Alan Ross – January 2026 Speaker

Alan Ross – Life Behind a Lens

Alan Ross is an internationally respected master photographer, printer and educator who honed his vision and technique while working side-by-side with Ansel Adams as his full-time photographic assistant.

For Alan Ross, photography has been very much a kind of language…a way to express who he is, how he thinks and how he responds to the world around him. He has used this “language of light” for over 60 years to articulate those thoughts and feelings he is often not able to put into words.

Ross will share highlights (and images!) of his career, from his early days as an assistant in an advertising studio to his time with Ansel Adams to his global adventures sharing his knowledge of, and passion for, fine art photography.

He’ll also paint a picture of the legendary Adams as only someone who worked side-by-side with him can. Using his own personal photographs of Adams working in the field, in the darkroom and at home, personal notes and letters from master to apprentice, and anecdotes and recollections from his nearly six years as Adams’ full-time photographic assistant, Ross will share his experiences of Adams as an artist, mentor and friend. 

Ross was integrally involved with Adams’ books, teaching in Yosemite and the creation of fine prints. He was personally selected by Adams to be the exclusive printer of the Yosemite Special Edition Photograph negatives, an assignment he has enjoyed for over 50 years! Ross makes each print by hand from Adams’ original negatives using traditional darkroom techniques.

Following his tenure with Adams, Ross operated a successful commercial photography studio in San Francisco for 12 years, where he enjoyed working on projects ranging from world-wide campaigns for the Bank of America to landscape murals for the National Park Service.

Ross relocated to visually captivating Santa Fe in 1993, where he enjoys pursuing his own art, teaching, and writing articles and blogs sharing his vast knowledge of the art and craft of fine art photography.

Alan is also a consummate and dedicated photographic educator who inspires professionals and amateurs alike as they work to realize and refine their photographic voice.

His photography hangs in collections, galleries and museums around the world, including the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Huntington Library and the Center for Creative Photography.