Online presentation: Ansel Adams: The Man Behind the Camera, a presentation by Alan Ross
When: Sunday, February 20, 2022, 2 – 3 p.m. via Zoom
Register online at: www.wildlingmuseum.org/news/2022-ansel-adams-presentation
Suggested donation: $5.00
Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross, on view through March 20, 2022. Photo by Michael Reidinger.
SOLVANG — The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce a special virtual program in honor of Ansel Adams on what would have been the iconic photographer’s 120th birthday. The public is invited to tune in to Ansel Adams: The Man Behind the Camera on Sunday, February 20, 2 – 3 p.m. via Zoom for an insightful presentation by photographer Alan Ross, Ansel Adams’ friend and former assistant. The two photographers are currently featured in the Wildling Museum’s exhibition Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross, on view through March 20, 2022.
While Ansel Adams’ striking images and exacting technique have been well documented over the years, what is less shared is a view of the man behind the camera. This presentation will reveal more about who Ansel Adams was as a person, how he worked, what motivated him to expose film to light, and his magical and sometimes irreverent sense of humor.
Adams’ long-time assistant and internationally recognized photographer, Alan Ross, will paint a picture of the legendary artist as only someone who worked side-by-side with him can. Using his own personal photographs of Adams working in the field, in the darkroom and at home, personal notes and letters from master to apprentice, anecdotes, and recollections from his nearly six years as Adams’ full-time photographic assistant, Ross will share his experiences of the artist, mentor, and friend
Alan Ross.
“It’s always exciting for me to share a little bit of the Ansel I knew and worked with… the man behind the lens, the educator, activist, comedian, mentor and friend,” says Ross. “I have no doubt that if he was still here with us, a grand party would be in the works to celebrate his 120th trip around the sun. In his absence, I’ll enjoy celebrating him by sharing my stories and memories.”
The suggested donation for this virtual event is $5.00. To register and learn more, visit: www.wildlingmuseum.org/news/2022-ansel-adams-presentation.
Please email info@wildlingmuseum.org or call (805) 686-8315 with any questions. The Wildling Museum’s ongoing Zoom programming is sponsored by Montecito Bank & Trust.
This program is offered in conjunction with the Wildling Museum’s current exhibition, Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross. For more information, visit: www.wildlingmuseum.org/news/sharing-the-light-ansel-adams-and-alan-ross.
About Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams (1902-1984) is among the most notable photographers of the 20th century. He rose to prominence as a landscape photographer of the American West and is best known for his iconic black and white images of Yosemite National Park. Adams co-founded Group f/64 with Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham, an association of photographers dedicated to elevating photography to a fine art at a time when photography was strictly considered a form of documentation. Adams later developed the Zone System technique with fellow photographer Fred Archer, a method of photographic exposure and development dedicated to a deep technical understanding of tonal range, which resulted in photographic prints marked by clarity and depth, elements for which Adams’ work is perhaps best known.
In 1940, Adams served as a key advisor in the creation of the photography department at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) along with Beaumont Newhall and David McAlpin. Adams went on to help organize the department’s first photography exhibition and was instrumental in establishing photography as a fine art medium.
Throughout his career, Adams used his photography to promote wilderness conservation and worked as an active environmentalist. His advocacy aided the expansion of the U.S. National Park system and his environmental work was recognized by President Jimmy Carter in 1980 when he awarded Adams with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Adams’ works are included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, U.K., among numerous other public and private collections around the world.
About Alan Ross
Alan Ross (b. 1948) is a renowned photographer whose unique vision combines traditional photographic methods with today’s technology. Ross is best known for his tonally exquisite black-and-white photographs of the American West. He worked side-by-side with Ansel Adams as his photographic assistant, and was personally selected by Adams to print his Yosemite Special Edition negatives, a role he has maintained since 1975. Alan lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he pursues his own photography, teaches one-on-one workshops in the art of seeing and master printing, and writes articles and blogs sharing his vast knowledge of the art and craft of photography.
Ross’s works are included in the permanent collections of Hunter Museum of Art, Chattanooga, TN; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, AZ; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA; University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI; Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI; Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, NM; and numerous other public and private collections around the world.
About the Wildling Museum
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, where art and nature meet, offers visitors a unique perspective on the importance of preserving our natural heritage. Through the eyes of artists, and education and field experiences, guests can renew their relationship with the wilderness and understand its fragile nature – hopefully leaving more committed toward ensuring those spaces remain for future generations. For more information, and to volunteer or join as a member to support this important local arts and nature institution, please visit www.wildlingmuseum.org.
Additional digital resources are available at www.wildlingmuseum.org/virtual-visit, including online galleries from all current exhibitions, links to art activities, videos, and more to help online visitors experience the museum from home.