Origin of Ansel Adams

Ansel Easton Adams was born February 20, 1902, in San Francisco, California. His family came to California from New England, having migrated from Ireland in the early 1700s. His grandfather founded a prosperous lumber business, which Adams’ father eventually inherited. Adams is most known for his stunning photos of the American wilderness.

Ansel Easton Adams was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white images of the American West. Ansel’s photography is known for its realist style. Rather than using a pictorialism style. Adams’s career spans over seven decades and a wide range of subject matter, including portraits, still life’s and the landscapes for which he is most famous.

 Visualization

Ansel Adams describes it as the ability to see the scene you photograph and recreate in your mind, relying on the information you receive from the scene and on your developing intentions that you picture inside your head and the way you take the photo can resemble you as a person as your the one who pictured it to be or look a certain way.

A Legacy exhibition is a comprehensive survey of Adams’ artistic career which he is famous for and made loads of money from it.

What is Ansel Adams famous for?

Ansel Adams is one of America’s most famous photographers and is known for his stunning photos of the American wilderness and his passion for conservation. He outlines the beauty within America with the way he looked at art and his perspective towards it.

Here is one of his quotes.

This quote shows us how and why he loved photography. He perceived them in a way of a beauty and such natural photos. He didn’t go over the top and just took photos of a his natural setting.

Adams assisted Beaumont Newhall and David McAlpin in forming the Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art in 1940.

Group f/64

This was created when Ansel Adams and Willard Van Dyke, an apprentice of Edward Weston, decided to organize some of their photographers for the purposes of promoting an aesthetic principle.

Where landscape artists used colour and brushstrokes to show the beauty of the places that became part of the National Park System, many of Ansel’s photographs were minimalist, shot in black and white using sharp contrast and deep focus. Ansel’s photography is known for its realist which also relates to romanticism and sums it all up in nutshell.

The zone system

The Zone System assigns numbers from 0 through 10 to different brightness values, with 0 representing black, 5 middle grey, and 10 pure white and there known as zones.

Analysing Adams photos

Many of Adams photos have either balance or symmetry but mostly balance as its a landscape with some elements of romanticism in them. He goes into a lot of depth in his photos and shows us beautiful, aesthetic nature. The mid ground are usually all in line and the background are usually calm with dark colours. The scale of each photograph is large. It shows a massive background and loads of different elements to be looked at, not all drawn or focused on one thing as it has a wide variety of things in the image which is what makes it so interesting and unique. The light intensity of Adams photos are usually quiet dark colours such as grey black and white, usually not using many colours, the temperature is cold and intense. the colours are cold and the effects of these colours are a lot as it sums up the whole picture. There are quiet a lot of shadows in his images as they are all quiet dark colours. It has a strength  evoke emotion and energy, reflect mood, and give a narrative to images. The texture seems to be quiet smooth with some edges and corner because of the landscape photography and the surface is very detailed. Last but not least his tonal values are quiet low as shown in the image below.

Orgin of landscape

Originating between 1826 and 1827, landscape photography commonly involves daylight photography of natural features of land, sky and waters, at a distance. This type of photography captures many elements of formalism within the composition, such as line, shape, colour, depth and texture. These images may aim to capture the essence and presence of nature around us that others may miss however it can also focus on documenting the disturbances in that specific area.

Landscape emerged as an art genre in Western Culture during the Renaissance period in the 16th century, an era that was trying influence a more modern, art appreciating society. Linear perspective was an advancement where artists were able to move towards a more realistic portrayal of an environment.

Common characteristics of 18th-century art in Europe include forms that give the impression of elegance as well as a renewed interest in classical antiquity and a desire to break free from tradition. Movements from Europe such as the Rococo, Neoclassical, and Romanticism were most prominent at this time.

John Constable

Born in East Bergholt in Suffolk, John Constable (1776 – 1837) was an English landscape painter in the Romantic tradition.

Constable was one of the first artists of the Romantic movement to create landscape paintings drawn directly from nature. He inspired artists to work directly from everyday life and use nature as the main subject of their painting as he couldn’t use a camera he had to draw/paint the ideas that he thought or seen.

What did John Constable’s landscapes represent?

His landscapes represent an astonishing capacity to represent natural appearance particularly the dramatic effects of stormy skies and mountain’s. Such as this..

Constable’s most famous painting, The Hay Wain (1821). 

Constable is famous for his landscapes. He made many open air sketches, using these as a basis for his large exhibition paintings, which were worked up in the London studio today.

Landscape photography shows the spaces within the world, Landscape photographs typically capture the beauty of nature but can also focus on human made features such as buildings’ and/or disturbances of landscapes.

Romantic landscapes are typically more about the subjective feelings of the artist, than an objective record of the observable world.

For the example the artist Ansel Adams.

Ansel Easton Adams was born February 20, 1902, in San Francisco, California. His family came to California from New England, having migrated from Ireland in the early 1700s. His grandfather founded a prosperous lumber business, which Adams’ father eventually inherited. Adams is most known for his stunning photos of the American wilderness.

Comparing romanticism v landscape

A heightened interest in nature and landscape, based on subjective experience rather than scientific objectivity, also characterized the movement. Landscapes of the sublime remote, dramatic, and even dangerous provided inspiration for the Romantics in literature, music, and art.

Romanticism focuses on the sublime, using high contrast and intense emotion to convey its subjects. Realism focuses on detailed, sometimes gritty depictions of reality. Both movements were important in America and Europe

Here are some of my images of landscape.

What is Romanticism?

The Age of Romanticism (1800-1900ish)

https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-21-spring-2011/romanticism-gets-real

Romanticism is an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. 

Romanticism began as a late eighteenth-century philosophy that embraced imagination, emotion, and the unknown. Affecting history, literature, religion, art, utopian and dream like state and home life, Romanticism offered an escape from the stresses of the early Industrial Revolution.

The Romantics use the concept of slavery to support economic reform. They attempt, through their depictions of slaves, to convey the concept of alterity which could strengthen the individual’s self-awareness as well as any ethical awareness to the person or to someone else.

What are the 5 characteristics of Romanticism?

What are the 5 characteristics of American romanticism? Romanticism is marked by a focus on individualism, an emphasis on nature, emotion over reason, freedom of form, and an exploration of the Gothic and unknown.

This type of photography can be found in films and art today, such as: Beauty and the beast. Belle is full of innocence because she is young and loving, she sees nothing wrong in life when in reality there is problems starting with the beast.

Photography is typically representational while painting has can be entirely abstract and go anywhere as you can paint anything with any colours and have so many possibilities. Paintings aren’t constrained to portray what things actually look like however they can interpret scenes, emotions, or feelings as they desire, whereas a photo is the complete opposite you get he whole moment captured in a photograph which is why photography is more more popular in modern times because it allows for capturing moments quickly and accurately, making it a preferred method for documenting events, landscapes, and people as well as emotions.

Romanticism spread throughout Europe in the 19th century and developed as an artistic, literary and intellectual movement . Enlightenment, a European movement of the 18th century in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and humanity were a world view that gained popularity in the West.

The Industrial Revolution was the transition from creating goods by hand to using machines. Its start and end are widely debated by scholars, but the period generally spanned from about 1760 to 1840.

William blake

 Blake believed in spiritual and political freedom and often wrote about these themes in his works. He worked on creating beautiful images and revolving this around freedom and expression.

Blake was born in Soho, London, in 1757, the son of a hosier. From an early age he saw religious visions. His artistic talents led his father to send him to Henry Pars’ drawing school at the age of 10, where he learnt to copy from prints and plaster casts, and in 1772 he was apprenticed to the engraver James Basire.

Here is some of his work.

These images show that Blake wanted to emphasize the importance of nature and the imagination as expressions of a deeper reality. His style and ideas are transcendental in that they go beyond the ordinary way of perceiving and describing reality, suggesting that there is a deeper and richer realm which is hinted at by nature and the imagination, such as the first photo above as it appears to be a women, however we are not sure. Its mainly blue, yellow and green colours. Although we aren’t too sure what’s going on there is sense of romanticism in this photo.

The Sublime

In aesthetics, the sublime is the quality of greatness, whether physical, moral, intellectual, metaphysical, aesthetic, spiritual, or artistic. Basically referring to photographs’ of beauty and loath.

What is the sublime in British romanticism?

The sublime is closely linked with the English Romanticism – artists and writers. In particular those works of painting or poetry that celebrate the majesty and overwhelming power of the natural world.

Its an artistic effect productive of the strongest emotion the mind is capable of feeling.

Here are some examples..

These photos are aesthetically pleasing, calming and are generally made for you to hang up in your house as its a nice photo, nice vie and is relaxing. Most people would have something like their in their house as its the perfect photograph to be hung in and in view for your family and friends. However you could also say that they are mysterious and have a deeper meaning than you think which could make you wonder about the origin of the photo and why it was taken.

These photos romanticism and sublime have a depth that they go into and revel a lot on each other. The scale of sublime is clearly a large format camera and pay close attention to detail as that’s clearly what the artist is trying to achieve. The light and colours of both styles of photos are dark and mysterious, not revealing a lot about itself and making you question and wonder. the texture of both photos look quiet rough and not so smooth as some were taken in the 18th century. Lastly the sublime photos have loads of shadows and corners to go into , not very bright whereas the first photo on romanticism has more rough colours although there not bright colours they are still quiet dull but have more yellow, green and blue shades in the photos.

These are the aspects of photos you should look our for sublime and romanticism images in photography. These aspects’ are important because they highlight the important bits in a photograph and show you the best/most interesting bits.

John constable

Born in East Bergholt in Suffolk, John Constable (1776 – 1837) was an English landscape painter in the Romantic tradition.

Constable was one of the first artists of the Romantic movement to create landscape paintings drawn directly from nature. He inspired artists to work directly from everyday life and use nature as the main subject of their painting as he couldn’t use a camera he had to draw/paint the ideas that he thought or seen.

Storm Ciarán, known in Germany as Storm Emir was a European windstorm that severely affected parts of Europe from late October to early November 2023. Part of the 2023–24 European windstorm season, Ciarán impacted north-western Europe and killed 21 people, eleven of whom were in Italy and four in France.

Is Storm Ciarán a tornado?

CLEMENT, England – Amid the chaos of hurricane-force winds, massive hail and torrential rain that swept across northern Europe during last week’s deadly Storm Ciarán tore through the small island town of St. Clement, researchers have determined.

There was severe damages to homes and properties as well a people getting injured and having top leave their homes.

Due to the storm there was school closures, trees down, broken buildings and damaged properties there was winds up to 100mph which damaged Jersey quit a lot.

Here is some examples:

Here is one of my edited photos in Lightroom , inspired by the storm..

Here is a before and after.

Morning.

I am going to edit some photographs inspire by female photographers’ that represent females and femininity. I will show some of the process of my work in Lightroom and photoshoot. I have roughly around 200 images to chose from and edit for my final prints.

Few photos to start….

Here is a photo of me , holding a lipstick that I edited and changed the vibrancy and contrast , as well as the colours to make the picture more clear.

Here is a photo of me editing, mid way through and not done to show you proof of the work I am doing.

Before 1

Photoshoot photos

Here I am showing you the process of me editing a second picture in photoshop.

The photos that I have chosen so far are great because I think that they show a sense of girlhood and womanhood. They can show aspects of us as strong independent women, just by doing simple things such as,

1. Relax Your Body and Face. …
2. Use Real Laughter to Translate Authenticity into Your Photos. …
3. Bring Your Ears Forward to Avoid a Double Chin. …
4. Put Your Hands on Your Hips. …
5. Try a Candid Pose. …
6. Turn Your Body Slightly to the Side. …
7. Check Your Posture.

Can make all the difference in how feminine or masculine a photo can look.

In my third photo I am going to duplicated someone onto me twice, in this photo its a mix of feminine photos and portrait’s. I really like this because it shows two sides to photograph and shows a lot within the female society.

After 1

I got rid of the flower as it wasn’t fitting with the photo and made the photo black and white to make it appear as if it was taken in the 90s- Inspired by Cindy Sherman which is what I am trying to achieve in some of my photographs, damsel in distress and beauty within the 90s.

My aim for this photo is Sherman, she got many different model types and here is an example of what I’m trying to achieve, Why ? because I think her photos are stunning and show nostalgia.

Here’s an example of her work.

I love this photo because I think its stunning, it outlines me and all my perfections and flaws as we all do have.

Here is a photo I edited side by side compassion.

I like the purple colour especially within girlfriend’s and girls being happy together.

I used this photo because its a very cool and chilling photo and Photography has become an omnipresent art and activity today. It has moved from being a specialized art in the hands of a skilled photographer, to being a daily use activity in the hands of each and every common man. This is represented in this photograph.

Midday

This photo gives off a bit of butterfly and light affect as its very light.

I also rated my photos with starts from 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. This shows you which you rated best to worst.

This is a 4 star phot because its very plain, however I still do like it as it represents everyone as a collective in society because of our mobile phones.

Here is a 5 star, in my opinion.

And last but not least, a one star…

This is a 5 star photo because I love the colours and the way the top is backless. The colours are giving a sort of Ombre affect and this was doing in the studio by the lights and editing theme a but on Lightroom. I like the way my face appears smooth and clear , its a modest pose with the long blonde hair.

This photo is a very feminine photo, not to say boys cant wear makeup but however make-up is sterically aimed and marketed to woman and photoshoots like these also target them as its very feminism. A lady putting on lip-gloss shows beauty and make up on.

Environmental

Here’s an environmental edited photograph. I used a mix of all three . I used environmental, portraits and masc. vs fem. I really like these styles of photos especially portraitist because it brings up all of the perfections and insecurities of man and women. Portraits often show us what a person looks like, but they can also capture an idea of a person or what they stand for. Portraits can also tell us how a person wants to be seen, and capture a particular mood that the sitter is experiencing.

Portraits

Here is an edited portrait photo.

Before 2

Here is a photo before of two girls playing in the snow, realising their inner childhood and having fun even though they’re growing up and some may think there to old but they are embracing the snow which is quiet rare where they live.

After 2

These photos are side by side comparison of the difference after being edited, and you can see there is quiet the difference.

This photo shows vibrancy and a girl with a knitted jumper on, trying to stay warm but also looking nice with her choice of clothes and fashion. I love this photo as it shows loads of different colours, blue, black, green, yellow, green and a sort of spotlight on the back after being edited on Lightroom.

Side by side comparison.

In the first photo you can barley see the model, however after the photo has been edited you can see her a lot more clear and you can see a lot more especially with all the colours.

This photo is kind of of giving a drawling look, as if done by a pencil. An old school type of photo.

Lightroom completely changes a picture, it was black before any editing and after you can see me quiet well with nice colours, here is closer look.

Here is the iso and etc of this photo after being changed in Lightroom.

I spent the rest of them editing images and here are my final outcomes for masculinity vs feminist, environmental and portraits.

Virtual gallery

Final print

Photoshoot plan

Here’s some of the ideas I have from the relation of what I’ve studied and artists I’ve studied, as well as me as a person and what I do and how I am the way I am.

Here is an example of what I am looking to achieve, and photos similar to these…

The makeup, hair, nails, outfit all need to be in bold, revealing the femininity within these images. They need to be beautiful and sharp as well as going for a strong jawline and out lining women’s curves.

Here is an example, showing you how a pose can make you look very feminine.

Just a difference with the way you stand can change a lot.

Justine Kurland

Justine Kurland is an American fine art photographer, based in New York City. She tries to remsble girlhood in her photos, Girlhood is the period of a female person’s life during which she is a girl. She had shared responsibility for her brother since girlhood. Her girlhood dream had been to study painting..

She is best known for photographing subjects in American wilderness landscapes.

Here is my shot of these photos:

These photos show girlhood and girls having fun, inspired by Kurland.

Photoshoot one

Cindy Sherman

Here are some edited photos in Lightroom of our first shoot- inspired by Cindy Sherman and Kulrland.

Here is some of Sherman’s work and why and how it inspired me, its more about the image for me and how she portrays females in todays society even though the photos she took were years ago , in the 90s.

These photos represent our female society and girlhood as they show  how Sherman represented her women are images of women, models of femininity projected by the media to encourage imitation and identification.

I want to outline the best bits of women and how much beauty we have in us.

We as women are strong, we will have bad and good days and photos can represent a lot about what we have to go through as women on the daily all the time as photos show empathy, struggle, pain, love, beauty and much more. Feminine photos inspire me because it shows such a strong sense within the images.

What does Cindy Sherman’s art represent?

Sexual desire and domination, the fashioning of self-identity as mass deception, these are among the unsettling subjects lying behind Sherman’s extensive series of self-portraiture in various guises. Sherman’s work is central in the era of intense consumerism and image proliferation at the close of the 20th century.

Photoshoot two

What is the culture war in politics?

In American usage, “culture war” may imply a conflict between those values considered traditionalist or conservative and those considered progressive or liberal. This usage originated in the 1920s when urban and rural American values came into closer conflict.

What is the argument against identity politics?

Many socialists have deeply criticized identity politics for its divisive nature, claiming that it forms identities that can undermine the class struggle as a whole.

Eight major social identities are:

ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Political identity is a form of social identity marking membership of certain groups that share a common struggle for a certain form of power. This can include identification with a political party, but also positions on specific political issues, nationalism etc.

Positive aspect

Specifically, social identify can enrich and make people stronger and healthier because it provides them with self-esteem, a sense of belonging, existential sense and a feeling of control.

What are the examples of political identities?

This can include identification with a political party, but also positions on specific political issues, nationalism, inter-ethnic relations or more abstract ideological themes. Political identities develop in individuals and evolve over time.

How does your identity impact your perspective?

Key facets of identity (like gender, social class, age, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, age and disability) play significant roles in determining how we understand and experience the world, as well as shaping the types of opportunities and challenges we face.

Tribalism

A tribe is defined as a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognised leader. When we hear the word tribe, we may think of Native Americans, but in modern usage the term can also refer to people who share common ideas and allegiances. Tribalism is defined as behaviour and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Tribalism has societal and individual benefits as well as costs.

Tribalism can have very negative consequences when it is used to exclude individuals or groups or to take away their rights, status, and independence. They promote fear, anxiety, and prejudice, all of which make us more aware of fake news, propaganda, and conflict.

What are the dangers of tribalism?

These negative aspects of tribalism are often fueled by competition and the perception of a common threat. They promote fear, anxiety, and prejudice, all of which make us more susceptible to fake news, propaganda, and conflict. Tribalism can take many forms in our modern society. 

What do progressives believe?

Progressives were interested in establishing a more transparent and accountable government which would work to improve U.S. society. These reformers favoured such policies as civil service reform, food safety laws, and increased political rights for women and U.S. workers.

What do you mean by liberals?

Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, right to private property and equality before the law.

What are the theories of masculinity and femininity?

Femininity and masculinity are rooted in the social (one’s gender) rather than the biological (one’s sex). It is important to distinguish gender identity, as presented above, from other gender-related concepts such as gender roles, which are shared expectations of behaviour given one’s gender.

Social scientists believe that we acquire characteristics and behaviours’ because of how they are understood by those around us; we gradually become masculine and/or feminine, and we behave in gendered ways in various circumstances for a variety of reasons.

According to the feminist theory, “gender may be a factor in how human beings represent reality.” Men and women will construct different types of structures about the self, and, consequently, their thought processes may diverge in content and form.

What is Goffman’s gender display theory?

Goffman argues that “females in advertising are frequently posing while “using their fingers and hands to trace the outlines of an object, or to cradle it or to caress its surface”. This ritualistic touching is to be distinguished from the utilitarian kind that grasps, manipulates, or holds”.

What is the difference between masculine and feminine poses?

A closed or clenched hand tends to be more masculine while a relaxed or lightly curved hand has a feminine inference. Unlike feminine poses, masculine poses avoid softening the pose with rounded shoulders or exaggerated shoulders, hips, and legs.

“Masc” and “femme” are both shortened versions of masculine and feminine, but are used specifically within the lesbian community (as well as the gay community) and have their own unique connotations. Check out this article in Out Magazine about how femme has come to be defined in recent years and many different things can affect these opinions and changes such as religion.

Claude Cahun vs Frida Kahlo

Here is some of Kahlo’s work.

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico, she died Died: July 13, 1954, in Mexico. Kahlo was best known for her uncompromising and brilliantly coloured self-portraits that deal with such themes as identity, the human body, and death. Although she denied the connection, she is often identified as a Surrealist as she captures beauty and self love in her images and she can relate and show a lot within her images as she’s reflecting her work with masc and fem.

Frida considered herself an individual. She embraced both her masculine and feminine side and helped break down barriers surrounding gender stereotypes. 

She Focused on the spotlight on raw and honest situations that women undergo, she showcased them through aspects of miscarriage, abortion, breastfeeding, birth etc.

I have chosen Fridha Khalo because she interests me within her type of photograph’s and I payed careful attention to the way she brings out masc and fem in her images.

Claude Cahun

He was a French surrealist photographer, sculptor, and writer. Schwob adopted the pseudonym Claude Cahun in 1914. Cahun is best known as a writer and self-portraitist, who assumed a variety of performative personae, Died: December 8, 1954, Saint Helier.

In 1944, Cahun and Moore were arrested and sentenced to death, but the sentence was never carried out, as the island was liberated from German occupation in 1945. However, Cahun’s health never recovered from her treatment in jail, and she died in 1954. Cahun is buried in St Brelade’s Church with partner Moore.

Despite the social restrictions of her time, Cahun refused to conform to gender norms, adopting a masculine appearance and using gender-neutral pronouns to assert her identity.

What pronouns did Claude Cahun use?

There are convincing arguments to be made for both she/her/hers and they/them/theirs; she/her/hers because that is what was used for Cahun when they were alive and used themself; they/them/theirs because of their oft-discussed detachment from being a woman or a man.

Cahun is best known as a writer and self-portraitist, who assumed a variety of performative personae. In her writing she consistently referred to herself as “elle” (she), and this article follows her practice; but she also said that her actual gender was fluid, which is why Frida Kahlo and Cahun are very similar. they both show senses of exploring identity and a theme of masculinity vs femini which shows so much in our society and shown different yet similar we are to each other.

This is one of Kahlos photos. It shows self of identity and you cant really tell if its masc or fem which is what is great about the photo.

Here is another one which you would think appears female but has some male traits which shows a sense of identity and how open Kahlo was before she passed.

Where as Claud uses more sperate ideas of the photo, such as..

The one on the left shows a bit of both ideas and angles of masc and fem whereas the photograph on the right shows masc traits and is clearly a male from what you can see.

Both artists use many different techinques to get there photo the way they wanted them too. Both showed theory of identity and loads of different themes within our world and society even today.