Kasson.

Gallery hours: Tues - Sun 1-5 pm.

The Ansel Adams Gallery is now on Twitter

2009-08-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Stay informed on the latest Yosemite and photography news.
Click here to Follow Us on Twitter

(Link is working now)

The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite is Back in Print!

2009-08-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Order your copy of The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite today signed by Michael Frye. Makes a great gift for any Yosemite or photography lover.

Join our community!

2009-08-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Become a Facebook fan of The Ansel Adams Gallery

New Exhibit in Yosemite - Color, Light, and Form by Michael Frye

2009-08-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Color, Light, and Form, will be on display from August 20th through October 4th. A reception and book signing for the artist will be held on Friday, August 28th, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Reprints of Michael's book, The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite are expected back in stock for the reception. The Gallery is located next to the Visitor Center in Yosemite Valley. Hope to see you there!

Also - we still have a couple of spaces available for Michael's Full Moon Night Photography one day workshop on September 2. Please see our website for details, and to sign up.

Megapixels and Megarocks - Digital Photography Workshop in Yosemite Valley

2009-08-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

With Tom Mallonee and Jenny Ellerbe

October 2-4, 2009 (Yosemite National Park)

The mechanics of digital image capture and its subsequent processing is vastly different from film. Rapid technology changes combined with conflicting information can often be overwhelming. With such a relatively immature technology, there is always something new to learn.

This three day workshop will teach you how to make the highest quality images from your digital camera by providing an understanding of everything from personal vision and compositional refinement to RAW development and processing with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

We will spend time photographing in Yosemite Valley and will then process your images in the computer lab, taking each participant, step by step, to a final image

Rooms have been set aside for workshop participants at Yosemite Lodge in Yosemite Valley. For more information visit our website.

Summer is the time to be in Yosemite's Backcountry

2009-07-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Staff Photographers Evan Russel and Gabe Mange recently explored the Sawtooth Range in the northern part of Yosemite National Park. The photo above was made by Evan Russel.

Speaking of the backcountry, copies of First Light: Five Photographers Explore Yosemite's Wilderness (signed by all five photographer's) are going fast. Reserve your copy today!

Two New One Day Workshops with Mike Osborne

2009-07-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

The River Nobody Knows
November 21, 2009- How many times have you driven to Yosemite on Highway 140 and given only a passing glance to the 15 miles of the Wild & Scenic Merced River below the park boundary? The River Nobody Knows workshop offers you the opportunity to correct that oversight and photograph this unique and beautiful area.

The Mirror Image
November 10, 2009 The Mirror Image will focus on photographing the Merced River, the heart and soul of Yosemite Valley. Water is perhaps the most colorful and dynamic of all photographic subjects, nowhere is it more spectacular than when reflecting the autumn splendor of Yosemite Valley. Participants will explore the creative choices involved in making water and reflection photographs.

MIKE OSBOURNE recently retired after a thirty year career as a ranger in Yosemite National Park, including eight seasons as a wilderness ranger. Mike has actively photographed nature in Yosemite and other wild places for over thirty-five years. His images have been used in promotional programs and literature supporting the Yosemite Fund and the Yosemite Association. Mike is the author of the book Granite, Water & Light, and recently participated in a five-year project visually celebrating the Yosemite Wilderness with four other photographers called First Light: Five Photographers Explore the Yosemite Wilderness.

Big Turnout for First Light Reception & Book Signing

2009-07-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

Last night park visitors and community members enjoyed the opening reception for the First Light exhibit at The Ansel Adams Gallery. Everyone had a wonderful time, including the five featured photographers seen here: (from left to right) Karl Kroeber, Scot Miller, Charles Cramer, Mike Osborne, and Keith S. Walklet. The show will continue at the Gallery until August 19.

Signed copies of First Light: Five Photographer's Explore Yosemite's Backcountry, are available on our website.

The Ansel Adams Gallery Workshop Program is now on Facebook

2009-07-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

You can now visit us on Facebook!

Stay tuned for the latest updates on our educational programs, photography tips, photo sharing, and lively discussions.

There is always something fun and exciting happening in the Yosemite Gallery photography community.

This Week at The Ansel Adams Gallery

2009-07-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

First Light Reception

July 17th, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Come enjoy the photography of Charles Cramer, Karl Kroeber, Scot Miller, Mike Osborne, and Keith S. Walklet at the opening reception for the exhibit celebrating their book, First Light.

Ansel Adams Gallery, 9031 Village Dr., Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
For more information call (209) 372-4413.

Making a Photograph: From Field to Print

July 18th and 19th

This two-day lecture/demonstration presents highlights from the longer workshops that Walklet and Cramer present for the Ansel Adams Gallery. Participants will learn valuable insights on photographing in the field, exposure for film and digital cameras, creating effective compositions, and techniques for optimizing these images to their fullest potential in Lightroom and Photoshop - all leading to the creation of compelling prints. This course will "open your eyes" to imagine the many possibilities within your image. We have a few spaces left for this 2-day workshop. For more information, please see our website or email us at www.workshops@anseladams.com

Wednesday Art Night

July 15th, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

This week's Wednesday Art Night will feature the work of Ann Thiermann and Erika Perloff, both Plein Air pastel artists from the Santa Cruz area. Reception

Wednesday Art Night takes place weekly each summer from Memorial Day through Labor Day at The Ansel Adams Gallery, and features the work of visiting artists. These receptions are co-sponsored by The Ansel Adams Gallery and The Yosemite Association Art and Education Center. Wine for the event is graciously donated by Redwood Creek Winery.
Everyone is welcome!

Next Full Moon Night Photography Workshop is September 2

2009-07-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

From Michael Frye's blog

"Monday's Full Moon Night Photography Workshop proved to be a lot of fun. After dodging mosquitos at Tenaya Lake we headed to Olmsted Point and it's photogenic collection of junipers—perfect subjects to light up at night. I demonstrated some light-painting techniques using simple flashlights, then the students set off to try it on their own. They took to it like ducks to water! It was fun to see people collaborating. Often two or three people would frame a view of the same tree and take turns handling the flashlights, discussing the results after each exposure. Digital cameras certainly make the learning curve much easier.

This outstanding photograph was made by one of the participants, Kyle Jones."

See our website for details on the next Full Moon Night Photography Workshop scheduled for Wednesday, September 2.

Painting With Penny Otwell

2009-07-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Cutting Loose With Color!

Let out the stops with color in this one day of "serious play" with watercolor painter Penny Otwell. Through guided examples of color combinations, loosen up and enjoy the process of watercolor painting outdoors in a fun and supportive environment.

Yosemite offers so many scenes to choose from so understanding composition will assist in your own interpretation of Yosemite. Learning to see well allows you to feel more strongly about what you choose to paint, so bring a small digital camera. Through demonstrations on compositional components, the importance of light and value, and using color, instructor Penny Otwell will help you make choices of your own interests.

This is an extremely fun one day workshop for artists of all levels. All materials needed for this class, and beyond - paints, palette, brushes, are included in the workshop tuition.
Next workshop: July 24
See website for more details, or contact us at workshops@anseladams.com

Need a Copy of the Photographer's Guide to Yosemite?

2009-07-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite by Michael Frye is out of print, but should be available again in late August. We promise to let you know as soon as it arrives!

Until that time, if you need a copy while you are visiting the park, we have two loaner copies available at The Ansel Adams Gallery. Our staff photographers are also available either in the store or on the phone to provide up to the minute information on prime photographic locations in the Park.

Free Camera Walks, led by staff photographers, are offered every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout the summer. These depart from the Gallery porch at 8:30 AM and are limited to 15 people. Topics are basic information about using cameras, composition, exposure, and whatever questions come up. Both digital and traditional formats welcome. Call 888-361-7622, or stop by the store to sign up.

Our more intensive four-hour afternoon classes ($95.00) are offered Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. You will learn the basics of operating the camera including how to work with depth of field, proper exposure, reading your histogram, ISO & shutter speed selection and more.

New Exhibit in Yosemite Opens July 9

2009-06-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

First Light: Five Photographer's in the Yosemite Backcountry

Ansel Adams led regular trips into the Yosemite backcountry as part of his efforts to protect this rare instance of unspoiled nature and, as a result, introduced thousands to its beauty. Following his example, the Yosemite Fund asked five well-known Yosemite photographers to once again bring the wonders of the wilderness to the general public, and create an archive of fine-art Yosemite images that would be used as iconic representations of the park.

For five years, Charles Cramer, Karl Kroeber, Scot Miller, Mike Osborne, and Keith S. Walklet, spent a part of their summers in Yosemite’s wilderness region, which covers more than one thousand square miles of almost indescribable raw beauty, and the camaraderie that developed between them is evident in the reminiscences and musings that accompany their photographs. The result of this uncommon collaboration is a book of glorious prints, each imbued with its creator’s distinct style.

The Ansel Adams Gallery First Light Exhibit runs until August 19. We will feature work from all five photographers, as well as have them all on hand for a reception and book signing July 17 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Platinum Printing Workshop with Scott Davis

2009-06-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

This workshop will focus on the fundamentals of making fine platinum prints. Students will learn how to select appropriate images for platinum printing, how to make paper choices unique to individual images, and learn the fundamentals of printing in this exquisite process.

A limited number of accommodations are still available in Yosemite Valley for this workshop. For more information, visit our website.