f/64 and California Modernism

In 1932 a group of 11 west coast photographers, including Ansel Adams and Imogen Cunningham, formed a group "f/64" committed to taking photography in a new direction. Critical of the Pictorialist's efforts to make photographs with painterly qualities, they argued that photography should celebrate what cameras do best. Their images emphasized sharp detail and bold tonality. They printed them using the newest processes of the day, silver gelatin emulsion on glossy papers. This collection of images reflect the style they advanced, now called "California Modernism."