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Ansel Adams: An Autobiography
Discover this "evocative celebration of the life, career, friendships, concerns, and vision" of Ansel Adams, America's greatest photographer ( New York Times )
"No lover of Ansel Adams' photographs can afford to miss this book." - Wallace Stegner
In this bestselling autobiography, completed shortly before his death in 1984, Ansel Adams looks back at his legendary six-decade career as a conservationist, teacher, musician, and, above all, photographer.
Illustrated with eight pages of Adams' gorgeous black-and-white photographs, this book brings readers behind the images into the stories and circumstances of their creation. Written with characteristic warmth, vigor, and wit, this fascinating account brings to life the infectious enthusiasms, fervent battles, and bountiful friendships of a truly American original.
"A warm, discursive, and salty document." - New Yorker
"No lover of Ansel Adams' photographs can afford to miss this book." - Wallace Stegner
In this bestselling autobiography, completed shortly before his death in 1984, Ansel Adams looks back at his legendary six-decade career as a conservationist, teacher, musician, and, above all, photographer.
Illustrated with eight pages of Adams' gorgeous black-and-white photographs, this book brings readers behind the images into the stories and circumstances of their creation. Written with characteristic warmth, vigor, and wit, this fascinating account brings to life the infectious enthusiasms, fervent battles, and bountiful friendships of a truly American original.
"A warm, discursive, and salty document." - New Yorker
360 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 1985
149 people are currently reading
1160 people want to read
About the author
Ansel Adams
414 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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December 27, 2023
An Inside Look at Ansel Adams' Photography In Yosemite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E0zR...
(really good!!) Ansel Adams A Documentary Film HDTV 720p Legendado PT BR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNvMB...
March 20, 2021
There is a lot to like about Ansel Adams. He was a true master of his craft, and he had well-reasoned, balanced, progressive attitudes towards conservation and protection of wild spaces, which should be part of our national heritage. I loved his take down of Reagan, someone whom I have long considered a major factor in the path towards the political divisiveness in this country, and the rapid escalation of wealth disparity. He pushed hard for photography to be taken seriously as an artistic endeavor. He was adventurous and driven.
Even if his style isn't the kind of thing I would have in my home, there are some beautiful images in this book for example "White Rock" at the very beginning, and "Clearing Winter Storm" on page 243. The amount of adulation he receives from his admirers is well deserved.
He could also, like any human, be a bit of an asshole sometimes. In particular with his hatred of William Mortensen, as shown by this quote from page 244
Adams went out of his way to destroy Mortensen's career as much as he could. He was incensed that a museum displayed both his own, and Mortensen's work at the same time, and that just made me laugh. I like Mortensen's work more, but that is because I'm a philistine with poor taste in art.
Still, it was worth reading this book, despite some of the more boring personal letters, for the insights into how Adams became the force he was, and to gain some understanding of why he made the art that he did.
Even if his style isn't the kind of thing I would have in my home, there are some beautiful images in this book for example "White Rock" at the very beginning, and "Clearing Winter Storm" on page 243. The amount of adulation he receives from his admirers is well deserved.
He could also, like any human, be a bit of an asshole sometimes. In particular with his hatred of William Mortensen, as shown by this quote from page 244
My only regret is that the identity of said corpse is not our Laguna Beach colleague [William Mortensen]. I am convinced there are several stages of decay.
Adams went out of his way to destroy Mortensen's career as much as he could. He was incensed that a museum displayed both his own, and Mortensen's work at the same time, and that just made me laugh. I like Mortensen's work more, but that is because I'm a philistine with poor taste in art.
Still, it was worth reading this book, despite some of the more boring personal letters, for the insights into how Adams became the force he was, and to gain some understanding of why he made the art that he did.
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June 21, 2013This is a great read. Having grown up in photography in central California, I grew up hearing about Adams and admired his work. It wasn't until after his dead, when my father and I viewed an exhibit of his prints that I understand why he referred the print as a performance. I stood entranced watching the details in a large print of "Moonrise over Hernandez". In this book he shares his love of performance, both the visual and musical.
July 10, 2012
The plain language used to tell such an unusual life story helps you feel welcomed into his life. He had such a generous nature, yet incredibly disciplined and ethical. It also helped me fit together pieces of an important era of analog photography, and learn more about those who championed it as an art form.
March 13, 2007
I really enjoyed reading about Ansel's life from his perspective. He's such a sensitive and creative individual-- and I adore him! I learned that he was piano virtuoso, and I felt an even greater bond with him once I knew he loved music as well as photography. Its a great read- exciting and chocked full of real life obstacles and explorations.
March 13, 2008
ansel adams is such a babe. there is this one part in here where he's at this party and some god awful woman is all,
"i assume you've been awl auva europe"
"no infact, i've never been to europe"
"well, if you had been to europe, where would your favorite places be"
yeah. i dunno. climbing sierras, ragging on pictoralists and everything else you'd expect from this genius of no bullshit beauty.
"i assume you've been awl auva europe"
"no infact, i've never been to europe"
"well, if you had been to europe, where would your favorite places be"
yeah. i dunno. climbing sierras, ragging on pictoralists and everything else you'd expect from this genius of no bullshit beauty.
December 30, 2022
It took me a while to finish this book. Not because of the subject matter but my life got in the way. I don’t read a lot of biographies but I enjoyed this one. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of his early years in the sierras and the struggles that photographers had being recognized as artists. This was in contrast to his latter years with full staff and a rigorous routine in Carmel.
January 13, 2012
It's a bit disappointing. I was hoping to find something of Ansel Adams wisdom and experience in life but instead there was something that seemed more as history of records of some of his life marks. It's over detailed about the letters and messages between him and his friends. Moreover, it's divided into 23 sections mostly titled by the names of the people he have known. It doesn't follow a chronological order and I actually think it's a mess.
October 28, 2017
I expected to like this (love his photographs), but his account of his childhood..... interesting events, boring writing.
I should skip ahead, but the book is too heavy for reading in bed. I'll try putting it next to the kicthen table, in place of another book that isn't good.
OK, that works, and he does have some cool anecdotes. But he's not much of a writer. I'll skim some more and come back.....
Due back. Hell with it.
August 31, 2016
Ansel Adams seemed like he was really down to earth and an overall good guy. I would have liked to have met him...I would have liked to study photography with him....that would have been amazing! If you are interested in his life, thoughts, and photographic processes, this is a good book to read.
April 2, 2019
An interesting man who led an interesting life. He had many qualities but writing was not one of them. The book is stodgy and at times downright boring. His social life in particular is very tiresome since many of the people he refers to are unknown to me and are insufficiently presented.
Having said this the book is worth the effort of reading because he was a truly great artist.
Having said this the book is worth the effort of reading because he was a truly great artist.
September 29, 2014
I knew somewhat about Ansel Adams the photographer and environmentalist, but didn't know about his talent as a musician, wordsmith and humorist. I worried it might be too technical regarding some of the photography, but it is as advertised--an autobiography.
September 8, 2009
Interesting read, lots of insight into the photographic process. Ansel led a full, illustrious and humourus life.
October 5, 2012
I read this book about ten years ago and the book gives wonderful insight to this great photographer and his work.
June 11, 2022
Autobiographies sometimes read as simply a series of life events arranged cronologically. The pattern of "This happened..", "then I did this..", "at this time I was living in ..."and so on, can make for an interesting enough read, but it rarely gives us the true flavour of the subject of the book. "Ansel Adams: An Autobiography" however, is something else all together.
Not arranged in a time-linear sequence, and with thoughtful reflections on a range of topics, this book appears to give a genuine portrait of one of the most important artist photographers of the 20th Century. Written in a very erudite, expressive fashion, Adams voice is clear throughout. That said the thoughtful input of Mary Street Alinder obviously helped him shape the book into a cohesive whole, and there can be little doubt that this is a collaborative effort. The care taken reflects the way in which he would work on a negative to produce a print. It is a magnificent, inspirational read.
It is unnecessary to paraphrase Adams's story here. As someone who has books of his images, his life as a photographer was already partly known to me. However, there were two aspects which came through more strongly than expected. Firstly his deep connection with the natural world and his desire to protect it was something I had not fully appreciated before. Forged through early experiences, his love of wild places echoes throughout the book. Though it was a source of conflict in his life, and occasional despair, he never stopped lobbying for what he believed in. It brought him into contact with a range of influential, powerful people, some of whom he liked and others whom he was less positively disposed towards. The section discussing his meeting with President Ronald Reagan is particularly candid in this respect!
And this leads us onto the other aspect of the book which came as a bit of a surprise; the honesty of his consideration of those he had met and known throughout his life. His positive relationships with other important figures such as Stieglitz, the Newhalls, Weston or Cunningham are outlined in an insightful, sympathetic manner which sheds a great deal of light on the development of photography in the middle of the last century. However with those he was less enamoured with (most notably Edward Steichen and William Mortensen), he does not sugar-coat his disdain for their ideas and work. I suspect that he would have been a highly interesting, engaging dinner guest who would have been willing to share his opinions on a range of topics.
I'd been intending to read this for a while, and like a fine wine, took my time over it. It did not disappoint, and has now joined a very select group in my bookcase i.e. ones that will be re-read in future. I don't give many books 5*, but this definitely deserves it.
Not arranged in a time-linear sequence, and with thoughtful reflections on a range of topics, this book appears to give a genuine portrait of one of the most important artist photographers of the 20th Century. Written in a very erudite, expressive fashion, Adams voice is clear throughout. That said the thoughtful input of Mary Street Alinder obviously helped him shape the book into a cohesive whole, and there can be little doubt that this is a collaborative effort. The care taken reflects the way in which he would work on a negative to produce a print. It is a magnificent, inspirational read.
It is unnecessary to paraphrase Adams's story here. As someone who has books of his images, his life as a photographer was already partly known to me. However, there were two aspects which came through more strongly than expected. Firstly his deep connection with the natural world and his desire to protect it was something I had not fully appreciated before. Forged through early experiences, his love of wild places echoes throughout the book. Though it was a source of conflict in his life, and occasional despair, he never stopped lobbying for what he believed in. It brought him into contact with a range of influential, powerful people, some of whom he liked and others whom he was less positively disposed towards. The section discussing his meeting with President Ronald Reagan is particularly candid in this respect!
And this leads us onto the other aspect of the book which came as a bit of a surprise; the honesty of his consideration of those he had met and known throughout his life. His positive relationships with other important figures such as Stieglitz, the Newhalls, Weston or Cunningham are outlined in an insightful, sympathetic manner which sheds a great deal of light on the development of photography in the middle of the last century. However with those he was less enamoured with (most notably Edward Steichen and William Mortensen), he does not sugar-coat his disdain for their ideas and work. I suspect that he would have been a highly interesting, engaging dinner guest who would have been willing to share his opinions on a range of topics.
I'd been intending to read this for a while, and like a fine wine, took my time over it. It did not disappoint, and has now joined a very select group in my bookcase i.e. ones that will be re-read in future. I don't give many books 5*, but this definitely deserves it.
November 16, 2025
"A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed, and is, thereby, a true manifestation of what one feels about life in it's entirety."
Ansel Adams is truly a delightful man, one whose views and perspectives I admire greatly. This is a must-read for any of his fans.
Adams heavily influenced the art world, pushing for photography to be seen as a creative field, just as much as painting or sculpture. For that, I am incredibly grateful as a photographer myself. I could really sense his passion for this in every page of the book.
I'm honored to have viewed Adams' prints in person multiple times here in San Francisco so I enjoyed reading about his life here. I related a lot to his childhood stories because I could sense even then that he had an eye and appreciation for his environment, in addition to deep respect for nature which led to his great conservation work. We all have a lot to thank Ansel Adams about.
There were parts of the book that I struggled with because they felt drawn out and long, almost to the point that I considered skipping a few chapters but I found nuggets of wisdom throughout those parts that I'm glad I didn't end up missing.
Overall, this was a lovely reflection on Ansel's life and many of his views, especially politically, still stand strong today.
Ansel Adams is truly a delightful man, one whose views and perspectives I admire greatly. This is a must-read for any of his fans.
Adams heavily influenced the art world, pushing for photography to be seen as a creative field, just as much as painting or sculpture. For that, I am incredibly grateful as a photographer myself. I could really sense his passion for this in every page of the book.
I'm honored to have viewed Adams' prints in person multiple times here in San Francisco so I enjoyed reading about his life here. I related a lot to his childhood stories because I could sense even then that he had an eye and appreciation for his environment, in addition to deep respect for nature which led to his great conservation work. We all have a lot to thank Ansel Adams about.
There were parts of the book that I struggled with because they felt drawn out and long, almost to the point that I considered skipping a few chapters but I found nuggets of wisdom throughout those parts that I'm glad I didn't end up missing.
Overall, this was a lovely reflection on Ansel's life and many of his views, especially politically, still stand strong today.
January 2, 2020
I began re-reading this after taking it out to look up a name, & am one again struck by what a fascinating person Adams must have been to know. This book, written just before his death in 1984, covers not only about his photography but also his passions for music (he was an accomplished piano player before taking up the camera professionally) and environmental issues, as well as the many artistic luminaries in his life: Steiglitz, O'Keefe, Weston, Strand, etc. As the places most central to his early life (San Francisco, Yosemite, visits to New York City) are similarly the most familiar in mine, his tales take on an added depth, as I can visualize them so clearly. Written with candor and humor, as well as great philosophical and artistic seriousness, this is a touching self-portrait. Recommended even if you're not a fan. (11/00)
August 23, 2020
A delight for anyone devoted to the interplay between the arts and nature. I found many surprising points of overlap - especially Adams' beginnings as a concert pianist and his devotion to astronomy (I am a pianist and astronomer). What I take away most from the story, though, is a deeper validation of the importance of the arts to interpretation and appreciation of the natural world. Most people need the arts in order to fully perceive the beauty of natural world to which they may never be exposed otherwise. Without artistic interpretation, human hordes of small-minded consumers will persist in thinking of Earth as a passive repository of resources that exist solely for their benefit. The resulting continuous plunder results in ruination, for the resources are finite. Adams may be gone, but his line of work - the artist-conservationist - is more needed than ever in human history.
July 23, 2020
Ansel Adams is a name that conjures up for me big black and white vistas, Christmas calendars and Yosemite. This autobiography has been in my bookshelf for years but it is only now, when I unearthed my first camera, that I have been tempted to read it. I am so glad I did. Not only was Ansel Adams a great photographer but he was also a musician, nature writer and conservationist. The memoir covers the places he visited and work, with interesting stories of the many artists and celebrities he associated with. Published shorty before his death, the candid writing shows a man of great humour, honesty and kindness.
April 4, 2018
Did you know Ansel Adams was trained and performed as a classical pianist before he was 18? This is the story of truly an amazing life. You'll be inspired by his concern for the environment – credited with helping preserve much of the land that is now under national protection – and the care he took with his images (back in the day when you had to haul hundreds of pounds of equipment across unpaved roads to get a spectacular wilderness shot).
December 26, 2019
Ansel Adams is without a doubt one of the greatest photographers in history. His work goes beyond the single frame in which he captures, and rather extends into emotion, thought, and immense creativity.
I previously did a photography assignment where I drew inspiration from my favorite artist, and oh how I wished I had read this sooner! Adams' life and journey into his career are so inspiring and I would greatly recommend this book to anyone the is semi-involved in the art world!
I previously did a photography assignment where I drew inspiration from my favorite artist, and oh how I wished I had read this sooner! Adams' life and journey into his career are so inspiring and I would greatly recommend this book to anyone the is semi-involved in the art world!
February 20, 2020
An assisted autobiography written near the end of his life, he describes his art and his relationships with the people who took him on the journey. He's such a sensitive and creative individual. A western man who was also a pianist, got his inspiration from Steiglitz, Steichen and others of the time. Also, a "conservationist" who advocated preservation of western lands. Influenced presidents and others to the same.
June 6, 2020
This is a truly inspiring look at the man who had “a greater impact on creative photography than any other person in the twentieth century.” While I have always been a student of Ansel’s black-and-white images, this book confirmed that his reputation rightly rests on his photography and his actions.
May 13, 2018
A phenomenal autobiography. Adams eloquently waxes on great 20th century artists (many his close friends), conservationism, lobbying presidents, the slow acceptance of photography as an art, his career, adventures, and what it means to be an artist. A must read for all photographers.
December 30, 2024
An excellent autobiography. Not linear, but conceptual. Adams is a very good writer, but when he tries to be creative, to me it is clear that he is not as good a writer as a photographer. Hard to be both.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
April 30, 2018
Occasionally insightful.
May 14, 2018
If you're interested in photography, art, nature and conservation, or biographies at all I can't recommend this book enough.
September 9, 2019
Just read another biography that includes a more earthy version. One needs to purchase or go to the library and look at his pictures.
April 2, 2020
Faszinierendes Buch, über einen faszinierenden Mann.
November 12, 2020
Insight into a true artist's mind! And what a life he lived - adventure, creativity, role model, giving back.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews