The Ansel Adams overview below shows a glimpse into the obsession with finding the perfect shot goes above and beyond my hobbyist ambitions.  But that's not to say I haven't had 'slam on the brakes' moments, or times of annoying my husband to get a shot.  I'm not sure how many times I've said, "Is there any place to turn around?" or "Is there a car behind you right now?"  Of course he tries to accommodate when possible.  This is also the reason I take so many solo trips.  That way I only have myself to blame!

"...Ansel Adams definitely had a "stop the car" habit that tested his family's patience. He was known for being hyper-attuned to the light and atmosphere, often slamming on the brakes the moment he saw a particular cloud formation or a shadow hitting a mountain peak.

His wife, Virginia, famously quipped about the reality of being married to a landscape photographer:

"It’s a bit like being married to a man who’s always looking for another woman. He’s always looking for a better light, a better view."

The "Moonrise" Incident

The most famous example of this was the creation of "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico" (1941). Adams was driving with his son and an assistant when he saw the moon rising over a small town with the sun hitting the white crosses in a graveyard.

• The Scramble: He practically jumped out of the car and began shouting orders to set up the heavy tripod and 8x10 camera.

• The Technical Panic: He couldn't find his light meter, so he had to calculate the exposure manually based on the luminance of the moon.

• The Result: He managed to get exactly one shot before the sun dipped below the horizon and the light on the crosses vanished.

Unlike today’s digital cameras, Adams was working with large-format gear. Pulling over wasn't just a 30-second delay; it involved:

1. Unloading a massive, heavy tripod.

2. Setting up the bellows camera.

3. Focusing under a dark cloth.

4. Loading individual film holders.

For Virginia and his children, a simple drive could easily turn into a multi-hour ordeal of waiting on the side of a dusty road while Ansel waited for a single cloud to move*.

*(I may resemble this remark).

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