1902-1984, American
photographer, b. San
Francisco. He began
taking photographs in
the High Sierra and
Yosemite Valley, with
which his name is
permanently associated,
becoming professional in
1930. That year he
published the first of
many books of his
photographs, Taos
Pueblo. With Edward
Weston and others he
founded the Group
f/64 in reaction
against the painterly
aesthetic then current.
He specialized in
characteristic regional
landscape, particularly
of the Southwest,
emphasizing conservation
of nature. Adams wrote
numerous technical
manuals, including the
classic Basic Photo-Books
series, and helped to
found the first
photographic art
department of a museum
at the Museum of Modern
Art, New York City. His
book Born Free and
Equal (1944) was an
effort to aid Japanese-Americans
incarcerated during
World War II. He began
the first college
department of
photography (California
School of Fine Art,
1946). Adams won two
Guggenheim grants to
photograph national
parks and monuments. He
published the first
superb portfolio
reproductions of his own
and others' photographs.
