“The Tetons and the Snake River” Ansel Adams, 1942

Many people believe that the epoch of photography can be divided into two parts: before Adams and after Adams. During the Pre-Adams period, photography was not even considered as an independent art. Photos looked like pictures with the help of various manipulations.
Adams refrain any manipulations with his pictures, declaring the art of photography as the “poetry of the reality”. His works proved the value of “pure photography”. When there appeared rather compact portable cameras he persistently stuck to the bulky equipment and old-fashioned wide-screen cameras.
Adams showed the Americans the beauty of their nature. In 1936 he made the series of pictures that were directed to Washington in order to help to save the Kings canyon in California. As a result, this area was declared a National Park.

“Einstein, showing his tongue” Arthur Sasse, 1951

You can reasonably ask yourself a question: Is this picture really changed the world?
Einstein made the revolution in nuclear physics and quantum mechanics, and this picture changed the attitude both to Einstein and to the scientists as a whole. The fact is that 72-year-old scientist got tired of constant chase of the press, annoying him in Princeton. When he was asked to smile in camera for the hundred time, in stead of smile, he stuck his tongue. This tongue - the tongue of a genius, that’s why this photograph became classic in a moment. Now Albert Einstein stays in our memory as a big original - always and forever!

“Gandhi” Margaret Bourke-White, 1946

One of the most influential people of the XX century, Gandhi, did not like to be photographed, though in 1946 a staff member of Life, Margaret Bourke-White, was allowed taking his picture against the spinning wheel – the symbol of struggle for independence of India. Before the photographer was admitted to make photo session, she had to learn how to spin – that was the requirement of Gandhi’s surroundings.
Managed with this, two more tasks were waiting for the photographer. At the beginning it was found out that nobody was permitted to speak with Gandhi – he had “the day of silence”, which He used to spend speechless. As Gandhi could not stand a bright light, Margaret was allowed to make only three shots (with flash).
One more problem was also a moist atmosphere of India, which affected the camera, that’s why two first pictures were poor, but the third one turned out to be great. It is the very shot, that formed the image of India for the million of people. The photo became the last portrait of Gandhi during his lifetime – two years later He was killed…

“V–J day in Times Square” Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1945

August 14, 1945, the news about the capitulation of Japan proclaimed the end of the Second World War. Tumultuous celebrating began at New-York streets, but, probably, no one from the people in the city did not as feel free, as militaries did. Among the happiest people, gathered that day in Times Square, was one of the most talented photojournalist of the XX century, the German immigrant Alfred Eisenstaedt.
Picking out the pictures of celebration with his camera, he noticed a sailor, “walking down the street and seizing every girl on his way.” Later he said that he did not care was she “a granny, slim, fat, old or young” – he made no differences. Of course, this legendary shot, depicting the kiss of a venerable pensioner, would never appear at the Life’s cover, but when a dashing military man spun around and kissed an attractive nurse, and Eisenstaedt took a picture, this shot was spread around in newspapers all over the country.
In stands to reason, “V–J day in Times Square” was not the picture of two lovers, separating by the war. However, even to the present day this shot remains the symbol of the USA at the end of the long struggle for piece.

Photo-Advices from John Ross

Some good and useful advices from the great photographer John Ross will help you to get amazing results attracting the attention!
Beware of mega-pixels. Instead of wasting money on some extra mega-pixels, it’s much better to choose a fast lens of the professional class, which can actually define the quality of the photo.
Come closer. We always try to walk away from the object while photographing, just because we want uncle John is cut from our memories about a new year.

But if you want to photograph plants or animals, right after taking a picture, make a step forward and then again take a picture, repeat these motions.

Not every photo should be close-up, but the objects with a good detalization look greater outdoors.
Fill the picture. If you take a picture of a bird or another wild animal, try to fill the shot with the object maximally. And try not to get radio-flash or transmission line into the picture. Also you should not pin the hope on the photo-editor to cut the picture, because most probably the photo will loose the focus.
Turn the camera. Sometimes everything you need for the excellent shot is to turn the camera, and the excess of space, which spoil the picture, no longer bother you.

The majority of tripods allow turning the camera upright.
Avoid a “bull’s eye”. Don’t put the conceptual centre in the middle of the shot. Put the object outside the centre to allow moving the eyes at the photo. In landscape pictures the conceptual centre may be in mountains, while for the intimate photo you’d better find a flower with a drip of water.

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