I always encourage those expressing the least bit of interest in photoraphy
to visit their local art museums displaying traditional black and white
silver gelatine images.  The commercial reproduction process really does
those images no justice at all.  And it's not just the books and magazines,
but now the computer.

An interesting exercise, should any have the opportunity, is to visit the
Ansel Adams gallery at Yosemite Village in Yosemite National Park.  Adams
has in his will left about 24 original negatives of images taken in the park
by him over the years with instructions that prints from them be made
available to the public at reasonable cost rather than the thousands
commanded by his other prints.  Over the years, that "reasonable cost" has
increased to today's $175.  But that still is "reasonable" for an "original"
Adams print.

http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=9

The recommendation should you purchase one in person (as versus over the
net) is to go when there is no crowd - early in the day on a weekday morning
is best.  Once you determine which image you want, politely ask the clerk to
see 3, possibly 4, prints of that image.  You'll probably get some push
back, but they will accede to your request if you persist...after all, with
no other patrons about, they don't have much of anything else to do.  Now
lay those images on the counter side by side and study them carefully.  You
will see differences among them because they are individually handmade.
Some will have more detail in the shadows, others more in the highlights.
The differences may be subtle, but they are there.  Contrast that with the
machine reproductions that go for about $20 apiece...each is exactly as the
others.

By the way, at Stanford University is currently an exhibit of images by
Yosemite photographers.

http://museum.stanford.edu/news_room/Yosemite.html

Hi,

I saw the exhibit when it was the Art Gallery of Ontario last winter.
It is well worth the trip.  It is mind boggling to see "Half Dome",
Canyon del Chelly" or "Moon Rise over Hernandez" in the flesh so to
speak, at their actual size.  It's when you see them at their actual
size that you can the incredible detail in the photos.  I had a large
magnifying glass with me and was better able to appreciate the detail;
then you stand back and appreciate the grandeur of the photo.  It was
also interesting to see his early stuff.  There's a different AA at work
here.  Actually, I prefer some of his early stuff to the grandiose that
he printed later.  There are also negs that were printed at different
times, early style (different paper) and the later grandiose style.

A must see exhibit if you have the chance.  You'll never get another
chance to see that many Ansel Adams prints in one space at the same
time.

Be prepared for information overload. I had to go back a second time to
soak it all in.  Just too much for one visit.

Enjoy!

Bogdan

http://www.eastmanhouse.org/exhibits/container_62/index.php

The Eastman House, Rochester NY, has an exhibit of 150 of AA's stuff, now
through Sept 3.

I'm hoping to get there next Wednesday - I'm only about  150 miles away.

DK