A 1958 Documentary About the Life and Work of Photographer Ansel Adams

If you have a free 20 minutes, here’s a great 1958 documentary on the life and work of iconic landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Created while Adams was living at a house near the Golden Gate Bridge, the film provides a look into his home, interests, attitudes toward art, camera equipment, and photographic techniques.

It’s interesting seeing him work in each part of the analog photography process, from carefully calculating the technical details of an exposure to bringing the images to life in a darkroom. You might also be surprised by how much gear he brings along on his photo expeditions, with countless cameras, lenses, and accessories stuffed into an 8 passenger car — one that has a custom photo platform attached on top.

Here’s the second ten minutes:

Aside from being an avid photographer, Adams was also a musician, environmentalist, mountaineer, writer, and teacher.

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