Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/22

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Ansel Adams on PBS TV
From: "Ginex, Mike" <mginex@panynj.gov>
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 14:26:13 -0400

I was truly impressed and inspired by the AA show, but I too feel his photos
are somewhat clinical. I have always felt there was something unnatural
there. Maybe if I someday go to Yosemite, I'll change my opinion.

M.G.


- -----Original Message-----
From: B. D. Colen [mailto:bdcolen@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 12:51 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: RE: [Leica] Ansel Adams on PBS TV


If you'd seen 6 ft under you might not have thought so, Ernie...;-)

I find myself in the somewhat unusual category of having great admiration
for AA as a photo technician and "inventor," and very little regard for him
as a
"photographer." His development of the Zone System and his abilities as a
manipulator of light, in the field and in the darkroom, were great technical
achievements. That said, however, I find his photography sterile incredibly
predictable. I can't blame the Estate for the monsoon of posters, etc. -
AA's photos ARE posters. They're "beautiful," and if they inspire people to
want to protect the environment then they are truly valuable. But, IMO, they
lack ambiguity and any sense of imagination.

But I stress this is my opinion - nothing more, nothing less - and it is
certainly a minority view.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
enitka@twcny.rr.com
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 12:36 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Ansel Adams on PBS TV


I like many others found the show to be awe inspiring- as much for the
photography as for the celebration of
one person's efforts to save the environment.  I have always been a fan of
AA.  What suprises me is the way he
is sometimes disparaged in some photographic circles.  The negative reaction
that he generates is difficult to
understand.  I think much of it may be not so much his photography or him
but the way his art has sometimes
been foisted onto the general public as the "only real american
photographer".  Mind you this is not my opinion
but the effect of 1] being very very talented and 2] having an agressive
Trust organization to promote things
after death.  I believe this maybe what some object to.  Much like Frank
Lloyd Wright - except in this case FLW
was not a very nice person ( my take of him) but his architecture is sooo
wonderful.

The show was worth missing 6 feet under - my wife was sent into the other
room to record all the plot lines in
6FU.

ernie nitka


4/22/02 8:46:00 AM, SthRosner@aol.com wrote:

>In a message dated 4/22/02 1:45:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>red735i@earthlink.net writes:
>
>> If you did not see the show, you missed the most inspirational 1 1 /2
hours
>>  on phtotgraphy.   Try to get a video from a friend.
>
>Yes, Frank, also a magnificent journey of the human spirit and an accurate
>description of one aspect of the American national psyche that most people
>miss. I spent four months during the summers of my 14th and 15th years
>working in the Rocky Mountain West and the feeling for the western
wilderness
>has never left me.
>
>My wife missed it and as PBS sells the video for $19.95, I'm getting a copy
>for her.
>
>Seth       LaK 9
>--
>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
>



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Replies: Reply from Alastair Firkin <firkin@ncable.net.au> (RE: [Leica] Ansel Adams on PBS TV)
Reply from "Ted Bayer" <tedbayer@harbornet.com> (Re: [Leica] Ansel Adams on PBS TV)