Ansel Adams, a prodigy?

[pepeguitarra]

... in this day and age with everything coming out about everyone, and skeletons being hung on the internet line for all to see it is the fad to discount the acomplishments of some because they said or did something forever ago.

I watched the video in question and I thought it was well done.

Well, the video was probably done with the blessing of his family, they appear on it. However, it is not that in this day and age, those retrospectives happen. They have happened at all times. What would have happened to Vincent Van Gogh if he had not written over 400 letters describing every moment of his life (all to his brother Theo)? He probably would have been forgotten and nobody would know that he lived ahead of this time, as an expressionist, when the impressionist were fashion. Thanks to his letter (al of them) that I have in one big volume, I could learn about him. Someone put 100 of those in a book called Lust for Life, which was used for a movie with Kirk Douglas. Gaugin was also understood thanks to his diaries. Now, Theo, Vincent's brother died six months after Vincent. So, his wife was left with no income. Someone suggested to publish the letters, so she did, and the world learned about Vincent. Although I am not into street photography, Vivian Maier never sold or exhibited a photograph. Someone accidentally bought her belongings and is making a ton of money with her images. I don't think that some of these retrospective are done to diminish the accomplishment of the artist. If any, it helps people connect to the artist and maybe understand him/her better. I hope!

[Tin Can]

Vivian Maier was trying to sell prints in France.

One of the 'winners' even found the French photo store she was dealing with.

[pepeguitarra]

Vivian Maier was trying to sell prints in France.

One of the 'winners' even found the French photo store she was dealing with.

See what I mean? Live and learn!! Thanks Randy.

[Tin Can]

I used to live in Chicago and studied Ms Maier as much as I could. Films, books and exhibits.

Oddly enough we were in the same locations many times, over many years, but I never saw her. Easy to blend into Chicago.

There are pictures she shot that I could have been in, same days, same location, but not, as I checked.

However, I believe there are more images to come. Perhaps I will not recognize myself...

See what I mean? Live and learn!! Thanks Randy.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Like many creative and well rounded individual Ansel applied his experience, knowledge, wisdom gained from Music and living life into his photographic work.

Perhaps a minor aside: in my second career of thirty-something years my best programmers were musicians and musical composers. They have a unique view of our world.

[Drew Wiley]

Bernice - Everybody seemed to know about AA long before Bill Turnage. I was just a country kid and he was a household name, though I never saw an any actual prints of his until my 30's. But magazine shots were common. At the Brooks Institute where my brother attended in the 60's, all the instructors spoke about him - not in a nice sense, but nose-turned up - a mere "rocks and trees type" - what you were not supposed to be if you choose a pro photo career. His shots were popular and famous enough have a significant impact on the creation of Kings Can NP, and important in numerous other conservation efforts. ... and I'm referring to their public popularity, not just some museum presence. Yosemite was already protected when he came along, except for the infamous congressional override that allowed a dam in Hetch Hetchy valley. I grew up nearby, but my parents wouldn't allow me into Best Studios where his work was sold, because there were all kinds of little ceramic chipmunks etc precariously perched on the shelves just so little brats running around like me would accidentally knock them off, and our parents would have to pay for them. It was the epitome of what my father called a tourist trap. But the postcards and so forth in there went worldwide. I've never been anywhere in the country where the name of AA isn't synonymous with photography itself. I'm not saying it's logical. Kinda like Elvis being the only singer people ever heard of.