Favorite Ansel quote and why.

[Heroique]

In the spirit of a recent and entertaining thread about favorite Ansel shots, I thought I’d offer this variation to the readers among us – favorite words by the master.

Has any scripture by St. Ansel ever inspired you?

Indeed, “Ansel the Educator” is (almost) every bit as inspiring to me as “Ansel the Image Maker.” Much of what he’s said & written has guided my understanding of the craft and opened the skies to my spirit.

Here’s just one example – a quote about “normal” lenses which guided me through my first lens purchase. (This was early in the LF game – well before I had sufficient experience to figure out what my own needs would be.)

He wrote:

“In general, I do not find the normal lens especially desirable, functionally or aesthetically. The angle of view and depth of field characteristics do not seem favorable to me in interpreting space and scale. In my experience, lenses of shorter or longer focal length are usually preferable in an aesthetic sense. I frequently find that the ‘normal’ concepts and performances are not as exciting as those that make an acceptable departure from the expected reality” (from “The Camera,” Chapter 5).

(Kind of sounds like a poet speaking about “normal” words or syntax, don’t you think?)

I remember this striking a cord in me. And I still don’t have, say, a 135mm, 150mm, or 180mm lens – but that’s not because I give priority to his preferences; rather, it’s because his example has helped me identify what my personal preferences really are.

Has Ansel guided you in some way? (Not necessarily with equipment purchases.) But have his words ever helped you achieve your aims, or better appreciate photographic aesthetics? Have they made you a better photographer at some critical moment in the field? Or perhaps a better darkroom worker?

Please share his words – and their influence on you.

[vinny]

"It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment."

[Gem Singer]

I cannot quote the exact words, but I can come close. In his first video, Ansel stated:

"Some say my images are sombre. But that's my style".

Each of us has his/her own style of seeing and photographing.That's what makes the photographic process so fascinating to me.

[Gem Singer]

I was about to call it a day and headed for the bedroom when I remembered another of my favorite Ansel sayings.

Again, loosely quoted:

"I can teach you the craft of photography, but I cannot teach you the art of photography. You will need to learn that by yourself".

[David Karp]

Here’s just one example – a quote about “normal” lenses . . . .

Interesting, thinking back to that earlier thread. So many identified Clearing Winter Storm as one of their favorites. He took that with a 300mm on 8x10!

[Drew Wiley]

My favorite quote: "I have no idea what Postmodern means." Neither do I.

[Merg Ross]

For me, this is easy. However, he wrote for a much broader audience, and had great influence.

On a June day in 1954, I had just completed the seventh grade, and a family visit to the Adams's house was planned for the evening. Ansel and Virginia were still living in San Francisco. Ansel was a frequent visitor to my family's home across the bay in Berkeley, stopping by to visit my father who was a fellow photographer.

About a year prior to the aforementioned evening, I had started my career in photography with a 4x5 camera. Ansel was supportive of my initial results.

I was of an age where soliciting autographs was cool. So, I took my little alligator covered autograph book with me that evening. Not only did Ansel ethusiastically give an autograph, Imogen Cunningham was also there, and penned a few words. The little book is long gone, but I remember vividly their inscriptions.

Ansel: "From one great photographer to another"

Imogen: "From your friend and classmate"

I was only thirteen, but memories for a lifetime.

I await the Ansel qoutes on this thread. He was special.

[Mark Sawyer]

A snippet of conversation Paul Caponigro recalled in his book, Seasons:

Minor White: "Goddamn it, Ansel, are you still practicing that zone system?"

Ansel Ansel: "Yes, my dear man. And I understand you are now practicing the Zen system."

[Brian Ellis]

"The negative is the score, the print is the performance."

Also his characterization of Edward Weston and Charis Wilson's home at Wildcat Hill as "The little house with the big heart."

Hopefully I have those right.

[Duane Polcou]

"You're not getting good whites"

Ansel to Eliot Porter upon viewing a display of his dye transfer prints.