Life at Olympic trailer park by Ansel Adams

[Alan Curtis]

I had never seen any of these photographs before.
http://www.retronaut.com/2013/08/life-at-olympic-trailer-court-by-ansel-adams/
I'm sure there are many more assignments like this.

[John Kasaian]

Cool! Thanks for the link:)

[Brian Ellis]

These were taken as part of an assignment from Fortune magazine but never used by the magazine. Adams apparently forgot about them and years later found them and donated them as well as other many other prints and negatives from the same assignment to a library.

[tgtaylor]

I believe that Ansel used Brett Weston as a model on this assignment. At the time Brett was working at a local aerospace plant.

Thoma

[Vaughn]

Looks like he used his mountain climbing skills to take photos from a roof...

[john_6267]

Looks like he used his hasselblad?

[Mark Sampson]

Most likely a Rolleiflex or similar... the Hasselblad was not introduced until 1948 or so. And, of course, they are more proof that even the great photographic artists had to earn a living; I hope Fortune paid his full rate.

[David Vickery]

Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

[John Kasaian]

Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

Or somebody's uncle?:rolleyes:

[al olson]

Brings back memories. The second photo looks like a Shulte that we had in the early forties. My father was an auditor. He audited co-ops in many small towns. I was just a toddler at the time. In order to have the family with him he bought a 36-foot Shulte, which according to my mother it was the largest trailer on the road for that time.

[Vaughn]

It is interesting to see that the laundry room images were staged -- same people , but the washers moved around. And even a possible product placement going on!

[Eric Rose]

Just goes to show that AA could take crappy pics just like the rest of us.

[Jim Graves]

Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

Ansel did a lot of paid projects ... including one at the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp ... to be charitible they were not too photographically inspiring. He was not noted for his ability to capture the human experience.

So I don't think you can try to compare his classic Yosemite photos with his commercial shots.

[Alan Curtis]

About 15 years ago I saw a number of prints that Ansel had done for the Wolverine Boot company. They were being framed by a friend of mine. They were nothing special, on the back was his printing information f stop, time, burning and dodging. I'm sure he did a lot of projects like this to make a living.

[Brian Ellis]

Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

Yes, there's quite a bit of information about the donations. I remember reading an article about them somewhere, can't remember where or much about it except what I posted above.

Adams spent much of his adult life as a commercial photographer. He didn't make big money from his prints until William Turnage started handling his business and finances in the early 1970s.

[DrTang]

or maybe he is great with trees and rocks....not so much with people and buildings and cars




Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

[Ari]

Is there proof that Ansel Adams actually did this work? Exposure, focus, lighting, even composition all seem a little off for Ansel Adams. Of course, someone at the library could have printed them, but still. Or maybe these are the rejects that ended up at the library somehow??

Mr Adams produced a lot of duds in his lifetime, like all of us. His other "people" photos are just as stiff and lifeless.
Likely he was most comfortable around trees and rocks, and instructing others how to use a sensitometer.
Why would a landscape photographer get hired to do this kind of journalistic work? I can think of many reasons, but none of them would make these photos better.

[photobymike]

Just goes to show that AA could take crappy pics just like the rest of us.

LOL LOL love it

[Brian Ellis]

Mr Adams produced a lot of duds in his lifetime, like all of us. His other "people" photos are just as stiff and lifeless. . . .

One of his former assistants whose workshop I attended said that Adams estimated that he produced about 50,000 photographs in his lifetime, of which about 1,500 were worth doing something with (e.g. exhibiting, putting in a portfolio, selling, etc.). The rest were duds (by his standards). IOWs roughly 97% of the photographs he made were duds.

[mandoman7]

Its also worth noting that nearly all of his big selling masterpieces were created within a fairly concise period of time, virtually none being taken after he turned 50. But this is true of many great artists, who often have a defined fertile period of 8 to 10 yrs.. It takes not only inspiration but a lot of energy to put together a significant body of work, which seems to happen more often before family and career involvements take hold :).

[Heroique]

It’s also worth noting that nearly all of his big selling masterpieces were created within a fairly concise period of time, virtually none being taken after he turned 50...

This caught my attention since 50 is, roughly, the average age around here.

Curious how many of us feel that our best work is behind us.

And how many that it’s still ahead...

[Vaughn]

At 59 -- still ahead!

[Wayne]

My best color work is behind. My best B&W definitely is not.

[brucetaylor]

These photographs were donated to the Los Angeles Public Library by AA. IIRC, he was going to throw them out but they were saved. They were printed recently and presented at a downtown LA photography gallery during the big Pacific Standard Time series that was running all over town devoted to art and design in the region. I saw the show, and was disappointed from an artistic standpoint. They were made for a magazine assignment, so the journalistic recording was interesting from a historical view, but that's about it. He didn't do a great job with people in his pictures IMHO.

[photobymike]

I have gained much wisdom from my photography experience ...i am 61 ... tired but still have my camera on my desk waiting for inspiration...