Ansel Adams (Feb. 20 1902 — Apr. 22, 1984) paved the way for landscape photography.  Originally a pianist, found his love for photography later in his life and decided to trade the piano for a camera.  He found enjoyment in nature in a way that people weren't able to see; his pictures were often more powerful then the real thing and his pursuit was to share that with the world.

Ansel Adams

His photos mostly done in black and white improved greatly through his career.  The contrasts became a lot darker then when he first started taking pictures which made the photos much more dramatic.  His photos were also very sharp because of the type of lenses he used.  These were all reasons why he became so famous and this style of photography became his trademark.

Peter Lik