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I found a multi part video interview of Ansel Adams. This includes segments watching Ansel Adams work. This is well worth watching for any photographer.

Ansel Adams talks about becoming a photographer after seeing pictures by Paul Strand. He talks about some of his pictures and how they were taken, how photography differs from painting, black and white versus color photography, and several other topics.

What did Ansel Adams think about electronic imaging? Watch the video and find out.

One rare treat is seeing Adams’ personal art gallery in his home.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Here are more Ansel Adams resources

I’m still a film guy at heart. I have to be. I have hundreds of feet of it in the fridge. That was a joke. Film is just cool.

Better Living Through Chemistry

It’s just the magic of the chemistry. Don’t get me wrong, digital is cool too, but there’s something about taking some plastic into the dark, bathing it with chemicals and having an image appear that is just absolutely awesome, mystifying and expressive.

So anyway, I was watching the review videos of some high-end consumer cameras, EOS 5D Mark II videos and Nikon D700 videos.

We’re at an incredible moment in photographic history. The amount of capability in these consumer machines is truly amazing even for a neo-Luddite like me. OK so maybe that’s a bit harsh. I am a software guy after all.

And if I ever really did splurge to go all out, my heart gets all fluttery when I look at the EOS 1DS Mark III or the Nikon D3X.

The one thing that still amazes me though is how much the costs of these cameras are above the costs of the professional film cameras that they have replaced. I guess with the cost of processing film it might be worth it. I don’t know. I seem to spend more time with Adobe Photoshop than I should.

The last portrait I took of my father before he died was at my niece’s wedding. Louis Ravetta, who always encouraged me with my photography, came along and let me use of one of his Canon EOS 5D cameras. I’ll always appreciate that. That allowed me to take my last portrait of my father before he ended up on his death bed. That picture is memorable and important to me.

Way too shortly after that picture was taken, Karen and Louis both helped me again at my father’s funeral.

I’m related to and quite fond of Karen and Louis Ravetta of Ravetta Photography. They shot my wedding as well as those of many of my family members and did a fine job.

So if you’re in need of a professional photographer in St. Louis, I highly recommend Karen and Lou Ravetta and their daughter Rachel. But again I’m biased.