Moonrise @ Princeton Art Museum

[mikez]

Ansel Adams, Moonrise: Print the Legend
October 26, 2007 – January 13, 2008

Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (1941) by Ansel Adams is one of the world's most widely recognized photographs. This exhibition, featuring four distinct prints (made in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s), explores its potent mythology and its many lives as object and image.

http://www.princetonartmuseum.org/m_exhib.cfm


I know this image is probably one of the most well known out there and some people have an Ansel obsession, others have an anti-Ansel obsession. I never got involved, but I've spent a decent amount of time reading senseless arguments on photo.net and other places. Regardless, I happen to love this print, it's one of the first prints that really captivated me and reading the story behind the exposure made me appreciate this so much more. Hey you don't have to love Ansel, but I think this small exhibit is worth checking out just to see how one negative can be printed in so many different ways.

[Brian Ellis]

That would be very interesting to see. It would have been even better if they had included a "straight" print from the negative. John Sexton shows the straight print in some of his workshops and it's just amazing how different - and frankly awful - the straight print is. I've always thought that it was a real testament to Adams that he was able to envision the print that could be made from that negative after seeing what a straight proof looked like. If it had been me I would have taken one look at the proof and tossed the negative in the trash.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Like Brian, I have seen the straight print version and it is indeed dull.

This exhibit would be a fun one to see, a great way to learn and appreciate the work of Ansel.

[mikez]

Agreed, I think everyone should appreciate his work. No not everyone will find his images to be interesting, but his impact on photography as an "accepted" art medium should be appreciated. His prints ain't half bad either Ah yes it's true about the straight print, though I've never seen it myself, but I've read that Ansel refused to make any print from the negative for years until finally an assistant? (not sure could have been someone else) talked him into it.

To me this just goes to show that sometimes even the most precise technical gurus may not know what kind of magic they have in what they think is a sub-par neg. Granted a horrible negative will never print nicely, but Ansel went at great lengths to develop moonrise evenly and then used an intensifier. It's funny if you think about it. He went through all of that and then didn't make a print. Heck I'm excited to make contact prints of all of my negatives as soon as they're done drying, even if they don't look that great on the light table, but I guess that's because I'm still new to LF.

[David Karp]

Heck I'm excited to make contact prints of all of my negatives as soon as they're done drying, even if they don't look that great on the light table, but I guess that's because I'm still new to LF.

Don't get out of the habit if you can avoid it. If I remember correctly, Sexton recommends proofing every negative, and he has exposed and developed a few sheets of film in his career. Sometimes you get fooled. A negative looks great and you can't stand it printed. Other times it looks bad and you like what you see on the contact.

I have gotten behind on my proofing in the last few years and regret it.

[Brian Ellis]

. . . Ah yes it's true about the straight print, though I've never seen it myself, but I've read that Ansel refused to make any print from the negative for years until finally an assistant? (not sure could have been someone else) talked him into it.

To me this just goes to show that sometimes even the most precise technical gurus may not know what kind of magic they have in what they think is a sub-par neg. Granted a horrible negative will never print nicely, but Ansel went at great lengths to develop moonrise evenly and then used an intensifier. It's funny if you think about it. He went through all of that and then didn't make a print. Heck I'm excited to make contact prints of all of my negatives as soon as they're done drying, even if they don't look that great on the light table, but I guess that's because I'm still new to LF.

I don't know exactly when Adams made the first print but I doubt very much that that story is true. Adams was quite excited about the potential for the photograph from the time he made it. He talks about knowing that he had an exceptional photograph, his excitement, and the care he took in developing the negative in his book "Examples - The Making of 40 Photographs." So I'd be very surprised if after all that he waited years to make the first print and then only after someone convinced him to do so. Some years after making the photograph he did use selenium on the lower portion of the negative to increase the contrast but I'm virtually certain he had already made many prints from the negative.

[Terry Hull]

It is my favorite print, but I can't reconcile the elongated clouds due to slow shutter speed, with such a clear moon. I look forward to going to the Princeton Art Center this weekend. Thanks for the tip.

[Bill_1856]

Are you guys sure that it's not "Clearing Winter Storm" that Sexton shows, and that is so flat and dingy in the straight print?

[HBDesert]

I have been to a few Sexton talks and the two images of AA that I have seen him show as straight prints are Moonrise and Monolith. Sexton also shows a few of his own straight prints including a few of the space shuttle. At first glance they are unimpressive. It really shows the vision of these two individuals.

Take Care,

Doug

[MenacingTourist]

Not a huge fan of Adams but I am a huge fan of filling my head with good work. I'm totally going.

The museum at Princeton is a nice place but the only time I was there was with two young kids and ended up being a shorter trip than what I needed. My wife and I agreed the the next time one of us would go while the other hangs with the kids at home. Only we can't resolve who is staying home first