Artistic Commerce
Late last year I happened upon a book of Ansel Adams’s photographs that I had never encountered.
The title is apt. It’s called Unseen Ansel Adams.
It turns out that Adams did a multi-year commission for the University of California system. He traveled to all corners of the state capturing not just campus views, but a variety of scenes of California landscapes.
It was a revelation to see this book. Mostly because I never saw Ansel as a man who had to work commercially to make a living.
Every photographer I know must do the same.
This San Diego black & white portrait pales in comparison to the scope of that great photo pioneer’s work. However, we do have one thing in common. Our ability to pay our bills with the output of our cameras.
About the author: I am Stephen Kennedy, an experienced photographer with more than 2500 completed sessions in all 50 US states.
