Title: Ansel Adams in Color
Author: Andrea G. Stillman (Editor) and John P Schaffer (Editor)
Copyright: 2009 (revised)
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Type of Book: Photography
General Subject Matter: Landscape
Price: $35.00
ISBN-10:0316056413
Language: English
Pages: 168

“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 the 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 Americas.” -The Presidential Metal of Freedom, 1980

I am familiar with Adams work, throughout school I was intrigued when I heard my professors discuss Adams, and his vision. I remember rummaging through image after image, viewing snow covered mountains, and his knack for preserving the natural world. His images had a lasting impact on me.

The work he is known for are those black and white images that only he could develop with technical mastery and confidence. I remember hearing how he would walk for miles in heat or snow to capture the right light, to get the right image. He knew the camera well, he could even capture moonrise without a light meter sometimes just setting tone with candles per square foot.

So when I came across this book, I was surprised to see that he created images in color, actually over 3,000 color transparencies. There were several images that caught my eye, for example:
1. Yosemite Valley form the Esplanade, Yosemite National Park California copyright 1948
2. Lower Yosemite Fall, Yosemite National Park California.1946
3. Mono Lake, White Branches and Clouds, California.1947
4. Autumn Forest, Yosemite National Park 1947

I could really go on about this book, the color plates are remarkable.
I believe part of this is due to today’s digital advancements that help bring together vibrancy, hue, and contrast in a way that may not have been achieved in the past. He achieves the emotional connection between subject, environment, and viewer successfully. Therefore developing a sense of quality and passion that make his images clean, clear, and extraordinary.

What makes this book, distinctive are the essays which enable the reader to connect to Adams’: perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. (frustrations included) This book was well done, the visual imagery as stunning and the essays were complimentary to Adam’s body of work. If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, I would recommend this to anyone, to put on their reading list. ( )

This has become my "I need a break" book. You know when you have read all the intense books, seen all the intense news, and you just need to get away? I can look at the photos (I love photography) and drift and/or read the commentary and imagine.

I think I love color photography the best because of hues and intensity and, maybe the reality of vision.

Hachette may have given me this book to review but they should couldn't influence my opinion...just ask any other Ansel Adams fan or just plain photography fan...they'll tell you the same, this is a beautiful book! ( )

The title says it all: “Ansel Adams in Color.” Who knew that America’s premier black and white photographer performed his film magic in color too? I certainly didn’t.

“Ansel Adams in Color” is filled with Adams’ gorgeous, technicolor, photographs along with accompanying essays. While Adams was ambivalent about working in color -- primarily due to the technical limitations at the time -- today's digital advancements allow the photos to shine. These majestic photos were taken primarily in the 40’s- 50’s and capture America’s natural landscape at its zenith. The photographs include breathtaking shots of the Grand Canyon; Yosemite National Park; Death Valley; Hawaii; Alaska, Wyoming; and much more!

“Ansel Adams in Color” would be a welcome edition to the collection of any photographer or Adams’ admirer.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; Rev'd edition(Oct. 21, 2009), 168 pages.
Review Copy Provided Courtesy of Hachette Book Group. ( )

"Throughout his life Ansel remained ambivalent about color photography - a sampling of his reflections on the subject is included at the end of this book. Much of his antipathy toward color stemmed from the extremely poor quality of color photographing. Another source of his frustration was the inability to adequately translate the brilliance of a color transparency into a fine print."
-Foreward by John P. Schaefer and Andrea G. Stillman

I had always loved Ansel Adams' black and white photographs of nature. His photos of Yosemite had added to the pleasure of my trip to the National Park years ago. I hadn't known that Ansel Adams had worked in color, much less, that he had over 3,000 color transparencies. He had worked with color photography when the medium and technology was in its early stages. His frustration with the technical limitations explain why he is best known for his black and white work. However, with the developments in photography and computers, it is now possible to see his work as he would have been prepared to show it.

The photos in this book were selected by a photographer of Adams' generation and fellow member of the Detroit Camera Club who has expressed the debt he owed Adams for the direction and advice. Callahan is also highly regarded and has been described as one of America's greatest visual poets. He chose the photos based on his own aesthetic pleasure - "selecting those things that pleased me" without adjustments for historical reasons or concern for what the image might have looked like once.

The essays and text that accompany the stunning photographs give a fuller understanding of Ansel Adams' work and the development of the art of photography. This book is such a pleasure - whether you read it carefully or glance at the photographs.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; Revised edition edition (October 21, 2009), 168 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher. ( )