Photographed in Yosemite by Ansel Adams

An antique gelatin-silver photograph I recently obtained. Great contrast and clarity!

 

The size is 7-3/4" x 9-1/2" .
Originates from a collection of vintage Ansel Adams photographs from the "Yosemite Park and Curry Co.". It was one issued by Adams and has Adams' original credit stamp on the verso.
Here's a scan of the back with more information. I wanted to post it here before I sent it off to be framed!

 

Interesting. I wonder about the history -- did Adams send photos to newspapers for free or was there a fee if published?

 

Of course he collected royalties on all his work, if it was reprinted.

Also interesting to see Curry Co mentioned so prominently, as they are one of the fiercest protectors of their tradename and probably also collected royalties on Adams' earnings. They demanded tremendous licensing fees from the new owners in Yosemite Valley, which of course the owners refused to pay. That's why names such as Curry Village and Ahwahnee Hotel have been changed to Half Dome Village and Majestic Hotel. I still refer to them by their old names. I was just there in May. The falls were very full.

Yosemite has became so crowded and commercial. I much prefer this Adams photo taken from the north side of Scripps pier. I used to work at the marine biology building, which was just below where he was standing when this photo was taken. Now both the building and the pier have been rebuilt.

 

That's really interesting. He must've licensed out the image for royalties, or perhaps shot on it on "assignment" and split royalties? He was such a master and perfectionist in the darkroom, I can't imagine him hiring other people to print his work. I also can't imagine him printing dozens of the same picture to be sent out on spec. He might've chosen a specific negative that needed little or no darkroom work like dodging and burning and could be printed "straight" by a tech. This one doesn't have the dramatic scope and nuanced tonality of his well known works, so that might be a likely case.

I read his autobiography years ago and he wasn't a rich man most of his career. He took on a lot of commercial jobs and other schemes to pay the bills, so I guess this kind of thing isn't surprising at all.

dan c

 

A lot of Ansel's work in the late 1970s to early 80s were printed by Alan Ross. He wasn't printing much at that time.

 

I am by no means an expert with this. You don't think this was printed in 1940 by Adams himself? Thanks. The scan doesn't do the print justice, BTW.

 

If those were sent out en masse to newspapers, it's possible it was not printed by Adams "himself". But if so, he was in the darkroom, or at least in the building having lunch until he got back, and it was done under his direct supervision and eyes on and hands on approval of every finished print. It would not have been sent out otherwise.
A lot of Adams prints were printed from copy negatives that he made himself with dodging/burning/flashing/etc built in, to save himself the hassle of doing it every time to each print individually, and also making it easy for his assistants to print.

 

How do you acquire it? on-line, brick 'n' mortor antique shop or art gallery, at an auction?

 

He was a god among men. Thanks for showing us.

 

On-line auction. It was fierce with 72 bids.