How 'Moonrise, Hernandez' Came to Be One of the Iconic Photographs of the 20th Century

Driving back to Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 31, 1941, after what had been a disappointing day for picture-taking, photographer Ansel Adams (1902-84) brought his car to an abrupt stop, yelling to his companions to bring him his tripod, exposure meter and other photographic equipment so that he could take what would become one of the most famous images in fine art photography, "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico." The picture has three separate elements: the town of Hernandez in the foreground, a...