Product Description

Ansel Adams devoted his life and work to the celebration and protection of America's unsurpassed wild spaces. The American Wilderness presents the heart of Adams' legacy in over 100 of his most powerful landscapes. He reveals primeval nature found across America: the coast of Mt. Desert, Maine, the dunes of White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, the Rio Grande River, the grand peaks of Yosemite and the High Sierra, and the most remote reaches of Denali National Park, Alaska. A selection of Adams' writings provides a stirring counterpoint to the images as he urges us all to perceive and cherish "the grandeur and potentials of the one and only world which we inhabit."

This is a magnificent volume, the first large-format book of Adams' work since Yosemite and the Range of Light. It was envisioned as a masterwork of fine bookmaking, sweeping in both subject and design, with extraordinarily beautiful printing in keeping with the originals. Adams' writings are printed on heavy, textured grey paper which is interleaved with the images. It is a vivid remembrance of the American wilderness—a stunning expression of the subject closest to this artist's heart, and one of profound concern to the world today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #652518 in Books
• Published on: 1990-11-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 146 pages

From Library Journal
This is the noted photographer's last book project, begun two years before his death in 1984 at the suggestion of his friend, Wilderness Society president William Turnage. The straightforward design takes pertinent quotations from Adams's writings on wilderness conservation and interleaves them with informal subject groupings of photographs: Yosemite, ocean beaches, Yellowstone, Hawaii, trees, plants, and flowers. Turnage's warm introduction helps readers grasp in concrete terms the early shaping of Adams's commitment to nature conservation, his prodigious output and accomplishments, his visual legacy, and the success of his mission, spanning six decades, to preserve America's wild places. The quality of the large reproductions, from prints prepared by Adams's associate John Sexton, could not be finer. Recommended for photography, geography, and environmental science collections. BOMC selection.
- Kathleen Collins, Great Barrington, Mass.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Simply Fascinating
I have received this book as a birthday present from my wife. There is nothing much to critique, its really really good! Nevertheless, here it goes......

Ansel Adams shot with large format and never intended to print them small. Some of the photographs of this book could have been printed at a larger size. I have seen same photographs printed at much larger sizes in other books, for example in Ansel Adams Guides I & II.
Overall the sizes of the prints are adequate or just adequate.

For whom this book is intended?
My personal opinion is that it is primarily intended for the serious (nature) photographer and then for the nature lover.

What has it got for the Photographer?
A gallery of Master's work, in very high print quality with the entire tonal range beautifully depicted, it's simply like owning a gallery by Ansel Adams.

If a beginner or an intermediate photographer has come to the stage of learning his/her craft by looking at, and then carefully analysing, how a champion of the craft has controlled - framing, by carefully placing the subject in the view finder and then by cropping - tonality, by placing the particular areas in the `zones' he wanted - print quality, with his precise technique; this is the book for you - its a master class in photography.
For those who do not have such interests - It is still a visual treat.

My only other criticism is that there should have been some technical details about the photographs, at least one or two lines; Nevertheless, it gets my five stars!

One of the best Ansel Adams books
This is one of the best Ansel Adams books out there published by Bulfinch. It uses heavy paper stock and the print quality is excellent. To appreciate its quality, you have to view it under a brighter light setting, preferrably next to a window. You'll notice all the details in the shadow area and appreciate the overall print contrast.

In terms of subject area, the book covers many National Parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Glacier... Unfortunately, it does not have all the famous Yosemite prints, but it does have many other gems that's not over exposed to the public.

Some people may complain about the price, buy I think its worth every dime. Buy one and enjoy it.

a good coffee table book...
... because you can put four legs on it and use it for a coffee table. If you're going to have a single Ansel Adams book, this is the one. His images just don't work in any smaller format.