My Ansel Adams Moment – David Rendle

Ansel Adams is a great inspiration to me.  Many of us admire his photography, but I love to read his books and especially the stories behind each image.  Ansel’s ‘all or nothing’ story of using pre-visualisation to achieve the image with his very last plate negative truly inspires me.  Let me share my ‘Ansel Adams Moment’.

Some years ago, I travelled throughout South-West America with fellow photographer Phil Brew and my wife, Lee.  Touring through all the iconic national parks of the Colorado Plateau was very much a photographic safari.  Typically, Lee read about five novels while I exposed about twenty rolls of 120mm film. 

You can only imagine the photographic exhilaration of exploring places such as Zion N.P, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Cheyee, Arches N.P, Bryce Canyon and Death Valley.  Yosemite National Park was to be the pinnacle of our expedition, and it held such high expectations.  Phil had already travelled these regions and throughout our travels he was effectively our very own tour guide.  “Wait ’til we get to Yosemite.  It’s amazing!” he teased us.  So, Yosemite was to be the grand finale of our adventures.  Unfortunately, winter struck early and three strong cold fronts straight from Alaska threatened.  Mountain passes through the Sierra Nevada Range instantly closed and we were forced to use interstate highways which cost us two days in driving.  But we were very determined to reach Yosemite. 

As it so happened, the day we arrived at Yosemite was the day that the park registered the highest rainfall in 100 years.  Driving into the valley was slow and hazardous with pelting rain and rock falls around many corners.  We knew that those iconic mountain peaks and escarpments existed beyond the heavy rain and thick cold mist, but there was nothing to see, not to mention a photograph.  It seemed to be a disaster.

But, where there’s a will, there’s a way.  And the only way was to take it in turns to be each other’s umbrella caddy.  I could just make out Yosemite Falls which seemed to be the only potential image.  Visualising the image and composing the scene is difficult when you can’t see it, but I set up the camera on the tripod… and waited.  Metering into fog and rain was confusing as I knew it would be misleading.  It was also a little intense because I knew the exposure would be a now or never situation.  I walked out amongst the grasses and read various readings searching for a 18% mid gray tone.  And then I waited some more for the waterfall for reveal itself.  After teasing me for 30 minutes the waterfall materialised momentarily, and I clicked.  The mist then returned and shrouded the falls again.

It was the only photo I took at Yosemite for the whole day.  In some ways it’s disappointing only to record a single image, but then again, I’m grateful for a photograph that I know is unique.  No one has a picture just like my Yosemite Mist which makes it special to me.

Photograph above: David Rendle – Yosemite Mist. 30 x 40 cm silver gelatin print.

“I consider this my first visualization – seeing in my mind the image I wanted before making the exposure…. I visualized a dark sky, deeper shadows, and a crisp horizon in the distance. With my one remaining plate I used the #29 dark red filter, achieving very much the effect I wanted.”   Ansel Adams, from Ansel Adams – Examples – The Making of 40 Photographs. Little, Brown & Company 1983.