Ansel Adams: Do you fight or embrace his influence on your landscapes?

[Drew Wiley]

Lots of those Yosemite volume AA prints are geared to tourists. When I was growing up you could purchase ten for $40 (or that's what my brother repeatedly told me, since lil' brat me wasn't allowed in there). Obviously $4 then was more like $40 today, but still several decimel points from the $40,000 fetched by a vintage print by the hands of AA himself. I don't worship AA's printing style. I can make piles of technically better prints every year. I've shown them side by side with AA originals and certainly didn't come in second. But that's not a fair fight. We've got better gear, better film and paper, and a way bigger bag of tricks, some of these tricks due to his example in the first place. But I'll never have a mountain or wilderness area named for me. History has its place. I don't terribly like the way Sexton prints either, but probably for just the opposite reason as you, Lenny. But that's not the point. People should print to render the image as THEY intend it, not you or me. Whether someone else "gets it" is secondary, though AA himself certainly attained widespread popularity. But I too
have a very high opinion of Watkins, both in terms of compositional skill and actual print rendering. Too bad so many of his remaining albumens have mildewed.

[Lenny Eiger]

People should print to render the image as THEY intend it, not you or me.

I would never suggest otherwise. I said I didn't like it, I didn't say it was wrong, or shouldn't be allowed. I just think something "more" is possible, and that's personal opinion, not a rule I'm trying to suggest.

[paulr]

No, sorry, I always print the way Drew would want it.

[Corran]

Heh.
Alan Ross gave a workshop near here recently. I unfortunately couldn't go, but, some of his prints and original Adams prints are up - I'll be going to see them soon.
Drew is welcome to send me one of his so I can compare directly. I'll send it back, of course.

[appletree]

They were fresh when they made them, but now they border on cliche. I remember a similar thread on this forum, which dealt with the issue that almost any image we make has already been made. The conclusion which resonated the most with me was that while our images may not be original any more, the act of making them was original to each of us at the time, i.e. it is the circumstances and emotions involved in making our images that gives them value to each of us, not the final image itself.

Well, I only got 3 pages in but wanted to respond to this bit. I think this is what is running through my mind while reading this. I had a conversation years ago with my best friend while we were traveling and it was about "original ideas". I mean with 7 billion of us and many of whom have had a camera in their back pocket for the past 10 years, it is difficult not to have something already done. By why fight it? Just enjoy your approach and the sense of excitement and creation for yourself in your own work.

And if we are not consciously influenced by Ansel Adams, then perhaps someone else. Or perhaps influenced by that outside of photography all together. Does this not ultimately boil down to a nature vs nurture sort of thing? Where some could argue all we do is influenced by something in our past, whether we choose to accept it or not. Occasionally maybe something completely new exists, but why does it matter? I understand the drive for people is different for everyone. Some want purpose, some want that sense of discovery, some are trying to fill that void.

For me, I openly except influence from others. Those that have beautiful works of art and great vision. For my joy is not found in creating something for myself, but just the sense of creating. Doing something that only man can do. Something God allows me to do as He works in me and through me. I find joy in just knowing I can go out and create, with eyes to see, hands to take photos, the money in my pocket to buy film, etc. The pure joy of holding a wet negative up to the light is what moves me. Even if the photo is re-hashed, not great, over-exposed, etc etc. I don't think my work will ever be "good enough" or "original." Yet if I only strive for that, I will continue to be let down.

[Drew Wiley]

I see things are still waterlogged east of the Mississippi.

[Heroique]

Well, I only got 3 pages in but wanted to respond to this bit...

I enjoyed your thoughtful remarks (though I strenuously disagree with 75% of them). For you've raised significant issues about influence that have received no attention so far, including a few that innocently and without harm frolic at the edge of forum guidelines. ;^)

From all of us here on the thread's far side (and I do hope I speak for all of us), we wish you luck on your ambitious journey, and eagerly await your arrival. To help prepare you for a wild ride, I'll only add that you're going to smile when you come across the claim that the artist's search for autonomy is meaningless – then frown, even feel a deep repugnance, to someone else's story about becoming the heretic. (When you need a place to rest, there's a magical brook with a talking fish.) Let's just say it's a shadowy forest you're about to enter, offering many chances to think, change, grow.

Good luck, Appletree! We have our binoculars trained on forest's edge, eagerly anticipating your emergence from the trees – we'll be thrilled to hear what you learned on the way.

[John Kasaian]

If Yosemite were Kauai and Ansel Adams was John Wayne and Edward Weston was Lee Marvin..?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxCDQVh89bE

[Drew Wiley]

whhhh, John? Too many anachronisms. I was watching a good ole Clint Eastwood shootout in the Alabama Hills the other nite. Nice that when he needed to bag
the enemy cowboy several hundred yards out, he had a nice Weatherby bolt-action rifle with scope sixty years before anyone else. I also like it when John Wayne rides through the Alabama Hills being chased by Apache Indians in Sioux costume that the dust clouds from the horses matches the jet contrails in the sky. But per Kauai, they do have a wonderful canyon themselves. I just didn't have the right camera along the last Spring. Too windy for the 4x5 along the rim. Should have taken the 6x7. There were some flashfloods with entire houses getting washed out to sea, and at least one tourist on the NaPali trail that got swept over the cliffs trying to cross a flooded stream. When we were snorkeling, I frequently had to clear the tube of fresh water from the sky - almost wetter above the ocean! But I bagged a couple of nice b&w shots inside nearly dark lava caves. Acros helps for those dicey situations.

[appletree]

I enjoyed your thoughtful remarks (though I strenuously disagree with 75% of them). For you've raised significant issues about influence that have received no attention so far, including a few that innocently and without harm frolic at the edge of forum guidelines. ;^)

From all of us here on the thread's far side (and I do hope I speak for all of us), we wish you luck on your ambitious journey, and eagerly await your arrival. To help prepare you for a wild ride, I'll only add that you're going to smile when you come across the claim that the artist's search for autonomy is meaningless – then frown, even feel a deep repugnance, to someone else's story about becoming the heretic. (When you need a place to rest, there's a magical brook with a talking fish.) Let's just say it's a shadowy forest you're about to enter, offering many chances to think, change, grow.

Good luck, Appletree! We have our binoculars trained on forest's edge, eagerly anticipating your emergence from the trees – we'll be thrilled to hear what you learned on the way.

I am so confused. And lost. You lost me. My apologies.

I hope I did not step on any toes nor teeter on breaking forum rules!?!

And my journey began many years ago. I just decided to pick up a camera along the way, nearly 6 years ago. A fraction of time compared to many around here and while not any LF, as of yet, I still think it transfers over regardless of medium. Perhaps it is borderline offensive or comes across as insincere to an artist or their body of work when I make the claim (re: opinion) that their work is influenced (most likely) one way or another. Regardless if it is from Ansel Adams, Manuel Bravo, Weston, Sudek, or even music, movies, experiences growing up, locations raised, beliefs, etc etc. I think it is all quite beautiful and a wonderful realization to take the weight off and just enjoy our time spent as just that. I mean do what you want, by all means. I just think you could spend a life time searching for that talking fish chasing perfection or uniqueness.