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Ansel Adams born Feb 20, 1902 in San Francisco, California and died April 22, 1984. He was a photographer and environmentalist. He was an only child and lived with his parents, aunt and grandfather. He was marked for life when he was thrown to the ground from an aftershock of the great earthquake of 1906. His family was wealthy up until the financial fall of 1907. His father spent the rest of his life trying to earn back the money that was lost.

Adams was a photographer, lecturer and writer. He traveled a lot to find the natural beauty he photographed. He promoted photography as a fine art and played a role in establishing the first museum department of photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Adams was an activist for the cause of wilderness and the environment. He wrote thousands of letters in support of his conservation philosophy. However, his greatest influence came from his photography. His images became the symbols of wild America.