Has anyone here every been to Yosemite National Park? I have. I was practically raised there, in the summers. Both of my parents have always been active and prefer to do something in the outdoors to some other sort of expensive vacation (we have pictures of my parents on a backpacking trip with me as a baby on my dad's back), so our family trips when school was out were camping 98% of the time. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon--my summers were filled with car rides, hikes, rock climbing, getting out of sight to pretend we lived in the middle of nature and worrying my mother, exploring, and adventures in general with my younger brother at my side. I learned early on about the beauty of nature, and I have instinctually sought out the still, lonely places--through the tunnel in the pinetrees, behind the pile of rocks, under the bushes to the trickling brook--for moments of reflection. Or maybe my ten year old self was being sentimental, even at that tender age. I don't know, I didn't care about these things back then. Just wanted to do everything I could to fit in with the boys and not be called a girly-girl.
These memories of a past time in my life (my mother has lost interest in the hassle of camping, and my brother prefers to NOT spend time with my father) were brought on by the latest assignment for my art class, in which we are supposed to analyze a black and white photo. I chose no one less than the greatest black and white photographer of all time. I mean, of course, Ansel Adams.
He is legendary not only for his black and white photograph, but for his nature shots, particularily shots from Yosemite. Now you see how I was reminded of my summer camping escapades. If you have never had the opportunity to view his art, here is a link: http://simonestecher.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/ansel-adams/ansel-adams/ It's a link to another blog. To look at more pictures than the first one, scroll down and click on one of the smaller ones.
As a photographer and nature lover, I have always been enthralled by Adams' work. He just had an eye for moments that would make great photographs. It just came to him. We have a few of his images hanging, poster size, in my home (my dad still loves camping, and going to Yosemite, and also being a photographer, appreciates Ansel Adams work as well).
It struck me a moment ago that the memories I see in my mind are all in black and white now. I know when I experienced them it was in bright, vibrant color, but time has faded the edges and dulled the colors to gray, to simply shapes, moments in time instead of a running film. Interesting, is it not, that though color photography is the new, desired "thing", it is black and white photographs that last the longest, and seem the most dramatic, leaving the greatest impressions on us. Perhaps I will start doing more black and white photography.
Just some thoughts to comtemplate. Back to my homework now.
Live long and prosper.
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