Ansel Adams in Color

by Ansel Adams, Harry M. Callahan (Editor), James L. Enyeart (introduction)

A collection of color photographs from the nation's foremost landscape photographer reveals a portion of the photographer's color work that has never been seen before, accompanied by selected writings by Adams. 75,000 first printing. National ad/promo.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction, Nature, Art and Photography, Travel

131 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 1993

About the author

People 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...

Reviews

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"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.

[Cortney Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good for the most part. It took awhile for me to get into it, but once it was more about Ansel Adams and his pictures and letters he'd wrote about his adventures and pictures to his friends and loved ones, it got better.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always associated Ansel Adams with iconic black and white photographs. In this book, I see him bring his considerable talents to color shots which are nothing short of amazing. Thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the read.

[Cameron Talley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! No, it’s not his best work, but still interesting to see his perspective on color, especially as someone that is drawn more and more to black and white.

I do wish there were some more technical details of the photos themselves.

[Books Ring Mah Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ansel Adams in color is... just not right. Still very good, but, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!

[Alan Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you might expect a lot of the images are stunning, even if color was not Ansel Adams’ preferred medium. Still, his black and white work is undoubtedly superior, even with modern color printing techniques.

I thought the sections on Adams’ history with color was interesting, especially the excerpts and letters from the man himself. Especially insightful is his note on the “trap of reality” in color photography, the idea that color photography falsely implies a “record of reality”, even though “the accuracy of the color photography implies is more a matter of belief than of actuality”.

Incredible and hilarious how loosely Adams wrote in some of his more informal letters, given that he was so clearly well spoken / written. An example: “(No discount if there ain’t no rainboo [sic]!) some new experimental film. HUshhhhhhhhhh.”

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite. Each picture gives you the specific location and date the image was taken which is a bonus because most other books are not specific or you have to hunt for the information in the back of the book.

Perspective is key to most landscape photography, and this book exemplifies great composure to produce stunning images. Adams excels at putting pictures into perspective by providing depth to his images with slight to obvious foreground objects. Most of the photos exhibited were taken in National Parks.

Favorties:
p 38 Yosemite National Park, California - the incorporation of an evergreen in the foreground provides perspective
p 59 Kaibab Plateau, Arizona - the off center island with reflection coupled with the distance you can see
p 125 Monument Valley, Utah - most people would just show the expanse of the desert and not include the foreground formation for perspective

[Howard Frisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ansel Adams is probably one of the most famous photographers in America. He is known for his black and white landscape photographs. Little did I know that he also created some amazing color photographs. This book is enthralling for anyone who admires Ansel Adams.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the best, most clear set of reasons and reflections I’ve ever read. Everything he writes is brilliant.

[Kevin Casto · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s interesting to read about Adam struggle with color and the new technology and that he wrestled with since he was a master of the black and white.

[Ingrid Vandenboorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures but I still like looking the black and white better

[Avis Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

When you see this you realize color is not his forte.

[Marco Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I fear I have become a problem!”
Found it so refreshing to see a master artist grapple with insecurities.

[Beth Vandenerg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the shots and the story

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original/ full review here: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2009...

As an aspiring photographer, I have been a fan or Ansel Adams magnificent work for a very long time. That being said, I was extremely surprised to learn of this beautiful collection of his color photography which I wasn't really aware that he had done. It almost made be embarrassed that I didn't know yet I called myself a fan and appreciator.

Ansel Adams in Color taught me the extent to which Ansel Adams practiced color photography. The fact that he had over 3,000 color transparencies was a bit of a shock. Ansel Adams is more well known for his black and white photography. One of the reasons for this is because of his aggravation with the technical limitations of color photography. The writing of this book was so informative and well done.

I was not surprised, however, by the outstanding quality of his color photography. His photos were absolutely breathtaking and captured a wide variety of locations including, but not limited to, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Death Valley National Park, and Salt Pools of Utah. And that is just to name a few.

I'm so proud to have this wonderful book as part of my collection and I would recommend it to any appreciator of photography.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Ansel Adams' black & white photography and was pleasantly surprised to find this book on his color photography. I have the revised edition of the book which includes an additional 20 photographs. What is more interesting to me than the photographs are the essays and excerpts from letters written by Adams that are included in this book. These support the opening essay "Quest for Color" by James L. Enyeart which discusses why Adams didn't like color photography and chose to focus on black & white photography as an artist. A lot of Adams' dislike for color photography was the lack of control over the color printing process. He did admire other photographers that worked in color. It was just not his thing. But he revisited it from time to time. I think he would have experimented with the digital process that is available today. In discussing his dissatisfaction with color, I learned a lot more about his black & white process and have a greater appreciation of his work as a result. I also learned a fun new swear word from one of his excerpted letters: G-DambnestSOBchen. I can't emulate his photography but I can certainly use "DambnestSOBchen".

[Carol Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sure most everyone in America is familiar with Ansel Adams’ work, whether they recognize it as his or not. His gorgeous black and white scenic photographs are simply breathtaking. This book, however, contains a collection of his color images and I think they’re beautiful, too. The colors are vivid in some, more subtle in others.

This book includes an essay discussing Adams’ sometimes conflicting views on color photography and a selection of Adam’s writings on the subject in the back. These were fascinating and gave me a better perspective on photography in general and Adams in particular. I also didn’t realize that Adams was a pianist, either, which I found particularly interesting.


This collection just adds to his body of work. There is a reason he is known for his black and white pictures. They are undeniably timeless and unforgettable. The pictures in this book are not as striking, in my opinion, but they are still wonderful.

[Kim V · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[April Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ansel Adams was a gifted photographer and a master technician of the science behind photography. His development of the Zone System, along with Fred Archer, alone guarantees his place in photographic history. However, the stunning and dramatic range of tones and dynamic abstraction of vision that is so prevalent in his monotone images did not translate into his forays of color photography. The images were competent, but not striking. For a comparison of dynamic color nature photography from this same time, I recommend the works of Elliott Porter.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5: An intimate look at the posthumous colour works of this renowned photographer, chronicling his struggles repeatedly stepping out of his b&w comfort zone over the course of his life. His discomfort is telling, and yet, though unpublished in his lifetime, what he captured on photographic slides are significant and worth admiring. Reading the narrative and his personal correspondences, and examining the vivid composition of his prints gives the reader glimpses into his inner man, and deeper understanding of his artistic inspirations and critical eye.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the editor's suggestion that we peruse Adams' color images as "sketches", since the photographer never fully embraced color with confidence. Though not as immediately dramatic as his black and white work, many of these color photographs hold their own as subtle, quiet statements. While not as bold, they are a nice departure from his more famous vibrantly monochrome pieces.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ansel Adams is best known for his black and white photography, but his color images are spectacular, too. Most were created for advertisements, but while on location, he also shot images for his own use. Both are represented in this book.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little-known color photographs from the king of large-format black and white. If anything, his genius for composition is even more evident in color.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graciously received as an Xmas present from Melina's father, I hadn't even known until then that there was a color collection of Adams' work.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous Ansel Adams book! I know where I'm traveling when I retire!

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think from a photographers stand point the book was great. Most people have no idea that Ansel Adams ever even shot in color.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't seen too many color photographs by Adams and they are amazingly beautiful.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ansel Adams is one of, if not the greatest nature photographers of all time. This book is a great way to view some of the most beautiful nature scenes in the US.