Evening Clouds and Pool, East Side of the Sierra Nevada from the Owens Valley, California c. 1962 - 1980

Ansel Adams made this photograph, "Evening Clouds and Pool, East Side of the Sierra Nevada from the Owens Valley, California" with a camera and film, using light and shadow as his main tools. He's not just snapping a picture; he's in a deep conversation with light. Look at how the clouds stretch and feather across the sky, they’re not just clouds but almost brushstrokes. The way Adams captures the reflection in the pool makes the water feel like a living mirror, echoing the drama above. It’s not just a landscape, it’s an emotional space, each shade of gray adding to the mood. This feels like a cousin to the Hudson River School paintings, but instead of grand romantic gestures in paint, Adams is doing it with light and lens. It’s a reminder that photography, like any art form, is about seeing—and feeling—the world in a deeply personal way.