Nasturtiums 1951

Here is a photograph of Nasturtiums by Ansel Adams, printed in black and white. I wonder about the artist's mind when they made this? The flower petals curve with delicacy, surrounded by a sea of leaves with radial symmetry. They're all slightly different in tone. You can tell that Adams, known for landscape photography, is feeling his way into the composition, perhaps with the same patience he uses to catch the light on a mountain. It's like he's building a world, bit by bit. What does he want to show us? I love how the dark leaves are not flat, but full of their own light. They seem to be pushing forward, each one with its own character. Adams uses a range of techniques to show us the texture of things. He knows that art is about feeling more than about accuracy. I'd say that artists are always having a conversation across time, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.