I just cant be botherd...

Fear not my friends of the B. This is not a trick or a mistake.
The above image is of course by the late Ansel Adams who needs no introduction here. Some say Moonrise Hernandez (above) is one of Adams most famous images and there is a really nice piece in his autobiography (by Ansel Adams and Mary Street Alinder) of how he nearly never got the shot. The reason there are two of the mentioned image is because I wanted to draw attention to the fact of how Adams printing (along with others like Weston, Brant and even me) changed over the years. I am afraid that the examples above are not the best I have seen in terms of print variety, but they are two different prints for sale from the same dealer and with different price tags.
The Adams at 100 exhibition at the Hayward gallery way back in 2002 (curated by the late John Szarkowski) was a Revelation to me, as here where examples of prints, in particular the Aspens, Northern New Mexico, that where printed at different times in AA's life. The first print being rich in tone and contrast, the second printed twenty years later was quite grey and a little flat.. Some say the main changes in print style over the years were mainly down to how AA felt about that particular image over a period of time. Paper choice and chemistry may also of been a factor, bit I have a different theory. Adams did not just sell a few prints in his lifetime, he sold lots, this is evident in his editions and is why I could probably get my hands on my favorite AA print tomorrow, but I have it already, all be it a poster...
I believe that when Mr Adams was in the darkroom later on in his life maybe sometimes he just wasn't in the mood to print, maybe he just couldn't be bothered, and maybe, just maybe like a small pub restaurant, he got so behind in his orders that his standards slipped just a little and the quality control stickers went in the bin.... The only reason I make these outrageous claims is that if I am honest, I have done the very same. Its late, your tired your hungry, they won't notice if its not the best print, its mine after all, who will know.....
I do believe this is a fair statement, however, I would happily have a slightly 'less good' Adams on my wall any day.....

Just to be clear to anyone thinking of purchasing one of my images. I don't print full editions and never sell an inferior print (a second) they either go in the bin or are used as reference. And don't get me started on the biggest con of all in the Gallery world, The Artists Proof, what a load of nonsense. Its hard enough convincing people about editions...

Also, theres something not quite right about hitting a button and a print appears (digital prints) this always makes way for huge editions that really devalue the work. All my prints are done by hand and can take many hours to get right which may be the reason I get so worked up by things like this...

I will conclude with some lovely links to a few audio interviews with Adams right here.

I feel like a nap now....