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Examples: The Making Of 40 Photographs: Making of Forty Photographs by Adams, Ansel (1984) Hardcover
The distinguished photographer shares his experiences and details the circumstances, methods, and technical and aesthetic problems surrounding the creation of forty of his most famous photographs.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
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About the author
Ansel Adams
415 books361 followersPeople note black-and-white photographs of the American wilderness of American photographer Ansel Easton Adams.
Though wilderness and the environment were his grand passions, photography was his calling, his metier, his raison d'etre.
From: Ansel Adams, Photographer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_A...
Though wilderness and the environment were his grand passions, photography was his calling, his metier, his raison d'etre.
From: Ansel Adams, Photographer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_A...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 21, 2024
I have a complicated relationship with photography. Part of me enjoys it as a hobby on a very amateur level, but I’m not much of a “gear-person” and utilize the non-DSLR options I already have (namely, the camera on my Samsung Galaxy S7 phone, which is probably 3 to 6 months away from being defunct; and, less frequently these days, a Canon Powershot SX10). But the internal struggle I have is a feeling that when I’m taking photos I’m assuming a more extreme observer role in life than I already do without a camera. This is more so during events or vacations where it feels like I’m trying to document things or capture some things that should simply be ephemeral. Plus, you’re not really part of an event or celebration if you are spending a majority of your time taking pictures. I still very much enjoy photography as an art form and enjoy seeing what others (of all skill levels) choose to shoot and share.
All that being said, this book was a gift from my better half and I wasn’t sure my limited technical knowledge of photography---especially mid- to late-20th century film-based tools/techniques---was going to allow me to enjoy this book. Ansel Adams seems like he was the consummate professional with an incredible amount of technical know-how. He breaks down the circumstances surrounding 40 of his photographs. Each photograph gets a full-page followed by two to three pages of story (how the photograph came to be, what the weather/physical circumstances were, the type of light, the technical and compositional challenges, etc.). While much of this was over my head, especially the different paper types used for making prints, a great deal of it was quite engaging and inspiring. People often complain about the Photoshopping of images versus some sort of more “pure” experience involved with film-based photography, and while I would agree that film-based photography requires a great deal of technical skill and knowledge, most people don’t seem to realize that many of the digital tools available through software like Adobe Photoshop are based on real-world tools film-based photographers used either during the shooting process (like color filters placed over the lense to adjust lighting conditions) or during development (like dodging and burning to lighten or darken under or overexposed areas during the development of a negative). Adams seems like he would have been an avid, delighted fan of the tools available to today’s photographers, especially because they all work toward the goal of reducing the obstacles that get in the way of producing quality images. Adams comments on several photos and how he would have liked to have made improvements or changes--these are things that he could have easily made with today’s tools were he alive to take advantage of them. He was a keen believer in the photographer visualizing the final photograph down to the exact size of the print to be produced. I was both amused and surprised to read about him removing the high school graffiti from his Lone Pine Sierra Nevada photo (1944) (the image in the book shows only the doctored photo where he removes the "LP" initials high schoolers “scarred” the hill with, but you can see both photos here: http://anseladams.com/the-story-of-winter-sunrise-sierra-nevada-from-lone-pine/).
Living in such an image-saturated time as we do now tends to diminish and dilute the impact of photography. The experience of viewing photographs most often on screens that allow the vibrant backlighting of full-color imagery has become our default, which is a completely different experience than viewing a full-size print in real life. And we take it for granted--you can click on dozens of websites at this very moment and see simply amazing work covering almost any subject matter you can imagine. But reading this reminded me of what I do love about photography: the delights of happening upon a found object, the challenge of capturing your experience/vision of a scene or subject, observing and celebrating the details of life, and being able to communicate emotion and ideas through images.
Adams found photographing the moon quite challenging and I chuckled when I read about his experiences with it. Suddenly, we were two strangers sharing the same obstacle we’d encountered independently across two lifetimes. I’m no Ansel Adams. But I sure do like seeing the world through his eyes and mine. I didn’t start this book as a fan of Adams, but I certainly finished it as one.
My favorite photo from this book:
BIG SUR COAST, CALIFORNIA, c.1951
All that being said, this book was a gift from my better half and I wasn’t sure my limited technical knowledge of photography---especially mid- to late-20th century film-based tools/techniques---was going to allow me to enjoy this book. Ansel Adams seems like he was the consummate professional with an incredible amount of technical know-how. He breaks down the circumstances surrounding 40 of his photographs. Each photograph gets a full-page followed by two to three pages of story (how the photograph came to be, what the weather/physical circumstances were, the type of light, the technical and compositional challenges, etc.). While much of this was over my head, especially the different paper types used for making prints, a great deal of it was quite engaging and inspiring. People often complain about the Photoshopping of images versus some sort of more “pure” experience involved with film-based photography, and while I would agree that film-based photography requires a great deal of technical skill and knowledge, most people don’t seem to realize that many of the digital tools available through software like Adobe Photoshop are based on real-world tools film-based photographers used either during the shooting process (like color filters placed over the lense to adjust lighting conditions) or during development (like dodging and burning to lighten or darken under or overexposed areas during the development of a negative). Adams seems like he would have been an avid, delighted fan of the tools available to today’s photographers, especially because they all work toward the goal of reducing the obstacles that get in the way of producing quality images. Adams comments on several photos and how he would have liked to have made improvements or changes--these are things that he could have easily made with today’s tools were he alive to take advantage of them. He was a keen believer in the photographer visualizing the final photograph down to the exact size of the print to be produced. I was both amused and surprised to read about him removing the high school graffiti from his Lone Pine Sierra Nevada photo (1944) (the image in the book shows only the doctored photo where he removes the "LP" initials high schoolers “scarred” the hill with, but you can see both photos here: http://anseladams.com/the-story-of-winter-sunrise-sierra-nevada-from-lone-pine/).
Living in such an image-saturated time as we do now tends to diminish and dilute the impact of photography. The experience of viewing photographs most often on screens that allow the vibrant backlighting of full-color imagery has become our default, which is a completely different experience than viewing a full-size print in real life. And we take it for granted--you can click on dozens of websites at this very moment and see simply amazing work covering almost any subject matter you can imagine. But reading this reminded me of what I do love about photography: the delights of happening upon a found object, the challenge of capturing your experience/vision of a scene or subject, observing and celebrating the details of life, and being able to communicate emotion and ideas through images.
Adams found photographing the moon quite challenging and I chuckled when I read about his experiences with it. Suddenly, we were two strangers sharing the same obstacle we’d encountered independently across two lifetimes. I’m no Ansel Adams. But I sure do like seeing the world through his eyes and mine. I didn’t start this book as a fan of Adams, but I certainly finished it as one.
My favorite photo from this book:
BIG SUR COAST, CALIFORNIA, c.1951
July 28, 2019
Fascinating. Adams describes not only the technical side of "making" these forty (and he always uses the phrase "make a photo," rather than "take a photo"), but his thoughts during and afterwards. It helped me appreciate photographs I would have otherwise passed with a glance.
July 10, 2009
As an enthusiastic amateur landscape photographer, I cannot begin to relate how valuable this book of Ansel Adams has become to my growth and maturation as a photographer. I make a point of sitting down and reading through it, every page, at least four or five times a year. Ansel Adams is a wonderful teacher, and his joy and passion for photography is truly inspirational.
September 1, 2012
No one was better at exploring and sharing the intricacies of shooting with black and white film and producing prints in the darkroom. For those who still enjoy or remember those heady and frustrating days spent amid the scents of developer and fixer and are curious how Adams achieved his own results, this is the best of his best.
July 18, 2022
Impressive photography and a fascinating look into the craft of professional photography before photographers could use the highly automated digital cameras of today. For me, as someone who only started photography as film was quickly becoming a thing of the past, this book gave me an added appreciation for the craft.
To set the tone of a much more intentional activity than it can be in today’s point-and-shoot era, Ansel Adams starts by describing a Yosemite trip in 1927 where he only had enough material to take 12 photographs for the entire day from dawn to dusk. At that time, there were no automatic exposure calculations built into the camera, no screens that he could check to see how the shot turned out, and the equipment was heavy. Every shot mattered. The photo had to be visualized and the settings manually calculated and quickly calculated given ever-changing conditions. I love that in this there’s a type of reverence with each photo that was taken.
About other photos he describes the process of post-processing in light room days, removing unwanted features from a photo, dodging and burning (brightening and darkening certain parts of the photo), and selecting different types of paper to adjust contrast, shades, and texture of the photo. Again, where experimentation with these settings on the computer is so easy, I was fascinated by the way Adams controlled the outcome of the photo and his thoughts through these decisions on a tangible materials. And then I enjoyed seeing his attention to detail with composition, altering the angle of his shot to ensure a small tree (about 2 cm tall as printed) in the upper corner was in the proper place or waiting for a cloud to move to the proper place, the light to be just right, or getting all the elements of an architectural beauty to align correctly given limited places to stand.
This isn’t to say that it was all technical. Hearing the mistakes that he made, the times he got lucky, or times he was tempted to rush made his artistic process relatable.
But while I enjoyed the technical parts, his decision making, and his thoughts about art, these were gems amid other less-interesting details. The 3 instead of 4 or 5 stars is because I frankly would have enjoyed a more condensed reading of just the why behind everything in his shots. Also, some of the technical details just don’t transfer over to today, which made it a little slow to read at times. Besides these elements though there was still plenty to latch on to to make it worth while. Overall a rewarding read; and at the very least this is a collection of some beautiful photos. I think there’s something here for every nature lover and person who appreciates Ansel Adams’ art.
To set the tone of a much more intentional activity than it can be in today’s point-and-shoot era, Ansel Adams starts by describing a Yosemite trip in 1927 where he only had enough material to take 12 photographs for the entire day from dawn to dusk. At that time, there were no automatic exposure calculations built into the camera, no screens that he could check to see how the shot turned out, and the equipment was heavy. Every shot mattered. The photo had to be visualized and the settings manually calculated and quickly calculated given ever-changing conditions. I love that in this there’s a type of reverence with each photo that was taken.
About other photos he describes the process of post-processing in light room days, removing unwanted features from a photo, dodging and burning (brightening and darkening certain parts of the photo), and selecting different types of paper to adjust contrast, shades, and texture of the photo. Again, where experimentation with these settings on the computer is so easy, I was fascinated by the way Adams controlled the outcome of the photo and his thoughts through these decisions on a tangible materials. And then I enjoyed seeing his attention to detail with composition, altering the angle of his shot to ensure a small tree (about 2 cm tall as printed) in the upper corner was in the proper place or waiting for a cloud to move to the proper place, the light to be just right, or getting all the elements of an architectural beauty to align correctly given limited places to stand.
This isn’t to say that it was all technical. Hearing the mistakes that he made, the times he got lucky, or times he was tempted to rush made his artistic process relatable.
But while I enjoyed the technical parts, his decision making, and his thoughts about art, these were gems amid other less-interesting details. The 3 instead of 4 or 5 stars is because I frankly would have enjoyed a more condensed reading of just the why behind everything in his shots. Also, some of the technical details just don’t transfer over to today, which made it a little slow to read at times. Besides these elements though there was still plenty to latch on to to make it worth while. Overall a rewarding read; and at the very least this is a collection of some beautiful photos. I think there’s something here for every nature lover and person who appreciates Ansel Adams’ art.
September 19, 2021
Detailed account of how an unusual selection of Ansel Adams' photos were created. There are the usual Yosemite images but also some portraits and even still life. There is an interesting early soft-focus photo "Lodgepole Pines" of a forest scene with less emphasis on the pin-point sharpness of Group f/64 and more on luminescence. Some more experimental items include "The Black Sun" and perhaps "Nevada Fall".
Unless you are a black and white photographer and make your own prints, some of the details seem somewhat arcane. However any photo enthusiast will enjoy reading about the challenges and creative effort and care that went into the creation of each image. There are also some moments of humility from Adams that are reassuring. Overall there is an encouraging doggedness to keep taking photos, and to keep learning to improve one's art and vision...
The glossary is excellent, with definitions for classic terms such as focal length, aperture, burn-in and doge that of course are just as relevant today... Bracketing is perhaps correctly described as "often a sign of inadequate knowledge of craft".
Worth a read, and a thing of beauty in itself, with such sharp and stark imagery, and lucid prose...
Unless you are a black and white photographer and make your own prints, some of the details seem somewhat arcane. However any photo enthusiast will enjoy reading about the challenges and creative effort and care that went into the creation of each image. There are also some moments of humility from Adams that are reassuring. Overall there is an encouraging doggedness to keep taking photos, and to keep learning to improve one's art and vision...
The glossary is excellent, with definitions for classic terms such as focal length, aperture, burn-in and doge that of course are just as relevant today... Bracketing is perhaps correctly described as "often a sign of inadequate knowledge of craft".
Worth a read, and a thing of beauty in itself, with such sharp and stark imagery, and lucid prose...
August 22, 2024
Someone call me out if I don’t visit Yosemite when I’m in California because this man made it look like paradise. Our world is so image saturated that it’s hard to separate it from an informational medium to an art form with a theme and message. My guy Ansel Adams is such an inspiration. Even though the technical film developing methods and print papers flew over my head, I was able to understand the essence of his struggles to convey his impressions. He got me thinking of modern editing softwares like photoshop which basically modernized versions of film developing techniques, like dodge and burn. Editing an image changes the perspective which makes it seem disgenuine, but choosing the composition and when to click the shutter may also force biased interpretation which is may be even more dangerous because it can aha that it has captured something as it was. Didn’t think I would dabble in the morals of photography but this book does make you think
September 5, 2019
I thought it would be more about the how/why of these pictures in terms of how a photographer “sees”, but it ended up being the general story of how the photo came to be (I was walking with my cousin Ed who forgot his sandwich...) instead of the details of how why he set up the shot. Granted he gave a lot of detail about post processing which is somewhat irrelevant in the computer age but still interesting to see how much time/effort went into the work after the camera was put away. He seems to have put more thought into the developing than the picture taking at least in the writing. And he was obsessed with the different types of paper! That was lost on me.
February 6, 2026
What I was hoping to learn from this book, was how ansel saw the world. "Why he captured the photos".
It turned out to be a more technical overview of the equipment, and the story of "how he captured the photos".
The technological constraints of his time forced him to think about the photos he was going to take much before he walked up to them. His photos of yosemite - probably come from going on the same trail multiple times, evaluating every frame his eye processes.
This book is a window into his time.
It turned out to be a more technical overview of the equipment, and the story of "how he captured the photos".
The technological constraints of his time forced him to think about the photos he was going to take much before he walked up to them. His photos of yosemite - probably come from going on the same trail multiple times, evaluating every frame his eye processes.
This book is a window into his time.
August 24, 2023
I’m marking this one as read because I’ve read 80% of the essays and I sort of put it down. Ansel Adams is a real artist. He knows exactly how much to put into words and how much to leave to the photo. More than anything, he captures the moment of artistic inspiration, how it is equal parts insight and patience and luck. And these picture…god they are just so good. I just wish I understood all the shop talk.
February 25, 2019
Loved this book. Being a photographer, I always appreciate reading about other photographers. Ansel Adams was amazingly talented. I especially appreciate his works knowing how much time, effort and thought went into taking just one photo. Today, photography is so much easier because of Mr Adams and others showing us the way.
October 22, 2017
Not much to say on this one. A pretty straightforward piece containing St. Ansel’s thoughts (both technical and artistic) about 40 of his images including many of his most memorable. Highly recommended for anyone but especially fine art photographers.
December 8, 2018
Although I don’t always love his photographic style, it’s hard to deny that Ansel Adams was a master of technique in his age. It is immensely valuable to have an insight into this process through his own work, with a great deal to learn from these examples.
October 12, 2025
Very insightful on the technical aspects of the time. When you reflect on iPhone photography and compare it to when Ansel worked, you sort of scratch your head and wonder about the very definition of art.
Read
December 12, 2025Not only do I find Ansel Adams' photographs with human subjects more interesting than his landscape photography, it turns out I also find his approach to photographing humans more interesting than his approach to photographing nature.
August 25, 2020
Yes the technical aspects of this book are dated, however the wisdom and the experience are timeless. What an amazing talent he was.
June 21, 2021
Ansel was a genius and he shared his knowledge willingly which is not the case with so many of the great formula hoarders.
September 21, 2021
did not have how Snake River Overlook was composed and shot.
March 6, 2024
If you're interested in Ansel Adams and his process, this is a fascinating book. A combination of technical information and personal reflection on Adams' images.
July 17, 2024
Loved the photographs chosen, some of the back stories were really lovely. Some were very technical. It depends on what you're into more, but I enjoyed the back stories and wish there was more!
December 24, 2024
A wonderful book that modern photographers can use to explore the old days of photography by the masters.
December 31, 2025
Great collection of images and commentary from an all time great and true master of his craft.
December 8, 2025
What I was hoping to learn from this book, was how ansel saw the world. "Why he captured the photos".
It turned out to be a more technical overview of the equipment, and the story of "how he captured the photos".
The technological constraints of his time forced him to think about the photos he was going to take much before he walked up to them. His photos of yosemite - probably come from going on the same trail multiple times, evaluating every frame his eye processes.
This book is a window into his time.
It turned out to be a more technical overview of the equipment, and the story of "how he captured the photos".
The technological constraints of his time forced him to think about the photos he was going to take much before he walked up to them. His photos of yosemite - probably come from going on the same trail multiple times, evaluating every frame his eye processes.
This book is a window into his time.
August 8, 2012
As a photographer, I greatly admire the photographs of Ansel Adams. He has impressed me and influenced my own photography probably more than any other great photographer. I think of him as Saint Ansel.
In this book the master tells of his making of 40 photographs. In many instances he goes into technical details regarding cameras and lenses that are now antiques and about films and developers that are no longer available. "People have said to me, 'Why don't you just make the picture and forget all that technical gobbledegook?'" he says. It's true that the technical state of the art in Adams day has less relevance in this digital age. But Adams also says, "It should be obvious to all that photographers whose images possess character and quality have attained them only by continued practice and total dedication to the medium."
The wonder of this book is the stories of getting there, the difficulties and hardships, the serendipities and triumphs. I loved the way he expressed his thoughts in the photographs, the camera placement, exposure and timing, and compositional considerations. I was enthralled as he explained the nuances of the composition and printing of Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park, c. 1947. Then I looked above me with new understanding at the large copy of Nevada Fall that hangs on the wall above the chair in which I was reading.
One of the photographs Adams tells us about is Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941. This iconic photograph is perhaps my favorite Ansel Adams. I revel in knowing more about it. Anyone who knows anything about photography or appreciates great photographs will recognize photographs in this book. Even if just for browsing, Examples is worthwhile.
In this book the master tells of his making of 40 photographs. In many instances he goes into technical details regarding cameras and lenses that are now antiques and about films and developers that are no longer available. "People have said to me, 'Why don't you just make the picture and forget all that technical gobbledegook?'" he says. It's true that the technical state of the art in Adams day has less relevance in this digital age. But Adams also says, "It should be obvious to all that photographers whose images possess character and quality have attained them only by continued practice and total dedication to the medium."
The wonder of this book is the stories of getting there, the difficulties and hardships, the serendipities and triumphs. I loved the way he expressed his thoughts in the photographs, the camera placement, exposure and timing, and compositional considerations. I was enthralled as he explained the nuances of the composition and printing of Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park, c. 1947. Then I looked above me with new understanding at the large copy of Nevada Fall that hangs on the wall above the chair in which I was reading.
One of the photographs Adams tells us about is Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941. This iconic photograph is perhaps my favorite Ansel Adams. I revel in knowing more about it. Anyone who knows anything about photography or appreciates great photographs will recognize photographs in this book. Even if just for browsing, Examples is worthwhile.
June 8, 2015
The print quality in this book exceeds any of the Ansel books i have read (Ansel Adams Guide Book 1, Ansel Adams in the National Parks). In this book Ansel discusses the depths of exposure, tripod placement, zone visualization, lenses used, and the events of that day leading to the photograph.
The photographs in this book range from landscapes, portraits, architecture, and found objects. I have always found that Ansel's photographs of the natural landscape (details or the grand) to be most profound. And his portrait work I found valuable but it had less emotional affect on me and my work. So just know that this book is about 25% landscape, 25% portrait, 25% architecture, 25% found objects.
So, because of my personal tastes in his work, and the fact I have previously read the updated Ansel Adams's Basic Photography Book 1 which contained the majority of these images (though in less detail) I have given it four stars.
Though a more accurate rating would be 4.5 due to the superb print quality.
This book can be read in a matter of 2-3 days if one is dedicated.
The photographs in this book range from landscapes, portraits, architecture, and found objects. I have always found that Ansel's photographs of the natural landscape (details or the grand) to be most profound. And his portrait work I found valuable but it had less emotional affect on me and my work. So just know that this book is about 25% landscape, 25% portrait, 25% architecture, 25% found objects.
So, because of my personal tastes in his work, and the fact I have previously read the updated Ansel Adams's Basic Photography Book 1 which contained the majority of these images (though in less detail) I have given it four stars.
Though a more accurate rating would be 4.5 due to the superb print quality.
This book can be read in a matter of 2-3 days if one is dedicated.
December 26, 2012
Wonderful, and very dense. This is not entertainment, this is education. About a third of the way through I started to really grasp some of Adams' procedures in a practical way, as opposed to the theory I thought I understood before reading this. The use of his photos as examples helped me take a leap of understanding. If you are very serious about landscape photography, and you really want to start grasping the zone system, I recommend this book for you. If you want Ansel Admas' anecdotes, or you just want to look at his photos, there are better books available.
January 5, 2011
I bought this book several years ago and read it. However, aside from enjoying the amazing images, I didn't really get too much out of it. In the process of cleaning out my bookshelves, I found it again and have started to re-read it and on second reading I have absorbed a lot more of it now. A lot of the "seeing" the image makes a lot more sense. I plan to read it again in a few years to see if I can glean even more.
June 4, 2007
Good landscape photography is quite difficult and in this book Ansel Adams describes how he made 40 of his photos. Some of his stories give you an appreciation of the ease and sloppiness you can get away with in the digital realm. I'm not a big fan of Adams yet I still enjoyed reading this book to understand his techniques. Recommended.
May 14, 2010
One of the iconic books by Ansel Adams. 40 beautiful photographs, and, as the title suggest, always a story behind making each of them. At those days, photography was indeed a different business. When Ansel had to drag his large format camera of the hill and knew he had only four shots, he had the consider very very carefully what and how to shoot. Nice reading for all photography enthusiasts.
November 7, 2014
Love this book, love St. Ansel.
He tells of the work he put in to achieve these iconic images. When one reads the "Zone System" books, one could imagine that the System will help to make photography a snap (or a click). But it is just one step in the tortuous road toward making the photographer's pre-visualisation concrete.
He tells of the work he put in to achieve these iconic images. When one reads the "Zone System" books, one could imagine that the System will help to make photography a snap (or a click). But it is just one step in the tortuous road toward making the photographer's pre-visualisation concrete.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews