Robert Adams is considered by many as one of the most important photographers of the 20th century. I think most people know him from his early work documenting the encroachment of people and development on the East slope of the Rocky Mountains near Denver. He was one of the first of the "new topographers" who considered the effect and presence of man in the environment as a logical progression in landscape photography.
One thing about Adams is he has continuously evolved and continued to explore the boundry between man and the environment in a variety of projects for the last 40 years. He is the kind of photographer that when I was younger I did not really care that much for, but in the last few years I have really come to appreciate his varied work and talent. He also wrote two of the best books on photography I have read. Why People Photograph and Beauty in Photography: Essays in Defense of Traditional Values.
This image, simply titled Longmont, Colorado, (1978) is from a project called Summer Nights. I love the omminous approaching storm clouds that seem ready to envelope the rather unsuspecting little carnival at the base of the mountains.
__________________ "Fundamentally I think we need to rediscover a non-ironic world"
Robert Adams
Robert Adams was very right in saying that we must find a non-ironic world. In other words: let's admit wonderment into our souls. This picture of his captures this perfectly.
Hans
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Digital is best taken with a grain of silver.
I like this as a stand alone image, but not as much, I think, as I would if I were seeing it as part of a 'body of work'. It's dynamic and, as you suggested, Jim, has ominous portent.
I have only read "Beauty in Photography" once...it wasn't enough. I need to read it again. I'm not sure if he used too many words or too few, because I haven't retained much. I'll give it another go.
Its a good photo, but it does nothing for me. I would never classify it as great; just good.
I for one have never quite understood why Adams is considered so important. I like most of his work that I have seen, but the Masterfullness escapes me.
Adams is, for me, one of those photographers who either create photographic poetry or photographic drek and nothing in between. His book West From The Columbia inspired me greatly. So much so, I had to see the Columbia River at the Pacific. But many of his other photographs and projects leave me at a loss to understand their importance. I loved his two books of essays, hated his book of interviews.
I will always be grateful to Robert Adams for his book "Why People Photograph", which introduced me to the photography of Paul Strand, and also kept my sanity during a difficult period of my life. (I was reading this book while watching a parent die.)
But I've not seen a photograph of his that really hit me emotionally. This could be my fault, not his....
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"I bought a new camera. It's so advanced you don't even need it." - Steven Wright
Discuss a Robert Adams Photograph 
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