Customer Reviews

Ansel Adams: An Autobiography

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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First of all, the reproductions of Adams' photographs in the hardcover edition are excellent. The text is designed to relate to the photos, directly or indirectly, without distracting too much from the photos. Adams does tend to lean towards the philosophical towards the end of some chapters, perhaps with a well-founded basis.

However, I think it is fair to say that Adams has "visualized" himself in a stylized and abstract manner, not unlike his photographs of the wilderness, cropping any rough edges of his life and ultimately contributing to (even propagating?) the myth surrounding his life.

After reading his autobiography, I am now looking forward to reading his biography, written by Mary Street Alinder, his editor in the present effort. I hope that she reveals some of the driving tensions and flaws in his life, much in the same way James Gleick filled in the more sombre details of Richard Feynman's life that he glossed over in his autobiographies.

While this book is about Ansel Adams, it is also about the struggle to make photography a recognized form of art. If you have any interest at all about the non-technical history of photography, I would highly recommend this book.

There is much more here than just the thoughts and ideas of one man. Each of the people that influenced Adams are described in detail, and in doing so, Adams provides a much needed background for the modern history of photography. Adams was fortunate enough to be able to work with a diverse and creative group of people at a time when the art world was expanding into new mediums. He worked with many now-famous photographers, painters, philanthropists, and institutions, and his experiences with them give the reader a very strong base from which to asses these very important ideas and movements. In reading this book, I was able to greatly improve the depth of my understanding of photography as art, as well as improve my understanding of the contributions of a number of other photographers. I was both inspired and encouraged by reading how much hard work and unending effort these photographers went through to ensure that photography would be recognized as an art form.

Another poster questioned whether Adams worked with the content of this book to cast himself in the best light. While this is quite possible, what is included does no so much focus on Ansel Adams the man as it does on his main goal in life, making photography a recognized art form. Everyone has personal issues to some degree, and I am sure that Ansel, being human, was no exception. But those problems are just that, personal, and would be tangental to what Ansel saw as the focus of his life. Everyone has faults so there is really no reason to enumerate them in print unless you are attempting to make yourself feel better by highlighting the faults of others.

I would strongly recommend this book for anyone who appreciates photography, history, and the arts, as well as those that would like to gain a better understanding of a very creative photographer. Of all the books about, or by, Ansel Adams that I have read, this is the one book that I would put at the top of the required reading list. It is also one of the best books about the modern history of photography I have read to date. I really cannot recommend it strongly enough.

This is one of the only books I have ever read where I limited myself to three pages of text a night; it was so good, I wanted to savor it as long as possible.

The photos speak for themselves; far beyond what words can express, some of these images capture the deepest truths about the American landscape.

Ansel is a good writer and a great thinker. His love for nature and music is profound, and reading of his many successful battles for the preservation of some of the world's finest places makes you just love the guy.

Whatever personal details may be missing are more than compensated for by the endless beauty within these pages. I would read three pages and then spend half an hour just falling into two or three photos. Adams' eye for light and composition and meaning is incomparable. These photos are sensual delights, with deep love attached.

Ansel also inspired me to spend serious time in Big Sur and Yosemite; for that I will always love him, and especially for his tireless work in protecting both of these most amazing of places.

What a special man.

If you can, get the first edition hardcover, it's well worth the extra bucks. The prints are as good as any fine art book you've ever seen. Later editions and the paperback are excellent, but are a step down from the first edition. You'll revisit this book many times and want to pass it on to your kids; get the best version you can.

Unlike most books on photography or photographers, this focuses more on the thoughts and relationships of Adams rather than an actual narrative of his life. The result is unexpected enlightenment: the core of the man including his attitudes, politics, and relationships. The reader also finds that he is drawn to focus on his own insights on feelings, attitudes, and creative essence. It is very easy to come a point where one attains the feeling he actually knows Adams although relatively little is actually stated in straight terms about him.

Ansel Adams was a photographer. Everyone knows that. Here you learn he was also an artist, a concert pianist, and a philosopher/humanitarian. Although only the images from Chapter 1 were hand-picked by him, the book reflects a warmth that only Ansel could have put in to it.

A fascinating look into the life of one of America's greatest photographers. More than just a story of his life, Adams gives an interesting and well-written insight into the creative process that made him one of the world's most famous photographers and one of the earliest leaders of the environmental movement. Adams doesn't only talk about himself, but he introduces the reader to many of the people who influenced him along the way: Beaumont and Nancy Newhall, Edward Weston, Alfred Stiegleitz, and Edwin Land (inventor of the Polaroid camera) to name a few. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in photography or the outdoors.

I have learned so much from this book about Ansel as well as many other notable photographers as well.
Very well written - easy to read - hard to put away...

As an aspiring photography this is a great read. I was unaware of all of the environmental works Adams performed and the struggles he endured to make photography a recognized art form. I found that the last page of most chapters provided some of the most insight from Adams, and perhaps the editor formed the back that way. Hearing his philosophies on life and the various people he admired and appreciated (Albert Bender) was enjoyable to read. What seemed to be a glaring omission, or maybe not, was discussion about his family. There is almost no mention of his children and I think no mention of his feelings for them or his wife. Maybe the intent of the book was to focus on photography.

Sorry for the inconvienince- I submitted the followig review for the wrong book. I meant these comments in reference to Mary Alinder's Biography of Ansel Adams, not his auto biography on which she assisted. Please try to correct the mistake for me. It is a great book!!

Mary Street Alinder presents a very personal look at many parts of Adams' life and career. Though most know some of his work, we don't know the early struggles to bring photography into the stuffy artistic world, the environmental activist, and his development and refinement of the photographic medium that Alinder brings to life. A great read for anyone who has marveled at his photos and wants some perspective on the personal side of this artist.

Ansel Adams poured his soul into writing this book and after reading it I better appreciate his beautiful and awe inspiring photography. Adams was a masterful photographer and a lifelong conservationist. Born in 1902, he grew up in San Francisco as an only child. By age 12 he loved playing piano and developed an interest in photography while also enjoying exploring the outdoors and taking long walks. He left formal schooling after grade eight. Although he spent a large part of his career in commercial photography, he is popular for his landscape photography.
In the 1920s Adams was spending a lot of time in the Sierra Nevada, hiking, exploring, and taking photographs, where he befriended leaders of the Sierra Club and became involved with the conservation movement. During his time at Yosemite, he met his future wife Virginia and they were married in 1928 and had two children. In the early years of marriage he juggled two professions, music and photography and talks at length about his decision to pursue his photography career.
Besides his chapters describing Yosemite, The Sierra, and other National Parks, I especially enjoyed the chapters he dedicated to describing his relationships with a diverse group of friends such as Alfred Steiglitz, Georgia O'Keefe, David McAlpin, Beaumont Newhall, Edward Weston, Edwin Land , etc. Besides spending a majority of his time out West, he also tell stories of time spent in New York City and the east coast. He led an interesting life.
This 385 page oversize book (9"x10"), is an easy read filled with glossy black and white photos with every turn of the page. If you love his photography, you'll want to have a copy of this book in your library.