Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams was a 20th-century photographer who used his work to promote environmental activism. As a child, Adams took long nature walks in San Francisco to find refuge from stress related to trouble in school and the eradication of his family’s long-standing fortune. In 1919, after spending significant time at Yosemite Sierra, Adams joined the Sierra Club, an environmental-preservation and outdoor activity club. Photographing with great technical mastery during Sierra Club Adventures ignited Adams’ photographic career. He published photography manuals, gave traveling lecture on environmental preservation, and helped establish the first photography division at MoMA in New York City. He also founded Group f/64, which left a lasting impact on American photography, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Jimmy Carter. He died at the age of 82, surrounded by family.