Go to home page

ANSEL ADAMS in color? The very thought is almost heretical.

My introduction to Ansel Adams was through a photography class in college, learning his "Zone System." It was frustrating but the experience did, engender a deep appreciation for the complexity of his black-and-white work.

While color film of the era lacked the tonal range of his iconic black-and-white photographs, he clearly mastered the nuances of Kodachrome, and this book, "Ansel Adams in Color," is loaded with beautiful, if for the most part unmemorable, images.

It is as if you expect to see these places photographed in color, but seeing these wonderful places in black and white takes the scene beyond the ordinary. A few color standouts are his photographs from Taos, N.M., and Monument Valley. Perhaps it doesn't help that the book itself barely measures 8- by 10-inches--Adams' photographs benefit from a fair bit of size. The real treasure of "Ansel Adams in Color" is the collection of excerpted correspondence from Adams dealing with his thoughts on the process of color photography.

Mike Morones is a photographer with The Free Lance-Star.

Back to top