Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
1942, printed 1981
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
overall: 34.3 x 49.6 cm (13 1/2 x 19 1/2 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Virginia B. Adams
Accession Number
1986.3.45
Art Historical Context
Ansel Adams's *Old Faithful Geyser Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming* (1942, printed 1981) captures raw power and timeless beauty of one of America's most iconic natural wonders. Taken during World War II, Adams was deeply engaged in photographing the American West, this gelatin silver print showcases his signature black-and-white style. As a founding member of Group f/64, Adams championed "straight photography," emphasizing utmost clarity, sharp focus, and precise tonal range through his innovative Zone System—a method he developed to control exposure and development for maximum detail from ...
About the Artist
Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams, born on February 20, 1902, in San Francisco, California, grew up as the only child of Charles Hitchcock Adams, a businessman and astronomy enthusiast who tutored him at home, and Olive Bray, with whom he had a distant relationship. A hyperactive child prone to illness, Adams struggled in formal schooling and was educated by private tutors and his father until graduating from eighth gr...