Ansel Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist best known for his black-and-white landscape photographs of the American West, especially of Yosemite National Park. With Fred Archer, Adams developed the Zone System as a way to determine proper exposure and adjust the contrast of the final print.(from Wikipedia) This system still be widely used in recent years photography.
Ansel Adams, El Capitan
Phil Hawkins
The photo took by Phil Hawkins remind me the photo took by Ansel Adams in El Capitan. First, I think these two photos are both landscape. They are all show breathtaking mountains. Second, The two photographers were using light and dark to create drama and scale in a photograph. In the picture of El Capitan, the dark, trees in the foreground and the ethereal grandeur of the mountain in the background. This kind of frame makes the photo has more impact. Phil Hawkins also took this advantage on his photo the mountain in the foreground is dark, and the mountains in the back ground more light.
The most direct different between Ansel Adams and Phil Hawkins are color, Ansel Adams is good at black and white landscape photography and Phil focus on colorful landscape photography. These two photos show this difference very well. Even, two photographers both use light and dark in a photograph, but there are many differences in two photos. Ansel Adams used two thing, trees and mountains, make a comparison, but Phil Hawkins just used mountains that create contrast between the more shadowed mountain and bright mountains.
Ansel Adams, The Tetons and the Snake River(1942)
Galen Rowell, Buttermilk Road, 1971
The photo took by Galen Rowell remind me the famous "The Tetons and the Snake River" by Ansel Adams. they have many similarities in these two photographs. First, two photographers shows the majestic mountains and have a connection from background to foreground. Also, both of them let sun shine in the middle of the photos.
The differences between Galen Rowell and Ansel Adams are one is used river as the connect and another is road. The place photographers took photos also different. Galen Rowell stood on the road, Ansel Adams was high place near the river. The obvious differences are one is color, anther is black and white photo.
Ansel Adams Lake MacDonald, Glacier National Park 1942
Trey Ratcliff, Driving Along The Lakes Of New Zealand
I do not know why I can associate these two photos together because I have totally different feelings to these two photos. But I cannot stop connect these two photos with each other. The photo by Ansel Adams makes me feel the lake is mysterious and peaceful, but this kind of peaceful is very cold in my mind. Another photo by Trey Rarcliff makes me feel more happy and looking forward to this place. This lake is also very peaceful, but this kind of peaceful is full of vigor. Also, Adams' lake looks like a mirror, but Ratcliff's lake looks like a sapphire blue ribbon. Ratcliff's photo has some plants that Adams' photo does not have. On the other hand, both of them choose to use high mountains far away as a background which sets off the subject thing.
Ansel Adams
Jeff Lynch, Big Sky Country
Gilad Benari，The city turns Orange
The similarities among these three photos is they chose sky as the topic. All of them show how vast the sky is. Also, all of them used some "support roles" to set off incredible sky. Last but not least, all of them have similar frame; sky is 2/3, and "support role" is 1/3.
The differences among three photos are they used different object as their support roles. Adams's photos is still a black and white photo, but other two photos are colorful. Even though, both of them are colorful photos, they are still have some differences. Lynch's photo has pure white cloud and blue sky, but Benari's photo has a colorful sky and dark cloud. Adam and Lynch's photos made me feel it is a very nice noon, and I want to do some exercise. On the other hand, Benari's photo made me feel it is time go home and have a wonderful meal with family. Those are two different feeling.
Each group of photos have a very similar frame and topic. Adams as a very famous landscape photographer, I think many photographer were influenced by him.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_Adams
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/legacy-think-like-ansel-adams-today.html?start=2
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/A/adams/adams_lake_mcdonald_full.html
http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2012/11/14/driving-along-lake-hawea/
http://www.sierraclub.org/books/photos/rowell/
http://gilad.deviantart.com/art/The-city-turns-Orange-67780269?q=gallery:gilad/17078&qo=82
http://jefflynchdev.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/landscape-photography-big-sky-country/
