The Next Ansel Adams

In 1941, the already established photographer Ansel Adams signed a contract with the U.S. Department of the Interior to photograph the nation's National Parks and other natural settings.  Much of the work he created during that time became iconic, cementing Adams as one of the all time greats and helping bring parks such as Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Glacier to the public's attention.  Yesterday, the Department posted a similar position for a photographer to create high quality images for 'exhibition, publication, or other visual purposes' of our Parks.  While the position is based in Washington, D.C., it does involve a great deal of travel around the country, and would likely give great access to some of the lesser seen parts of the 58 American National Parks - nine of which are in California.

We love Adams' work, and can't wait to see what his successor will do with this opportunity.

Ansel Adams

What We're Talking About This Week

We love this list of 9 Places for "Nerds" to Hang Out in San Francisco. We are already fans of The Interval and have been meaning to get back to the Exploratorium, plus there are many other great under-the-radar spots and experiences to be had.

 This new app, Off the Menu, shares secret items at a number of restaurants in 16 different cities, including LA and San Francisco.

Growing up during the era of the '90s supermodel, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen, Eva Herzigova, et al were our fashion icons.  It's amazing to see how they're aging, and becoming even more beautiful in ways, as Peter Lindbergh shares and appreciates in this reunion video for Nowness.

LA's Annenberg Space for Photography has lots of great events, and we are especially excited for this Sunday's iPhoneography Workshop.  It has an emphasis on lifestyle and juicing, and is sure to be a valuable tool in creating an even prettier Instagram.

As you may have heard, many people will be heading to the Playa this weekend, as Burning Man's Black Rock City opens its main gates on Sunday.  This week long festival celebrates art, music, and freedom of expression.  We haven't been since 2013, but are looking forward to the wealth of inspiration that we are sure to encounter during the week in the desert.  

California Artist Spotlight: Gia Coppola

One of our current girl crushes, Gia Coppola is, among many talents (movie directing, wine making), a fantastic photographer. She has shot both fine art and commercial campaigns, and has a great instagram as well. 

The granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, Gia grew up between Los Angeles and Napa. She studied photography in college, and her recent film projects make use of her talent for composing a shot.

Her photography features dreamy scenes and a saturated color palate, conveying a sense of languor. 

From The Tappan Collective:

Family Photos:

For Urban Outfitters:

This shot in particular is fantastic, with the group of models in the center of the shot and the green grass filling the frame.

For PaperMag (photographs of the cast of Palo Alto, Coppola's first full length film):

From Instagram:

Still from Palo Alto:

Although technically from her film, and not an actual photograph, we love the composition of this shot. 

The pink, asphalt and aqua pair so perfectly.

Photos from Pinterest, The Tappan Collective, PaperMag, Nylon's coverage of Urban Outfitters, ideafixa, and Gia's Instagram

We Recommend: The Helmut Newton Exhibit at the Annenberg

Helmut Newton: White Women • Sleepless Nights • Big Nudes recently opened at the Annenberg Space for Photography in LA's Century City.  The exhibit covers the great photographer's work in the three books he released of the title names, and is an excellent intro to his photography, or a stunning refresher for those of us who already love his work.  In addition to photographs, the show features a short film that describes Newton's career, featuring many amazing photographers, models, and friends inspired by the man who, to quote Robert Evans, 'brought eroticism into fashion.'

The exhibit runs through September 8th.

The Big Nudes gallery wall

The gallery

Karl Lagerfeld, by Newton

Helmut Newton

Charlotte Rampling in Arles, from Newton's book White Women