photon56 Loc: North America

The Ansel Adams collection is on exhibit at a local museum in my home town. Amazing to see the equipment he used and the process undertaken to produce the images on display. Considering that today's digital camera's are complete, integrated processing systems, he was masterful to produce the images without the instant gratification of knowing what it would look like until he was in a dark room.

I've taken many walks with my digital camera. I can only imagine what it was like to be lugging over a 100 lbs of equipment to go out on an excursion. Ansel wasn't snapping away at everything in site, much of what I tend to do. He spent a great deal of time composing, measuring light and making adjustments before releasing the shutter. Followed by writing detailed entries in a log of all the readings and settings he made.

So, being the novice that I am, I have slowed myself down and started taking more time composing my shots. Thank God for meta data being captured with each photo created.

I may be preaching to the choir here but if you haven't seen the exhibit, I found it worth the time. Very inspirational.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Yes, but AA was a master at knowing what the finished product would look like after printing, before he shot them! ;-)
SS

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

I agree with you, I"ve been a photographer since I was 8 years old
and now I"m 69.......Ansel Adems is one of my hero"s.....
I lved through the dark room days, and now enjoy my Nikon D800 and my Leica D-Lux-6, and my Nikon Coolpix 120 and my Nikon 1 AW1 Cameras.needless to say, I"ve seen alot of changes through the years, and I still own my first camera from 1953
my Kodak Brownie Hawkeye.which sits retired on a shelf just above my computer alonf with 2 rolls of Kodak 620 film, still sealed in their boxes..., and that I smile looking at..........

FiddleMaker Loc: Merrimac, MA

I am almost 71 and I also had a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye. I still have my Dad's Kodak Monitor with leather case that I think he purchased in the mid or late 1940s. Or perhaps the 1930s. The Kodak Monitor used 620 film (excellent film for darkroom work). I have some excellent 11 x 14 B&W prints showing excellent sharpness and detail even using Kodak Tri-X film (ASA 400). -FiddleMaker

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

well, its nice to find, another old time photograper out there,
I"m leaving on my cruise vacation, next month, and I will be doing some diving, as so ,I will be useing my Nikon 1 AW1 Waterproof camera, and as a back upi, I"m also taking my Nikon Coolpix 120 waterproof camera as a back up, I hope to shoot alot of great photo"s which I will post, once I return...........

FiddleMaker Loc: Merrimac, MA

Looking forward to viewing your pics. will keep an eye out. -FiddleMaker

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

thank you, its been a pleasure, chatting with you

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

Wow! You boys talk like you're OLD. Heck, I saw FDR in office and all the Presidents who followed him, so if you're old, I guess that makes me 'ancient':o) Enjoy your youth while you still have it, that's what I'm still doing with mine! :)

FiddleMaker Loc: Merrimac, MA

Gee Papa Joe, you must be older than dirt!!! just kidding. You must be hovering around 90 or so. Yes??

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

Hi FiddleMaker. No not 90 yet, but sure pushing close to it.

anotherview Loc: California

This one skill can dramatically improve a photograph: "taking more time composing my shots."

THOSMITH Loc: DeKalb IL

I'm almost 82 and I've been doing photography since 8 th grade and I am an admirer of Ansel however I also know that he was the original photoshoper. On occasion he would spend an entire day in the darkroom on a singe print. It was and is called dodging and burning.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

If you are impressed that Ansel Adams carried around 100 pounds of equipment, think about Carleton Watkins. He had a 18x22" view camera using glass plates which he traveled with around the West on a mule train in the mid 1800s. There were no enlargers yet, so if you wanted a large print, you had to have a negative that size and make a contact print. He would have to set up the camera, attach a tent darkroom to the rear of it, coat the glass plates with emulsion, and expose them while they were still wet. And he produced one of the all time great bodies of work in photography.

anotherview Loc: California

A lesson this cameraman has taken from the masters of photography: One must man up to the demands of the craft of photography.

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

Ansel Adams was one of my favorites when I first got into serious photography in 1966 and still is today. I too still own my first camera from 1953 a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye as well as my Dad's 620 Kodak, also my first 35mm a Nikon F Photnic TN with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. Don't miss the darkroom days but do miss the quality I produced in those times. The eyes and steadiness just are not there any more. I do look and plan like the days of film and shoot about the same amount of exposures.