Ansel Adams was one of the most influential American photographers of the 20th century. He is best known for his powerful black-and-white landscape photographs of the American West, especially dramatic images of mountains, forests, and national parks.

Born in San Francisco, Adams developed an early love for nature during family trips to Yosemite. Although he initially trained as a pianist, photography gradually became his true passion. By the 1920s, he was already gaining recognition for his striking landscape images.

 Many of his iconic photographs were taken in Yosemite National Park. One of his most celebrated images is Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (1941), a striking photograph featuring a glowing moon above a small village and cemetery.