Ansel Easton Adams, (b. 1902 San Francisco, California –d. 1984 Monterey, California), Stump, Trinidad Head, N. California, 1966, Gelatin silver print, Bequest of Mrs. Toivo Laminan (Margaret Chamberlin, Class of 1929) 1979.92

In a departure from the sweeping vistas for which landscape photographer Ansel Adams is typically known, Stump, Trinidad Head, N. California offers an intimate encounter with a tree stump on the rocky shores of Trinidad Harbor. To encourage a direct, physical interaction with nature, Adams emphasized the tactile and sculptural qualities of his subject. Strong contrasts between light and shadow accentuate the stump’s ridges and recesses, as well as the rough surfaces of its trunk wounds. By capturing the subject at a close distance and from a low vantage point, Adams imbued the decaying tree with a sense of monumentality. The tree stump also serves to divide the composition diagonally, revealing two distinct terrains in the background. On the left, the barren beach and the jagged peaks of Trinidad Head are visible. On the right, a contrasting view of a dense forest lies beyond the valley. The shifting perspective between foreground and background invites the viewer to imagine standing in the shadow of the tree stump while looking out at the distant landscapes.

Yanni Li ‘20