Ansel Adams is one of the biggest names in photography; he is most known for his use of photography in Yosemite National Park to promote environmental conservation and for establishing photography as a fine art. Not only was he a master with his camera, he had a remarkable way of speaking about photography. Whether you are battling a lack of creativity or feel confident in your work, these quotes from Adams will inspire any photographer to achieve greatness with their work.

1. “You don't take a photograph, you make it.”

Monolith, The Face of Half Dome by Ansel Adams

2. “There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”

The Tetons and the Snake River, 1942 by Ansel Adams

3. “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!”

Canyon de Chelly, 1941 by Ansel Adams

4. “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.”

Winter Sunrise, Sierra, Nevada, 1944 by Ansel Adams

5. "Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution."

Aspin Grove by Ansel Adams

6. "A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words."

Rose and Driftwood by Ansel Adams

7. "No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit."

Half Dome, Merced River, 1938 by Ansel Adams

8. "We must remember that a photograph can hold just as much as we put into it, and no one has ever approached the full possibilities of the medium."

Moonrise, 1941 by Ansel Adams

9. "Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art."

Clearing Winterstorm by Ansel Adams

10. "Not everybody trusts paintings but people believe photographs."

Moon and Half Dome, 1960 by Ansel Adams

11. "To photograph truthfully and effectively is to see beneath the surfaces and record the qualities of nature and humanity which live or are latent in all things."

Nevada Fall, Yosemite Valley by Ansel Adams

12. "A good photograph is knowing where to stand."