Old Faithful Geyser (Classic Images)

More About the Image:

Ansel Adams made this photograph towards the conclusion of The Mural Project in 1942.  He had been traveling around the western states on a commercial assignment as a photo-muralist for the Department of the Interior.  When he arrived at Yellowstone in June of that year, he ‘quickly became enamored of the geysers of Yellowstone.  It is difficult to conceive of any substance in nature more impressively brilliant that the spurting plumes of white waters in the sunlight against a deep blue sky.’ (AB pg. 235)   Ansel set up his camera and made several exposures, each eruption proving as unique as the last.  This version became perhaps the most well-known, and Ansel communicated the significance of this image by including it as one of the variants in his last major project, The Museum Set.