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"The name of this Group is derived from a diaphragm number of the photographic lens. It signifies to a large extent the qualities of clearness and definition of the photographic image which is an important element in the work of members of this Group.

 

The chief object of the Group is to present in frequent shows what it considers the best contemporary photography of the West; in addition to the showing of the work of its members, it will include prints from other photographers who evidence tendencies in their work similar to that of the Group.

 

Group f/64 is not pretending to cover the entire spectrum of photography or to indicate through its selection of members any deprecating opinion of the photographers who are not included in its shows. There are great number of serious workers in photography whose style and technique does not relate to the metier of the Group.

 

Group f/64 limits its members and invitational names to those workers who are striving to define photography as an art form by simple and direct presentation through purely photographic methods. The Group will show no work at any time that does not conform to its standards of pure photography. Pure photography is defined as possessing no qualities of technique, composition or idea, derivative of any other art form. The production of the "Pictorialist," on the other hand, indicates a devotion to principles of art which are directly related to painting and the graphic arts.

 

The members of Group f/64 believe that photography, as an art form, must develop along lines defined by the actualities and limitations of the photographic medium, and must always remain independent of ideological conventions of art and aesthetics that are reminiscent of a period and culture antedating the growth of the medium itself.

 

The Group will appreciate information regarding any serious work in photography that has escaped its attention, and is favorable towards establishing itself as a Forum of Modern Photography."

"The name of this Group is derived from a diaphragm number of the photographic lens. It signifies to a large extent the qualities of clearness and definition of the photographic image which is an important element in the work of members of this Group.

The chief object of the Group is to present in frequent shows what it considers the best contemporary photography of the West; in addition to the showing of the work of its members, it will include prints from other photographers who evidence tendencies in their work similar to that of the Group.

Group f/64 is not pretending to cover the entire spectrum of photography or to indicate through its selection of members any deprecating opinion of the photographers who are not included in its shows. There are great number of serious workers in photography whose style and technique does not relate to the metier of the Group.

Group f/64 limits its members and invitational names to those workers who are striving to define photography as an art form by simple and direct presentation through purely photographic methods. The Group will show no work at any time that does not conform to its standards of pure photography. Pure photography is defined as possessing no qualities of technique, composition or idea, derivative of any other art form. The production of the "Pictorialist," on the other hand, indicates a devotion to principles of art which are directly related to painting and the graphic arts.

The members of Group f/64 believe that photography, as an art form, must develop along lines defined by the actualities and limitations of the photographic medium, and must always remain independent of ideological conventions of art and aesthetics that are reminiscent of a period and culture antedating the growth of the medium itself.

The Group will appreciate information regarding any serious work in photography that has escaped its attention, and is favorable towards establishing itself as a Forum of Modern Photography."

Where the influence of 'Group f/64' has the most impact for us today, perhaps, is in the technical requirements for things such as lenses and recording mediums that the 'Group f/64' style required (and that pictorialism which preceded it did not). Even as Cartier-Bresson and others like him began emphasizing humans in their sociological/historical contexts and often in motion - rather than static scenes in nature - they accepted some of the basic tenets of straight photography that had been popularized by 'Group f/64':

Where the influence of 'Group f/64' has the most impact for us today, perhaps, is in the technical requirements for things such as lenses and recording mediums, and in the proper use of them, that the 'Group f/64' style required (and that pictorialism which preceded it did not). Even as Cartier-Bresson and others like him began emphasizing humans in their sociological/historical contexts and often in motion - rather than static scenes in nature - they accepted some of the basic tenets of straight photography that had been popularized by 'Group f/64':

What was revolutionary about the work of Ansel Adams was the way he exposed and developed in a way that allowed a scene with wider extremes between the darkest and brightest parts to be depicted in a photograph than could be done conventionally using the best films and papers available at that time. He also did it in such a way that the things he wanted to emphasize were reinforced by the tonal values within the photograph.

Today many probably take the true contributions of Adams, his work regarding exposure and darkroom techniques, for granted. We don't remember a time before Adams' zone system when the images he created using those techniques were thought to be not possible to make. Yet many of us still refer to him as the greatest American photographer of the 20th Century without knowing exactly why we say he is.

What was revolutionary about the work of Ansel Adams was the way he exposed and developed that allowed a scene with wider extremes between the darkest and brightest parts to be depicted in a photograph than could be done conventionally using the best films and papers available at that time. He also did it so that the things he wanted to emphasize were reinforced by the tonal values within the photograph.

Today many of us probably take the true contributions of Adams, his work regarding exposure and darkroom techniques, for granted. We don't remember a time before Adams' zone system when the images he created using those techniques were thought to be not possible to make. Yet many of us still refer to him as the greatest American photographer of the 20th Century without knowing exactly why we say he is.