Ansel Adams @ The National Maritime Museum

by Ancapone (subscribe)

Freelance writer and journalist with a strong weakness for narrative journalism, old movies, new theater and everything London. Oh, I'm also a full-time walker https://walkinlondon.wordpress.com/

Published April 11th 2013

American Landscapes by the Thames

I stopped by the river, at the National Maritime Museum, to see Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea.

The American photographer, environmentalist and author believed in making photographs as opposed to simply taking photographs. He was 13 when he got his first camera, a Kodak No. 1 Box Brownie. Nothing unusual so far, just that the year was 1916 and he was transfixed by a visit to the Yosemite Sierra. That's how a lifelong passion for the great outdoors and photography started.

This exhibition will help you track the steps of one of the best photographers of the last century, while strolling through his iconic black and white landscapes of the American West. The theme: water. In all its forms, states and shapes (you'll see), his work is a celebration of nature. No wonder that at 17, Adams joined the Sierra Club and his work ever since would prove to be instrumental in advancing the cause of environmentalism, too.

Must: Whether you're an experienced fan or just a curious newbie, sit and watch the insightful documentary snippets.

So, this is a great indoor walk through the… great outdoors. And much cheaper than a plane ticket to the USA. It goes without saying that it's also a first-rate lesson in photography, with touches of biopic, climatology and geomorphology. If you don't know what these words mean, don't worry, the exhibition will clear everything up.