It was three years when I, a naive adolescent with a burgeoning love of film and photography, was lying on a mattress beside the fire place at 1 o'clock in the morning, trying desperately to fall asleep. I had the television on, hoping the colours and sounds would lull me to sleep when I grew tired of whatever was on and started flipping through the channels.
"Ansel Adams": the words beamed out at me from the TV guide; immediately I was reminded of a spectacular photograph hanging in the doctor's office I would often stare at as I waited for my name to be called. In the lower right hand of that photo was the name Ansel Adams. I've never forgot that.
I quickly changed the channel to TVO - the last great Canadian television channel - and watched, and watched, and watched.... Whatever promise there was of getting to sleep was suddenly no more. I was glued to the television as one magnificent photo after another was presented, in-between some very interesting facts and commentaries on the legend himself.
By the time 1:30 rolled around it was safe to say photography was now a passion of mine, even if I had very little experience. It's been three years and I've been trying to track down this documentary whenever I am reminded of it, and until yesterday I thought the quest was hopeless. But when I found this IMDb page and subsequently the torrent file, I discovered this was the same PBS documentary that captivated me three years ago.
I'll admit, the second time around I was not as enthused, but it is still a remarkable documentary. There are breathtaking photographs and some very insightful/interesting dialogue, especially the stuff by Ansel himself. I'm not so sure why it didn't make the same impression on me the second viewing, but I assume it had more to do with the perfect atmosphere in which I first saw it: my naiveté; my burgeoning interest; the fire; the stillness and remoteness of the night hours; and the larger-than-life persona whom I connected to the nostalgic memory of sitting in the doctor's office, wondering the story behind this amazing print.
Nevertheless, I cannot recommend it enough to anyone with an appreciation for art and/or photography.
