I had been looking foward to the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Paine Art Center (Oshkosh, WI) since it's announcement this past spring. Viewing the stunning pieces side by side with fellow photographers made the experience even more powerful!This week's shot was taken in the courtyard gardens of the art center...just after a wedding ceremony. Inspired by the depth and tonality of Adams black and white photographs, I had visulaized this image in my head even before I pressed the shutter. The long 4:00pm shadows provided me with the perfect light as i worked to capture the darkest darks and the lightest whites...without losing detail. And then ~ in true Ansel Adams style ~ I took this image to my [digital] darkroom, where I carefully "dodged and burned" to finalize this piece. Into folder 52's place of highest honor it goes...