The Photographers Famous Can provoke ideas, feelings and emotions when words simply would not be enough. Today I bring you a list of the most important and recognized artists of the world in the field of photography, both contemporary and deceased.
The history of portraiture began in antiquity, with the discovery of the principle of"camera obscura"and the observation of how some substances are altered by exposure to light. The first successful attempts at photography were documented in the mid-1820s.
Early microfilm devices required several days of exposure, resulting in very poor results. With the advance of science and the discovery of new substances and chemical compounds, the technique was perfected and the more modern and economic devices began to become available.
In the 1990s the first commercial digital cameras were introduced to the market, which revolutionized photography. The traditional chemical processes of photographic development were gradually being forgotten and the practical advantages of the new digital technology improved the quality of the images.
List of the 104 most famous photographers of the history and the present
1- Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984)
American photographer, famous for his nature photographs in black and white. He developed the"zone"method, combining exposure and contrast.
2 - Richard Avedon (1923 - 2004)
Born in the United States, he is considered one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. It helped to define the American image, style and culture during the last 50 years.
3- Annie Leibovitz (1949-)
Portrait artist, famous for having made the last portrait of John Lennon a few hours before his death. She was the head of photography for Rolling Stone Magazine and helped define the legendary image of the magazine to a large extent.
4 - Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 - 2004)
French photographer, acclaimed and recognized internationally. He was a pioneer of photojournalism and the genre known as"street photography". He was nicknamed the"master of everyday photography".
5- Diane Arbus (1923 - 1971)
A photographer born in New York, she was characterized by controversial photographs of unusual people, such as circus artists, dwarves, Siamese, and people with mental or physical problems.
6 - Robert Capa (1913 - 1954)
This Hungarian photographer was a war photojournalist who covered the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War, the First Indo-China War and the Arab-Israeli War in 1948.
7- Dorothea Lange (1895 - 1965)
Photographer born in San Francisco, California. They are famous his photographs of the era of the depression, like"Madre Migrante". He portrayed the terrible effects of the financial crisis on American families.
8- Helmut Newton (1920 - 2004)
Born in Germany, the style of this photographer has been imitated by many. His work in the field of fashion photography includes his permanent status on the covers of Vogue magazine.
9- Edward Weston (1886-1958)
American photographer, known for being one of the most innovative and influential photographers of his generation. Captured with his lens from landscapes to portraits, through nudes and still life. His focus was on the American West.
10- David LaChapelle (1963-)
Born in the United States, LaChapelle is known for its surreal pop kitsch style. His work is a tribute to the history of art and generally carries a social message. He was hired in his youth by Andy Warhol in the magazine Interview.
11- Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002)
Born in Turkey, this photographer was famous for his portraits. Among them are Winston Churchill, Humphrey Bogart, Muhammad Ali and Grace Kelly. He lived most of his life and died in the United States.
12- Irving Penn (1917 - 2009)
North American photographer. He established himself as a genius after the famous covers that his photographs filled in Vogue magazine in his American version.
13- Steve McCurry (1950-)
American photographer, has developed in the fields of photojournalism and publishing. His 1984"Afghan Girl"photograph, which originally appeared in National Geographic magazine, is his best-known work.
14- Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946)
One more of the pioneering photographers, Stieglitz was technically adept who used natural elements to complete his impressions.
15- Brassaï (1899-1984)
Photographer was born in Transylvania, currently Romania. The play and duality between light and shadow are evident in his work. He captured the mystique of Paris and his work was compiled in volume Paris de Nuit .
16- David Bailey (1938-)
English fashion photographer, he started working in Vogue magazine in the 1960s. His work was captured in the BBC documentary Swinging London .
17- Sebastiao Salgado (1944-)
A Brazilian artist, his work in social reporting in black and white placed the focus on social injustice and ecological disasters.
18- Elliott Erwitt (1928)
Photographer born in France, he observed everyday life with humor. Their juxtaposition of form and images of dogs shows that art is where it can be found.
20- Walker Evans (1903-1975)
Photographer of American origin, he was chronicler of the American way of life, from an anonymous observer point of view. He created order and beauty through composition where it had not previously been.
21- Paul Strand (1890 - 1976)
Artist born in the United States, he was not only a pioneer of photography, but he lived the transition between still images in moving images throughout his career.
22- Robert Frank (1924)
Swiss photographer, one of the true innovators in the transition between photography and cinema. Famous for the publication of his book The Americans .
23- Garry Winogrand (1928 - 1984)
American photographer, pioneer of street or everyday photography. His technique of photographing without seeing through the lens of the camera became his seal and led him to achieve fluid and innovative compositions.
Eugene Smith (1918 - 1978)
American artist, intense and obsessed with his work. He contributed to the establishment of photo history and the communicative power of black and white prints.
25- André Kertész (1894 - 1985)
Of Hungarian origin, Kertész gave a reflexive look to the street photograph and showed how the portrait can be an extension of the report.
26- Man Ray (1890 - 1976)
This painter and photographer was a prominent representative of surrealism. His muse was Lee Miller, however it was his experimentation with different techniques in the dark room which constituted his greatest influence. He created the"rayogramas"and solarized images.
27- Martin Parr (1952)
This English photographer used the intense color and raised the snapshot to the range of art by means of his skill. He has been recognized as the master photographist chronicler of everyday life.
28- Steven Meisel (1954)
The favorite son of the world of fashion and the American style, this photographer manages to reference history through photography and style.
29- Edward Steichen (1879 - 1973)
Born in Luxembourg, Steichen is a pioneer of photography and a highly sensitive artist. He helped found commercial photography during the 20th century.
Patrick Demarchelier (1943)
Like Mario Testino brings glamor to the world of fashion, Demarchelier brings sophistication and discreet glamor to all his images. Born in France and still active.
31- Mary Ellen Mark (1940 - 2015)
This American photographer began her career photographing the streets where she grew up and eventually became one of the main exponents of the photo report.
32- Brian Duffy (1933 - 2010)
Born in England, one of the members of the tertiary called"Cockney Three"along with Bailey and Terry Donovan. He abandoned photography to devote himself to restoring antique furniture, but his legacy remains.
33- Don McCullin (1935)
The images of war and suffering captured by this English photographer took an emotional toll on him, but they also helped to influence transcendental political decisions.
34- Robert Mapplethorpe (1946 - 1989)
This American photographer specialized in erotic images and masculine nudes, which in its time caused great controversy.
35- Gordon Parks (1912 - 2006)
Afro-American photographer, musician and writer. He was a prominent representative of photojournalism, covering civil rights issues among the African American community.
36- Ernst Haas (1921 - 1986)
Austrian photographer, photojournalist and pioneer of color photography. He experienced the transition between photojournalism and artistic photography.
37- Terry Richardson (1965)
Born in the United States, his images and fashion portraits challenged the limits of sexuality and challenged conservative taste with raw aesthetics.
38- James Nachtwey (1948)
Photojournalist and American reporter. He has won two World Press Photo awards. He was wounded during a grenade attack while covering Baghdad. He has worked for Time magazine since 1984.
39- Jacques Henri Lartigue (1894 - 1986)
French amateur photographer who very young began to capture images of the daily life between the French aristocracy. Over time he became the leading social photographer of his era.
40- Peter Lindbergh (1944)
German artist who contributed to create the concept of supermodel with its images of fashion in the magazines Harper's Bazaar and the Italian version of Vogue.
Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976)
American photographer, known for her work in botanical photography. His plant images are unmistakable, as are his landscapes and nudes.
August Sander (1876 - 1964)
German photographer, his ambition to use photography to document not only obtained an incredible archive of portraits but also provided a scientific approach to the art of photography.
William Eggleston (1939)
The use of intense color, asymmetrical composition and perplexing subjects earned him prominence to this American photographer.
44- Anne Geddes (1956)
This Australian photographer gained worldwide recognition for her work around babies. She describes herself as a baby fan. He published his best-selling book Down in the Garden .
45- Eliot Porter (1901-1990)
North American photographer known mainly for his color photographs of scenes of the nature. He traveled around the world photographing scenarios and published several photography books
46- Jay Maisel (1931)
Acclaimed and multi-award-winning American photographer, he studied painting and graphic design at Yale. His most popular work is the portrait of Miles Davis that appears on the cover of his album Kind of Blue .
47- Bruce Weber (1946)
The influence of this North American photographer in the world of fashion and portraiture is such that the image of many brands is based on the image he created from his photographs.
48. Nick Knight (1958)
Born in England, this fashion photographer is one of the most influential and sought-after in his field. Its openness to new forms, techniques and processes keeps it at the forefront of its industry.
49- Julia Margaret Cameron (1815 - 1879)
One of the few pioneering photographers, born in England, photographed her family with very little technical knowledge. He created beautiful sepia portraits that continue to inspire current photographers.
50- Philippe Halsman (1906 - 1979)
American portrait photographer, born in Latvia. One of his best known photographs is the portrait of Albert Einstein while lamenting his collaboration in the construction of the atomic bomb. This author is also characterized by his collection of illustrious characters jumping and performing pirouettes in the air.
51- Ellen von Unwerth (1954)
A German model who became a photographer, her work brought a new focus to fashion photography, in which female sexuality took a leading role.
52- Eddie Adams (1933 - 2004)
This photographer and American photojournalist was notorious for his portraits of celebrities and political figures as well as his coverage of warlike conflicts for more than 13 years. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1969.
Mario Testino (1954)
Born in Peru, this photographer gained notoriety for his work in the world of fashion. His portrait of Princess Diana for Vanity Fair was celebrated. Since then he is the favorite photographer of the British royal family.
54- Andreas Gursky (1955)
German photographer uses a large format in his photographic work to capture landscape and architecture. Your photo Rhein II Has the record for being the most expensive in history, sold at 4.3 million dollars in 2011.
55- Scott Kelby (1960)
As an author, this American photographer shares his knowledge on how to use the now famous Adobe Photoshop tool. His books and programs aimed at artists and design professionals are very successful.
56- Nigel Barker (1972)
After his appearance on the TV show America's Next Top Model , This English photographer managed to place his work in publications like Cover , GQ , Town and Country Y Seventeen .
57- Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904)
Known for his photographs of the Yosemite Valley, this American pioneer began the study of moving images and projection. He developed what is known as animal locomotion and zoopraxiscope.
58- Patrick Demarchelier (1943)
A French photographer, he moved from Paris to New York where he achieved a career in the world of fashion photography. His campaigns include brands like Dior, Calvin Klein and Chanel.
59- Cecil Beaton (1904-1980)
Born in England, this photographer is famous for winning the Academy Award for costumes and stage design. He was a photographer of war, fashion and portraiture.
60- Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971)
One of the most famous documentary photographers, born in New York, is known for being the first non-Soviet photographer to capture images of the Soviet Union.
61- Alfred Eisenstaedt (1898 - 1995)
German Jewish photographer, he worked as a photographer in the Nazi regime before moving to the United States where he portrayed politicians and celebrities. He is recognized for his photography The kiss Taken in Times Square in New York during the celebration of the end of the conflict between Japan and the United States in the mid-fifties.
62- Berenice Abbott (1898 - 1991)
This New York photographer took advantage of her surroundings, the urban architecture of New York, using the black and white format to highlight details that gave character to her photographic work.
63. Nick Ut (1951)
Vietnamese photographer, he worked for the Associated Press since the age of 16 in Hanoi, South Korea and Tokyo. He received the Pulitzer for his photograph of a naked girl fleeing a napalm bombing during the Vietnam War.
64- Edward Curtis (1868 - 1952)
American photographer, famous for his photographs of the American West and Native Americans that were the cause of many of his works.
65- Jerry Uelsmann (1934)
American photographer famous for his work in the photomontage. His work managed to gather several"negatives"to form an unforgettable image.
66- Guy Bourdin (1928-1991)
Nobody has been as imitated in the world of fashion and art photography as Bourdin. Erotic artist, surreal and controversial.
67. Juergen Teller (1964)
This English photographer is considered the master of"anti photography". His images were contrary to the technique and caused din in the traditional view of photography.
Cindy Sherman (1954)
American photographer, was the maximum representative of the self-portrait. She used herself as a model and managed to take photography forward to be considered an art.
69- Paolo Roversi (1947)
Italian teacher of the 10 × 8 Polaroid format in the fashion photography industry. Its use of dim light and soft blur combined with intense and opaque colors is often imitated but hardly matched.
70- Herb Ritts (1952 - 2002)
The prince of Californian glamor and celebrity of the 80s. Her work inspired Madonna in her videos and filled magazines for over a decade.
71- Ralph Gibson (1939)
This American photographer was a hero to the students of photography of the 70s, for his graphical images that were frequently imitated.
72- Stephen Shore (1947)
The work of this American is a visual record of the endless American road trip. His images seem simple to imitate, so more than one has tried.
73- Chuck Close (1940)
American photographer, his large images influenced the creation of great exhibitions.
74- Weegee (1899 - 1968)
This Austrian photographer had a police radio in his car, so he arrived at the scene of the crime in time to create striking images of red note.
75- Joel-Peter Witkin (1939)
The macabre master, this American photographer created shocking and indelible still lifes.
76- Erwin Blumenfeld (1897 - 1969)
The work in photography of fashion and beauty of this German focused on techniques such as solarization, screen printing and the elaborate configuration of shadows and angles.
77- Anton Corbijn (1955)
Born in the Netherlands, the images of the Joy Division and U2 groups he took have influenced the approach of rock photographers for more than 20 years.
78- Duane Michals (1932)
American photographer whose use of the text and collage in his images contributed an intellectual dimension to photography.
George Hurrell (1904 - 1992)
Undoubtedly, this American photographer was the absolute master of the portrait of Hollywood superstars. The lighting and composition of his works was perfect.
80- Mert & Marcus (1971)
French and Turkish Duet, his London-based studio specializes in digital photography and its relationship with post-production. They revolutionized the fashion industry.
81- Eric Boman (1938)
This American photographer photographed the first two covers of Roxy Music and encapsulates their glamorous lifestyle in their shots for Vogue.
82- Tim Walker (1970)
Over the last few years, this English photographer has achieved success with his innovative style used in editorial content and commercial projects.
83- Norman Parkinson (1913-1990)
A knight of English photography, he gave elegance to the subjects he portrayed in his masterpieces.
84- Snowdon (1930)
English photographer, he created portraits and reports for The Sunday Times. He has been one of the most influential photographers in the UK.
85- Horst P. Horst (1906-1999)
The approach to the nude and the portrait of this German was of great influence. His images offer great poetic beauty and sensuality.
88- Philip Jones Griffiths (1936 - 2008)
The raw and appalling images of the Vietnam War that took this English have been inspiring for their successors.
89- Jeanloup Sieff (1933-2000)
French photographer, perfecting his lighting technique from a single source over gray and white background.
90- Bob Carlos Clarke (1950 - 2006)
Born in England, Clarke created erotic icons in black and white, influencing photographic eroticism.
91- Mick Rock (1949)
Photographer of rock music, this English photographed Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop among many other musical artists.
92- David Loftus (1963)
This English photographer specialized in food photography, taking real ingredients in favor of honesty in shots.
Simon Norfolk (1963)
Self-styled landscaper, this Englishman used large-format cameras in war zones and combat zones.
94. Araki (1940)
The controversial images of tied women of this Japanese author have caused impact and a cult to their work.
Leni Riefenstahl (1902 - 2003)
Controversial German photographer, his images of the Nazi Olympics of 1936 are celebrated for the story.
96- Roger Fenton (1819 - 1869)
The images created by this British during the Crimean War brought him to the forefront of the trend in photojournalism.
97- George Hoyningen-Huene (1900-1968)
From an aristocratic past in his native Russia, he became a fashion photographer for Vogue and Harper Bazaar in the United States.
98- Sarah Moon (1940)
His personal fashion and image have influenced the photographers who have seen his work and have marveled at his use of color. Born in London.
99- Frank Horvatltalian (1928)
He shares a studio in New York with William Klein and created several of the most iconic fashion images during the 50s and 60s.
100- Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956)
One of the founders of Russian constructivism. His images influenced the cartelería of the time.
101- Angus McBean (1904-1990)
Surrealist English photographer turned portraiture of actors into his personal domain. They emphasize their portraits to actresses like Audrey Hepburn.
Deborah Turbeville (1938)
The work in photography of interior spaces and fashion of this North American popularized the use of the grain in the creation of atmospheres.
Harry Peccinotti (1938)
Legendary art director of Nova magazine, this English photographer used graphic forms to define photography.
Pierre et Gilles (1950, 1953)
The work of this French duo, even before the invention of Photoshop, took photomontage and retouching to new levels of perfection.
References
- Famous photographers. Excerpted from famous-photographers.com.
- History of Photography. Extracted from en.wikipedia.org.
- Famous photographers. Excerpted from improvephotography.com.