Stephen Shore vs Ansel Adams

Pete December 15, 2015

I was recommended, by my tutor, to look at how different photographers photographs capture similar scenes in particularly the difference between Ansel Adams shots in Yosemite against the work of Stephen Shore.

Now the work of Ansel Adams didn’t need any introduction; his images of Yosemite in fact to photography as a whole is legendary.

Stephen Shore, on the other hand, I have not heard of; although that can be because I’m not too well-read on other photographers. A quick search on google revealed the following opening sentence of from his Wikipedia entry:

Stephen Shore (born October 8, 1947) is an American photographer known for his images of banal scenes and objects in the United States, and for his pioneering use of color in art photography. In 2010, Shore received an Honorary Fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society.

He is some I will have to research fully in due course.

Other that the obvious time frame differences, i.e. Adams in the 1930’s and shore in the late 1970’s and Shore’s use of colour; there are some significant differences in how they have photographed the same subject. Most obviously that Adam has images which show wilderness whereas Shore’s image is softer and more gentle.

There is a family in Shore’s image, something that you can’t imagine in the Adams image, you would expect to be a well-prepared hiker or climber to step into this picture. I could, in contrast, grab a ball and step into the picture and join the families fun.

Adams has concentrated on the tones and the splendour of the scenery – he has created an images that projects the last frontier Shore by contrast is the antisathis of Adams showing Yosemite as a family destination.

The images are so different it is impossible to choose a favourite as they are both conveying different points of view although strangely I’m drawn to Shores image as i reminds me of my childhood holidays; although Bournemouth never looked that exotic.

Bibliography

Citations, Quotes & Annotations