Ansel Adams

I happened upon a repeat of the PBS series "American Masters" last night, the one about Ansel Adams. I had seen this a year or so ago, upon the 100th anniversary of his birth. It is a very well-done presentation about his life, his art, with many wonderful photographs of him, his family, and interviews with other photographers, writers, and his children. It affected just as much last night as my first viewing. But one thing I came away with last night was the self-realization that he was truly unique, as I am. And try as hard as I can, my photographs could never be like his, just as his photographs could never be like mine. I didn't feel the usual sadness that I am not out there like he was, capturing images to the extent that he wasn't around for the birth of his first child. I cannot do that. I can only do what I am supposed to do: be a good dad, good hubby, and then a good photographer.