Experience the wonder of the American West through the lens of one of America’s most iconic photographers, Ansel Adams (1902-1984). This pane of 16 stamps features some of Adams’ most famous images in his signature “straight photography” style, an approach defined by its precision and directness.

The first row of stamps, left to right, features “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite National Park, California” (1938); “Oak Tree, Sunset City, Sierra Foothills, California” (1962); “Thundercloud, Ellery Lake, High Sierra, Sierra Nevada, California” (1934); and “Denali and Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, Alaska” (1947).

The second row, left to right, features “The Golden Gate and Bridge from Baker Beach, San Francisco, California” (c.1953); “Road and Fog, Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, California” (1964); “Rock and Grass, Moraine Lake, Sequoia National Park, California” (1936); and “Leaves, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington” (c.1942).

The third row, left to right, features “Monument Valley, Arizona” (1958); “Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming” (1942); “Jeffrey Pine, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite National Park, California” (1940); and “Mirror Lake, Mount Watkins, Spring, Yosemite National Park, California” (1935).

The fourth row, left to right, features “Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado” (1951); “Aspens, Dawn, Autumn, Dolores River Canyon, Colorado” (1937); “Road After Rain, Northern California” (1960); and “Dunes, Oceano, California” (1963).

As evidenced by the striking images in this collection, Adams devoted much of his career to the advancement of photography as a fine art. Derry Noyes, an art director with USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs.