i mean, a lot of the appeal is the fact that they were done by ansel adams. they're really just straight documentary shots around the city, but there is a quality that ansel brings to his work. i think it's interesting because it's so much out of what people expect. it's not the ansel adams of the sierra nevada, and so the interest to me is here's this dimension to ansel that people don't know about. it's definitely not his greatest work. they're not the kind of photographs that are gonna wind up in any museum, but they're incredible documentary records of our city. >> but looking at some of these photographs, i mean, here's one right here of city hall, which is iconic in itself, the los angeles city hall. then we've got pictures of the biltmore hotel, we've got the brown derby. so, he did do some landscapes. he probably couldn't help himself, could he? >> well, ansel loved the wide shot. and he recognized los angeles' setting, you know? he wanted to have some photographs of the wide open basins and the mountains and the icons of the city. and it's actually in

and then ansel adams here takes pictures of it. you know who ansel adams is? no... i can tell by your tone, i used her name right. go wash up before stan sees you. that little snitch tells his psychiatrist everything. okay, i'm gonna go visit grandpa before i head back to campus. oh, wait. if you go with him, you could ask my dad for permission to marry me. he would love it. thanks, babe. you think saying, "thanks, babe" means the conversation's over? why is he still here? i don't know. you already "thanks, babe-d" him. right? (sighs) oh, no, he di-n't. yes, i did. will you just do it for me, please? i will now. mm. (whispers) thanks, babe. ellie, i love you so much. i want to ask you something. are we finally running away together? 'cause i keep a bag in my truck. me, too. awesome. (clink) you're my best friend... and my future wife. mm-hmm. will you be my maid of honor? ohh. come here. (chuckles) ohh, an ellie hug-- so rare. okay. it's over. no, no. i still feel it. i am definitely not bath-shower-bathing today. laurie is gonna be so crushed when she finds out you

these photographs are bigger than life and were taken by ansel adams, who, over the years, became a true american icon. he was passionate