Ansel Adams by Ansel Adams & Ansel Adams

Author:Ansel Adams & Ansel Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2017-02-21T05:00:00+00:00

The Newhalls were overcome by their experiences on this first trip to California. One day I drove them north over the Golden Gate Bridge and along the Marin County coast. We had Benny Bufano with us, a fine sculptor, a true San Francisco character, and a warm friend. His prime subject, Saint Francis of Assisi (patron saint of San Francisco), was portrayed in various media: drawings, painting, mosaics, and sculpture. The cowled figure with wide-stretched arms was repetitively stylized but impressive. He had an extraordinary ability to create in his sculpture almost invisible edges that could be felt as sharp, defining transitions of form.

Benny loved hiking as much as I. Once we were in Yosemite and had climbed the steep slopes to the base of the cliffs under Taft Point on the south side of the valley. Benny was talking about the local Sierra granite, how rich it was in structure and consistent in body. I noticed him staring across the valley to the huge soaring mass of El Capitan.

I jokingly said, “Now, Benny, don’t get any ideas of carving F.D.R.’s head on that cliff!”

To my horror Benny replied, “That’s just what I was thinking about; as soon as we get home I’ll call my friend Eleanor.” I honestly feared he might attempt to set such a concept in motion. He was a short man, compactly muscled, and wielded a mighty chisel.

I also drove the Newhalls to Carmel where I introduced them to Edward Weston. They visited his home and went with him to Point Lobos, where they experienced the wonders of his work and environment. Thus began a close association culminating in Nancy’s editing of Edward’s Daybooks, the very personal journals of his life and philosophy finally published in 1961 (Volume I: Mexico) and 1966 (Volume II: California).

We were all visually invigorated after our time spent with Edward, and we stopped frequently to photograph on the trip back to San Francisco. At one place along the Highway One roadside, I photographed from a cliff top, directing my camera almost straight down to the surf patterns washing upon the beach below in a continuing sequence of beautiful images. As I became aware of the relations between the changing light and surf, I began making exposure after exposure. Though each photograph can be shown separately, a group of five displayed together has the greatest effect. Surf Sequence is one of my most successful photographic expressions.

Soon after Beaumont and Nancy returned to New York, we began the enormous parade of photographic projects that the three of us concocted over the next few decades. While all could not be implemented, for want of energy and time, the seeds of many important projects and books had been sown during their San Francisco visit. We composed a productive and vibrant association. These were indeed golden days: everything exuded energy and friendship.

Beaumont’s interest in photography as his specialty in art history had grown, and soon after his return to New York, he developed the concept of the Department of Photography at MOMA.

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