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TPC = Time, Place Culture
TPC = Time, Place Culture
Time, Place, and Culture (TPC) is a way to think about how a photographer’s world influences their photos and the way people see them. It looks at the time they lived in, where they were, and the culture around them. This includes things like beliefs, class, gender, religion, politics, and more. By thinking about these things, we can better understand why a photographer made certain choices and how different people might react to their work.
Time
Time
The time (era) a photographer lives in affects the tools and technology they can use.
Popular art styles of the time can influence how they take photos.
Big events in history (like wars or movements) can shape what they choose to photograph.
Society’s values and beliefs change over time, which can affect how people see and understand the photos.
Political or cultural ideas (like ideologies or movements) can also shape both the photos and how audiences react to them.
Place
Place
Where a photographer lives or works affects what they can photograph, like landscapes, buildings, and local culture.
Their location gives their photos a unique look and story based on that place.
The area around them can limit or expand what subjects they have access to
Things like class and religion in that area can influence who or what appears in their photos.
The photographer’s surroundings shape the overall style and mood of their work.
Culture
Culture
A photographer’s culture affects how they see the world and what themes they focus on.
Their photos often reflect the values, beliefs, and issues in their society.
Things like gender, sexuality, class, and religion can influence their style and subjects.
Political and social ideas (ideologies) can shape the messages in their work.
Culture also affects how different people understand and react to the photos.
Ansel Adams Bio
Ansel Adams, born in San Francisco in 1902, was a celebrated American photographer and environmentalist renowned for his breathtaking black-and-white landscapes of the American West. During the early to mid-20th century, Adams developed a profound appreciation for nature, which was deeply rooted in the cultural and environmental movements of the time. His iconic photographs of national parks, especially Yosemite, played a significant role in advocating for the conservation of these wilderness areas.
Intro to Ansel
Ansel Extended
Ansel Adams Time & Tech
Ansel Adams (1902–1984) lived during a time of fast change. Cities were growing quickly, and new technology was changing the way people lived. As roads, buildings, and billboards spread, Adams chose to focus on the beauty of wild nature, which was starting to disappear. He had loved nature since he was young, and this love came through in his landscape photos.
In the late 1800s, photographers tried to make photos look like paintings, especially impressionist art. This style was called pictorialism. But in the early 1900s, new cameras made it possible to take sharp, detailed pictures. A new style of photography began, which focused on clear, focused images instead of soft, painting-like ones. Ansel Adams used this style and was part of f64 group . They used high aperture to make sure everything in the photo was in focus.
Adams also helped develop editing techniques in the darkroom. He used methods like dodging and burning, to control light and dark areas in a photo. He also used a system called “the zone technique” to plan how his photos would look. He liked to use large cameras, different lenses, tripods, and filters (like red or yellow) to make the contrast in his photos stand out.
Make & Method Choices
The period of history that Ansel Adams took photographs in greatly influenced the technology available to him as well as the philosophies around aesthetic choices in photographs. This, in turn, influenced the 'Make' and 'method' techniques that Ansel utilised. View some of his major choices below.
Dodge / Burn
Dodge and burn are techniques used in darkroom photography to lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) specific areas of an image. Ansel Adams used these methods to enhance the details and contrasts in his landscape photographs, creating a more dramatic and balanced image.
Zone Technique
Ansel co-developed the Zone System to determine optimal film exposure and development. This resulted in precise tonal range in his photographs, allowing for greater detail and depth in both shadows and highlights.
Lines
Ansel used many leading lines in nature, including framing subjects and parallel lines to create interesting effects. Ansel also uses high horizon lines in the frame to emphasise nature towering above the audience.
F64
F64 refers to a group of photographers who advocated for sharp, detailed images with a large depth of field, using small aperture settings. Ansel employed their principles to achieve clarity and detail in his large-format photographs.
Large Format
A large format camera uses large film sheets, producing high-resolution images with fine detail. Ansel Adams preferred this type of camera for his landscape photography, as it allowed him to capture the grandeur and intricacies of natural scenes.
Dramatic Light / Contrast
Dramatic light and contrast highlight differences between light and dark areas, adding depth and intensity to images. Ansel's work was striking, and visually compelling as it used this technique to emphasise the beauty and power of nature.
Ansel Adam's Places & Conservation
Ansel Adams' work was strongly connected to the environment. He joined the Sierra Club in 1919, showing his support for protecting nature. His first photo was published in their bulletin in 1922, and he had his first solo exhibition at their San Francisco office in 1928.
Adams took photos of national parks and wild places to show their beauty and the need to protect them. His photos were used in parks, magazines, and other media to support conservation. Through his art and efforts, Adams helped change how people saw nature and helped influence laws to protect it.
Jacobs, A (n.d) 'Yosemite Valley - Channeling My Inner Ansel', URL
Yosemite
The specific locations where Ansel Adams photographed played a crucial role in his development as a photographer and his ability to capture the natural world. His initial experiences in Yosemite with a newly acquired camera helped him refine his techniques and understand how to best capture the grandeur of nature.
Many of Ansel Adams’ most famous photographs were taken in the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park. He first visited Yosemite as a teenager, and the striking cliffs, waterfalls, and changing light made a lasting impact on him. Unlike other natural areas, Yosemite offered a dramatic mix of scale, texture, and atmosphere that matched his interest in precision and clarity.
He often used wide-angle compositions and left people out of the frame to emphasise the size and stillness of the landscape. These artistic choices helped define his style and shaped how many people came to see and value the natural world. His images of Yosemite became iconic and played a major role in the movement to protect it.
New Mexico
His work with the United States Department of the Interior, photographing national parks, not only boosted his popularity but also reinforced his commitment to conservation. These assignments allowed him to highlight the importance of preserving these natural wonders.
Additionally, his interactions with other photographers in New Mexico and the publication of his first book in the 1930s further solidified his reputation and refined his artistic vision. These experiences and locations collectively shaped Adams' ability to convey the beauty and importance of the American wilderness through his photography.
Adams, A (1930) 'Taos Pueblo' Grabhorn Press, San Francisco, URL
Did Adams represent his culture or pioneer it?
Preserving Nature
Ansel Adams visited New Mexico in the late 1920s to photograph the Taos Pueblo community, expanding his focus beyond landscapes to include cultural and portrait photography. This work became the basis for his first major book, Taos Pueblo (1930), which showcased his ability to capture human subjects with the same precision and respect as nature. The book was well received and helped establish Adams’ credibility as a versatile photographer, not limited to wilderness scenes. By documenting a significant cultural community, he gained artistic validity and recognition in both photographic and broader art circles. This period marked an important step in shaping his reputation as a serious, skilled photographer.
While Ansel aligned himself to social and cultural attitudes of his time, his photographic work still stood out. While many of his photographic peers focused on urban and social issues, Adams remained dedicated to capturing the natural world, often going against the mainstream trend.
Start Video at 4:50
Visualisation
Ansel Adams’ idea of “visualisation” meant he planned his photos carefully before taking them, often making just one shot. This showed how much he cared about getting every detail right and being true to what he saw. Visualisation was important because it made photography a thoughtful, careful process, not just quick snapshots.
By taking only one photo, Adams emphasised the importance of capturing the essence of a moment, reflecting his philosophy that photography should be an intentional and contemplative act.
At the time, cameras did not have screens to check photos instantly like digital ones today, so Adams had to really understand the scene before taking the picture. This careful approach fits with his time and culture, when photography was seen as an art form that needed skill and patience.
Class Activity: TPC Stations
There are three stations around the room: Time, Place, and Culture.
At each station, use the prompts and the information we've just learned to summarise how time, place, or culture influenced Ansel Adams' photography.
Work together in groups of 2–4 to write your ideas on post-it notes.
Only add new ideas — don’t repeat what’s already written.
After 10 minutes, rotate to the next station.
At the end, choose one person from your group to share your key insights.
Final Reflection (All Groups)
Imagine you’re a young Ansel Adams today. Cities are spreading, national parks are at risk, and people are glued to their screens. You have one photo to take that could convince the world to care about nature. Where would you go? What would you photograph? Why?
Share with your group.
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