[Leica] RE: Ansel Adams

[tim at KairosPhoto.com (Tim Atherton)]

> I wonder how many people even heard of Half-dome before Ansel.
>
> -dan c.

All those people who were aware of the paintings of Yosemite by Bierstadt
and Moran and Covington and Ayers and more

Aware of the writings of Muir

Aware of the photographs of Watkins, Muybridge and Leander Weed

The work of the above was immensely popular and very much set the place of
Yosemite in the minds and imaginations of the American people was probably
significant in Congress' declaration about Yosemite in 1864 at the height of
the Civil War. In Lincoln's words, declaring that the Yosemite Valley would
"be held for public use, resort, and recreation.inalienable for all time."
All this rather a long before Adams ever appeared on the scene.

Adams was really running on the coat tails of all this - so much so that his
work - when seen in the context of what went before - has very little
originality in it.

tim a