An open and shutter case of top landscapes; Art.

Byline: JULIE CHAMBERLAIN

THREE photographers focus on the big picture in a new exhibition on landscapes.

The biggest name at The New Art Gallery in Walsall is Ansel Adams, whose epic American landscapes are popular as prints, cards and calendars.

There are also less familiar works - in Winnowing Grain, taken in 1929 in New Mexico, someone works against the backdrop of a home in the parched landscape and there are Buddhist grave markers in Hawaii. Moonrise, New Mexico features a churchyard.

Apparently the 70 photos on show are the ones Adams wanted to be remembered by, and you can see why.

John Davies has also shot black and white photos that show the changing British industrial landscape from 1979-2005. They are accompanied by his notes about the social and historical background of the scenes.

There are clashes of images - Wordsend Cemetery in Sheffield where it's hard to imagine the residents at peace between the electrical cables, railway and industrial chimneys around them. There's a huge power station pictured in 1983, now knocked down and the site of a prison, and most striking is the mine, terraces and allotments of Easington colliery in 1983.

It's a thoughtful exhibition with images showing huge landscapes and much more.

Finally, Phil Brooks has photographed, in colour, countries and communities more than 60 degrees north of the equator.

There are some attractive landscapes in Canada and the Blue Lagoon in Iceland but it's the quirky images which remain in the memory - sewage pipes above ground in Canada to avoid the permafrost, and supermarket sledges in Lapland.

Brush Strokes

COVENTRY'S Ireene Ison, from Willenhall, has spent the past few years photographing writers and the results can now be seen in an exhibition opening tomorrow at Coventry Central Library. The authors pictured include Terry Pratchett, Colin Dexter and the Coventry Telegraph's own Barbara Goulden and Ann Evans.

BEDWORTH is the focus of a photography exhibition at the Three White Walls Gallery at Birmingham's The Mailbox. Secret Gardens by Jo Gane features overgrown quarries, mining sites and landfill healed by nature to create a beautiful habitat. The exhibition features sound recordings from the same areas.

PAINTER Jane Atkins and ceramics sculptor, jewellery maker and photographer Lesley-Ann French are having a joint exhibition at Lesley-Ann's studio at The Old Pottery, 12 Lutterworth Road, Pailton, from 2pm, today, tomorrow and Sunday.

VISITORS to Compton Verney tomorrow and Sunday can take part in the Knitflicks weekend, which coincides with current exhibition, The Fabric of Myth. It includes a series of short films from the imaginary worlds of Michel Gondry to classic animation. People can also knit socks while watching and expert tuition available.

CAPTION(S):

IMPACT... Ansel Adams's Sequoia Gigantea Roots, Yosemite National Park, California c1950 (top), New Street Station, Birmingham 2000 by John Davies (above), and Lavu, Karasjok, Lapland, 69 Degrees North by Phil Brooks (top left).