Introduction by John Szarkowski Essay by James Alinder

In the last years of his life Ansel Adams selected the seventy-five images that he believed represented the finest examples of the quality and breadth of his artistic legacy. Those images he designated for exhibition throughout the country as "The Museum Set" and published in this essential volume:Classic Images.

Classic Images includes many of Adams' most famous and best-loved photographs and encompasses the full scope of his work: elegant details of nature, architectural studies, portraits, and the breathtaking landscapes for which he is revered. The latter range from his beloved Yosemite to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Northwest. The portfolio is preceded by an eloquent introduction by John Szarkowski, former Director of the Department of Photography at New York's Museum of Modern Art. An authoritative biographical essay - and a detailed chronology - by James Alinder further establish Classic Images as required reading for a full understanding of Adams' development as a pre-eminent American artist.