Moonrise Hernandez 2007

[roteague]

Well, I didn't feel like speculating, so I quoted Ansel's own words. If you have an issue with that, you're welcome to take it up with him.

I didn't say you were speculating. I was implying that he was speculating, which is what he was.

[Marko]

I didn't say you were speculating. I was implying that he was speculating, which is what he was.

Oh, I see, you were implying that Ansel was speculating.

And what is it exactly that you are doing with this?

[BrianShaw]

But I'll keep trying.

I gave up - threee strikes and I was out:

Scaffolding, North Court, Mission San Xavier del Bac.
Automobiles, North Court, Mission San Xavier del Bac
Dull boring light, North Court, Mission San Xavier del Bac

I don't remember the dates, however. I was the guy with the Rollei TLR. Were you the guy waiting behind me?

[roteague]

Oh, I see, you were implying that Ansel was speculating.

And what is it exactly that you are doing with this?

Sorry Marko, I picked the wrong quote when I hit the reply button.

I don't think anyone can know owhat Ansel Adams may have thought about today's digital photography.

[Kirk Gittings]

It's easy to speculate on technology that doesn't exist, which was the case with Ansel and digital. It doesn't mean he would have felt that way once he saw what digital images really look like.

Anyone who knew Ansel even slightly, I think, would say that he was open to all new technologies, but that he would have pushed and pushed that technology until he got what he wanted aesthetically before he would use it for his art, as he did with offset printing the poster series. He was one of the first I believe to utilize digital unsharp masking to sharpen the foreground on Moonrise in the poster, which is why only the posters of Moonrise have a sharp foreground, which he was very pleased with. He was also very verbal about his dislike of resurrecting old photo technologies He was all about moving forward.

[walter23]

Last time I drove by there about 10 years ago there was a big sheet of plywood that said "No photos taken here"
I hadn't realized where I was, just saw the sign and pulled over out of curiousity and quickly realized what was up and what I was looking at. The 4x5 stayed in the car.

Sounded like an absolutely golden photo opportunity, too. If you could make it recognizable as Ansel's location, and prominently include the sign..

[walter23]

Anybody remember that fuss about the astronomical conditions being perfect for reproducing the position and phase of the moon in Moonrise a couple of years ago?

I'd like to see some of those images.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Walter,

Wasn't that big to do about the moonrise over Half Dome from Glacier Point in Yosemite?

Seems like I remember it being Yosemite and not Hernandez.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Walter,

I also seem to recall that not to many years ago someone figured out the exact time of day that the Hernandez photograph was made based on the position of the moon in the photograph.

But then I seem to have a clouded memory these days.

[roteague]

Anyone who knew Ansel even slightly, I think, would say that he was open to all new technologies, but that he would have pushed and pushed that technology until he got what he wanted aesthetically before he would use it for his art, as he did with offset printing the poster series. He was one of the first I believe to utilize digital unsharp masking to sharpen the foreground on Moonrise in the poster, which is why only the posters of Moonrise have a sharp foreground, which he was very pleased with. He was also very verbal about his dislike of resurrecting old photo technologies He was all about moving forward.

I don't doubt that Kirk. Unfortunately, when the talk turns to digital, everyone automatically assumes this means both digital capture and digital printing - two different technologies, related in name only. Whether he would have chosen both mediums is questionable.