Ansel Adams at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

Kilgallb · Jan 10, 2007

I visited the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Bellagio in Vegas today.

I believe all the prints were made by the master himself. Maybe someone else knows better. It is an excellent show, about 40 prints and and some artifacts from Ansel Adams life. You can even look through/at the ground glass of his 8x10 view camera.

I must say the prints, mounted in a gallery in fine lighting are breath taking.

Viewing the large print of the Face of Halfdome was an emotional moment. It is unbelievable that he could acheive such beauty using plates, older paper and ancient optics.

I was torn between going right out and photographing anything, and throwing my cameras in the ocean. A very inspiring expostion.

AARG, I am 2000 miles from my film camera and only have a crappy digital point and shoot with me.

Vaughn · Jan 10, 2007

Ahhhh, you got a classic case of halfdomedigititis.

I can remember my first viewing of a real AA photograph..."Tenya Creek, Dogwoods, Rain" or something like that as a title. At the Weston Gallery in Carmel...early '80's. It was hung low so I could just sit cross-legged on the floor and stare at it...loved those rocks along the creek! I wanted the tonality of those rocks in my creek photos! It was great knowing they were possible!

Vaughn

PS I want to check out the Valley of Fire (east of Vegas) one of these days!

Curt · Jan 10, 2007

Vaughn, I have been to the AA show and have photographed at the Valley of Fire twice. I can't figure out why it is not a National Park. It is totally outstanding. You make a long drive to it and just when you think there is nothing to see you go over a rise and bang it's there in front of you. It's a magnificent place and I will be going there again whenever I can.

dmr · Jan 10, 2007

I agree that AA at the Bellagio is a very good exhibit. I saw this last spring and may drop in again.

Curt said:
Vaughn, I have been to the AA show and have photographed at the Valley of Fire twice. I can't figure out why it is not a National Park. It is totally outstanding. You make a long drive to it and just when you think there is nothing to see you go over a rise and bang it's there in front of you. It's a magnificent place and I will be going there again whenever I can.

Valley Of Fire is one of my favorite get-away side trips when in Las Vegas. I'm not the outdoorsy type at all, but I love the place. I even got up at some ungodly hour last spring one day to shoot the Rainbow Vista at sunrise.

Oh, it isn't a National Park, because Nevada got it as a State Park first.

JBrunner · Jan 10, 2007

Kilgallb said:
Viewing the large print of the Face of Halfdome was an emotional moment. It is unbelievable that he could acheive such beauty using plates, older paper and ancient optics.

Something I like to attempt to communicate to people, especially a certain kind, is that the technology for making outstanding photographs was in place long before many of us were born, and that allot of photo technology is a diversion, and some (especially lately) is regressive. No piece of gear, no camera, no program, no computer, will make you into a master photographer and printer. This is so lost on the mainstream, and yet so obvious.

Whenever I doubt that, I just go to an exhibit by a old master.

jimgalli · Jan 10, 2007

Come north a couple hundred miles to Tonopah and I'll fix you up with an 8X10 so you can relieve your frustration. Ancient optics won't be a problem.

blaze-on · Jan 10, 2007

Do you know if it's still up in March? (I have a marketing conference in Vegas then).

Kilgallb · Jan 11, 2007

JBrunner said:
Something I like to attempt to communicate to people, especially a certain kind, is that the technology for making outstanding photographs was in place long before many of us were born, and that allot of photo technology is a diversion, and some (especially lately) is regressive. No piece of gear, no camera, no program, no computer, will make you into a master photographer and printer. This is so lost on the mainstream, and yet so obvious.

Whenever I doubt that, I just go to an exhibit by a old master.

Well said.

My old English teacher once said that to learn to write, read. I think the same can be said for photography, you have to look. Now, I need to find galleries showing Weston, Lange and others.

gordrob · Jan 12, 2007

Blaze-on the exhibt goes to May 7,2007. I saw it in October and it is well worth it to take the time to view it. Cost is $15 if you are not a guest of the hotel. They give you a audio paddle so that by putting in the number of the print you are in front of you get a brief explanation of what you are viewing.
Here is a link for the Belagio - go to attractions and then the fine art gallery.

http://www.bellagio.com

Gord

mtbbrian · Jan 18, 2007

That's still there!
Right On!
I saw it back in May. I saw it with my wife and the thing I remember the most, was that she said she understood me and photography a little better after seeing the exhibit.
Brian

raucousimages · Jan 18, 2007

Blaze-on. I will be there in march (7-8 I think) for a marketing seminar also. Are you attending the one given by Naish Piaza?

The thing that struck me about the photos was the amount of dust and even some fingerprints in the prints without taking anything away from bueaty of the images. I have realy lightened up in my obsession about dust in my prints. The other artifacts from his life were interesting also.

It is the best $15.00 you will spend in Vegas.

Kilgallb · Jan 18, 2007

Actually it was the second best 15 bucks. The best 15 bucks was when I visited again the next day.

Ansel Adams at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

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