Ansel Adams Photography Lesson | Film vs Digital Camera Comparison Worksheet
 
What makes a great photograph—the camera or the photographer?
 
In this Ansel Adams photography lesson, students compare Adams’s photographs with more recent photographs taken with modern equipment, making their own guesses before learning the answers. Along the way, they look closely at composition, light, value, contrast, depth, focus, perspective, timing, and the choices a photographer makes before pressing the shutter. The lesson finishes by comparing the technology Adams worked with to the cameras and smartphones students use today.
 
What’s Included:
Ansel Adams or Modern Camera? — multiple side-by-side photo comparisons where students study two photographs and decide which was taken by Adams
Student photography analysis worksheets with space to make a guess, record visual evidence, and explain their thinking
Answer pages revealing the Adams photographs with information about the location, date, and photograph
The Elements of a Strong Photograph — composition, light, value, contrast, depth, focus, perspective, and timing
What Makes a Photograph Work? — a closer look at the photographer's choices and the importance of the photographer's eye
Better Technology Doesn't Make a Better Photographer — discussion of patience, timing, composition, and making intentional choices
Then vs. Now: The Technology Behind the Photograph — large-format film cameras compared with digital cameras and smartphones
Think Like a Photographer questions for discussion, written reflection, and class conversation 
 
Why You’ll Love It:
Gives students a reason to really look at photographs instead of simply reading about Ansel Adams
Makes photography history more relevant by connecting Adams's equipment to the digital cameras and smartphones students use today
Builds visual analysis and critical-thinking skills through actual photographic comparisons
Easy to use as a stand-alone lesson, photography history lesson, substitute lesson, or discussion activity
Gives students practice supporting their opinions with specific visual evidence