Mt. Williamson, Sierra Nevada, from Manzanar, California
Ansel Adams
Description
Subject Matter:
This photograph depicts a boulder-strewn valley and a wall of jagged mountain peaks on the far horizon. Centrally composed, two nearly symmetrical mountains form a v-shaped swath of negative space. Through this gap, the peak of Mount Williamson towers in the distance, swept with vaporous cloud banks. The flatland leading to the base of the mountains is covered with a vast expanse of tightly clustered boulders and stones. Centered in the foreground, a particularly large, rounded boulder echoes both the gap in the mountains beyond, and the shape of Mount Williamson above. Small desert plants huddle around the bases of these stones. The sharp focus of the photograph renders the scintillating desert light in opulent splendor, the sun’s rays raking across the distant haze. The juxtaposition of the boulders and the mountains emphasize the immensity of the scene, and lends a sublime majesty to the image.
Physical Description:
This photograph depicts a flat, boulder-strewn valley leading up to a range of cloud-swept mountains in the distance.
Usage Rights:
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