For those who shoot black and white, there is no better photographer out there than Ansel Adams(wikipedia) for a number of reasons. The foremost reason is that he knew how to shoot and compose photographs. But my best reason is that he knew how to print.
He was one of the few great photographers who knew how to manipulate a photograph at the printing stage by doing just the right amount of dodging and burning. I’m not referring to Photoshop, but using an enlarger in a darkroom.
Below is one one of his most famous images. You’ll notice that the composition causes the eye to travel along the river and to the top left portion of the photograph. The balance of the whites and blacks is wonderful to look at.
The Tetons and the Snake River
His photographs can be purchased here.
4 Comments
July 16, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Old Ansel knew his thing. I loved his zone system. I find decent B&W requires me to think sometimes a good thing and sometimes not.
July 16, 2008 at 2:30 pm
What I love about shooting in black and white is after a while it just comes natural. Everywhere you look you see a picture right away without thinking. It has helped me a lot in my composition.
The problem with that is you can’t just turn it off. It get’s annoying because you can’t enjoy a stroll in the park without your brain saying, “there’s a picture”; “there’s another one”. Oh look. “Why the heck did you leave your camera at home, you dope.”
July 16, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Hi, yes he was good, although these days things have changed a bit.Photoshop burn tools have become so easy to use that almost anybody can recreate his works of art.With a bit of expertise of course.
Ryan
July 16, 2008 at 9:24 pm
The only problem with the Photoshop age is that digital doesn’t provide the same graininess quality as film.