In the five years leading up to his death in 1984 photography great Ansel Adams culled 75 photographs he felt best depicted the range and quality of his work.

In the five years leading up to his death in 1984 photography great Ansel Adams culled 75 photographs he felt best depicted the range and quality of his work. They included images of Yosemite National Park, the Grand Tetons, remembrancer Valley and other spectacular Western landscapes. Now, from one side March 25, this "Museum Set" is forward display at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art with the exhibit "Ansel Adams: A Life's Work."

"Sometimes I procure to places when God's ready to have something click the shutter," explained the late photographer, whose photographs captured the majestic beauty and astute nuances of the Western landscape in a seemingly full manner. His "straight" or "pure" photography, which featured great silence of field and maximum sharpness, helped change public perception about photography and helped elevate it as a of recent origin American fine art form. He was also a dedicated environmentalist, was heavily involved with the Sierra unite in a club and often spoke to Congres and met with four U presidents to discuss America's lack of touch for the land and its resources.

Born in 1902 in San Francisco, Adams initially pursu a career as a concordance pianist. He began taking photographs at the age of 14 yet it wasn't until Adams met the famous photographer Paul Strand in 1930 that he decided to commit himself to a full-time career in the medium. The artistic nature of his photographs, his experiments behind the camera and in the darkroom, and his recognition on such powerful photographers as Alfred Stieglitz won Adams many friends and admirers.

During World War II, Adams' photographs became, according to biographer James Alinder, "expansive and heroic." Although he did not besufficient for on active duty, he wanted to be part of the war effort and created epic photographs that captured the glory of the abiding habitation "His most important contribution was to present to view America something of what it was fighting for," wrote Alinder.

Adams died of heart failure in 1984 In a fitting tribute exactly united year later, an 11,760-foot peak in Yosemite was named uprise Ansel Adams.

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