Excerpt from Homage to Ansel Adams/Essay by Nohra Corredor
Ansel Adams, in his own words:
"...For me, a photograph begins as the VISUALIZATION of the image which represents the excitement and the perception of that moment and situation...For the viewer, the meaning of the print is his meaning. ANTICIPATION is another prime element of creative art and essential for visualization. It is one of the most perplexing capabilities of the mind: projection into future time the mind, working at incredible speeds, is able to probe into the future as well as recall the past. Our explorations of the past support the present, and our awareness of the present will clarify the future."
Writing about one of his aesthetic paths:
"I can recall the excitement of the scene, though at that time I had no precise idea of the image I was to make. It seemed that everything fell into place in the most agreeable way: rock, cloud, mountain, and exposure. I am sure things were going on in my mind: associations, memories, relative structuring of experiences and ideas, and the flowering of intuition.
People are surprised when I say that I never intentionally made a creative photograph that related directly to an environmental issue, though I am greatly pleased when a picture I have made becomes useful to an important cause. I cannot command the creative impulse on demand. I never know in advance precisely what I will photograph.
My private glimpses of some ideal reality create a lasting mood that has often been recalled in some of my photographs. The subtle changes of light across a waterfall moved me as did a singular vista of a far-off mountain under a leaden sky. Others might well have not responded at all. Deep resonances of spirit exist, giving us glimpses of a reality far beyond our general appreciation and knowledge" Ansel Adams-from Essay by Nohra Corredor