ryan b. anderson

Environmental, cultural, and coastal anthropology

Image 1: Point Sur in Big Sur, California. July 22, 2025. Photo: Ryan Anderson.

Coastal Rephotographic Project: Point Sur

July 29, 2025

Last week I got the chance to do a little more location scouting for my coastal rephotographic project. This time I got to check out one of my favorite sites along the Big Sur Coast, which is the view of Point Sur. I have always loved this particular spot because of the many photographers who stopped and made photographs here. Brett Weston is at the top of my personal list. In fact, it’s this image, from his book Voyage of the Eye, that has always been one of my favorites.

Kyle Brown standing next to his Chevrolet truck on Highway One Big Sur, Monterey County, California, Photo by Lewis Josselyn (5x7 film negative # 71-001-BS 0180.). Source: Monterey County Historical Society.

HIghway One in Big Sur (1926)

July 13, 2025

This is a photograph of Highway One in Big Sur from 1926. It was taken by the photographer Lewis Josselyn (1883-1964), who took thousands of great images of the Monterey and Big Sur region. He was also the official photographer for the Forest Theater in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I first learned about Josselyn’s work when I met the photographer and archivist Pat Hathaway in his little shop in Monterey around 1999-2000. Hathaway had an amazing and extensive collection of historical photographs. Now that he has passed away, this collection is now housed at the Monterey County Historical Society.