A miniature stage with plum curtains and a silver ribbon in a spotlight.

Original artwork, not a still

Ansel Adams

The negative is comparable to the composer's score and the print to its performance. Each performance differs in subtle ways.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Adams likens the negative to a composer's score and the print to a performance. Just as musicians play the same notes a little differently each time, each print can vary subtly. The finished picture is an interpretation, not a mere copy.

Context reviewed

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