The San Francisco–born photographer Ansel Adams is celebrated for his majestic black-and-white photography that brought the deserts, mountains and forests of the American West to the public. His images, beloved for their raw beauty and the magic of their subjects, are known around the world and widely reproduced as calendars and posters.
A sickly child with little attraction to sports or games, Adams early on developed an avid interest in the natural surroundings of his San Francisco home, on the heights facing Golden Gate Park. This passion found a productive outlet in photography, which he discovered at 14, when his father gave him his first camera during a family trip to Yosemite National Park. He spent much of the ensuing decades capturing Yosemite’s vast and varied wonders.
Adams’s photographs were first published in 1921. Even these early efforts demonstrate his eye for composition and his sensitivity to tonal balance and textural contrast. In the mid-1920s, he began to play with soft focus, as in the dreamy 1927 Lyell Fork Meadows, which appears bathed in a hazy, nostalgic light. The 1948 Sunrise over Sand Dunes in Death Valley exemplifies Adams’s later experiments with stark contrasts in light and geometric framing, which transform the landscape into a near abstraction.
Find a collection of Ansel Adams photography today on 1stDibs.
Moth and Stump, Interglacial Forest, Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount, with image number "6" in the lower left corner. Portfolio Two stamp with print #6 and set #A in red c...
Silver Gelatin
Fern Spring, Dusk, Yosemite
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print with exemplary provenance is unsigned but bears several stamps from the artist's family on the back of the mount, including the authentication stamp of Adam...
Silver Gelatin
Roots, Foster Gardens, Honolulu
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the mount beneath the image. Printed in 1948 in an edition of 75 numbered copies. This print is from presentation set #33. Po...
Silver Gelatin
Mudhills, Arizona, 1947
By Ansel Adams
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Ansel Adams Mudhills, Arizona, 1947, Portfolio V Gelatin silver print, plate 2 from the portfolio "Portfolio V" Signed and marked 22/100 1970 Black and white photograph. Photograph size 15 x 19.5 inches. Dry mounted to board and matted 23 x 29 inches Titled on Back of photograph Ansel Adams was born on February 20, 1902, in San Francisco, California. Adams rose to prominence as a photographer of the American West, particularly Yosemite National Park, using his work to promote conservation of wilderness areas. ... He died in Monterey, California, on April 1945 Ansel Adams founds the first fine art photography department at the San Francisco Art Institute. Faculty include Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Minor White...
Silver Gelatin
Silverton, Colorado
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed and numbered on the front of the mount by Ansel Adams. Stamped and titled on the back of the mount. From Portolio VI-4; 55/110. Printed in 1974.
Silver Gelatin
Hoover Dam, Power Generator, Nevada
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This incredibly rare, early silver gelatin print mounted to "shirt" board was likely printed in the 1940s. The Virginia Adams Collection stamp with her inventory number in pencil on ...
Silver Gelatin
Gravestone Detail
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print is initialed "AA" in felt-tip ink either by the artist or an unknown hand on the front of the mount. This print comes from the collection of the artist's da...
Silver Gelatin
Lyell Fork Meadows
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed on the front of the print. Printed circa 1927.
The Abode of Snow
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed with printed title on front of print. From 'Parmelian Prints of the High Sierra', limited edition of 100 copies. This is a parmelian print, warm in tone.
Silver Gelatin
The Abode of Snow
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed with printed title on the front of the print. Very early parmelian print by Ansel Adams.
East Vidette
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed (AE Adams), titled, printed on the front of print. Rare vintage parmelian print from 1927.
White Stumps, Sierra Nevada, CA
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed by the artist mount recto and with artist's stamp mount verso.
Silver Gelatin
$24,000Sale Price|40% Off
Magnetic Core Assembly, IBM Plant, Poughkeepsie, New York
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed in ink on mount recto. Hasselblad Photograph series stamp and numbered 25 on mount. Very rare example. Printed circa negative date.
Silver Gelatin
Cedar Fence, Pojoaque, New Mexico
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount. Post-BMFA 11 studio stamp with title in ink on the front of the mount. An inscription by Adams' assistant "Pr...
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
Sunset Hills, CA, (Creek and rocks)
By Ansel Adams
Located in Westwood, NJ
Carmel credit stamps on verso titled in ink by Adams on stamp. signed in ink on mount. Gallery 270 represents distinguished photographers of the 20th Century and the emergent photog...
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
Interior of Tumacoacori Mission, Arizona
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed and numbered on front of mount. Portfolio VII stamp with title, negative and print dates on back of mount. From the limited edition of 115 of which there were 100 for sale cop...
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Jamaica Sea Sailing'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Jamaica Sea Sailing, 1953 Fiber print Estate edition of 150 Signature stamped and hand numbered with Certificate of authenticity 1953: Two men sailing their yacht 'Eel II' in Jamaic...
Silver Gelatin
$819
H 27.56 in W 27.56 in D 1.97 in
Telephone, Palm Springs California - American Black and White Square Photography
By Richard Heeps
Located in Cambridge, GB
'Telephone' from Richard Heeps 'Dream in Colour' Series. This cool Palm Springs interior photography has a dreamy mid-century modern nostalgic vibe. Primarily known as a color photo...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, C Print, Silver Gelatin
Naples 1954, Street music
By Erich Andres
Located in Cologne, DE
This photograph, taken in Naples in 1954, depicts a group of street musicians performing in what appears to be an urban setting. The scene is lively and intimate, featuring a woman i...
Silver Gelatin
$1,150
H 20.15 in W 23.75 in D 1 in
Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Tucson Arizona
By Huntington Witherill
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Tucson Arizona" is a gelatin silver print by noted American photographer Huntington Witherill, born ...
Silver Gelatin
$4,782
H 30 in W 20 in
Catherine Zeta-Jones (Limited Edition of 25) - Celebrity Photography
By John Stoddart 1
Located in New York, NY
This 1991 fine art print features Catherine Zeta-Jones when she was a TV actress in Britain and aspiring to be a Hollywood Star. Her success in The Darling Buds of May (English comed...
Silver Gelatin
Desert 13.4 Ed. 4/25
By Thomas Brummett
Located in Bozeman, MT
Thomas Brummett has been working as an artist and professional photographer since 1983 when he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. His work has be...
Silver Gelatin
$1,500
H 14 in W 11 in
After Blossfeldt #1, Vintage Silver Gelatin Signed Photograph
By Jo Ann Callis
Located in Surfside, FL
Jo Ann Callis (American, b. 1940) After Blossfeldt, 1988; Gelatin silver print; Signed, dated and numbered A/P 1; 13 5/8" x 10 7/8" Jo Ann Callis (born Cincinnati, Ohio 1940) is an ...
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Jamaica Sea Sailing'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Jamaica Sea Sailing, 1953 Fiber print Estate edition of 150 Signature stamped and hand numbered with Certificate of authenticity 1953: Two men sailing their yacht 'Eel II' in Jamaic...
Silver Gelatin
Jackie Kennedy, Black and White Photography, ca. 1960
Located in Cologne, DE
Jacqueline Lee "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis (July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, and photographer who became First Lady of the United States as the wife of P...
Silver Gelatin
$1,450
H 14.5 in W 16.5 in
Harold E. Malde Southwestern Adobe Church Vintage Black and White Photograph
Located in Denver, CO
Capture the timeless beauty of the American Southwest with this evocative black-and-white photograph by American photographer Harold E. Malde (1923–2007). Featuring a traditional Sou...
Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin
$514
H 6.46 in W 8.47 in D 0.02 in
Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean) as little child, ca. 1927, 16, 4 x 21, 5 cm
Located in Cologne, DE
Norma Jeane Mortenson or better known as Marilyn Monroe – iconic, beautiful and maybe the most known Hollywood Stars of the 20th century. Born and raised in Los Angeles, USA, she spe...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White
Naples 1954, Street music
By Erich Andres
Located in Cologne, DE
This black-and-white photograph, taken in 1952 in Naples, Italy, captures a vibrant street scene featuring musicians performing for a small crowd in Santa Lucia, Naples. . The settin...
Silver Gelatin
Roots, Foster Gardens, Honolulu
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed in pencil on front of mount with Portfolio One stamp and numbering in red crayon on back. Anne Helms’ (daughter of Ansel Adams) personal collection stamp on back of mount. Fro...
Silver Gelatin
Vine and Rock, Island of Hawaii
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the mount beneath the image. Printed in 1948 in an edition of 75 numbered copies. This print is from presentation set #33. Po...
Silver Gelatin
Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print is signed in pencil mount recto, with the artist's studio stamp (BMFA 11) and title in ink mount verso. Printed 1973-77.
Silver Gelatin
Sold
H 9.5 in W 7.25 in
Forest, Early Morning, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount, with image number "2" in the lower left corner. Portfolio Two stamp with print #2 and set #A in red c...
Silver Gelatin
El Capitan, Yosemite Valley
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin photograph, printed in the late 1920s on Kodak Vitava Athena paper, is signed in pencil beneath the image with a typeset title centered in the lower margi...
Silver Gelatin
Roaring River Falls, Kings' River Canyon
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin photograph, printed in the late 1920s on Kodak Vitava Athena paper, is signed in pencil beneath the image with a typeset title centered in the lower margi...
Silver Gelatin
East Vidette, Southern Sierra
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print on Kodak Vitava Athena paper is signed in pencil beneath the image with typeset title centered in the lower margin. This print was made in 1927 for the Parm...
Silver Gelatin
Banner Peak, Thousand Island Lake, Central Sierra
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin photograph, printed in the late 1920s on Kodak Vitava Athena paper, is signed in pencil beneath the image with a typeset title centered in the lower margi...
Silver Gelatin
Fern Spring, Dusk, Yosemite
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This beautiful silver gelatin print with outstanding provenance is signed in pencil on the front of the mount beneath the image. The artist's studio stamp (BMFA 11), title and date i...
Silver Gelatin
Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print of one of Ansel Adams' most iconic images was printed by an assistant under Adams' supervision in the 1960s. It is signed in full by the artist in ink mount...
Silver Gelatin
Half Dome, Merced River, Winter
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This gorgeous silver gelatin photograph, handcrafted by one of Ansel Adams's assistants under his supervision in the 1960s, is signed by Ansel Adams in ink beneath the image. The art...
Silver Gelatin
Water & Foam
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed in pencil lower right. From Portfolio III. Studio stamp on mount verso; published by The Sierra Club San Francisco 1959. Printed 1959.
Silver Gelatin