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.
Rapids Below Vernal Fall, Yosemite, CA
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin contact print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount, with Portfolio One stamp and numbering in red crayon on the back of the mount. This print com...
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
Lyell Fork Meadows
By Ansel Adams
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Signed on the front of the print. Printed circa 1927.
$12,000Sale Price|20% Off
Buddhist Grave Markers and Rainbow, Maui, Hawaii
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount with BMFA 11 stamp, title and date in ink on the back of the mount. An inventory number in pencil on the back ...
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California
By Ansel Adams
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Ansel Adams Winter Sunrise, The Sierra Nevada, From Lone Pine, California, 1944 Signed on recto, Stamped, titled and dated on verso.
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
Pacific Diver (1950) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Pacific Diver (1950) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Evans/Three Lions/Getty Images) circa 1950: Swimmer diving into rough water lashing against rocky cliffs at Acapulco, the Riviera of Mexico. Additional Information: Unframed Paper Size: 40x40'' Printed 2020 Silver Gelatin Fibre Print NOTE OTHER SIZES OF THIS IMAGE AVAILABLE 10 x 10'' 12 x 12'' 16 x 16'' 20 x 20'' 30 x 30'' 40 x 40'' FRAMING AVAILABLE ON REQUEST Fashion, Retro, Vintage, Car, High Society, Legends, Acting, Diving, Ocean...
Black and White, Silver Gelatin
Kiva, San Ildefonse
By Morley Baer
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print is signed and editioned "21/100" in pencil on the front of the mount with Baer's stamp on the back of the mount. This print is accompanied by its original b...
Silver Gelatin
Paris 1952, Place de la Concorde
By Erich Andres
Located in Cologne, DE
This photograph, taken in 1952, depicts the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. The scene captures a busy urban atmosphere with classic cars typical of the mid-20th century lining...
Silver Gelatin
Dublin Crowd (1920) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print
Located in London, GB
Dublin Crowd (1920) - Silver Gelatin Fibre Print (Photo by Walshe/Getty Images) After signing the Treaty establishing the Free State, Irish politician and Sinn Fein leader Michael Collins (1890 - 1922) addresses the Dublin crowd at College Green...
Black and White, Silver Gelatin
Storefront
By Brett Weston
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed and dated in pencil mount recto, and again mount verso. Printed in 1961 for inclusion in "Fifteen Photographs" (edition of 50). Mounted to...
Silver Gelatin
$602
H 4.81 in W 6.58 in D 0.02 in
Fishermen at Seine, Paris, France 1950s, 12, 2 X 16, 7 cm
By Erich Andres
Located in Cologne, DE
Silver Gelatine Print by Erich Andres, ca 1950. Andres was born 1905 in Germany and passed away 1992. He started his career as a photographer in 1920. He was one of the first photogr...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White
$3,750
H 30 in W 60 in D 0.1 in
'Awakening' Master Edition Photographic Triptych. Yosemite Mountains Trees Light
By Sophia Milligan
Located in Penzance, GB
'Awakening' Archival photographic triptych. Unique Master Edition of 1. Unframed. _________________ Morning light illuminates the layered landscape of Yosemite National Park, Half D...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Giclée, Archival Pigment
$1,803
H 10.01 in W 8.12 in D 0.02 in
Ruth Ford - American actress and model - Original Photography by Cecil Beaton
By Cecil Beaton
Located in Cologne, DE
Ruth Ford - American actress and model - Original Photography by Cecil Beaton Photo taken in 1940s Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) is considered one of the mo...
Silver Gelatin
Revere Beach, MA
By Paul Caponigro
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This large silver gelatin photograph with untrimmed margins is signed and titled in pencil in the margin under the image. Likely printed in the 1990s.
Silver Gelatin
$235Sale Price|66% Off
H 11.82 in W 9.45 in D 0.79 in
Paris Walks II - 21st Century Black & White Original Polaroid Photograph Framed
By Pia Clodi
Located in Zürich, CH
Paris Walks - Contemporary Black & White Polaroid Original Photograph Framed Pia Clodi’s works encompass moments and mementos from her countless walks through cities as well as nat...
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Polaroid
Frosted Window
By Paul Caponigro
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount. This rare exhibition print in glossy paper (later prints of this image from Portfolio II were made on...
Silver Gelatin
$602
H 5.08 in W 6.78 in D 0.02 in
Rome, Women, Street Photography, Black and White, Italy 1950s, 12.9 x 17.2 cm
By Erich Andres
Located in Cologne, DE
Silver Gelatine Print by Erich Andres, ca 1950. Andres was born 1905 in Germany and passed away 1992. He started his career as a photographer in 1920. He was one of the first photogr...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White
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
Grass & Pool
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