(Note: This article is part of a series.)
Prior installments of this series grouped a decade of articles from the New York Times into a single post. No more. There are too many listings over a ten-year period. Going forward I will break the listing into manageable chunks, in this case, covering just two years.
This series may be of use to researchers in the future but I think it is interesting and fun for anyone interested in Ansel Adams and photography in general. Following Ansel over time through the pages of the New York Times you can get a sense of how art photography was seen and understood by people at that time, and you can chart the changes.
January 8, 1950
Techniques of Printing
Review of Ansel’s book, The Print.
“…the feeling grows that the author is so absorbed in manipulative phases of processing that his pleasure in the finished print is a technician’s rather than an artist’s.”
April 9, 1950
The Magic Mountains
Review of William O. Douglas’s book, Of Men and Mountains. An Ansel photograph is used for the illustration.
April 9, 1950
Camera Notes
A small notice of a show of Ansel’s photographs.
April 23, 1950
Five Print Exhibits
A short review of Ansel’s show at the The Camera Club.
June 4, 1950
Camera Notes
A mention that a photo by Ansel is published in the new Photo Notes.
August 27, 1950
News Along Camera Row
Notes that the new Universal Photo Almanac contains images by Ansel and others.
September 24, 1950
From Publishers’ Fall Lists
“My Camera In the National Parks” is listed as un upcoming title.
September 24, 1950
Fall Books Readers Will Talk About
A roundup of upcoming books mentions My Camera In the National Parks.
“If one wishes to get away from all that when the cold nights come, one can settle down with quite a handsome bundle of nature books.”
October 17, 1950
Books Published Today
Ansel’s My Camera In the National Parks is published.
October 22, 1950
Picture Books
A review Ansel’s My Camera In the National Parks
October 29, 1950
Nature’s Legacy
A sidebar highlights Ansel’s book, My Camera In the National Parks, and reproduces three of his images. Note: The middle image may be cropped.
November 4, 1950
Books–Authors
The new edition of Mary Austin’s Land of Little Rain is mentioned, containing ninety-six images by Ansel.
November 15, 1950
Books Published Today
Mary Austin’s new book, with Ansel’s images, is listed.
December 3, 1950
Camera Notes: Universal Almanac
Summarizes the new edition of the Universal Photo Almanac. including Ansel’s lead article.
January 7, 1951
Camera Notes
American Photography magazine’s “Mid-Century Review” includes images by Ansel ad an essay, “Weston, Strand, Adams” by Dody.
January 28, 1951
The New Leica Manual
New edition of Leica Manual includes an essay by Ansel on making enlargements.
January 28, 1951
Camera Notes
The PSA Journal includes an interview with Ansel.
February 11, 1951
Camera Notes
The Portland Art Museum causes a stir by not automatically hanging images from the local camera clubs, instead asking for better images. Minor White, Rene Weaver, and Ansel Adams were the judges.
February 18, 1951
California Photography Fellowship
A fellowship dedicated to San Francisco Arts patron Albert Bender Memorial Fund is formed. Ansel Adams is the chair of the jury, along with Imogene Cunningham and Minor White. Edward Weston is a consultant.
April 22, 1951
For Michner, It’s Still the South Pacific
A photo by Ansel Adams is used to illustrate a review of Return to Parasdise, by James Michner.
May 6, 1951
Abstract Images
An exhibit on abstraction at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City includes an image (or, images, if the work is “Surf Sequence”) by Ansel Adams.
July 13, 1951
Museum to Show Photos
Show of twelve photographers includes Ansel.
July 22, 1951
In Back of Man, A World of Nature
The article, by Joseph Wood Krutch, is illustrated with a photo by Ansel.
July 22, 1951
Wide Range of Prints
MOMA’s show with twelves photographers includes work by Ansel Adams.
August 5, 1951
Camera Notes
Fifty photographs by Ansel Adams are on display at Grand Central Terminal.
September 9, 1951
Camera Notes
Ansel is scheduled to speak at at a ten-day photography conference in Aspen, Colorado.
December 2, 1951
Giving Photographs As Christmas Presents
Landscapes by Ansel are among the prints included in a Christmas sale at the Museum of Modern Art, meant to encourage the buying of photographs. Prices ranged from $10 to $25.
December 2, 1951
He Dared Speak for the Imagination
Review of book of essays by Wallace Stevens is illustrated by a photography by Ansel.
March 9, 1952
Natural Lighting
A review of Ansel’s book, Natural-Light Photography.
March 16, 1952
Camera Notes
Aperture Magazine is launched and includes a free print by Ansel. He also a founding member of the magazine and he is listed as planning to publish an article he wrote, “The Ethics of the Profession.”
April 13, 1952
Jubilee Honors
Ansel teaches two classes in San Francisco.
May 11, 1952
Picturing An Eclipse
The first issue of Aperture Magazine (briefly reviewed) includes a reproduction of a Ansel snow scene image.
July 27, 1952
Product Magazine
A review of two current product-oriented magazines mentions that photos by Ansel were published in the preceding issue of Exacta Magazine.
August 3, 1952
Of Time and Place and Versifiers
An Ansel photo (cropped) is used to illustrate a review of poetry books.
August 10, 1952
New Show at Museum
A review of the “Then and Now” show at the Museum of Modern Art briefly mentions that Ansel’s work is included in the show.
December 7, 1952
Collectors Turn to Photographs
An article by Beaumont Newhall encouraging readers to collect photographs and noting their low prices, such as two portfolios by Ansel Adams which can be had for $100 each.
