A PHOTOGRAPHER'S PERSPECTIVE June 15, 1984 Newsroom 985-2131 SECTION ENTERTAINMENT T.V. * MOVIES - WGO Adams exhibit evokes parched South THE MIDDLE-AGED couple, obviously American tourists, wandered into Presentation House with cameras slung over their shoulders and reverent looks on their faces. WwW ii w ; in t them that. Aerican photographer Ansel Adams’ exhibition of Photographs of — shrine. Such is the effect Adams’ work has on some people. the Southwest wouldn’t open for several hours they looked While detractors find his work predictable and crestfallen. “We're from Arizoma,’’ uninspiring, Ansel Adams devotees are loyal. they explained, ‘‘and Ansel Adams is best known for Adams means a lot to us.’? A gallery worker agreed to give his finely crafted studies of the American landscape, them a sneak preview. They moved from photograph to especially national parks such photograph as if visiting a HOLLY MacPherson studies one The show coatinues until August 26. of Ansel Adams’ photographs of as Yosemite which he fought to preserve as parkland before conservation and en- vironment became household words. One of the best-loved of American photographers, Adams died last april at the age of 82. Ansel Adams: Photo- graphs of the Southwest, 1928-1968 is the second Adams exhibit to be shown at Presentation House Gallery, one of the few in Canada which specializes in photographic art. The exhibi- tion continues there until Aug. 26. the Calor ebevision Monitor 217 6 T 200 Random Access f hectroame L2G C harnvet Faning with 1 bane thon Karrcte OC omitreal Input Ohatput Jacks Suate ties Vide, Videu Disc to Kewpalar TN Tay tes Pent RbsHA cornputer jack lereatnal © Two bull ts speakers CAVERLY’S TELEVISION Weekly T.V. rentals 170 14025) Marine [or West Vane ouvert American Southwest al The 100 prints chosen by Adams to represent his work in the Southwest give one a strong sense of the parched land. Texture is everywhere. The cracked adobe wall of a house, blistered paint, arid landscape, or the weather- worn faces of the in- habitants. Each is a study of light and shadow. Adams was an excellent technical photographer, but he relied on his craftsman- ship to dramatize, not distort the places and things he photographed. His Straightforward style forces NEWS photo Eric Eggertson Presentation House. Facial Manicure Pedicure 1351 Marine Drive W.V. other services available * halr romoval © cosmetic facolitts * makeup ¢ all phases of hair services Dina’s Hatr Vogue 922-4434 one to look closely at the ob- ject at hand. His portrait of pioneer Martha Porter is a remarkable example of the photographer’s obsession with rendering precise studies of chosen subjects. The portrait shows the weathered and wrinkled face of the woman. Next to her is the cracked and blistered col- umn of her front porch. The details of both face and col- umn are so minutely-rendered’ one is not entirely sure the woman is the main subject of the photograph. When Adams gave up a career in music for photography in the early 1930’s there were few craft- smen and even fewer artists to learn from. Photography as an art form was in its in- fancy. It would only be through the works of photographers like Adams that photography would slowly gain acceptance tn the art galleries of the world. His attention to the techni- que of photography combin- ed with a strong personal vi- sion brought something new to photography. He could both document the natural beauty of the unspoiled Stain...or paint? American wilderness while creating striking images ef monumental vistas and com- mon objects alike. Adams rejected categoriza- tion as a landscape photographer. But he refused to depart too far from the subject he obviously loved best just to satisfy some critics. He taught photography for many years in California. ) There is nothing new in th is exhibition. One can just as easily see the photographs in Adams’ numerous books. But that would mean miss- ing one of the most exciting things about the show — the craftsmanship of the prints themselves. A master printer, Adams spent decades perfecting his system of printing, which he maintained was just as much an artistic process as taking the picture. To wander among the painstakingly rendered images ts worth the admission price. To offset the cost of the ex- hibition Presentation House is raffling off one of Ansel Adams' signature prints, Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite Valley. Tickets are $5 for a chance to win the print, valued at $6,000. a t z= 2g = For those planning to build of remodel soon, the hour of decision ts approaching Will it be stain or paint tor your home? Today the trend ts toward stains Here's why e Wood preserving, miidew-resistant water. repellent, all three in one! @ Penetrate deep into the wood surface; actually dyeing the wood fibres e@ Trouble-free will not Crack. peel, or blister SUPREME CENTRE tolaet lier, SuPerlin, 125 RIVERSIDE DRIVE NORTH VANCOUVE Fa MONKS HARDWARE 2474 MARINE DRIVE WEST Marat tured mm (armies ba hewvety &, VANCOUVE F4 sae eee Poe