Lessons from the Masters: Sally Mann

By: Adam Welch

Photography can be mischaracterized as a “safe” medium. More often than not, photographs are geared towards improving the way we view the world and ourselves. Generally speaking, photography appeals to the lighter side of our senses. Whether it’s the calm aesthetics of a serene landscape or a hauntingly sublime portrait of an elegant model, when we think of photography, we immediately think about all the ways it can make the world seem more beautiful and more safe.

But the world isn’t always beautiful. The world isn’t always the safe and secure menagerie of perfection we often see displayed in the photographs on social media and other corners of the internet. For all its effectual nature, photography, which displays only the conventionally pristine faces of our world, is at best, a blissful half-truth and at worse, blatant hypocrisy. We are surrounded by uncomfortable realities that are easier ignored than embraced or even acknowledged.
This leads me to the work and life of a photographer who is surrounded by as much controversy as she is by her works enigmatic magnetism. In this edition of “Lessons from the Masters,” we take a close look at the photography of Sally Mann. We see why and how she has become such an oddly iconic herald of the merits of unconventional photographic content.
Mann’s photographs epitomize the harsh internal conflicts we all face in our work and our lives as we walk the fine line between tactful self-expression and creative freedom. We’re going to find out what lessons we can learn and apply (or avoid) to grow as photographers.

Who is Sally Mann?

Photo: Michelle Hood [CC BY-SA 3.0]

In 1951, the girl who becomes Sally Mann was born in the small southern town of Lexington, Virginia where she still lives today. Her path to photography was first facilitated through her physician father (also an artist) with whom Sally would have an admittedly complex relationship throughout her life. She holds a BA and an MA in creative writing from Hollins University in Virginia. It is remarkable to note that Sally Mann has never formally trained in the craft of photography.
Although she has produced work across all photographic mediums, she gravitates toward photographing things closest to her home in the southern United States. The large body of her photographs centers around the investigation of death, sensuality, history, childhood, and the visceral (often painful) realities of life.
Many of her most known photos are products of antiquated photographic techniques such as wet plate collodion. She captures these using an antique 8×10 view camera with equally-aged lenses. Incidentally, this type of photography plays an enormous role in one of the most important lessons we will learn from Mann.
Sally Mann has published numerous books of her photographs as well as produced multiple major exhibitions and is a Guggenheim fellow. She has been the subject of two documentary films with one nominated for an Academy Award and the other an Emmy.
In 2001, Mann was named “America’s Best Photographer” by Times magazine.

Now, let’s look at some lessons we can learn from Sally Mann.

Photographic opportunities are everywhere

We are fortunate today as photographers in that we can make photographs at literally any time. Through the progression of photographic techniques, our cameras have become smaller, cheaper, and generally more qualitative than ever before.
And yet, we sometimes find ourselves at a loss for what to photograph.

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this mental photo block myself. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we need to “go somewhere” to make photos. It’s easy to forget that it’s not necessarily the location or the subject matter that makes for a great photo. Instead, it’s how we inject our own creativity into the making of the photo that truly matters.
In the case of Sally Mann, the majority of her work takes place on and around her property, with concentrations on simple subject matter.

The lesson:

The next time you feel like there’s nothing to photograph, remember to look a little deeper at the things surrounding you at any given moment. Light transforms textures and can produce incredibly dynamic compositions from even the most common subjects.
As a measure of solidarity, I made three photos using my cell phone here in the room where I’m currently writing. They are incredibly basic objects: my hand, a spoon, and a book, with the entire process only consuming about ten minutes. I made all of these using available window light and then quickly processed them in Adobe Lightroom Mobile.



Much like Ed Weston and his simplistic photos of common objects, Sally Mann teaches us that it can pay to look deeper at the things we encounter every day.

Embrace the flaws

Nothing is or ever will be perfect, especially our photographs. Coming to terms with the truth that perfection is unattainable is a constant difficulty that we all must face as photographers. Sally Mann takes this one step further by actively welcoming flaws and imperfections into her work.
Many of Mann’s most iconic works carry a measure of impurity, which somehow lends itself to completing the total impact of the photo.

From one of my own photo projects. A sheet of 4×5 film shot in the Mojave desert and developed 

from the back of my car. Complete with dirt, scratches and water spots.

Sally Mann refers to this mercurial facet of her work as the “angel of uncertainty” in reference to the somewhat unpredictable nature of the photographic processes she employs. It’s this complete surrender to the happenstances of the work that gives Sally Mann’s photos their unique qualities.

The lesson:

Try to strike a balance between proficiency and cautioned spontaneity when you make your photographs. Keep in mind that a “perfect” photo doesn’t exist and try not to become so preoccupied with your technique that the creative nature of your work suffers.
Allow yourself to be yourself, and that will shine through in your photos. Welcome all the little intricacies and glitches, which come along with making photographs, and you will likely find more enjoyment from the images you make.

Recognize the power of photography

As much as Sally Mann’s work is revered by some it is reviled by others. Her expressions of death, decay and especially her highly controversial images of her children have made here somewhat of a polarized figure. It speaks to the incredible power held within photographs which can move people in a multitude of directions.

Photo by Adam Welch

The lesson:

Photography is not just a two-dimensional art form. The power of photography can transcend the medium itself with many legendary photos serving as a model for social and environmental change.
To that end, we must always remember that our work can affect our viewers on levels we might not fully comprehend.
It’s true that we can impact the lives of those who see our photos in a positive way. Yet, it is also true that our photos can have the opposite effect and can potentially cause pain. In the case of Sally Mann, the public reception may include entirely different attitudes than was originally intended.

In closing…

No matter if you’re a professional or hobbyist, being a photographer today means constant reminders that our photographs could always be better. If we only had this or that piece of gear, or maybe if we travel to this place or that, our images will somehow finally reach that magical Nirvana we always hoped they could achieve.
And then we have Sally Mann – a photographer that has managed to become arguably one of the most influential photo makers of the last fifty years.
She seems to defy the conventions of today’s photographic climate by shooting close to and in her home using tools and techniques that are more than a century old.
Her work is famous – and at times, infamous.
In fact, many of her more notable works can’t even be shown within this article. Yet, the work of Sally Mann reminds us all that we are making photographs with similar intentions; to express ourselves using whatever means satisfy us most.
Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from Sally Mann is that we all share a common complexity best translated through photographs in the absence of words. That somehow we find perfection through imperfection, and that we are all mortal.

You may also like:

• Lessons you can learn from master photographers – Minor White, Ansel Adams, and Syl Arena
• More Lessons from the Photography Masters: David Burnett and Vivian Maier
• Lessons from the Masters: Robert Capa and Jerry Uelsmann
• Lessons from the Masters: Morley Baer
• Lessons from the Masters: Imogen Cunningham 

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Lessons from the Masters: Imogen Cunningham

A Post By: Adam Welch

It’s easy enough to develop the illusion that the legendary names venerated throughout the history of photography were somehow so different from ourselves. While’s it’s certainly true that the photographic climate has changed, we still share the same passion for the art as those who clicked shutters fifty years or even a century ago. Many of them faced the same challenges, inspirations, successes and failures as we do. Perhaps that’s why I love learning more about the giants of photography and applying lessons from their work to my photos.
In this installment of “Lessons from the Masters,” we’re going to take a closer look at the work of the estimable Imogen Cunningham. Her determination and herculean achievements placed her working alongside other formative photographers of the 20th century. The contributions she made to photography as an art helped shape the photographic landscape we know today.

Imogen Cunningham

Self Portrait with Korona View, 1933 ©2019 Imogen Cunningham Trust

Named after the heroine of the Shakespearean play Cymbeline, Imogen Cunningham entered this world on April 12th, 1883. Born to rather paradoxical parents (her father a spiritualist and her mother Methodist) in Portland, Oregon she was a self-described “ill-tempered” child.
When she was 18 years old, she saved enough money to purchase (via mail order) her first camera in 1903, a 4×5 type, along with a box of glass plate negatives. She then began teaching herself how to make photographs. Cunningham knew photography would be her life’s work although her path would not be a direct one.
Following her graduation from the University of Washington with a degree in Chemistry in 1907, Imogen worked with Edward Curtis at his Seattle studio. There, she honed her skills in the darkroom while printing his iconic images of Native Americans and the American West.
Two years later, Cunningham received a $500 grant which enabled her to continue her studies abroad in Germany. During this time she developed theories on photographic chemistry still practiced today.
On her return to the west coast from Europe, Imogen made a familiar pilgrimage which other notable artists of the time often made and ventured to New York City for a meeting with the legendary Alfred Stieglitz at his “291” gallery. Stieglitz introduced her to Gertrude Käsebier who was the first professional female commercial photographer at that time.
After this influential meeting, Imogen committed her energy to photography. She opened a studio in Seattle, Washington and soon made a name for herself through portraits.
It was this studio where Imogen made her living while finding time to delve into more personal work before relocating to California in 1917. Unfortunately for us, she left the majority of her photographs and negatives behind, so there isn’t a large wealth of examples from that period of her career. In 1929, the Film und Foto Exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany, included a ten-piece selection of Cunningham’s work. The fabled Group f/64 would form a few years later to which Imogen was a founding member. Other founding members included her friend Edward Weston as well as Henry Swift, John Paul Edwards, Sonja Noskowiak, Ansel Adams and Willard Van Dyke. Over the years, Imogen Cunningham’s body of work would be as eclectic as it was groundbreaking.

Imogen photographing Ansel Adams…photographing Half Dome in 1953. ©2019 Imogen 

Cunningham Trust

After living an extraordinary life of photography, Imogen Cunningham passed away on June 23rd, 1976 in San Francisco, California at the age of 93.
Now that you know a little bit about the person, let’s dig a little deeper. We’ll look at a few of the many the lessons you can learn from the life, work, and attitude of Imogen Cunningham which can help to improve your photography.

Extend your range

Imogen Cunningham’s choice in subject matter was ‘diverse’ to say the least. From her earliest pictorial work to her self portraits and nudes, it’s safe to say that the idea of sticking to one subject or even one genre for that matter was not something that held back the creative spirit of Imogen Cunningham. She believed that photographs presented themselves to her organically.
She seldom went “looking for things to shoot,” instead preferring to allow the subject matter to appeal to her aesthetic awareness. I mean, come on, she was even one of the early practitioners of street photography before there was street photography!

Hashbury, 1967. ©2019 Imogen Cunningham Trust

Many of Imogen’s most iconic photographs gravitated towards the use of light and shadow to present common scenes in an extraordinary way by accentuating texture and shapes. She could look past what a subject was to see what it could be. This beautifully simplistic aesthetic is one of the reasons so many Cunningham prints carry a timeless appeal.

The Unmade Bed, 1957. ©2019 Imogen Cunningham Trust

Sometimes we find ourselves concentrating so vigorously on obtaining a particular photograph that we overlook other opportunities to produce great work. While it’s true that we can and should visualize how we want the final image to appear, the process is often helped along if we remain flexible.

One of my favorite photographs by Imogen Cunningham, “Callas” from around 1925.
©2019 Imogen Cunningham Trust

Don’t allow yourself to be mired down by one particular subject or location. This is especially true for us today while bombarded by social media accounts producing visually similar photos according to a theme rather than personal expression. This leads to an almost unconscious dulling down of creativity.

My own still life photo of lilies making use of light and texture to bring out the subtle elegance of a 

simple subject.

Photograph anything and everything that you please – even if might not fit with what you generally shoot.

Feel the fear…then do it anyway

One of my favorite quotes from Imogen Cunningham goes like this:

“…you can’t expect things to be smooth and easy and beautiful. You just have to work, find your way out, and do anything you can yourself.”

Without a doubt, Imogen was a strongly independent, capable and witty woman who pursued her work with an intensity of purpose. At the same time, she was human. She faced challenges, hardships, and fear just as we all do.

The key to overcoming your self-doubt is to keep moving forward. I think that’s what Cunningham was getting at here. It’s not that we should strive to be fearless but instead work to be tireless in the face of fear or our lack of confidence.
When it comes to photography, there will always be areas where we don’t feel as knowledgeable or proficient as we would like. However, that shouldn’t reduce you to thinking you will always feel that way. Take it from Imogen. Work hard and accept that you won’t always find yourself in easy situations. But never, never, never give up.

Interface with other photographers

Surrounded by other photographers, like many other defining artists of her time, Imogen loved discussing all aspects of photo work. As a founding member of Group f/64, she understood the value of sharing ideas and concepts with other photographers who approached the medium with the same zeal as she did. They learned from one another and worked to further the craft.
One of the most enlightening and enjoyable things I have ever done in this regard was to start the ongoing ITOW (In Their Own Words) Project. This project consists of interviewing other photographers that I either know personally or interact with on social media. The insights gained through these discussions continue to help deepen my own appreciation for the way other people see photography.

By Seth Doyle via Unsplash

Whenever possible, take the time to get to know other photographers and discuss photography openly and honestly. This doesn’t mean you have to strike up a conversation with anyone you see is carrying a camera, but it’s always interesting to examine how other people go about making their images and why.
Worldwide communication has never been more extensive or readily available. We have the capability of connecting with people whom we would have never known existed otherwise. One of the greatest assets we have for growth in our work is by interacting with other people who appreciate the value of photography.

Parting thoughts on Imogen Cunningham

Having been fortunate enough to view some of Imogen’s original prints, it’s easy for me to understand why she was, and still is, one of the most influential and accomplished photographers of all time. Along with other pioneering photographers, we owe a debt of gratitude to Imogen for helping advance photography to the incredible medium we know today.
The lessons we can learn from her work extend well beyond the photographic. She helped show that beauty is found in places and objects we see every day and that we can accomplish almost any goal – no matter how distant it may seem.
I urge you to learn more about Imogen Cunningham, her photographs and her wonderful example of living a full life.
Author’s Note: I would like to extend my immense appreciation to The Imogen Cunningham Trust for permitting the use of many of the photographs presented in this article.

More Lessons from the Masters of Photography: Edward Weston

A Post By: Adam Welch

In any art form, we have those who seem to transcend the medium itself. Those who by their very accomplishments earn the respect and admiration of those who view their work. We call these esteemed individuals “Masters”. In photography, there great names that we hold high because their photographs move us on some emotional, nearly spiritual plain. We see these people as masters of photography not simply because of their level of technical skill but how their application of those skills makes us feel. At the same time, we strive to reach that same level of proficiency.
In this installment of Lessons from the Masters of Photography, we are going to examine the work of Edward Weston. We will look at the photographs and also the man to see what valuable lessons they can teach us about photography.

Edward Weston

Edward Weston by Fred Archer- 1915

Weston was born in Highland Park, IL on March 24th, 1886. He began photography at the relatively young age of 16 when he was given a No. 2 Bulls-Eye camera by his father. The camera used 3 ½ inch roll film and Weston used the incredible little box to make photographs around Chicago where he spent a large portion of his childhood.
After moving to California in 1906, he worked as a surveyor and began working in photography essentially as a “door-to-door” photographer. A couple of years later, Weston would return to Illinois to attend the Illinois College of Photography where he became proficient in darkroom and camera techniques. Finally, in 1911, he opened his first studio in Tropico, California. The rest, as they say, is history.
Edward West went on to become one of the most dominating forces in the world of photography and is now considered by many to be one of the first great American photo makers. His work ranges from landscapes to fine art nudes and still life. In this article, we’re going to look at a few of the many lessons you can learn from the great Ed Weston, one of the Masters of Photography.

There are no Rules

How many times have you stopped yourself from placing a horizon dead center in a composition because it isn’t generally considered correct? Have you worn out the Rule of Thirds?
Do you always want to retain detail in the shadows each and every time? If you ever don’t make a photo in a certain way because it isn’t the “correct way”, then you are limiting yourself and your work…and Ed Weston would likely agree with me.

Weston believed there were no set “rules” to composition, He saw photography as a progression in self expression and would photograph the scene or subject based on what he felt, not necessarily based on any set rules.
When you photograph, always remember that while there a few technical constraints the majority of the creative side of your photograph is completely up to you. Be like Edward Weston and don’t hold back just because what you want to do is unique.

Beauty is Everywhere

If you look at some of Weston’s most celebrated works, you’ll see that they consist of everyday items that you might have in your home right this second; lettuce, sea shells, even a toilet. In fact, what is considered to be one of his most famous photographs is nothing more than a bell pepper.

Pepper #30 by Edward Weston, 1930/Image courtesy Sotheby’s

Weston made the everyday commonality of objects disappear. One of my favorite quotes by him is as follows:

“This then: to photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock. Significant presentation – not interpretation.”

What’s Weston telling us here? Is he just being overly dramatic as some of us photographers tend to be (as my hand slowly raises)? Or is he saying that we should see the things around us not only as what they are but also what they could be?

Dunes, Oceano By Edward Weston, 1936

Beauty and therefore photographic material surrounds us all. Don’t overlook something because it appears simple. Instead, attempt to see its beauty photographically and learn to use your camera to show that quality in your work.

Use Simple Techniques in a Grand Way

Something I found surprising as I learned more about Weston is that most of (if not all) of his photographs were contact prints. This means that the negative is placed directly on top of or in very close contact with the printing paper. A contact print is the same size as the negative it is birthed from and in the case of Weston that was usually 8×10 inches.

Can you imagine that? All these great photographs were printed with extremely simple methods using nothing more than a negative, a piece of paper sandwiched in a wooden box, and light. The magic happened when Weston would add in the most important thing of all; his immense skill.
You see, Weston might have used simple tools, but the way in which he used them made all the difference. In your photography, never forget that amazing things can come very very simple means. The important thing is learning how to use the tools you do have expertly. Don’t believe me? That Pepper #30 from earlier…it was shot in a tin funnel on Weston’s kitchen table.

Some Final Thoughts on Edward Weston

I realize as I close out this article that it is March 24th, Edward Weston’s birthday. Oddly fitting as I think back on the legacy and lessons he left us to help better ourselves as photographers.
Weston was a master of making the simple profound. He used simple techniques and wasn’t afraid to bend the accepted “rules” in order to get the photography he saw fit. As you continue on your photographic journey I urge you to learn more about Edward Weston and his wonderful work as you discover more ways to become a better photo maker.
Read other dPS articles on the masters of photography here:

• More Lessons from the Photography Masters: David Burnett and Vivian Maier
• Lessons from the Masters: Robert Capa and Jerry Uelsmann
• Cartier-Bresson and Stieglitz – Study the Masters of Photography to Become a Better Photographer
• Masters of Photography: Bruce Davidson, Master of the Subway
• Masters of Photography – Yousuf Karsh Portrait Photographer
• Masters of Photography – Ansel Adams
• Photography Lessons I Learned Growing Up Around Ansel Adams

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8 Quotes From Master Photographer Ansel Adams and How You to Apply Them to Your Photography

By: Bruce Wunderlich 
 

The technology of photography has been evolving at a very rapid rate. Most of our cameras are almost obsolete by the time we purchase them! But one thing about photography hasn’t changed over the years and that is the art of photography. We can learn so much about the that from the masters of yester-years. Ansel Adams was one of these great masters, best known for his iconic black and white images of the American West. Let’s review some quotes from Mr. Adams and consider how we might apply them to modern day photography.

This image by Bruce Wunderlich was part of a digital display that ran alongside the temporary exhibition, Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea on at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich from 9 November 2012 – 28 April 2013.

“Expressions without doctrines, my photographs are presented as ends in themselves, images of the endless moments in the world.”

You surely have heard the expression, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Ansel thought of his images as expressions of how he felt in the moment he released the shutter. These expressions require no words of explanation. He was also quoted as saying “A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words.” Likewise, we should look for moments in the world around us worthy of a captured image, which affects us emotionally before we click the shutter.

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.”

It is always a good idea to keep your portfolio up-to-date. A yearly inventory of your work, examining what you captured well and what you need to improve upon will help keep you focused on your artistic expressions. Photographers with digital technology have the tools to take many more images than Adams could with film and plates, so here’s a suggestion: Perhaps the number 12 suggests aiming for one memorable image each month. Take these most significant images and create a calendar featuring your art that you can give to friends. Regardless, keep your favorite images, your “crop”, organized and ready to share.

2014 “crop” presented in a 2015 desk calendar.

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.”

One favorite story about Ansel Adams centers around the circumstances of one of his most iconic images, “Moon rise over Hernandez”. As he was driving from what was described as a very unsuccessful day of shooting in New Mexico, suddenly Ansel pulled the car off the road when he saw the now famous subject. The light was changing so quickly that he was only able to get one exposure before the light was gone. Never think a day of shooting is a waste, that iconic image might just be around the next bend.

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”

In a statement for a 1932 exhibit in San Francisco, Ansel listed his two “rules” of photography:

1. The completed image must directly reflect how the subject appeared in the camera.
2. He had to see the finished photograph in his mind before the shutter was released.

One of the most important things Ansel Adams left with us was this principle of pre-visualization. This mental vision of what he was expecting to communicate with the images he created is what makes them so prominent even today, some three decades after his death. We see too many photographers out in today’s world just aiming and shooting, not taking the time to think about the subjects before them and how the resulting image will speak to (or not) the viewers of the image.

Using Ansel’s pre-visualization method when approaching this shot, I immediately visualized this image as a black and white. By adding a polarizing filter, I was able to make the blue sky more saturated which helped later during processing to create a dark and contrasting sky. I also intentionally underexposed the image to ensure that the white boards of the run-down church would not appear too bright, to help convey the abandoned feeling.

 “Ask yourself, “Why am I seeing and feeling this? How am I growing? What am I learning?” Remember: Every coincidence is potentially meaningful. How high your awareness level is determines how much meaning you get from your world. Photography can teach you to improve your awareness level.”

What a powerful quote! “Every coincidence is potentially meaningful”. To develop the creative eye that it takes to create great photos we need to be on the constant lookout for unexpected opportunities. So, must we carry our camera at all times? How many times have you come across a great scene only to find you do not have your camera ready and available? It happens to all of us, but don’t get caught up in the fact that you don’t have your camera with you. Instead, use this opportunity to think about the shot and visualize how you would have shot it, how you would compose it, and what camera settings and filters you might have used to capture the scene. Even though you may have missed the shot, you can use this as a learning experience to be prepared in the future.

By studying the images of great photographers of the past and present we can learn how to approach our own images. This image, captured in the Canaan Valley Resort State Park in West Virginia, reminded me of Ansel’s image The Tetons and Snake River.

 “The machine-gun approach to photography – by which many negatives are made with the hope that one will be good – is fatal to serious results.”

With the new digital age of photography it is so easy to take the “spray and pray” approach to photography, but we must learn to slow our approach and think about every piece of the image that we are capturing. One way to take a more deliberate approach with a landscape shoot is to place your camera on a tripod, which will allow you to concentrate more on the composition of your image. There are plenty of situations where the machine-gun approach to photography can be helpful, for example, action subjects such as sports or wildlife, but in other areas this approach can be fatal.

“A photograph is never finished until I burn the corners.”

Ansel considered it important to keep the viewer’s eye in the frame of his images, so he would burn (darken) any light areas near the edges of the image. These adjustments were quite time-consuming and tedious to produce in the darkroom of Adams’ era. Today, however, we can easily accomplish these steps in Photoshop or Lightroom. Be careful not to overdo it, as these changes should be made in a way that is completely imperceptible to the viewer of the image.

“I am sure the next step will be the electronic image, and I hope I shall live to see it. I trust that the creative eye will continue to function, whatever technological innovations may develop.”

Many fans of Adams’ photography ask, “Would Ansel Adams have shot digital?” This quote indicates he would have! Ansel was never overly concerned about the process of taking photos as much as he was about the creative experience and how a photograph made him feel. Ansel Adams would not only be shooting digital, but also he would be a Photoshop guru, probably working closely with Adobe to develop and improve the photographer’s experience.

Where do we go from here?

So in conclusion, has photography changed over the years? Yes, the process has changed, but the art of photography remains the same. By studying the guiding principles of great photographers of previous generations, like Ansel Adams, we can sharpen our skills to become the best photographers of our day. Please leave a comment below: What is your favorite photographer’s quote and how has it inspired you?

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 This weeks' Photography Freebie!

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3 Minutes with Photographer William Neill

By: Jim Goldstein 

William Neill has long been an iconic nature photographer with work spanning classical landscapes to contemporary nature abstracts. A long time contributor to Outdoor Photographer magazine and an active blogger on William Neill’s Light on the Landscape Photoblog his photographic roots go back to working with Ansel Adams in Yosemite National Park. Deeply knowledgeable and inspirational he is today’s guest on “3  Minutes with…”
Describe your photography in 100 words or less.
I am a landscape photographer concerned with conveying the deep, spiritual beauty I see and feel in Nature. I have been a resident of the Yosemite National Park area since 1977, have been widely published in books, magazines, calendars, posters. I worked as a staff photographer at The Ansel Adams Gallery for five years. My limited-edition prints have been collected and exhibited in museums and galleries nationally, including the Museum of Fine Art Boston, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, The Vernon Collection, and The Polaroid Collection. I received a BA degree in Environmental Conservation at the University of Colorado. In 1995, the Sierra Club honored me with their Ansel Adams Award for conservation photography.

Aspen and approaching storm, Conway Summit, California 2010
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM, 1/45 sec at f / 16, ISO 400
What gear/software do you use?
For twenty years, I used a 4×5 view camera and transparency sheet film. Currently, I use a Canon 1DS Mark III with an assortment of lenses. My favorites are the 70-200mm zoom and 90mm Tilt Shift lenses. I also used Canon’s 24mm TS, the 16-35mm and 24-105mm zooms and the 50mm Macro. I carry LowePro camera bags and use a Gitzo Carbon 6X tripod. Using filters has never been a big part of my approach to nature photography, but I do use Singh Ray’s Vari-ND filter often for long exposures and the creative blurs in my Impressions of Light series. In terms of software, I primarily use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. I occasionally use HDR processing and Nik software. I edit and mange my files in Lightroom, make global adjustments there before making any local adjustments and masking in PS.

Almond Trees in Bloom, Kern County, California, 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM, 1/4 sec at f / 4.5, ISO 100, FILTER: Singh Ray Vari-ND
What’s one quick tip that you’d give people interested in Nature photography.
Photograph those subjects or locations about which you feel most passionate. Trust your instincts to find a creative vision. The world is full of repetitive imagery, and it takes hard work and experimentation to rise above the ordinary.

Sunrise surf, Carmel, California 2010
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM, 10.0 sec at f / 32, ISO 100, FILTER: Singh Ray Vari-ND
What Photography Sites or Photoblogs do you Recommend?

• Luminous Landscape
• Outdoor Photographer
• The Online Photographer

View more of William Neill’s work at on his web site and in his latest iPad app William Neill’s Yosemite Volume One.

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Photography Lessons I Learned Growing Up Around Ansel Adams

By: Holly Higbee-Jansen 

Ansel Adams was a young man of 14 when he first came to California‚ Yosemite National Park. The valley had a strong pull for him and he returned to work there in 1920 at the age of 18 to be the caretaker for the Sierra Club‚ LeConte Lodge.
Ansel became vigilant about protecting Yosemite and the Sierras from human impact while showing the world his view of this almost mystical place through his growing photography career. He met Virginia Best, the daughter of the gallery owner in Yosemite Valley. They married, and the gallery became a source of income for the young photographer and his wife. His complete works became the gallery best sellers. They continued to add products such as art books and other photographic services.
By 1940, his photographic workshops started as one of the first photographic education sources in the country. The workshops were usually a week long and for many, became a life changing experience.

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

That was the case for my father, Holden Higbee, who attended Ansel Adams’ photography workshop in 1965. He, along with my older sister (who was 12 at the time), attended a week long workshop of photographic bliss in beautiful Yosemite Valley with lectures by Ansel Adams himself. In 1965, Adams was a respected photographer, but not yet the photographic icon that he has become in the present day. At that point, his prints were selling for about $50 and he would gift his images to his favorite students. My sister received a copy of his “Mirror Lake” image for participating as a model in the workshop.

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

The Workshop with Ansel Adams

The workshop was held in the Wawona Big Trees area, the Yosemite Valley, and up into Tuolumne Meadows covering the basics of photography, Ansel’s Zone system, composition, and creativity. The students in Ansel’s classes were mostly young men, just honing their craft from the master, using their medium format and 35mm cameras. Their exuberance for learning photography was evident as they spread out to practice their lessons.

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

This class stuck with my father, as the photography gene runs long and deep in my family. Holden, as an avid photographer and college professor, would drive across the country to document the countryside for his geography and geology classes and stop every 50 miles to take a picture, much to our dismay. He always had two or three cameras around his neck so he didn’t have to change lenses and he could easily document “how man uses the land”.

The Zone System

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

My father was particularly interested in The Zone System and how that would affect his photography. For many years after, my father would practice with the grey cards to set up the zone system. I am now the proud owner of his signed set of books from Ansel Adams; The Camera, The Negative, and The Print.

Image by Holden Higbee

Visits with Ansel

On later visits to Yosemite Valley, we would see Ansel on a regular basis. I was a young girl but was impressed by his stature and his gray beard. In the evenings after dinner, we would all assemble in the lodge which had huge fireplaces, comfy 60s style couches, and tall vast windows with views of Yosemite Falls. My father and sister would play Backgammon, and watch the side door to see when Ansel would make his quiet entrance.
Our Dad would wave at Ansel and he would make his way over to our couch where the Backgammon board lay precariously on the cushions. Ansel would give my sister a tip or two on what her next move should be. Often he would sit awhile and watch them play before the Warren Miller Ski Film would start. Then Ansel would disappear as we became engrossed in the film.

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

As children, we had no idea the impact that this nice bearded man would have on the world of photography and our lives as creative artists. We thought he was just another photographer and friend of my father’s.

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

Respect Nature

Even though I didn’t attend the workshops, Ansel Adams greatly influenced my life, my love of landscape photography and nature, as he did for millions of others. At 6 years old, my father put a 35mm camera in my hands and I was off and running. After that week with Ansel Adams, we would talk about photography and composition frequently at dinner. “When you are shooting landscapes” he would say, “never move a leaf or a flower, respect nature for what it is. Learn to create a composition from what is naturally there.” From that point on, I never put the camera down, it has always been an extension of my life and my personality and landscape photography became my love.
After 50 years of traveling in Yosemite, it continues to take my breath away. We now return to Yosemite three times a year to teach photography workshops. We visit the park mid-week to avoid the tourists and also when there is the greatest chance of changing weather.

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” – Ansel Adams

Full circle

Late last fall, we had the great fortune of spending three weeks teaching workshops in the valley as it turned from fall to winter. Every day the light would change and the photographic options would take our breath away, but we felt like we were in sync with the ever changing conditions. We got into the rhythm of life there and found it an easy and wonderful experience.

In January, we returned to the valley to do a private workshop and the forecast was for snow. As we drove into the park, the snow had started to come down and the roads were quite slushy. Little did we know, we were one of the last cars they would let into the valley for the next four days. As we arrived in the valley, it was covered in a thick coating of snow and was quickly adding up. I don’t know how many people were there that week in Yosemite, but it was a photographic wonderland.
We arrived and handed our client a pair of snow shoes and off we went on a winter photographic adventure. I would like to think that those few days of bliss might have been a bit like some days Ansel Adams experienced in Yosemite back in his day. An experience I won’t soon forget.

“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.” – Ansel Adams

If you come to Yosemite, come in the off season when you can appreciate the beauty of the place without the throngs of tour buses and distracted selfie takers. Everyone that comes to the valley fancies themselves a photographer, so when you are in Yosemite, be sure to embrace the spirit of Ansel Adams.
Do you have any Ansel Adam’s stories to share? What lessons have you learned from his teachings? Please share in the comments below.

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People Photography and Portraits: Best Resources Toolbox

By: Christina N Dickson 

I’ll admit to you here and now: I am extremely picky about photography books. If you need proof to believe me, just look at the collection of 6 photography books sitting lonely on my bookshelf. Maybe this peculiar snobbery comes from the fact that I like photography books to have powerful photographs, be written very engagingly, and have good balance technical information. For whatever reason, these kind of books I have had great difficulty finding.
So then it is with great excitement I bring you the following resources as books that fulfill all my own personal criterion. These are books that I myself will be purchasing for my bookshelf, and strongly recommend to other photographers of all skill levels. I promise, study these books and your abilities will drastically improve and develop.

1. Photo Idea Index: People – Jim Krause

For those photographers who are exploring what it may look like to develop their abilities shooting people and portraits, but are running low on creative ideas. Krause has created a sort of “look book” for a resource that will help with just that. A thick one and half inch book, this photo index provides the most eclectic collection of people pictures in one piece. And don’t think these pictures are typical – if anything each image pushes the envelope of innovation. Any photographer can choose literally any area of interest within portraits or people photography and find inspiration, from motion, to drama, sports to quirky, Goth to kids. It’s a fantastic coffee table book sort of resource.
Buy Photo Idea Index: People by Jim Krause at Amazon

2. Focus on Photographing People: Haje Jan Kamps

Kamps has created a book that does a fantastic job opening the eyes of novice photographers and giving them wings to possibility in the portrait field. Innovatively designed, this book gives just enough technical details to inform without overwhelming.
Buy Focus on Photographing People by Haje Jan Kamps at Amazon.

3. The Hot Shoe Diaries – Joe McNally

Granted, this book is not quite as full of technical “how to” as some may like. However, McNally provides a unique perspective within this genre: What it looks like to add light (via flashes) in all kinds of varying environments. His writing paints a vivid picture of the shooting scenario, making you feel like you were with him as a part of the shoot. McNally shines in giving the viewer examples of his pictures as they progress through the shoot, before completing the “final image”. This certainly is not a book of “nuts and bolts” (though he certainly does state his opinion on this), but rather practical inspiration and craft.
Buy The Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally at Amazon.

4. People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs: Chris Orwig

This book is hands down the best resource I’ve found which combines practical development ideas, technical aspects, stories, and inspiration. Best of all, the book is overflowing with profiles of real-life, successful portrait photographers who provide short industry vision and encouragement to the reader. Topics include connecting with your subjects by being empathetic, identifying the differences between mediocre and magnificent portraits, and how to be a catalyst with your portrait work.
Buy People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs by Chris Orwig at Amazon

5. The Portrait Photographers Lighting Style Guide: James Cheadle

With a book that perfectly balances technical details with inspiring imagery, Cheadle has created a resource by which creativity to be born. Interspersed through the book are powerful pictures, technical data, stories describing time and setting, and even charts of the lighting set up. An incredible variety in portrait styles represented, including street photography, action portraits, Hollywood vintage, and editorial portraits.
The author also provides a “Toolbox” of suggested equipment and workflow suggestions. This is a guide you won’t be able to put down until it’s been read from cover to cover.
Buy The Portrait Photographers Lighting Style Guide: James Cheadle at Amazon

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12 Great Digital Photography Books for You

A Post By: Darren Rowse

Looking for a digital photography book for that special someone (or yourself) for Christmas? Here are 12 books that we’ve previously reviewed here on DPS to help you make your choice.
I’ve included links to the book on Amazon, our reviews and a quick quote from our reviews for each book. They are listed in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby (volume 1) – Book Review

“This book (pictured right) is one of the best selling digital photography books ever – and for good reason. It’s a must read for those starting out and intermediate photographers alike…. 9 out of 10”

2. Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson – Book Review

“Don’t let the dry title fool you. This book will help you with composition, depth of field and other aspects of photography.”

3. Understanding Shutter Speed by Brian Peterson – Book Review

“It’s not a book that covers all aspects of photography but for what it sets out to do it does very well…. 4 stars out of 5”

4. Annie Leibovitz At Work – Book Review

“A good read for a cold winter evening or when you need a little inspiration.”

5. The Perfect Portrait Guide – How to Photograph People – Book Review

“If you’re looking for a technical book then this is probably not the book for you. If you’re looking for an easy to read book for beginners to help you improve your shots of friends and family – you’ll probably enjoy this one.”

6. The Digital Photography Companion – Book Review

“If you’re a beginner, go and buy yourself this book.”

7. The Creative Digital Darkroom – Book Review

“a 400 page extravaganza filled with everything you could possibly want to know about the digital darkroom and the tools surrounding it.”

8. How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3 – Book Review

“I’m fairly new to photoshop CS3 and find this a really helpful book. Yesterday showed this book to my brother who uses photoshop all day every day and he couldn’t put it down either.”

9. Successful Self-Promotion for Photographers – Book Review

“Not only a great resource, but also an engaging read that wont leave you with anything less than dozens of ideas for expanding your photography business and your own marketing techniques. ”

10. Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography – Book Review

“Closeup Shooting is a great book if you’re just getting into the world of Macro or have given it a go and want to take things a step further. It would be helpful to have some knowledge/experience of photography though as there is a certain level of technical language that is assumed…. 8.5 out of 10”

11. The Photographer’s Eye by Michael Freeman – Book Review

“While it won’t teach you how to use the different features of your camera (it’s a book about composition) – it is probably a book you need to read before (or at least while) you are mastering your camera.”

12. Complete Digital Photography by Ben Long – Book Review

“I’m a fan of Complete Digital Photography and think it would recommend it to beginners through to intermediate digital photographers – particularly point and shoot users or those new to DSLRs wanting to get a little more manual control…. 4.5 stars out of 5”

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