Ansel Adams At His Best

Book Search at Amazon.com

Book Search at Amazon.com

I walked into Half Price Books and found Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs. The book itself is a real treasure. 400 hundred photos, one per page, with reproduction values as good as you are likely to find anywhere. The hardcover book, new, was selling for  $19.95. That sounded like a great price to me.

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W. Eugene Smith, “Tomoko in Her Bath”

“What are your favorite memorable photos?” That’s the question I was asked by one of my friends yesterday. This is one of the images that moves me deeply (click on the photo to see a larger version). The expression of love and tenderness on the mother’s face as she bathes her 16 year old daughter. The daughter’s face and body showing the ravages of Minamata Disease. The play of light and shadow. To my eyes this is a stunning image, even if you know nothing about the story behind this photo. It is clear why many photographers consider W. Eugene Smith to be one of the best photojournalists of the 20th century.

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