Photograph by Ansel Adams

If I were to come across this photograph on display in a gallery, with no prior knowledge of the photographer, I would likely first be struck by how it portrays the grandeur of nature. Second would be the black and white scheme, which is usually used either to evoke a sense of classiness, or to give the picture an old-time feel. Given the otherwise natural feel of the photo, the second option seems to fit better. The picture gives off a sense of nostalgia, of yearning for the bygone days when nature was this untouched everywhere. It feels like a sight a group of pioneers moving west across America would have seen in the early 1800s.

Finding it in a travel magazine, however, would give it a distinctly different feel. It seems an unlikely photograph to be used in one, so it would make the reader pause for thought. Since vacation destinations do not want to be seen as a place that was grand in the distant past, the black and white would make it feel high class. It is not a location to visit if you want gimmicky tourist attractions, the natural landscape is destination enough. It is a vast unknown, just waiting to be explored.

If the photo was being used as an advertisement for something, the feel would be opposite the first example. Instead of being a remembrance of the good old days, the endless landscape would feel like a challenge. The dark quality would be one of foreboding and mystery, that can only be lifted by exploring it for yourself. It would still feel classy, in a way, in that only the highest quality consumers would dare to attempt to conquer the landscape, and buy whatever product was being sold.

Throughout all of these contexts, one feeling remains the same: the sense of awe the photo brings on. Whether it is a landscape to be revered, observed, or conquered, the person looking at the photo cannot deny that it is a formidable one. There is also a sense of mystery, as if just looking at the photo does not give you the whole picture. The general feelings the photo gives off are the same throughout each context, what changes is how the viewer interprets those feelings.