Artist's Reception for William Neill on February 27th from 3-5 PM

A Celebration of the 107th Birthday of Ansel Adams

This past weekend in Yosemite National Park, The Ansel Adams Gallery celebrated the 107th birthday of photographer Ansel Adams, who was born on on February 20th, 1902.

To celebrate, the Gallery ran events throughout the weekend including a cake and punch reception, a photography walk that took participants to locations where Ansel created some of his most famous images and a slideshow on Ansel Adams presented by his grandson, Matthew Adams.

Yosemite Renaissance XXIV Exhibit Opens Saturday, February 27th

On Saturday, February 27th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM, the opening reception for Yosemite Renaissance XXIV will be held at the Yosemite Museum in Yosemite National Park. Award winners will be announced at the opening reception.

Yosemite Renaissance is an annual competition/exhibition to encourage diverse artistic interpretations of the Yosemite region. In addition to the annual exhibit, Yosemite Renaissance supports the park's artists-in-residence program.

This year's exhibit will feature the work of 38 artists, including Ansel Adams Gallery artists Charles Cramer, Michael Frye, Christine White-Loberg, William Neill, Ted Orland, and Penny Otwell.

Winter Light Workshop in Yosemite Experiences Great Winter Conditions

From February 11-15, 2009, The Ansel Adams Gallery Photography Workshops ran our Winter Light workshop with photographer Keith Walklet.

This workshop proved to be our best winter workshop yet, with Yosemite Valley yielding fresh snow daily. Participants had the opportunity to capture the winter landscape of the park while learning photographic skills from Keith Walklet.

The next Winter Light workshop will be held in February 2o10. Instructor Keith Walklet will once again instruct for The Ansel Adams Gallery Photography Workshops in May, when he will lead our Color Landscape Photography workshop.

William Neill - Yosemite Classics Exhibit Opens February 26th

From February 26th through April 13th, The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park will be exhibiting William Neill's Yosemite Classics.

William Neill's photographs, from sweeping vistas to intimate studies of natural phenomena, strongly convey Yosemite's exceptional qualities. The collection is powerful, inspired from eighteen years of Neill's residing in Yosemite National Park.

A reception for the artist will be held on February 27th from 3-5 PM. For further information on this exhibit, please call The Ansel Adams Gallery at (209) 372-4413.

Learn Alternative Photography Processes Through The Ansel Adams Gallery Photography Workshops

Though photography has come a long way since it’s invention in the 1800’s, the early processes that first began this medium are more popular than ever. With many photographers spending their days in front of a computer rather than in the darkroom, the resurgence of those wanting a hand-process has picked up in recent years. Whether you shoot film or digitally, learning an alternative process is the perfect way to bring the handmade print back into your photography.

During our 2009 photography workshop season, The Ansel Adams Gallery is offering four workshops that will allow you to learn the craft of an alternative process, including carbon printing, platinum/palladium printing and wet plate collodion.

For further information and to register for one of our workshops, please visit the following links:

Wet Plate Collodion with Kerik Kouklis - April 10-12, 2009
HOTEL DEADLINE FEBRUARY 20

Carbon Printing Workshop with Vaughn Hutchins - April 14-18, 2009
HOTEL DEADLINE FEBRUARY 26

Landscape Alchemy: Platinum Printing in Yosemite Valley with Scott Davis - August 12-16, 2009

Platinum/Palladium and Gum Bichromate with Kerik Kouklis - November 12-15, 2009

For further information, please email workshops@anseladams.com.

Trees Exhibit Closes On Sunday, March 15th

The exhibit Trees: Perspectives and Interpretations will end it's 6-month run on Sunday, March 15th.

This exhibit features the work of Jenny Ellerbe, Patrick Jablonski, Geir Jordahl, Kerik Kouklis, Richard Lohmann, Tom Mallonee, Alan Ross and Jerry Uelsmann.

MUMM Napa is located at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, California. For further details on the exhibit, please contact fineprints@anseladams.com

Learn Wet Plate Collodion in Yosemite Valley this April

Wet plate collodion, one of the earliest photographic processes, has been experiencing a resurgence of interest in recent years. In our Wet Plate Collodion workshop with photographer Kerik Kouklis from April 10-12, 2009, you will learn how to create wet plate positive images as well as wet plate negatives. Through a combination of discussions, field sessions and darkroom time, participants will learn how to use this historic process in their own photography.

You will learn, preparation and safe handling of the chemicals used in the process, cutting and preparation of glass for ambrotypes and negatives, adapting standard film holders for wet plate use, reading light and exposure (light meters are useless with wet plate), pouring collodion, development techniques, options for fixing and varnishing and presentation.

The wet plate collodion process was invented in 1851 by Englishman Frederick Scott Archer. It was created as an easier alternative to the daguerreotype, the first photographic process invented in 1839. Although less labor intensive and more accessible than the daguerreotype, wet plate collodion requires that the preparation of the plate through exposure and development to be completed in sequence while the plate is wet. This means that some sort of a darkroom must be present in the field when photographing. In the 1800’s this was accomplished with pack mules and tents. Modern day collodion artists use campers, trailers, or small, portable “dark boxes” to process their plates in the field.

To make a wet plate collodion image, first a substrate of either glass or metal is coated with collodion, a syrupy liquid that forms a thin skin on the plate. The plate is then sensitized in a bath of silver nitrate for about five minutes. While still wet, the plate is loaded into a plate holder and inserted into the camera and the exposure is made. The plate is then immediately developed, fixed and washed. The plate must remain wet throughout the process otherwise it will lose its sensitivity. There are about five to ten minutes available between removing the plate from the silver bath and making the exposure before the plate begins to dry out.

Collodion images can either be positives or negatives. Traditionally, the positives are called ambrotypes when they are on glass or tintypes if they are on blackened steel or tin. Many modern practitioners use aluminum coated on one side with black enamel paint.

Because each plate is coated and processed by hand, each original plate is one-of-a-kind piece. The images can be reproduced using either traditional or digital printing methods. The plates in this exhibit are unique, original, in-camera plates made on aluminum. The prints are made digitally from high-resolution scans of the plates then printed on archival paper using archival pigment inks. All images are available as editioned pigment prints in two sizes: 10”x12” and 16”x20”.

To register for the Wet Plate Collodion workshop, please visit www.anseladams.com/photography_education.html.

Join The Ansel Adams Gallery in Celebrating the Birthday of Ansel Adams on February 20th!

Join The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park on February 20th & 21st for a weekend dedicated to celebrating the birthday of Ansel Adams.

ANSEL ADAMS BIRTHDAY ACTIVITIES:

Friday, February 20th – Yosemite Lodge @ 7 PM
A Creative Process of a Technical Art Form

Join Matthew Adams, grandson of Ansel Adams, for a slide show and talk on Ansel Adams. This presentation will discuss the artistic processes that Ansel developed, perfected and taught to create his timeless work, focusing on composition, exposure & development and printmaking.


Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st – The Ansel Adams Gallery @ 2 PM
Birthday Cake and Punch Reception

Join us at The Ansel Adams Gallery for cake and punch to celebrate the birthday of Ansel Adams.


Saturday, February 21st – The Ansel Adams Gallery @ 9 AM
In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams Camera Walk

Photographer Ansel Adams immortalized Yosemite National Park through his classic black & white images. His images pushed the popularity of landscape photography while helping to motivate the American environmental movement. Join Ansel Adams Gallery Staff Photographer Evan Russel on a walk to visit a number of locations where Ansel composed some of his most famous images.


Saturday, February 21st – The Ansel Adams Gallery @ 3 PM
Fine Print Tour of Ansel Adams Photographs

Join Ansel Adams Gallery Curator Glenn Crosby to look at original Ansel Adams photographs, from iconic images to rarely seen vintage work. While viewing these original photographs, you will gain insight into Adams’ life and work.


For further information, please call The Ansel Adams Gallery at (209) 372-4413.

Recent Color in the Merced River Canyon

Vibrant green color has begun to emerge in the Merced River Canyon, rejuvenating hillsides that were affected by last summer's Telegraph Fire.

First February Snow in Yosemite Valley

Early this morning, the first snowstorm of February descended upon Yosemite. Snow showers are predicted to occur throughout the weekend.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas from The Ansel Adams Gallery

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, we invite you to take a look at our Valentine's Day Gift Ideas at www.anseladams.com.