Through photography, renowned Californian Ansel Adams (1902-1984) found beauty in all parts of nature and man-made objects: people and trees, rock formations and skyscrapers. Able to find symmetry and natural beauty in any subject, Adams defied traditional modes of shooting natural landscapes throughout his career. A vast array of his works-175 in all-can be found in Boston this fall in the Museum of Fine Arts' Ansel Adams exhibit, which runs in the museum's Gund Gallery through Dec. 31. Whereas most spectators are most familiar with Adams' striking landscapes of natural environments, such as Yosemite National Park, this exhibit goes on to depict the vibrant dances of American Indians, the stark lines and shapes of New York skyscrapers and even still-life portraits of seemingly ordinary objects.

"Wind, Juniper, Tree, Yosemite," the most majestic work on display, was also among the most traditional. Shot at Yosemite in 1919, the photograph places seemingly distinct objects of nature together, weaving the hard texture of rocks around the sharp outlines of swaying trees. The serene mood seems to endow the spectator with the calming effects of nature.

The most interesting category of works is a rare series on New Mexico's Pueblo Indians revealing a less-exposed side to Adams' talents. He brings to light the traditions and enthusiasm of a different culture and era, revealing his skill for capturing animate subjects.

Also remarkable about Adams was his ability to lend the same serene mood captured by his natural portraits to a more man-made beauty: skyscrapers. A number of photographs in the exhibit capture New York City in a unique light, avoiding the city's stereotypical hustle and bustle and instead focusing on the beauty of its architecture. The long expanse of time from the 1920s through the 1970s that makes up Adams' career allows him to shift from natural to modern beauty.

Toward the end of his career, Adams worked so closely with the mechanics of photography that he became involved with the "f/64" movement, an association of photographers that was named for a specific type of large-format camera that would make photos more expansive and bring images into extremely sharp focus. His use of this method is evident here-in works depicting storms in national parks, you can nearly see the wind whipping sharply about.

The scope of Adams' photography results in a distortion of scale. Adams lends a majestic quality to both his grandest landscapes and most mundane still-lifes. The sharp focus of his lens views normal life with an intensity rarely captured by the human eye.

Adams often set up for a photograph many times before taking the perfect shot. He had to obtain the perfect weather, or catching a moving object in the perfect position, and his aptitude and patience for precision is evident in each of the 175 photographs found at the MFA.