Ansel Adams' Clearing Winter Storm

[Drew Wiley]

It's a negative that survived his Yos darkroom fire in the summer of 1937, but not without some damage, and thereafter caused him quite a bit of grief printing.
On the other hand, he progressively became a better printer in general over time. His book, Examples, discusses the dogging and burning nightmare involved.

[Michael R]

Clearing Winder Storm isn't exactly a dodging/burning nightmare. It requires an average amount of manipulation (detailed in The Print) which isn't overly difficult. Other negatives such as Frozen Lake and Cliffs gave him more trouble, although with today's VC papers and techniques he would have had it somewhat easier.

[Drew Wiley]

But we have a bigger tool kit than he did. For example, all that fussing he did with the damaged neg could be almost automated with a master mask or two. Any
serious color printer of that era could have taught him, including some of his Carmel neighbors. But it seems he never explored that route. And now we're spoiled with high-quality VC papers, though I often wish we still had a real selection of classic graded papers too. The problem with the Precipice Lake neg is that is was
a very early shot and severely overexposed. Let's just call it a painful incentive to invent the Zone System, part of the learning curve.

[Drew Wiley]

Of course, all these mechanical editions of certain famous images, which themselves tend to be well executed, were no doubt scanned and tweaked from master prints, not from the neg itself. "Clearing Storm" was basically a fortuitous shot from right there at the turnout overlook where millions of shots have been taken by busloads of tourists. My boss has a huge poster of it in his office. But my favorite AA shot from that spot has rarely been published, and is a very dark brooding look toward the Valley during a thunderstorm, with El Cap lit up, taken much later, in the mid-60's. It's another one from an 8x10 original which holds up well in 20x24 print size.

[mitrajoon]

It doesn't matter to me, but his son specifically states that research confirms it was taken in 1936. I'd take his word for it.

[Drew Wiley]

The older I get, the more I seem to appreciate AA's carefully nuanced poetic choreography of light. I think a person has to be really immersed in the mountains
like I have been all my life to fully recognize this. I don't don't personally either emulate or avoid his style when encountering similar subject matter; I'm hardly a clone or Zone System junkie. If the shoe fits, I wear it; otherwise, something else applies. I wear neither a beard, bent nose, nor Stetson cowboy hat. But know-it-all clowns tend to ridicule AA because his technique and nominal subject matter are now seemingly easy and have became ubiquitous among a certain generation or two of outdoor photographers. Frankly, it doesn't matter how many people own pianos; not everyone can play with the same skill. You have to listen.

[Bill_1856]

My boss has a huge poster of it in his office.

YOU have a boss? YOU?

[Drew Wiley]

Yep. I'm later stages of the process of making myself dispensable. I don't own the business, so can simply walk away. I'm soon taking up a second career as house cat butler and honey-do facilitator, and when they're not watching, sneaking into the lab or out onto the trails. Everybody picks on me. I even get cussed at by pikas, chickarees, and bluejays up in the high country.

[John Kasaian]

I find it fascinating to see all the photographers at the Tunnel View standing around waiting for snow to stop falling.

[John Kasaian]

^^^If a guy could get the concession to sell hot chocolate with brandy at the Tunnel View on snowy days, this might be one way to make a ton of $$ in photography (although you'd probably have to call it "Majestic View" or something )