Photographs by Ansel Adams and Edward Weston

A new gallery installation of two of the most celebrated photographers of all time, Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, is on display at the Norton Simon Museum. 

Photographer Adams first became known for his magnificent photographic images of Yosemite Park. "Since 1916 the Sierra has dominated my mind, art and spirit," he acknowledged recently. Adams' photographic expressions of other beautiful areas of the Western United States, many of which are now displayed at the Museum, have become the foremost representations of the spirit of the West. Adams was recently acclaimed by TIME magazine in a cover story on his life as "the most popular 'fine' photographer in America." The original prints of several of his photographs are on view at the Norton Simon Museum, including "Mt. Whitney," "Aspens," and "Moonrise."

Edward Weston, like Adams, has been much acclaimed for his technique in sharp focus landscapes. Weston was the first photographer to receive the distinguished Guggenheim Fellowship. He is best known for his clear, simple organic shapes of nature, and his beautiful nudes. The broad range of times in his photographic work are virtually unparalleled.

The professional philosophies of Adams and Weston were naturally congruent in many respects. The sharp focus landscapes represent on similarity, where the then-popular blurred portraits of natural objects were rejected in favor of more exacting natural features. Their work, together and separately, helped inspire America's appreciation of its natural beauty in the 1930's. Efforts to save the environment in this country stem from the initial presentations of these two renowned photographers.