Santa Ana Wash, San Bernardino County, California 1982

Robert Adams made this black and white photograph, Santa Ana Wash, San Bernardino County, California, sometime in the 20th century. Adams' process here feels like a careful consideration of light and shadow, almost like a painter working in monochrome. Look at the way the light catches the large rock in the foreground. It's not just a rock, is it? It's almost like a stand-in for a human figure, imposing, solid, yet vulnerable amidst the detritus. The texture of the rock, with its subtle gradations and streaks, is beautifully rendered. The high contrast emphasizes the gritty reality of the scene, which is filled with discarded objects. This gives a sense of entropy. Adams reminds me of the New Topographics photographers. They share this unflinching gaze at the modern landscape, finding beauty in the mundane, and prompting us to reflect on our relationship with the places we inhabit.