"The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance"

Ansel Adams was a prominent American professional photographer and environmentalist. In this quote, he is referring to the procedure of developing a photo. The unfavorable is the equivalent of the author's rating, which is the blueprint for the final product. The negative consists of all the information needed to create the photograph, just like an author's score contains all the information needed to produce a piece of music. The print is the efficiency, which is the final product. The print is the picture that is seen by the audience, similar to an efficiency is the music that is heard by the audience. Adams is stressing the significance of the unfavorable in the production of a photograph, as it is the structure for the end product. He is also highlighting the importance of the print, as it is the end outcome of the imaginative process. Adams' quote is a reminder of the significance of both the unfavorable and the print in the development of a picture.