Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California, ca 1937

Clearing Winter Storm by Ansel Adams

What makes an Ansel Adams image iconic?

Is it the scope of his subject matter—the rugged grandeur of the Tetons or the face of Half Dome?

Is it the ambition of his scale, capturing the drama and awe of standing before a legendary vista?

Though Ansel’s images may be monumental in scale, they are distinctive in their sensitivity. Through Ansel’s lens, the titanic features of the American landscape are not symbols, but real and exquisitely felt.

Looking at his work, one can feel the spray from a roaring waterfall, imagine one’s hair ruffled by a whipping wind, and feel snowflakes melt on the tongue as a storm rolls in.

“In a good Adams,” wrote curator, historian, and critic John Szarkowski, “one should be able to tell what time of year it is, and even what time of the day.”

Nowhere is Adams’ keen eye for the paradoxical delicacy of even the most mammoth landscapes clearer than in the case of “Clearing Winter Storm.”

This image, taken around 1937, shows an early winter storm rumbling through Yosemite Valley. Ansel took this photograph near Inspiration Point, one of his favorite spots for, well, inspiration—and on this day in early December, inspiration struck in the form of the sweeping clouds and moody shadows that give this photograph its emotional heft.

An exemplar of his mature style, “Clearing Winter Storm” shows off Ansel’s gift for capturing both scale and detail. The dramatic contrast imbues every tendril of the clouds, every dappling of snow on the foothills before Half Dome, with delicacy and grace.

Capturing motion even in total stillness, the photograph is full of potential—imbued with the power and potential of Yosemite and its wild weather, no matter the time of year.

It’s no surprise that this photograph is one of Ansel’s iconic works, synonymous with his unique photographic style and achievements.

A cornerstone of Adams’ career, “Clearing Winter Storm” is more than a photograph—it is a statement of vision, perseverance, and the power of nature itself.