One way to improve your street photography is by looking back at the best. That’s exactly what we’re going to do in this article. 

We cover the classical masters of the genre, looking at past photographers who blazed a trail in photography and created some of the most iconic images of all time. 

If you want to see modern street photography, check out our full article on the best contemporary street photographers. 

20 Most Famous Street Photographers

You might recognize some of the names and images in this article if you know any photography history. They are the masters of 20th century photography. But we also hope you find new artists and work to inspire you.

Click the links in the text to see more from each of these fantastic photographers. 

Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) photographed in America during the Great Depression. Her image of a migrant mother in Nipomo, California, became the iconic image of the era.

Lange traveled the country and later the world. She photographed poor rural farmers and unemployed working classes. Her goal was to shine a light on instances of social injustice.

She brought empathy to her images, capturing a softness and compassion. See an overview of Lange’s work in the photo book Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits.

Jill Freedman

Jill Freedman‘s (1939-2019) work hovers between street photography and photojournalism. Her subjects included marginalized populations and public servants.

She photographed issues of social justice and political protests. And Freedman immersed herself in her subjects.

She joined the circus for two years, rode along with the New York City police, and lived with firefighters. Close relationships with subjects let her make personal, behind-the-scenes images.

Her work was often under-appreciated. Yet she still is one of the most important street photographers.

Each Freedman’s book features images of a different project. Jill Freedman: Resurrection City, 1968 gives you a look into one of these projects.

Robert Frank

Swiss street photographer Robert Frank (1924-2019) is best known for his book The Americans.

As an immigrant to the United States, Frank explored the back roads of his new country. He quickly became disillusioned by the commercialism and prejudice he encountered.

His photos of 1950s America later came to define the era. But they were initially dismissed as being too far removed from the mainstream.

His photos were blurry, grainy, and dark. They contrasted those valued during the period.

His look is referred to as “the snapshot aesthetic.” This personal, spontaneous look influenced contemporary street photographers.

Lee Friedlander

Lee Friedlander (born 1934) captures the social landscape of cities. He photographs both the people on the streets and their urban environment.

His subjects include storefronts, urban frames, and signage. These are the human artifacts of the modern world.

Friedlander photographed a series of self-portraits beginning in the 1960s. He often captured himself in a reflection or his shadow in an image. The photographer became a participant in the scene.

His black-and-white images capture a “snapshot aesthetic.” It’s a quick, immediate documentation of a scene. The book Lee Friedlander is an introduction to the man and his images.

Helen Levitt

Helen Levitt (1913-2009) captured a poetic view of mid-20th century New York City. She photographed women, children, and community street life.

In her later career, she worked in color and black and white. Her color images of the 1960s paved the way for other street photographers.

Unfortunately, many of her color transparencies and prints from this period were stolen.

Her images of the city are warm and approachable. They show a side of urban life full of community. Her pictures are vignettes of domestic life.

The book Here and There is a collection of Levitt’s favorite images over seven decades of shooting.

Bruce Gilden

Bruce Gilden (born 1946) is a controversial figure among urban photographers. He isn’t just a candid photographer—he’s a confrontational one.

Gilden doesn’t photograph people on the streets of New York as he finds them. He confronts his subjects. He jumps into their personal space with a wide-angle lens and a high-powered flash.

This elicits a strong reaction, often one of surprise, sometimes anger. So his portraits show an unfiltered, raw emotion. And Gilden’s methods are often debated in the world of street photography.

His method may be unorthodox. But the images he gets are unique. His photos show an immediate and direct intimacy with his subjects.

The book Facing New York will give you a glimpse into Gilden’s style.

William Klein

William Klein (born 1928) is an American-born, French-based street and fashion photographer. He often mixes the genres by photographing high fashion models on the streets.

Klein shoots with a wide-angle lens in a quick and energetic style. His urban photography shows motion blur and grain. His is a world off-center.

He approaches street photography as an anthropologist. He captures the immediate culture of the urban lifestyle.

He returned to his native New York after living in Paris. He photographed the rugged streets of the mid-1950s showing a harsh reality.

The project culminated in the influential book Life is Good & Good for You in New York. Klein’s Photofile is another book well worth checking out of you like his work. And you can follow William Klein on Instagram.

Daidō Moriyama

Daido Moriyama (1938) is a Tokyo-based Japanese street photographer. His street photography focuses on the conflict between traditional culture and the modern world.

His style favors high-contrast, grainy images. His photos are often harsh and blurred. This gives them an abstract quality. The tilted horizons and fragmentary compositions highlight urban angst.

It’s difficult to recommend just one book by Moriyama. There are hundreds. Daido Moriyama: The World Through My Eyes is a curated collection and overview of his work.

Eugène Atget

Eugène Atget (1857-1927) was possibly the first street photographer. Atget photographed the streets of Paris at the turn of the 20th century. He worked at a time when photography was rising in popularity.

His photos were still-life photos of the street. Often, the people behind the images were implied. Many of his photos are architectural with context.

Atget’s work is not technically street photography. But he is cited by many later street photographers as a major influence.

Championed by American photographer Berenice Abbott, his work became part of the mainstream. His work influenced the street photographers of the next generation.

The book Paris Changing: Revisiting Eugene Atget’s Paris is a glimpse into Atget’s photography.

Diane Arbus

New York-based photographer Diane Arbus (1923-1971) is known for her street portraits. She focused on questions of identity and people living on the fringes of society.

She photographed people she saw as creating their own identities, like performers, twins, and transgender individuals. And she photographed subjects that were, until that time, forbidden.

Some view Arbus’ images as compassionate portrayals of individuals. Others see them as bizarre and disturbing. She sought intense clarity in her pictures, showing the details of a secret life.

Her estate carefully guarded her work for many years. But there are now many biographies. Diane Arbus: Photographer is an excellent place to start.

Walker Evans

Walker Evans (1903-1975) was a street photographer and photojournalist working in America. He captured his most famous work in the American South during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

He photographed rural life and small towns. He captured both the poverty and the humanity of his subjects. His photos document the American culture of the time.

Later, Evans would document unguarded moments on the New York subway.

In collaboration with writer James Agee, Evans created the book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. This classic book documented farm life in Alabama and contains some of Evans’ best work.

Elliott Erwitt

Elliott Erwitt (1928) is an American street photographer. He captured life on the streets of New York and around the world during the mid-to-late 20th century.

He is famous for ironic and humorous street photos. He was a master at finding candid moments that speak to us emotionally.

Erwitt also photographed dogs. He devoted five books to dog photography. He also created iconic images of famous people, including Che Guevara, shown in the book Cuba.

An excellent introduction to his work is Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best. 

Brassaï (Gyula Halász)

Brassaï (1899-1984) was born as Gyula Halász. During the 1920s and 1930s, he photographed the nightlife of Paris. His photos depicted the seedier side of the city.

His subjects included prostitutes, transgender individuals, and the criminal underworld. He found stories on gritty streets and in Paris’ high society.

He perfected the demanding technique of photographing life at night. The resulting images were moody and expressionistic.

Brassaï’s first book was Paris by Night. He compiled it in 1933. And it remains one of the best introductions to his work.

Garry Winogrand

Garry Winogrand (1928–1984) worked primarily in New York during the 1960s. He was both a street photographer and a photojournalist.

He is known for his photos of crowded public places, including zoos and airports. And his photos are filled with complex social interactions.

Winogrand’s photos capture the anxiety of the times. His pictures show politics, society, and media colliding, particularly in the 1960s.

Ironically, Winogrand hated the term “street photography.” He enjoyed the process of taking the photo above the final product. He left almost 2,500 rolls of film undeveloped when he died.

Winogrand is the subject of an award-winning documentary, Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable.

The Man in the Crowd: The Uneasy Streets of Garry Winogrand is an excellent book introducing his work. You can also check out the excellent collection The Street Photography of Garry Winogrand. 

André Kertész

André Kertész (1894-1985) inspired both street photographers and photojournalists. His work spans from the 1920s through the 1960s.

He photographed the streets of Paris and New York. He explored unique camera angles and distortion.

Though he influenced many 20th-century photographers, including Cartier-Bresson, Kertész felt underappreciated. His work was at the forefront of photography as an art form.

Critics of the time struggled to place photography alongside other forms of visual art. But they struggled with Kertész’s photography specifically.

Kertész’s work is collected into several books. One of the best books, to begin with, is perhaps André Kertész: His Life and Work.

Fan Ho

Fan Ho (1931-2016) documented the Hong Kong street scene in the 1950s and 1960s.

The city at the time was a very different place from what it became later in the century. He photographed the everyday life of children and workers in the city’s side streets.

His photos are masterpieces of light and shadows, shapes and action. This led some to call him the “Cartier-Bresson of the East.”

Ho was a celebrated photographer, actor, and filmmaker during his lifetime. Books of Fan Ho’s works are difficult to come by but keep your eyes out for Portrait of Hong Kong.

Vivian Maier

Unknown during her lifetime, Vivian Maier (1926-2009) is now one of the most famous street photographers. Her discovery is shown in the Academy Award-nominated film Finding Vivian Maier.

Collector John Maloof discovered hundreds of thousands of her negatives at an auction. He championed her photography, showing it to the world. He wrote Vivan Maier: A Photographer Found.

Maier captured moments of street life, mostly in Chicago, during the 1950s and 1960s. Her photos have a sense of gentleness and sometimes whimsy.

Her subjects were diverse. She photographed children, the working class, and the wealthy on the street. She shot anything that caught her eye.

Her photos included herself. There are many self-portraits in her collection, captured in reflections.

Maier’s story, an unrecognized artist in our midsts, captured the world’s interest. But her story has also brought up copyright issues and the ethics of publishing photos not shared by the artist.

Her photos are in many books, including Vivian Maier: Street Photographer.

Robert Doisneau

Many images by Robert Doisneau (1912-1994) of mid-century Paris streets are icons. For an introduction to Doisneau’s work, see the book Robert Doisneau (Icons).

One of his most famous images, Le Baiser de l’hôtel de Ville, also known as The Kiss, encapsulates French romance.

A shy man, Doisneau first began capturing details of the street itself. Then he photographed children before moving on to adult subjects.

His photography was about capturing candid moments on the street. He favored the odd moments in life—funny juxtapositions or romantic ones.

Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter (1923-2013) was an American photographer working in the 1940s and 1950s. He photographed in black and white. But he is known as an early pioneer of color street photography.

His images capture the quiet moments of the city. Soft focus and reflections give his pictures an impressionistic, painterly quality.

Filmmaker Tomas Leach gave us an insight into the man and the photographer. He filmed the 2012 documentary, In No Great Hurry: 13 Lessons in Life with Saul Leiter.

You can see Leiter’s photos in many books. This includes the retrospective Saul Leiter by Vince Aletti and others.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

The French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) is the most famous street photographer ever. He is known for his candid photography and for capturing the “decisive moment.”

The decisive moment is the precise moment of action. It is the split-second of time encapsulating a whole story in an image. He describes what the decisive moment is in his own words.

It is “…the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.”

Cartier-Bresson was well-traveled. He photographed in post-war Europe, Asia, and the American South. He was also a founding member of Magnum Photos.

Magnum Photos is a collection of photos documenting life and events of the last 75 years. The organization has become significant in recognizing photographic talent.

Cartier-Bresson inspires generations of photographers through his images and his philosophy of art. Books of his works are numerous. A good starting point is Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer.

Conclusion: Most Famous Street Photographers

Street photographers capture the emotions of life. They capture the quirky, the surprised, the angry, and the bored.

These 20 street photographers documented the world as they saw it. And because it was in a different era, we can look back on the work and walk the streets of cities that are no longer there.

We can share in the lives of everyday people who look very different. But we discover they aren’t as different as we expected!

You might not be aware of the important role photojournalism plays in our lives. Whether you’re a TIME magazine subscriber or read your news online, you’ll see some of the finest examples of photojournalism. 

Photojournalists are brave, adventurous, and have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. They are also masters of their cameras, being able to capture stunning images in some of the most heated situations in the world. They cover war zones and conflicts, social issues, and politics, and they do it with skill, bravery, and empathy. 

Famous Photojournalists in 2024

Below, we’re showcasing the work of some of the finest contemporary photojournalists. All these artists are active today, covering all the hot topics from around the globe. 

Be warned, much of their work is not easy on the eye. With topics as extreme as war, civil disobedience, and destruction of habitat, you have to brace yourself for extreme, unfiltered imagery.

But that’s the key to great photojournalism: not turning away when the heat is on. 

Our list of famous photojournalists is arranged in no particular order, so you can browse their work to see the images that truly inspire you. Click the links to see the photographers’ websites and Instagram pages. 

Anastasia Taylor-Lind

Anastasia Taylor-Lind is an English-Swedish photojournalist with decades of experience. She has spent years photographing issues related to population, women, and war.

Her analog photos are intimate and raw. Despite their candid nature, they’re always emotive and well-lit. She writes powerful stories for The New York Times, TIME, and National Geographic.

One of Anastasia’s most recent projects, At what cost? The brutal math of caring for children in America, is a must-see for fans of photojournalism. 

Instagram: @anastasiatl

Gabriele Galimberti

Gabriele Galimberti is an Italian documentary photographer who works for National Geographic. He focuses on long-term photography projects. Most of his projects and short stories have been made into books.

Gabriele’s images are friendly and straightforward. He often photographs people and their prized possessions. His latest project features children from around the world and their toys.

Instagram: @gabrielegalimbertiphoto

Rena Effendi

Rena Effendi is an award-winning social documentary photographer. Her documentary photography has appeared in TIME, Vogue, and National Geographic.

In her photography, Rena focuses on stories that are either well-known or underrated. Her images feature notable women and wildlife conservation.

Some of her famous images follow people trying to reconnect with their families. Her entire gallery is hopeful, graceful, and authentic.

Instagram: @renaeffendiphoto

Gillian Laub

Gillian Laub is a New York-based photographer and director. She’s known for her documentary Southern Rites and her life-changing photo projects. In her documentary, she focuses on a Georgian community that has segregated proms.

Gillian also photographs women in the military, her own family, and isolated tribes from the world’s remaining wildernesses.

Instagram: @gigilaub

Matthieu Paley

Matthieu Paley is a National Geographic and TIME photographer based in Portugal. His latest project focuses on one of the hottest cities in the world, Jacobabad.

His gallery includes intimate portraits and majestic landscapes. His unique perspective makes his work both relatable and approachable.

Matthieu also leads National Geographic workshops. On his Instagram, you’ll find photos of families, third world countries, and people in need.

Instagram: @paleyphoto

Dina Litovsky

Dina Litovsky is a Ukrainian contemporary photographer living in America.

She uses elements of psychology and social change to take stunning photos of people. Her subjects range from famous celebrities to villagers.

Dina’s background living in a foreign country gives her photos an original style. She’s grown up as an outsider looking in, giving her a unique perspective that give her images a satirical edge. 

Instagram: @dina_litovsky

Stuart Palley

Stuart Palley is a writer, speaker, and photojournalist based in Southern California. He mainly photographs wildfires all over the US. He started by taking photos of droughts and ended up becoming a climate change activist.

Stuart has published a book featuring over one-hundred long exposure photos of wildfires.

This American photographer has also worked for National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME magazine.

Instagram: @stuartpalley

Nora Lorek

Nora Lorek is a German photojournalist and documentary photographer. She’s based in Gothenburg, Sweden, but her work documents peoples and issues from Western Europe to Sudan. 

A photographer with a focus on human rights, emigration, and other political issues, she doesn’t shy away from the big issues. Her images show the bleak reality of being a refugee. The humanity in her work helps the viewer understand the plight of the homeless and displaced. 

Instagram: @noralorek

Krisanne Johnson

Krisanne Johnson is an American photojournalist who takes documentary and fashion photos. Her personal projects focus on young women and HID/AIDS in Swaziland.

Most of Krisanne’s images are black & white. This emphasises the emotions and movements in her photographs. Every image is candid, filled with life, and perfectly timed.

This famous photojournalists work has been exhibited all over the world. Her images have appeared in publications like The New Yorker, TIME, and Vanity Fair (Italy).

Instagram: @kirsannejohnson

Marcus Yam

Marcus Yam is a Pulitzer Prize winner, photojournalist, and Los Angeles Times staff photographer. He left his career as an aerospace engineer to pursue photography and storytelling.

His short feature film, The Home Front, won an Emmy award.

Marcus’s Malaysian roots give him a fearless voice. His images focus on dangerous and heartbreaking events in the US and Hong Kong, among others.

Instagram: @yamphoto

Acacia Johnson

Acacia Johnson is an Alaskan writer, photographer, and expedition guide. She focuses on the relationship between people and nature in her work.

Acacia’s photos are visually stunning, showcasing the incredible landscapes and wildlife of the great northern regions.

In her gallery is a harmonious melting pot of people, landscapes, and animals. TIME, National Geographic, and others have featured her graceful yet breathtaking images.

The Anchorage Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of American History house her photography.

Instagram: @acacia.johnson

William Daniels

William Daniels is a French documentary photographer and National Geographic contributor. His photos focus on social issues in vulnerable communities.

William has photographed the effects of illnesses and disasters all around the world. No matter where or when he shoots, he never compromises the quality of his photos. All of his images are perfectly lit and composed.

He has been featured by TIME, Newsweek, and Le Monde, among others. He has won the World Press Photo awards, Pictures of the Year International awards, and a Visa d’Or.

Instagram: @williamdaniels

Daniella Zalcman

Daniella Zalcman is a Vietnamese-American documentary photographer and the founder of Women Photograph. This is an organization that seeks to support independent female photojournalists.

She’s the grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the National Geographic Society.

Daniella focuses on themes like identity, homophobia, and cultural differences in her work. She gives all of her subjects, especially ones in minorities, a powerful voice.

Instagram: @dzalcman

Sebastiao Salgado

Sebastiao Salgado is has been one of the most influential photojournalist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He’s worked in every continent on Earth, covering mine workers in Africa and rain forest destruction in central and south America. 

Salgado has had one of the loudest, most powerful voices in the movement against climate change and the destruction of our natural world. He was covering climate change long before it became trendy, providing some intense images that have stuck in the public consciousness.

He was a a member of Magnum, before starting his own photography agency. Salgado has been featured in all the top magazines and journals, but his work goes beyond photography. He’s been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2001. 

Instagram: @sebastiaosalgadooficial

Benjamin Lowy

Ben Lowy is an American photographer who made his name covering conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lybia. He produced some of the most striking and harrowing images from the US involvement in Iraq, but the life under fire took it’s toll on him. 

Lowy refers to himself as a “recovering conflict photographer” and now focuses on less violent subject matter. He covers US politics but mainly dedicates himself to ocean wildlife. 

His wildlife photography is breathtaking, and his portrait work is also impressive. But his best work remains the images of war. He’s a photojournalist who has genuinely earned his stripes. 

Instagram: @benlowy

Andrea Hernandez Briceño

A native of Venezuela, Andrea Hernandez grew up in a tumultuous environment. This tumult has become the main focus of her photography, but her work is far from chaotic. Her intimate understanding of the country, the people, and the politics gives her work warmth, empathy, and meaning. 

Hernandez is the co-founder of Ayun Fotografas, an all-woman collective uniting artists from across Latin America. Her work with Ojo Pelao, a charitable foundation, also brings photography to those who would not otherwise have access. 

Instagram: @andrernandez

Saiyna Bashir

Saiyna Bashir is a Pakistani photographer based in her native country. She’s covered assignments for international publication like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and National Geographic. Her work is also used by NGOs such as Unicef, WHO, and UNHCR. 

Vibrant and energetic yet sorrowful and empathetic, her work is an intimate document of a country she clearly cares deeply for. But she isn’t limited to Pakistan. She has also covered US politics and riots in America. 

Instagram: @saiynabashirphoto

Emanuele Satolli

Emanuele Satolli is one of the biggest names in contemporary war reportage. Covering conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, he’s never been afraid to get to the heart of the action. 

Although his work has graced the pages of TIME magazine on several occasions, the images are not for the faint-hearted. Raw, real, and often harrowing, Satolli shows the reality of modern warfare, especially amongst civilians and non-conscripted combatants. 

Instagram: @Emanuelesatolli

Ruddy Roye

Radcliffe “Ruddy” Roy is a Jamaican photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. He’s a photojournalist and documentary photographer who combines candid images and environmental portraits to show the people, atmosphere, and culture of grass-roots movements. 

Civil rights and grass-roots politics are threads that run through his photography, as he captures the lives of black Americans on the front line. He hasn’t forgotten his own roots, and much of his work explores culture in his native Jamaica. 

Instagram: @ruddyroye

Nina Riggio

It’s hard to say if Nina Riggio is an adventurer first and photographer second or the other way around. Either way, both feed into each other, and her adventurous spirit is clear in her work. 

The relationship between humans and nature is at the heart of her photojournalism. And her focus is usually on the areas of conflict within that relationship. The narratives explore sustainability, wildlife destruction, and corporate overstep. 

Her work has been published in publications as wide-reaching as National Geographic, TIME, and Wired magazine. 

Instagram: @ninareeg

Conclusion

These famous photojournalists have given us some of the most breathtaking, harrowing, and inspiring images of the last decade or more. From war zones to remote wildernesses, they venture far and wide to capture the true essence of a story. 

We hope the work of these incredible photojournalists inspires you. Now it’s time to grab your camera, head out the door, and find the interesting stories near you. 

They do more than take picture of clothes. Fashion photographers set trends in photography, fashion, and the arts. Their iconic images have created stars and redefined the careers of models, film stars, and celebrities. That’s why fashion magazines have always been a great resource for photographers. 

We’ve compiled this list of the most famous fashion photographers working today to fire-up your imagination. With incredible images from the hottest fashion photographers, there’s plenty of inspiration to get you excited.  

Fashion Photographers You Should Know

Here are our top choices of famous fashion photographers to check out. We’ve included links to these photographers’ websites and Instagram accounts, so you can see more of their fabulous fashion photography.

Our list is in no particular order. It’s just a collection of fashion photographers we’re really excited about, and we’re sure you’ll be excited about them too. 

Julia Hetta

Julia Hetta‘s photos could be confused for Rembrandt paintings. Unlike many fashion photographers today, she mostly uses natural light. This gives her fashion portraits an unusual yet recognizable style.

Hetta calls herself a romantic person, which is evident in her portfolio. This often features textures, soft light, and models that look like they live in an alternative universe.

Hetta’s unique style can be found in magazines like British Vogue and brands like Gucci and Alexander McQueen.

Instagram: @juliahetta

Giampaolo Sgura

Giampaolo Sgura is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion industry. He has almost 20 years of experience under his belt. And he’s confident and innovative in an industry filled with clichés.

Sgura believes in authenticity. He never starts a shoot without getting to know his team and the clothes his models will be wearing. This familiarity helps him take visually appealing but honest photos.

He also prioritizes style over fashion. He believes this is timeless compared to fleeting trends. Sgura has photographed many celebrities, including Katy Perry, Irina Shayk, and Ryan Gosling.

Instagram: @giampaolosgura

Cass Bird

Cass Bird embraces diversity through her elegant fashion photos. Her photos feature men, women, and children who all seem comfortable in their skin.

Bird has also produced videos for Vogue, Revlon, Dior—and more! Her storytelling technique lets her take sensitive, candid, and vulnerable photos of her models.

Her clients include American Eagle, Zara, and Calvin Klein. She often photographs famous actors and models in very refreshing ways.

Instagram: @cassblackbird

David Roemer

David Roemer has an eclectic mix of interests. They include psychology, film, painting, and fashion photography. With a strong focus on color, he aims to create expressive portraits.

Roemer’s portfolio is as eclectic as his interests. Some photos are creatively overexposed, while others are perfectly lit.

Roemer has photographed famous actors and models, including Barbara Palvin and Jessica Chastain.

Instagram: @david_roemer

Lina Tesch

Lina Tesch is one of the most popular fashion photographers, both online and offline. Her 200,000+ loyal followers on Instagram alone prove she cares about quality content.

Tesch’s photos stand out because they’re fearless, dramatic, and powerful. Her unique style has led to collaborations with Puma, Dior, Swarovski—and more!

Another factor that contributes to her appeal is her own love of fashion. Tesch often poses as a model for other fashion photographers, and successfully so.

Instagram: @linatesch

Paul Bellaart

Paul Bellaart captures humanity at its finest. His portfolio is filled with hundreds of monochrome and colored portraits. All of them are romantic and expressive.

Bellaart focuses on details and atmosphere at the same time. Some photos feature specific parts of the human body. Others zoom out and focus on intimate moments shared by friends and family.

He does all of this while emphasizing the beauty of fashion.

Bellaart finds inspiration in real people and their stories. His open-mindedness and romantic style has allowed him to work with Hermes, Levi’s, Marie Claire, and more.

Instagram: @paulbellaart

Olivia Malone

Olivia Malone is a familiar name in the fashion industry. Her photos often feature elegant women surrounded by inviting landscapes.

The softness and empowerment in Malone’s work makes her an outstanding fashion photographer.

She’s also a filmmaker who has shot a few famous music videos, including Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” video. In addition to that, she directs videos for other artists.

Instagram: @oliviamalone

Cole Sprouse

Also known as an actor, Cole Sprouse is often featured on magazine covers and photographed by the people on this list. But he’s also a rising star in the photography world.

His photos incorporate fashion, landscapes, and atmospheric settings. The film world has clearly influenced his photography, as he has a cinematic style.

If you scroll through his Instagram, you’ll notice that most of his posts are accompanied by in-depth stories written by him.

Sprouse often photographs his famous co-stars. He works with well-known brands like Adidas and takes photos for magazines.

Instagram: @colesprouse

Elizaveta Porodina

Elizaveta Porodina discovered photography when she was studying to become a psychologist. Thanks to her self-awareness, she fell in love with her camera and quit psychology.

One of Porodina’s main sources of inspiration is science fiction.

Porodina cares about empathy and emotions. Her photos are vibrant, sharp, and impossible not to analyze. Some of the colors in her photos are so vibrant that it’s impossible to print them.

Instagram: @elizavetaporodina

Bruce Weber

Bruce Weber is one of the most famous fashion photographers in the world. At 73 years old, he has a never-ending list of clients that includes Calvin Klein, Revlon, Rolling Stone, and many other top names.

Weber stands out from other fashion photographers because of his style. Most of his portraits are in black-and-white.

Despite this, he has over half a million followers on Instagram. And he regularly inspires his fans with expressive photos of famous models.

Instagram: @bruce_weber

Tim Walker

Tim Walker‘s models have been gracing the covers of famous magazines for many years. His unusual and dreamy style makes him an icon in the world of fashion photography.

Walker’s photos are a beautiful combination of fine art, fantasy, and fashion. Every photo looks like it was taken out of a fantasy film.

Walker regularly works for Vogue. He also makes short films.

Alexandra Nataf

Alexandra Nataf is a freelance photographer. She takes intimate and empowering photos of women.

She has photographed celebrities like Elizabeth Olsen. And she’s worked with companies like Bobbi Brown, Matteau, and more.

She’s also the founder of Unconditional Magazine. This community focuses on groundbreaking stories about women and their lives.

Instagram: @alexandranataf

Daniel Jackson

Daniel Jackson graduated with a degree in sculpture. It’s perhaps his knowledge of shapes that helped him light his models in the most flattering ways possible.

Jackson has worked with professional models like Gigi Hadid and Doutzen Kroes.  His work has been featured in i-D, VMAN, and more.

Instagram: @studio_jackson

Lara Jade

Lara Jade discovered her interest in photography at the age of 14. She started posting self-portraits and photos of others. These posts quickly caught people’s attention. And they provided Jade with an abundance of popularity.

Jade’s love for self-portraiture evolved into a love for fashion photography. And then it turned into a successful business.

She now photographs celebrities like Gemma Chan and Zara Larsson. She also works with companies like Avon, Monsoon, and more.

Instagram: @larajadephotography

Jeff Bark

Jeff Bark can be described as a fashion photography painter. His photos resemble surreal paintings of unique people and locations.

Bark often builds his own sets. His love for the technical side of photography makes him an outstanding figure in the fashion industry.

His work has been featured in Dazed and Confused Magazine. And it is included in several museums, including the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Instagram: @jeff_bark

Ellen von Unwerth

Ellen von Unwerth first entered the fashion world as a model. After 10 years of modeling, she received a camera as a gift and fell in love with photography.

She has worked for Vanity Fair, Dior, Ralph Lauren, and more. In 1998, American Photo Magazine named her one of the most important people in photography.

Von Unwerth prioritizes atmosphere and confidence in her photos.

Instagram: @ellenvonunwerth

Mert and Marcus

Mert Alaş and Marcus Piggott are best known as Mert and Marcus. They are a fashion photography duo who often collaborate during their photoshoots.

Their photos focus on beauty, fashion, and female power. They’re a source of inspiration for both portrait photographers and fashion enthusiasts.

Mert and Marcus have worked with every famous brand imaginable, including Vogue, Dior, and Givenchy.

Instagram: @mertalas | @macpiggott

Zhang Jingna

Zhang Jingna got into photography at the age of 18. Shortly after, she became a powerful influencer in the photography community. She’s worked with renowned companies like Harper’s BAZAAR.

Now, she’s one of today’s leading female fashion photographers. She has been featured in Vogue. And she was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in Asia.

Zhang’s photos are emotional and feature magical elements. Her portfolio appeals to a wide variety of artists.

Instagram: @zemotion

Mario Testino

Mario Testino is one of the most influential fashion photographers in the world. He is known for photographing famous faces. But he is also the founder of a museum, a creative director, and more.

Testino’s clients include Chanel, Burberry, and Versace. He has also photographed royal families worldwide, including Princess Diana.

His photos are candid and fearless. They’re easy to recognize and impossible to ignore.

Instagram: @mariotestino

Pamela Hanson

Pamela Hanson is one of the first women to succeed in fashion photography. She has over 20 years of experience. And she has become an irreplaceable part of the photography community.

Hanson has an impressive list of clients that includes Vogue, L’Oreal, and Victoria’s Secret. Plus, she has published three books, all of which focus on human beauty.

Her photos are bright and emphasize her models’ natural skin textures. They also have a beautiful, candid feel to them.

Instagram: @pamela_hanson

Conclusion: Famous Fashion Photographers You Should Know

Fashion photography has and seems like it always will shape the way we think and live. Through this genre, we can learn about photography, trends, and other people’s stories.

To improve your fashion photography skills, look through these famous photographers’ pictures. Let them teach you how to take outstanding fashion photos.

What Do Conceptual Photographers Shoot?

Conceptual photographers shoot conceptual photography, a genre that portrays an idea. It usually has a narrative or a hidden meaning behind the image. The photographer decides on the concept before taking the image and tries to illustrate it in the most accurate way possible.
Conceptual portrait photography often involves abstract faces, geometric shapes, vividly captured colors, and surreal details. It is not rare that artists use conceptual portraits to express their own struggles or emotions through images.
The niche strongly connects to Photoshop art, as unique post-processing styles represent many ideas. Several artists who take self-portraits turn them into conceptual art.

34 Fascinating Conceptual Portrait Photographers

Let’s dive into the work of these amazing conceptual portrait photographers!

1. Anya Anti

Anya is a fine-art conceptual and lifestyle portrait photographer. She works mainly with self-portraits, placing herself in gorgeous locations and situations.
Many of her photos revolve around her connection to the Earth and nature. She portrays herself as part of her surroundings while creating a universal cold and moody style in her art.

2. Brooke Shaden

Brooke describes herself as someone who stands for radical self-reflection. This is probably the best way to outline her work as an artist.
She works with various models—primarily women—to capture their often dark emotions. Strong personalities and traumatic experiences shine through her photos. Her conceptual images have a disturbing yet beautiful look.

3. Jovana Rikalo

Jovana is a brilliant fine art portrait photographer from Serbia who uniquely captures miniature stories in single images. She creates magical scenes that depict dream-like scenarios.
You can tell from her pictures that she spends most of her time planning shoots. As you can see, this planning pays off!

4. Dasha Pears

Dasha is a visual storyteller who captures stories and ideas with her photos. Her concepts are minimalistic and exceptionally well executed.
She sometimes uses geometric shapes and Photoshop overlays to emphasize her subjects’ stories. Her images revolve around inner fights and finding our places in the world.

5. Adam Martinakis

Creating sculptures has been a way of depicting humans for thousands of years. So it is unsurprising that Adam chose a similar way to capture how he sees humanity.
He creates a statue-like look in his images, visualizing every detail of the human body. His photos are highly surrealistic. And he plays with shapes, colors, and composition to express his ideas.

6. Pol Kurucz

Pol redefines the concept of beauty with his conceptual portraits. His models aren’t perfect. They have their flaws, as every human does.
Pol has several photo series dedicated to different ideas. Poor Billionaires, Angry Dolls, Hair Stories, and Bored in NYC are some of Pol’s photo concepts. The images are colorful and full of unexpected elements and expressions.

7. Claire Luxton

Claire is a multidisciplinary artist, combining conceptual portraits and Photoshop art. She often takes self-portraits. And she transforms them into photos that perfectly capture her emotions and struggles.
Her images illustrate concepts like hope, truth, and dreams. And they are executed colorfully with a touch of nature.

8. Gemmy Woud-Binnendijk

Gemmy is a fine-art portrait photographer creating images that remind us of a historical era. The studio setting, costumes, makeup, and posing all contribute to the nostalgic feeling of her photos.
The images reflect the Renaissance, Baroque, or Victorian eras. She also manages to recreate the dark atmosphere of old portrait paintings.

9. David LaChapelle

David is one of the most well-known conceptual portrait photographers out there. He creates Biblical, historical, or sometimes even modern composites. And he uses a sense of humor to spice up his images.
He has stories to tell and knows precisely how to tell them. His imagination is outstanding. But his technical knowledge allows him to bring that imagination to life.

10. Hungry (Johannes J. Jaruraak)

Hungry’s conceptual portraits are based on the creative use of makeup and costumes. The results are surreal. The models barely look human afterward.
These portraits show us a twisted version of humanity. The colorful makeup combined with the model’s serious expression leaves the viewer with a pretty dark impression.

11. Damian Drewniak

Damian is a Polish visual artist who specializes in fine-art conceptual portraits. He speaks to you with images that capture atmospheres and concepts everyone can relate to.
The only difference is that he captures everything with a high sense of aesthetics and sophistication. This drags you into his world.

12. Patty Maher

Patty is a Canadian conceptual portrait photographer who focuses on female portraiture. She doesn’t show the faces of the models. They are either disguised or facing away from the camera.
She uses postures, colors, and symbols to convey emotions and stories. Her work balances the boundaries of the real world and surrealism.

13. Saga Wendotte

Saga is a conceptual child portrait photographer from Sweden. She has created several photo series based on various topics, like traveling or flowers.
Her Little People series captures children in a meaningful yet disturbing setting. She captures controversial topics, contrasting the world’s cruelty and the children’s innocence.

14. Karen Katar (Cantuq)

Karen took up Photoshop art and conceptual portraits to express her inner world. She uses art for self-therapy, as she creates highly surrealistic composites.
Her photos look as if a child’s imagination has come true. The colorful images look like paintings and uniquely illustrate the world of animals.

15. Flóra Borsi

Flóra is a Hungarian Photoshop artist who has worked with the program for over 16 years. This is visible in her images, as she knows exactly how to make refined conceptual portraits.
She takes self-portraits and transforms herself into otherworldly creatures. Many natural elements appear in her work, like butterflies, flowers, and birds.

16. Ziqian Liu

Ziqian, like many others on our list, also works with self-portraits. What differentiates her from the other artists is that she barely ever captures whole portraits.
Instead, she uses body parts, mirrors, reflections, and creative blur to create mystical and minimalistic portraits. Check out her account if you are looking for a unique, feminine style of conceptual portraits.

17. PrOject Uno

The PrOject Uno is a photography community involving and featuring many contemporary portrait artists. Many images are dark and surreal.
These conceptual photos illustrate the darkest corners of the human soul. You can find several different styles and atmospheres in the mixture of various artists’ work.

18. Joel Robison

Joel is a portrait photographer and Photoshop artist, working mainly with self-portraits. He uses his creativity and artistic skills to capture his conceptual visions and ideas.
His images are often fairytale-like. They feature Joel as a giant, a tiny man, or someone with magical abilities. He has a smooth and consistent style that he applies during his editing. And you can learn his techniques through his Fantastic Photo Adventures video course.

19. Bella Kotak

Bella describes herself as a fairytale fine-art photographer. This accurately describes her style. She mainly works with women, creating genuinely magical images in various locations.
The costumes, makeup, and accessories resemble the fairy tales we all grew up with. Bella uses the power of nature to bring a unique atmosphere into her photos.

20. Auguste Lefou

Auguste has probably the most modern photography style on our list. He captures humans merging with technology, often looking like robots and emotionless beings.
His images address many contemporary issues, like social media addiction and consumer society. The models’ faces are barely visible and unrecognizable. This helps the viewer focus on the message each photo conveys.

21. Kyle Thompson

Kyle is an American photographer who has worked primarily with self-portraits. His work’s emphasis is more on the message than the visuals. He’s taken a break from photography. But his work still inspires.
His most popular photo series, titled Sinking Ship, is where he visits an abandoned American town. He takes pictures full of self-reflection and hidden emotions. And he embraces his portraits’ vulnerability.

22. Steve Gindler

You should check out Steve’s account if you are looking for a conceptual portrait artist with relatable and touching photos. He captures his model’s raw emotions and fears with honest portraits.
These conceptual pictures are often set in an abandoned environment. He uses various disturbing settings and poses. And they often reflect pain and hopelessness.

23. Vivienne Mok

Vivienne knows how to portray the feminine side of her models. Her dreamy images look smooth as she plays with different lighting and props.
She works with many actresses and singers. And she organizes photoshoots that result in beautiful portraits.

24. Ade Santora

Ade is an Indonesian artist who creates twisted portraiture. His work is an excellent combination of digital art and conceptual portraits. Ade takes photos exclusively with his iPhone and edits all his images with mobile apps.
He shows a surreal side of humanity, tearing and reattaching faces in his pictures. So his subjects are sometimes unrecognizable, depicted darkly and disturbingly. But some are also beautiful and ethereal.

25. Peyman Naderi

Peyman is an international multi-award-winning photographer from Persia. His goal is to represent his unique way of looking at various concepts.
He creates his portraits in a studio setting, bringing several creative ideas to life. His portraits have a surreal look. And they involve nature, fish tanks, strong makeup, and nostalgic props.

26. Tom Chambers

Tom creates conceptual photomontages for which he uses his own images. He combines landscapes, skies, foregrounds, and subjects to create his composites.
He often works with children and young adults, showing them in a rural setting. And Tom’s work has been published and exhibited several times over his career.

27. Kaat Stieber

Kaat is a fine art photographer from the Netherlands who brings surrealism and Dutch art elements into her images. She aims to create images that look like paintings.
She does so through photography, costume-making, and brainstorming about new concepts. Her photos give you the feeling of looking at a classical painting.

28. Juul Kraijer

Juul is a Dutch visual artist widely recognized professionally in her country. She has dozens of exhibitions consisting of her conceptual portraits.
She combines drawings and sculptures with photography to create an extremely surreal look. The atmosphere of her images is dark. And her conceptual images show emotions and struggles through how she poses her models.

29. Milos Nejezchleb

Milos is a Czech, multi-award-winning photographer and visual artist. He often chooses current social issues as an inspiration for his images.
He plays with colors and shapes to create a minimalistic style and convey the message he aims to deliver. Many of his portraits involve several models whose interactions are key elements of his photos.

30. Cameron Burns

Cameron is a 3D artist who uses digital technology to make his conceptual portraits come true. The primary models in his photos are an astronaut, a “ghost,” or another figure. And they participate in seemingly everyday activities in mostly mundane settings.
He addresses topics that concern everyone in their daily lives. These include isolation, the therapeutic effect of music, and burnout from overworking.

31. Gabriel Isak

Gabriel creates surreal and melancholic scenes that symbolize the human unconscious. He uses colors and strong symbols, like birds, stairs, or blindfolds, to capture what is going on in the human psyche.
His photos are very minimalistic. And they often showcase faceless models in simple settings.

32. Kseniya Vaschenko

Kseniya’s images are a mixture of conceptual photography and fashion portraits. She uses twisted positions and dark coloring to express the agony and emotions of her models. In her work, feminine sexuality makes for sophisticated yet powerful results.

33. Astrid Verhoef

Astrid’s images teeter on the edge of surrealism and fine art portraiture. She places subjects in unusual surroundings to create landscapes unfamiliar to the human eye.
Using juxtaposition, her images greatly contrast technology and nature, humans and still objects.

34. Bara Prasilova

Bara Prasilova creates surreal conceptual photos that have you second-guessing each image. Look at the way she frames and composes each image. It instantly makes the subject stand out and sets the scene nicely for odd encounters.
I like how particular she is, down to the small details, including the color pallet she uses.

Conclusion: Influential Conceptual Photographers

Conceptual portrait photography has many faces and includes several different niches. Whether you’re looking for Photoshop art, minimalist, or detailed portrait shots, our article features exceptional artists in their fields.
Do you agree with our list? Please comment with your favorite conceptual portrait photographer under this post! And check out our Creative Portrait Concepts eBook to jumpstart your photo-taking and editing processes!

This is the history of portrait photography told through the lens of great portrait photographers. We’ll look at the best past and present portrait photographers.

Our journey starts with the great portrait photographers of times past. Then we’ll look at the best portrait photographers of today before finishing with the rising stars of portrait photography. It’s a journey that’s sure to inspire your own portrait photography.

The Enduring Popularity of Portrait Photographers

Portrait photographers have been at the vanguard of the photography craft. They’ve documented some of history’s most famous and infamous individuals. And they brought photography into the mainstream.

Portrait photography has given us the protagonists of our shared history. They’ve connected us to presidents, prime ministers, and stars on the stage and screen. Their portraits are hung in prominent galleries all over the world. And they’ve graced the covers of Time, Vogue, and Rolling Stone. These faces have become part of public consciousness.

But portrait photography isn’t just about the big names. Portraits are about people. And portrait photographers use their cameras to tell personal stories. They capture the spirit of the people they encounter, from farmers to fishermen and businessmen to bandits.

As well as being a discipline in its own right, portrait photography is a feature in many types of photography. Portraits play a significant role in fashion and editorial photography. And you’ll find portraits everywhere, from photojournalism to wedding photography.

Portrait photography endures because we love characters. We want to know the players in the stories humans tell. And the best portrait photographers give us a glimpse of hearts and souls laid bare on celluloid. Portrait photography allows us to connect with people we may never know.

Famous Portrait Photographers You Should Know

The best source of inspiration for portrait photography comes from looking at the masters. By looking at the work of the most famous portrait photographers, you’ll see how personalities are explored and characters are created.

We’ve split our extensive list of famous portrait photographers into three sections. The first section looks at the all-time greats of the genre. The second section looks at the best photographers of our era. And the final section looks at the rising stars of portrait photography.

If our list of the best portrait photographers inspires you, check out our Profit from Portraits ebook. It has everything you need to know about getting started with portrait photography.

Navigate through the different categories of portrait photographers using the links below. 

• Famous Portrait Photographers from History
• Famous Photographer of Our Time
• Rising Stars of Portrait Photography

If our list of the best portrait photographers inspires you, check out our Profit from Portraits ebook. It has everything you need to know to master portrait photography.

Famous Portrait Photographers from History

In this section, we’re celebrating the portrait photographers of the past. They’re artists who have led the way in portrait photography over the decades, breaking rules and setting standards.

These portrait photographers have created some of the most iconic images of the last 100 years. You might be familiar with some of these photographers, while some names might be new to you. But all of them are worthy of your attention.

Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879)

Julia Margaret Cameron was a true trailblazer of portrait photography. Not only was she a woman thriving in a man’s world, but she also developed her own style of portrait photography. Her style wasn’t appreciated in her own time, and many criticized her work.

But over the years, her portraits have been praised for their genuine intimacy. Her portrait photos are softly focused with a natural feel. They were at odds with the stale and static portraits of the Victorian era.

Her subjects were the great and the good of upper-class Victorian society. Her most prominent subjects were Charles Darwin, Henry Taylor, and Sir John Herschel.

See more of Julia Margaret Cameron’s work here.

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)

Edward S. Curtis is one of the most important names in American photography. He was a photographer working in the American West near the turn of the century. His portrait collection is an important historical archive.

Curtis photographed hundreds of indigenous people from various tribal groups across America. They include the Hopi tribes in the southwest and the Inuit peoples in the north.

His subjects include names eternally linked to the myth of the Wild West. The portraits of Geronimo, Red Cloud, and Chief Joseph are particularly special.

Check out Edward S Curtis’s masterworks here.

James Van Der Zee (1886-1983)

James Van Der Zee was an essential part of the Harlem Renaissance of the ’20s and ’30s. His portraits are stylish and well-crafted. But his work also serves as a historical document for a significant moment in African-American history.

Van Der Zee used his camera to document the fashions and figures of a black culture revival in New York. His portraits show a middle-class African-American society. It’s a self-confident community that was thriving culturally.

Some of his notable subjects are dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and civil rights leader Marcus Garvey. He worked mainly in a studio, using lavish props and set dressings.

This James Van Der Zee collection is the best way to see Harlem in its heyday.

George Hurrell (1904-1992)

George Hurrell is a portrait photographer from the golden age of cinema. As the official photographer of MGM Studio, his portraits captured some of Hollywood’s most iconic actors and actresses.

Hurrell’s celebrated list of subjects includes everyone from Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart to Joan Crawford and Marilyn Monroe.

The archetypal celebrity photographer, his portraits are intensely glamorous. His collection strengthens the legend and mystique of this timeless Hollywood era. His style is dramatic, with strong contrasts between light and dark.

If you love Hollywood glamor, this George Hurrell collection is a must-see.

Angus McBean (1904-1990)

Angus McBean is often overlooked when it comes to lists of the most famous portrait photographers. But he shouldn’t be. His portraits were wholly original, blending a sharp style with surrealism and wit.

McBean’s style was less polished and more earthy than his contemporaries. His lighting was sharp and dramatic, which he used for a darker tone in his work. He wasn’t afraid to add surrealist elements or humor, even when working with Hollywood stars.

As a celebrity portrait photographer, he worked with A-listers like Audrey Hepburn, Vivian Leigh, and The Beatles.

This is the perfect book if you want more portraits from Angus McBean.

Philippe Halsman (1906-1979)

Philippe Halsman was one of the first great portrait photographers to inject a sense of fun into his work. He had close connections to surrealist artists and was a long-time collaborator with Salvador Dali.

His portraits are joyful and exuberant. His subjects are often snapped in mid-air as they jump and dance before the camera. But despite the humor, there’s always a personal warmth to his images. His portrait photos are uniquely personal.

As well as Salvador Dali, prominent subjects include Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, and Muhammad Ali. His skill behind the camera also led to a career as a fashion photographer.

Click here to see more of Halsman’s Jump collection. Or maybe you prefer his book of portraits.

Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002)

Yousuf Karsh is undoubtedly one of the greatest portrait photographers of all time. You may not be familiar with his name, but you’ve probably seen a few of his portraits.

His name reached global acclaim with his stunning portrait of Winston Churchill in 1941. He went on to photograph some of the most iconic individuals of the 20th Century. These include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Muhammad Ali, and Nikita Khrushchev.

His style is clean and classy. The portraits are posed and deliberate. But they all pack a punch of personality and charm. Most modern portrait photographers owe a debt to Yousuf Karsh.

See the full Yousef Karsh retrospective here.

Robert Capa (1913-1954)

Some might be surprised to see Robert Capa on a list of famous portrait photographers. It’s true that he made his name as a photojournalist. But there’s a case to be made about Capa’s abilities as a portrait photographer.

Capa is famed for his courageous war reportage, with stunning images from the Spanish Civil War and World War II. But as you look through his collection, you’ll find it’s littered with captivating and enchanting portraits.

He died on the job in 1954, shooting the rising conflict in Vietnam. And much of his color photography and portraits have only come to light after his death. His noteworthy subjects include Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.

Here’s the full collection from Robert Capa.

Arnold Newman (1918-2006)

Arnold Newman is an American photographer famed for his environmental portraits. Rather than ply his trade in a studio, he took his portrait photography into the wild. Although working on location, his portrait photos were still styled and considered. He combined a sense of freedom with a meticulous approach.

His portraits have been printed in Life, Fortune, and Newsweek magazines. He has portraits of some significant players from the 20th century. These include presidents like Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan and artists and musicians like Picasso and Stravinsky.

You’ll find more of Arnold Newman’s finest portraits here.

Frank Horvat (1928 – 2020)

Frank Horvat is an Italian photographer who spent most of his life living and working in France. He had a long and varied professional life, working as a photojournalist and fashion photographer in a career spanning many decades. 

His fashion work is his most famous, including editorials and covers for Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. But portraiture plays a crucial role his fashion photography style. His shots are playful and engaging, drawing you in with human and juxtaposition.

When shooting for pleasure, his portraits are far more low-key and informal. They often look and feel completely candid, giving them an intimacy that bridges the gap between the subject and the viewer.  

You can get a taste of Horvat’s photography style in his Photofile book. Or you can take a deeper dive with the Frank Horvat: 50-65 anthology.

Richard Avedon (1923-2004)

Richard Avedon was an American fashion photographer born and raised in New York. His catalog oozes class and elegance. And his work as a portrait photographer is intelligent and creative, setting him apart from his peers.

His work spans several decades of the 20th century. And he has portraits of many notable figures from the arts, fashion, and politics. They include Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, and George H. W. Bush during his time as director of the CIA.

Avedon set the standard for portrait photographers to come. The elegance and coolness of his images have influenced many photographers who followed in his footsteps.

You’ve got to see Richard Avedon’s full collection.

Herb Ritts (1952-2002)

Herb Ritts defined a generation. He worked with some of the most famous people on the planet throughout the ’80s and ’90s. But to call him a celebrity photographer would be a disservice. His images are the definition of cool. And he produced some of the most iconic images of the period.

His sharp and stylish portraits led him to a career as a fashion photographer. And with his portrait photos, he helped establish the era of the supermodel. He worked with Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Claudia Schiffer.

Take a deep dive into the photography style of Herbs Ritts here.

Elliott Landy (1942- )

Elliott Landy won’t be on everyone’s list of great portrait photographers. And I’ll admit this is a rather personal choice. But Elliott Landy played a significant role in defining an era of pop music.

Landy was a portrait photographer for some of the greatest music artists of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Some notable names are Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. But his best work as a portrait photographer comes from his collaborations with Bob Dylan and The Band.

If you want more images from this iconic era of music, see Elliott Landy’s Woodstock Vision.

Famous Photographers Of Our Time

The following shooters are the most famous portrait photographers of the modern era. They’re the biggest names in portrait photography. And if you don’t know their work already, it’s time you do.

These portrait photographers are at the top of the photography profession. You’ll see their work in galleries across the globe and on the pages of major publications.

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz might be the most famous portrait photographer in the world right now. For the last 50 years, she’s blazed a trail in the portrait genre. Her portraits have graced the cover of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and Vogue.

Annie Leibovitz has photographed nearly every celebrity you can imagine. The list includes presidents past and present to rock stars of mythical status. But rather than use their fame to enhance her portraits, her photos add grandeur to her portrait subjects.

She works in studios and on location. But the most striking aspect of her portrait photography is her composition. The shots are structured for a strong impact. But her subjects always have an air of openness.

Check out Annie Leibovitz’s early work here. Or you can dive into her later portraits here.

Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry is one of the most renowned photojournalists in the world. He documents conflicts and hardships across the globe. His portrait work plays a huge part in his journalism, bringing depth and soul to his war reportage.

His subjects are the people he encounters on his travels. They’re the afflicted and the conflicted, the protagonists and the victims. McCurry adds humanity to conflicts that can seem abstract to newspaper readers.

McCurry has an eye for a powerful image. He picks his subjects with precision and photographs them with compassion. His images are some of the most recognizable portraits and stand out in an era of mass media.

If Steve McCurry is your type of portrait photographer, you need to see his In Search of Elsewhere collection.

David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle has been on the rise as a professional photographer since the ’80s. And as a famous portrait photographer, he now sets the tone of modern pop culture.

LaChapelle has a bold style that combines a kitsch aesthetic with a surrealist sensibility. He’s not afraid to exaggerate with colors or styles. There’s realism in his work, but he turns it up to 11.

David LaChapelle’s portraits have become a staple of popular music and culture. He’s worked with Lady Gaga, Eminem, and Tupac. Many of his images are just as iconic as the artists themselves.

Lost + Found: Part II is some of LaChapelle’s most adventurous work.

Mario Testino

Mario Testino came to prominence in the ’90s, photographing huge names like Madonna and Kate Moss. But his true breakout came from his photoshoot of Princess Diana. This shoot defined him as a truly famous portrait photographer.

Testino’s portrait style is bright and clean with a hint of old Hollywood glamor. His shots are styled and considered and leave nothing to chance. But his images have a familial quality. The subjects always seem at ease, like they’re in the company of friends.

See more of Mario Testino’s finest portraits in this collection.

Mark Mann

Mark Mann is a British portrait photographer. He’s made a name for himself as one of the finest celebrity portrait photographers. He’s worked with famous people in the arts, sports, and politics.

Mann’s portraits are rich in detail and color. He often uses a close-up composition for powerful and intimate portraits. Mann’s a master of the studio portrait. His lighting is deliberate but warm and sympathetic. He looks for the depths in his subjects.

Mark Mann has had his portraits published in every publication, from Vanity Fair to Esquire. And his client list reads like a who’s who of Washington and Tinseltown.

Lorenzo Agius

Lorenzo Agius is a British photographer. His work encapsulated the feel-good hedonism of the Brit Pop of the ’90s. His early work with Ewan McGregor brought him to prominence. And since then, he’s become one of the most famous portrait photographers.

You can still find the fun-loving aesthetic of his ’90s work in his modern work. His best portrait photos have a cheeky sense of fun. He has the style and compositional skills of a fashion photographer. But he always brings out the humor in his subjects.

Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson is a British portrait photographer. But he’s also an extensive traveler photographing people from every corner of the earth. His portrait photography studies and celebrates traditional cultures worldwide.

Nelson’s portrait photography serves as a window into traditional cultures. His subjects wear the traditional dress of their people. And Nelson explores and examines everything in glorious detail. His portraits celebrate the heritage and roots of ancient cultures.

Peter Lindbergh

With a long and storied career, Peter Lindbergh has become one of the most well-respected portrait photographers in the fashion industry. His catalog is brimming with all the top models of the last few decades. And he’s constantly featured in fashion publications.

Often working in black and white, his portraits are sharp and dramatic. The shots are styled, but they have an atmosphere of casual disruption. His shots often seem like he took them during the break of the shoot. His relaxed approach brings the personality out of his subjects.

Peter Lindbergh’s On Fashion book is a must-have for fashion fans.

Martin Schoeller

Martin Schoeller is a German photographer who perfects his trade in Hollywood. By photographing some of the film industry’s biggest stars, he’s become one of the best-known photographers in the world.

Schoeller has a distinct style that sets him apart from other portrait photographers. He’s a fan of the extreme close-up. He heightens the intensity with hard lighting and bright colors. And yet his portraits retain a warmth that’s drawn from his subjects.

He takes two different approaches. One is more minimalist, with nothing but lights and a plain backdrop. And the other is more stylized, with lavish sets and props.

Alessio Albi

Alessio Albi is an Italian portrait photographer working in the fashion industry. Relatively new to the fashion photography scene, he’s setting a new standard with his visionary and atmospheric compositions.

Albi’s portrait style blends realism with a stylized approach. He creates an atmosphere of heightened reality. He has a collection of fabulous studio portraits, often in dynamic black and white. But his location shots steal the show with their cinematic vision and depth.

Kenneth Willardt

Kenneth Willardt is a fashion photographer with a passion for close-up portraits. He’s one of the hottest contemporary portrait photographers in the fashion industry. And he’s become a mainstay of all the top fashion magazines.

His portraits are intense and pop with color and energy. Hair, makeup, and set design play a huge role in his photography. All this, combined with his strong compositions, makes his portrait work stand out from the crowd.

Jovana Rikalo

Jovana Rikalo is a fine art photographer. She uses her portraits to tell magical stories and create fairy tales. She has a unique style that evokes a mythical past and brings legends to life.

Rikalo uses intricate costumes and set designs to create her scenes. She’s a visual storyteller, and each shot takes us on another step of the journey. Her portraits have incredible attention to detail. And her set design skills are matched by her camera work.

We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with Jovana Rikalo. Together, we made an incredible guide to Fairytale Portraits. It has all the tips, tricks, and techniques to make your own portraits in her style.

Philip Edsel

Philip Edsel is a fashion photographer working in the sports arena. He’s worked with some of the greatest athletes of our generation. And he’s headed projects for the biggest sports brands, like Adidas and New Balance.

When you look through his collection, his portraits are always a highlight. His black and white photos are sharp and elegant. And his color photography is vibrant with near-neon tones. Edsel brings a cinematic eye to sports editorials.

Mert Alas

Mert Alas is one of the top portrait photographers in the fashion industry. If you’ve leafed through a copy of Vogue in the last 20 years, you’ve seen some of his work. His work with Gucci and Versace has made him one of the most in-demand fashion photographers in the world.

His style ranges from highly styled to natural and laid back. He often uses lavish sets with extensive costume and makeup design. But much of his portrait work is candid with a fun-loving realism.

Pamela Hanson

Pamela Hanson is one of the busiest women in portrait photography. Her photography is constantly featured in all the top fashion publications, making her one of the industry’s most famous photographers. Her portraits have recently graced the covers of Elle and Harper’s Bazaar.

Hanson’s photos are intricately put together. But the atmosphere of her shots is always relaxed and natural. She brings the heart and soul out of her subjects, giving her portraits a warm glow.

You’ll find some heart-warming family portraits on her website. They show a different side to her portrait work.

See more of Hanson’s work in her Girls or Boys collections.

Joe McNally

Joe McNally is an American photographer. And his portraits have explored many areas of American pop culture. As an experienced photographer, he’s developed a powerful and unique style.

He’s produced portrait editorials for musicians, athletes, and fashion brands. He never fails to create memorable images. McNally has a detailed and illuminated style. He uses a mix of lighting to bring his subjects to the fore and create a sense of heightened reality.

Erik Almas

Erik Almas was born and raised in Norway. But his work as a professional photographer has taken him all over the globe. He’s created images used by some of the world’s biggest companies.

Almas has an expansive style of photography. His shots are bright and open. They contain many intricate details, but they never feel busy. He’s not shy when it comes to post-production techniques. But he also has a collection of minimalist portraits that are just as impressive.

Lee Jeffries

Perhaps more than any other portrait photographer, Lee Jeffries has an appreciation for the human face. His portraits are character studies. He examines every detail of the face, leaving nothing unseen.

Jeffries’s style is intense. He often uses extreme close-ups with a razor-sharp focus. And lighting is used to intensify the lines of the faces. Each portrait is a punch of personality. They’re almost intimidating!

Nirav Patel

Nirav Patel is a fine art photographer based in San Francisco. Portraits play a huge part in her dramatic photography as she explores human emotion.

Patel’s portraits have a cinematic tone. Each shot is meticulously constructed to evoke emotion. Patel uses natural and soft lighting to create deeply atmospheric images. The color palette is rich and dark. But the photos buzz with energy.

Rising Stars of Portrait Photography

Now we’re moving on to the next generation of portrait photographers. These are the artists currently making a name for themselves in the portrait photography arena. They’re the portrait photographers to pay attention to.

Rosie Matheson

Rosie Matheson is fast becoming one of the UK’s top portrait photographers. Her award-winning work continues to grab attention in the photography world. Matheson has turned to film photography, mainly using medium format cameras.

Matheson has a casual style of portrait. Her subjects are always relaxed, like they’re hanging out with friends. She likes pastel colors and faded tones. Combined with a soft focus, her portraits are warm and personal.

Carianne Older

Carianne Older, formerly known as PeggyShootFilm, is blazing a trail in the US photography scene. Her fabulously kitsch and sexy images certainly grab your attention. 

Older’s portraits incorporate elements of glamour, fashion, and fantasy. Elaborate costumes and set designs play a whole role in her work. And while she has a bright, intense style, everything is well considered and expertly arranged. 

She’s already worked with some big names, including Playboy, Puma, and Vogue. But her bold, vibrant style that’s pumped full of sex appeal is drawing new admirers all the time. This portrait photographer is going places. 

Craig Fleming

Craig Fleming is quickly becoming one of the UK’s hottest portrait photographers. Two-time winner of the Portrait of Britain award, his name and work are being seen by all the right people. 

Mainly working with black and white film, Fleming has a classic style and approach. He isn’t reinventing the wheel, but he’s proving that timeless techniques are still timeless. 

The majority of his portraits are shot in a studio, but he isn’t scared to venture out for some environmental portraits. They add a healthy variety to his collection, and they show he’s the master of exposure in any situation.

His occasional color portraits also pop out in his collection.

Sasha Aruntyunova

Sasha Aruntyunova is a Russian-American photographer currently living in Paris. Despite her young age, she’s heading straight to the top of the portrait photography world. Her subjects have included Senator Elizabeth Warren and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Sasha uses natural light to create deep and moody portraits. Although light is sometimes at a premium, her atmospheres remain joyful and warm. This approach to light gives us portraits that seem honest and authentic.

Justin Hogan

Justin Hogan is one of the finest young portrait photographers working with musicians and singers. He also has a collection of sports photography projects worthy of your attention.

For his portrait photography, Hogan mainly works in black and white. The deep tones of his work create warmth in his photos. Many of his shots are staged and planned, but they still have a sense of honesty.

Ire Chernova

Ire Chernova is one of today’s best portrait photographers. She’s experimental and daring with her ideas. But she holds true to the original concepts of the genre. She gets to the heart of her subjects with warm and personal portraits.

Her compositions are bold. And she confronts interesting themes in her work. But her portraits are always humane with a soft affection. She always gives her subjects the respect they deserve. And this is repaid with openness from her subjects.

Rhiannon Adam

Rhiannon Adam is an Irish portrait photographer based in London. Her photography combines travel and photojournalism. Portraits play a huge role in her work, as she documents the people she encounters on the road.

Adam has an honest and authentic style. She photographs people as they are. There’s no fancy trickery or effects. There’s a bond between her camera and her subjects. This approach allows her to give an honest portrayal of real people. Writing also plays an important role in her work, and she’s as skilled with a pen as she is with a camera.

Manny Librodo

Manny Librodo uses portrait photography to celebrate different cultures around the world. His shots are stylized and constructed. But they are true and respectful of the traditions they depict.

His color palette is deep and rich. And he enhances the colors of traditional clothing to make his portraits stand out. Librodo’s portrait photos are full of details, with everything deliberate and considered. His library will take you on a trip around the world.

J. Flynn

J. Flynn is a London-based photographer. And he’s fast becoming one of the most exciting and in-demand portrait photographers in the UK.

His portraits have a casual style. Every shot seems candid and natural. The focus is slightly soft. And the color tones are muted, giving his images a rich but soft finish. The rapport he has with his subjects is clear in every portrait. You feel as if you’re in the company of friends.

Kieran Lowe

Kieran Lowe is a who’s main focus is portraiture. He has also worked as a travel photographer, documenting his journeys in Viet Nam and and Southern India. But portrait photography is where his passion lies. 

Lowe’s portraits are often posed yet casual and informal. The settings are usually a safe space, like a living room or bedroom. They give the sense that we’re all getting to know one another. The subjects are opening up without being pressures to. 

He favors film photography over digital, which gives his portraits a classic look. But he also experiments with wet plate photography, the final boss of traditional photography. You can see one such portrait below. 

Olivia Bee

If you’re into the alternative music scene in the USA, you might be familiar with Olivia Bee‘s work already. She’s a rising star in music photography, with her portraits appearing on album covers and in Billboard magazine.

Her portrait style is earthy and honest. It invokes the portraits of folk and country stars of past ages. Her portraits are down to earth with a hint of 21st-century reverie.

Kelly Ann Bobb

Kelly Ann Bobb is a professional portrait photographer from Trinidad. She’s new, but she’s already turning heads with her vibrant approach.

She takes a traditional approach to portraits. She shoots in film, using 35mm and larger format cameras. And her studio compositions echo the portraits of photographers from the early 20th century. Her location work embraces her culture and her environment. She celebrates Trinidad with her photography.

David Lazar

David Lazar is a young travel photographer from Australia. He has many spectacular landscape and travel shots. But his portraits are the jewels on the crown.

Lazar uses portraits to explore cultures all around the world. He goes on journeys, but it’s about the people he meets. More than any landscape, the people are his subject.

Clement Pascal

Clement Pascal is setting new trends in the world of portrait photographers. He’s new to the fashion business, but his portrait style is becoming more and more popular.

His portraits have a gentle feel. All the lighting is natural, and he loves muted color tones. It gives his portraits a feeling of familiarity. The subjects are relaxed and natural, making the viewer feel the same.

Omar Victor Diop

Omar Victor Diop is a master of self-portraits. More often than not, he’s his own subject. But he also takes excellent portraits of others. His distinct style is turning heads across Europe and America.

His portraits have a 19th-century influence, often resembling paintings of that period. And there’s a knowing nod to Orientalism in his designs. The stunning portraits are alive with color, using bright reds, yellows, and greens. It’s humorous and celebrates traditional cultures.

Nina Masic

Nina Masic is a young German photographer breaking into the fashion business with her elegant and stylish portraits. Her profile is quickly on the rise.

Masic has a clean and fresh style of portrait. She uses closely cropped compositions. And she’s able to match everything in her photos to the skin tones of her subjects. It comes together for a styled yet natural-looking portrait.

Zhamak Fullad

She may be young, but Zhamak Fullad is becoming one of the hottest portrait photographers around. Her candid, anarchic style is making her popular with top brands like Calvin Klein and Puma.

Her portraits are characterized by a high-energy and chaotic atmosphere. It’s as if nothing is planned and everything is done on the fly. The DIY appearance also comes from her mixed media approach, as she sometimes uses film and Polaroid cameras.

Caroline Mackintosh

Caroline Mackintosh combines fine art and portrait photography, creating fabulous images that promote freedom and openness. And there’s a hint of cultural studies in there too.

Her style is all-natural. The light is natural, and everything is shot outdoors. The colors come from the environment, and the subjects are in harmony with them. Her work is a celebration of the natural world and our place in it.

Conclusion

That was our list of the best portrait photographers of the past, present, and future. Their portraits have excited and enticed us for more than a century. And the rising stars of portrait photography are setting new standards.

This list is packed full of portraits to get you inspired. Check out their work and think about incorporating some of their styles into your own portraits!

Check out our Fairytale Portraits course from Jovana Rikalo—one of the photographers on this list—to get amazing inspiration and instruction for your next portrait!

Getting Started with Wedding Photography: An Introduction to Wedding Photography Blogs

Apart from your camera equipment, there are few overheads with wedding photography. You don’t have to book a venue or buy costumes. The wedding party takes care of all of that for you. 
But wedding photography does have its demands. A wedding is a very special day. And the photographs have to show the wedding in all its glory. You don’t need much equipment. But you will need ideas for unique and special wedding photos.

8 Unmissable Wedding Blogs for Photographers

If ideas and inspiration are what you’re after, these wedding blogs are exactly what you need. These blogs are from some of the hottest wedding photographers working today. They display some of the best wedding photography you’ll find on the web. And the writers have some excellent tips for aspiring wedding photographers.

8. Green Wedding Shoes

If you’re looking for wedding photography inspiration, Green Wedding Shoes is the place to go. They have a ton of posts brimming with fresh ideas for wedding photoshoots. They have pose ideas for the wedding party. And there are pre-wedding location suggestions.
It’s easy to get lost on the Green Wedding Shoes site. And I mean that as a good thing. One post leads to another, and before you know it, your head will be bursting with exciting photography ideas. If you feel flat about your last wedding shoot, Green Wedding Shoes will ensure the next one is 100% fabulous.

7. Heather Waraksa

Heather Waraksa has been photographing since 1998 and documenting weddings since 2003. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and studied photography and film and received at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work has been featured in many magazines—Vogue, Martha Stewart, Inside Weddings, NY Magazine, Brides Magazine, Geraldine Magazine, Flutter, Cherry Bombe, PDN, The Knot to Style Me Pretty. Phew!
Her client list also includes Nikon, Kendall Jackson, X-Box, Need Supply Co, Pas de Calais, and others. To say that she is a professional photographer is an understatement.
American Photo Magazine named her one of the Top Wedding Photographers in the world in 2009.

6. Ramit Batra

Ramit Batra comes from an engineering background. Instead of following this path, and falling into a 9-5 job, he decided to run in the opposite direction and chose to study and create animated films.
Upon landing in Mumbai, he found work with UTV motion pictures. Then he started looking into the world of photography. Somewhere between photo walks and capturing portraits, he found wedding photography. He photographed his first wedding in Delhi. The second in Mumbai, and thereafter a destination wedding in Samode. The first was in 2009, and he hasn’t looked back!
Now, he can say he has photographed in more than a dozen countries. And he continues to find opportunities to travel to even more fabulous places.

5. Jerry Ghionis

Jerry Ghionis is among the top wedding photographers in the world. Look at how many mentions and awards he has, dating back almost ten years. He has emerged as one of the most influential wedding photographers of the 21st century. From his Greek ancestry, he inherited a strong European sense of style and panache. This mixed well with his relaxed Australian sensibility.
Jerry and Melissa, his wife, are Melbourne-based photographers. They also spend their time in Las Vegas, USA. Together, they run the business. They travel on international photography assignments and speaking engagements. As a team, Jerry and Melissa developed a powerful creative and business force. With a fashion designer’s flair and the ingenuity of an architect, they are a formidable force. Jerry’s style can be best described as vintage glamour meets contemporary fashion photography. He is world-renowned for his creativity.

4. Susan Stripling Photography

Susan Stripling is a wedding photographer that needs no introduction. She has traveled all over the globe. Through the US, South America, Finland, France, the Caribbean, and Greece to name a few. Her quality and creative direction are sought after. Her work has been published in Inside Weddings, Bride and Bloom, Modern Bride, and The New York Times, and also in several photography magazines like Capture magazine and American Photo Magazine. American Photo Magazine even named her among their Top Ten Photographers in 2012. She has also won many awards at the WPPI 16×20 print competition. This includes the Grand Award in Photojournalism and First Place in Wedding Photojournalism. Wow!
Currently, she is the co-founder and instructor of The Wedding School. This is a source of real, honest wedding photography education. It is open for wedding photographers worldwide. A quick look at her images will tell you she knows what she is talking about. So follow her wedding blog and give her the attention she deserves.

3. Del Sol Photography

Sol Tamargo, Matt Adcock, Valeria, Vanessa, and Polly form Del Sol Photography. They are destination wedding photographers. They cornered the niches of underwater and “trash the dress” wedding photography.
Del Sol Photography is based in Riviera Maya, Mexico. These guys have their focus pinned on photographing beach weddings. They swim with the brides and take their images to the extreme. They do this by pushing their creative and innovative styles to the max.
Together, they have four awards under their belt. Two of which are from WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association). One is from the ISPWP (International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers). They are also some of the best photographers in the world by American Photo Magazine.
Judging by their style, you can see the warmth and quality in their images. They are an amazing source of inspiration and well worth following.

2. Rangefinder Magazine

Rangefinder Magazine crops up in almost all the other wedding blogs on this site. They are a source of incredible quality, material, and inspiration.
Their content is helpful to those starting out. For example, their “What To Include in Your Wedding Photography Contract” is a great and informative article,  providing insightful knowledge from the most seasoned photographers.
Whatever kind of wedding you want to photograph, you will find great tips, advice, and help. This site will ensure you are ready for whatever comes your way.

1. Junebug Weddings

Junebug weddings are passionate about empowering wedding photographers. They will help you take a sustainable and creative approach to your business. They do this through education and community.
Their wedding blog is an endless stream of amazing images. They show every aspect of a couple’s wedding from start to finish. Junebug Weddings even provide links to the products and jewelry in their images. This is a great idea to drive traffic towards your business.
Junebug Weddings is undoubtedly of my favorite resources for wedding photography. Do yourself a favor and give them a follow.

Conclusion

Feel free to peruse the wedding photography blogs and websites listed here. They will offer you inspiration in a photo block and give you ideas when you need something new. Good luck on your journey to better and more beautiful wedding photography!
If you’re a wedding photographer and looking to improve your business model, take a look at our Profit from Portraits ebook!

That’s quite the claim, especially when someone talks about themselves. Can we take his word for it? Peter Lik is a complicated figure in the photography world. He’s as infamous as he is famous. And controversy has followed him for years.

This post is our take on the Peter Lik story. We’ll look at how he made his name. And we’ll find out why his name sparks a debate whenever it’s mentioned.

Insightful Perspective

Peter Lik - Australia

Discover the stunning beauty of the Australian landscape through the lens of a controversial photography genius. Get a unique perspective on the essence of the Australian spirit.

Who Is Peter Lik?

Peter Lik is a professional photographer from Australia. He is mainly known as a nature and landscape photographer. And his works have been published in magazines and hung in galleries all over the world.

In 1994, Lik moved to Las Vegas and started his publishing company Lik USA. And he also opened a photography gallery in the city, mainly to display his work.

He used this as a base to sell his photography products. He has published coffee-table books, postcards, and calendars. In 1997, he published his first full-sized photography book, Australia: Images of a Timeless Land.

He then went quiet, with no new publications for 13 years. He broke his silence with the 25th Anniversary Big Book in 2010. It’s a hefty piece of work with over 500 of Lik’s photos.

The publication of his book seemingly garnered Lik a lot of attention. Shortly after, he sold a single print for $1 million to an anonymous buyer. The work is titled One, as he only made one print. And it’s a shot of the Androscoggin River in New Hampshire.

He then went on a bit of an award run. His photo Ghost won the Art in Nature category at the Windland Smith Rice awards in 2010. Nature’s Best Photography magazine runs this award series.

Another work by Lik won the same award the following year. The 2011 winning shot was Inner Peace, and it was later displayed in the Smithsonian museum.

Since 1997, Lik USA has been growing substantially. He opened three more galleries in Las Vegas, with another nine across the United States. He even had a documentary series, From the Edge with Peter Lik.

2014 Onward: Success and Suspicion

From the ’90s through the early 2000s, everything seems above board with Peter Lik’s career. From 2014 on, his fame continued to grow. But it was around this time that some suspicions began to arise over some of his work and claims.

In that year, Lik claims to have sold a work called Illusion for $2.4 million. Later that same year, he sold Phantom for a whopping $6.5 million. It was the highest price paid for a photograph at the time.

These are big numbers for any art sale, especially photography prints. And the announcement of these sales was met with skepticism. Both sales were to anonymous buyers. No buyers could be identified, and no one came forward. It raised questions over his 2010 sale of One, which was also sold to a nameless buyer.

Since then, Peter Lik has attracted more and more suspicion. Thousands of words have been written about Lik and his claimed sales. Lik USA has remained very quiet on the issue, so speculation is rife.

The Most Expensive Photographs Ever Sold

The sale of Phantom for $6.5 million should put Peter Lik at the very top of the leaderboard for the most expensive photos ever sold. And the sale of Illusion would again put him in the top 30. And yet, Peter Lik does not appear on the list.

Andreas Gursky currently sits at the top of the list. His photo Rhein II sold for $4.3 million, with the sale taking place at Christie’s New York auction house in 2011. This is more than $2 million less than Lik’s sale.

The difference is proof of sale. All the items on the list of most expensive photos have been sold at reputable auction houses. They are usually sold in places like Christie’s in New York or Sotheby’s in London. The only exception is Justin Aversano’s NFT sale.

Sales in these institutions are public. And they document every sale, including buyers and provenance of the work sold.

Peter Lik, on the other hand, sells his work privately. And with the large sales, the work is always bought by an anonymous buyer. No name is given, and no one comes forward. Lik asks us to take his word for it without providing any proof.

Fine art landscapes can pull big money. Andreas Gursky’s Rhein II is a testament to that. But without proof of sale, the art world can’t accept the sale as official.

Another suspicious element with Phantom is that it’s a black and white version of an earlier work. The color version, Ghost, sold a few years earlier for only $15,860. That’s quite a big jump in price for the desaturated version of the same photo.

Peter Lik: Photographer or Fraudster?

Millions of photographers use Photoshop and other editing software. There’s nothing controversial about digital photo editing. It’s part of the process of modern photography.

Some photographers even use software like Photoshop for composite works and digital collages. These are art forms in their own right. And the artists are open and honest about the tools and techniques they use.

David LaChapelle and Chema Madoz are two photographers that famously manipulate their images. But they’re not trying to fool anyone. They are transparent about how they create their artwork.

The same can’t be said about Peter Lik. His work is natural, often working with landscapes. It’s not an area of photography often associated with image manipulation. Usually, the power of nature speaks for itself.

But Peter Lik is far from transparent. And people have been speculating as to whether some of his works are overly manipulated. The word “fake” has even been used to describe his photography.

If Lik were to admit he used editing techniques to enhance his work, there wouldn’t be a problem. But those close to him state the majority of his work is done in-camera.

When such a large part of Lik’s business is selling prints, we have an ethical problem. Is he misleading his buying audience?

The Truth About Moonlit Dreams

Moonlit Dreams is a 2017 piece by Lik that attracted much attention. And a large part of that attention hasn’t exactly been positive. There are many questions about authenticity, with many claiming the image to be a composite.

It’s an impressive photo, combining astrophotography and landscape. You have the large moon in the background and a tree-adorned cliff face in the fore. As striking as the image may be, some elements don’t add up.

The debate goes on whether it’s possible to capture an image like this without Photoshop trickery. Lik claims to work in-camera mainly. But is that possible for an image like this?

We’ll take a look at some of the details of Moonlit Dreams. We’ll take a look at the areas of contention to see why Lik’s claim doesn’t stand up. I’m no expert on photo manipulation, so I can’t say we work alone on this investigation. The folks at FStoppers had a great discussion on the matter.

Clouds

There are two problems with the clouds in the bottom left corner. Firstly, they appear to be back-lit. It means there should be a light source behind them. But as this photo appears to be at dusk with a full moon, the sun should be behind the photographer.

The second problem is that there are even clouds there at all. To get such good detail of the moon’s surface, you need as little atmospheric interruption as possible. Clouds imply a congested atmosphere.

The Moon’s Size

The moon seems far too large in this composition. Even if you used a super-telephoto lens, you would struggle to achieve this size.

Ambient Light

The moon is full, which means the sun is directly behind the photographer. This would be the sun would light the cliffs in the foreground as well. But the cliffs seem to have different lighting, colder and less direct.

Light on the Trees

If you look closely at the trees, you can see they are lit from above. This contradicts the logic of the moon’s lighting. What is illuminating the trees from above if the sun is behind and the moon in front?

Depth of Field

The moon is 384,400 km away from Earth. And the cliff in the image could be no more than a few kilometers away from the photographer. The fact both are in focus means the depth of field would have to be more than 380,000 km. No lens can provide that kind of depth of field.

Recycled Moon

Thanks to the folks at FStoppers, we can see that Peter Lik used the same moon in an earlier image. The moon in Bella Luna has the same marks and shadows. The lighting styles are different, but the moons are identical. This strongly suggests we’re looking at a composite.

As suspicion grew, people contacted his Las Vegas gallery for clarification. Getting an answer wasn’t easy. But Jared Polin finally received an email from a Lik representative in 2018. This was their reply:

“Hi Jared, great to hear from you. Moonlit Dreams is, in fact, a composite photograph. Since before the photograph was released, we have been open and transparent regarding this topic. I do appreciate you reaching out and inquiring. Wishing you a great weekend.”

The clarification is a positive turn of events. The problem is that the Lik estate had to be pushed and probed for the statement to be made. They weren’t transparent about how Lik created the image from the beginning.

The Peter Lik Brand Strategy

Whether Peter Lik is one of the greatest photographers is up for debate. But one thing we know for sure—he knows how to make a name for himself.

Oscar Wilde said, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that’s not being talked about.” And Peter Lik certainly knows how to get people talking.

We can start with his claim to be the “most famous photographer. The most sought-after photographer, and the most awarded photographer.” It may or may not be true. But the fact he said this about himself makes people take note.

If people haven’t heard of him before, they’ll want to check out his work. They’ll want to know if his photography backs up his claims.

Not many photographers have their own gallery to sell and display their own. But Peter Lik has 14 worldwide. A gallery brings prestige and credibility to the work, even if they are his galleries.

Then we have the big sales to anonymous buyers—the prints sold for vast amounts of money. But Peter Lik has never provided proof of purchase. For Lik, that doesn’t matter. He’s already stolen the headline.

The fact that many of his photos come under attack for being fake or manipulated plays into this strategy. He only speaks out about this if pushed. He’s happy for people to scrutinize his work because it puts him in the spotlight. Whether for good or bad, people are talking about Peter Lik.

Market Manipulation

The Peter Lik galleries sell hundreds of thousands of prints every year. We can’t dispute this because they keep sales records like any other business. You can buy one yourself if you have a spare $5,000.

The controversy surrounds the big sales. There have been three sales of over $1 million. And each one had an anonymous buyer. The mystery around these exchanges means they don’t make the official lists for expensive photos sales. But that plays into the Peter Lik brand strategy.

It’s impossible to say if the sales took place or not. But the claimed sales build interest in his work. And it inflates the prices of his prints. The huge sales bring people to his galleries and add value to his work.

A skeptic might say this is a ploy to keep prices high. Lik makes a claim about a big sale, the headlines come out, and he can add a few more zeros to the price tags. He’s using the publicity to manipulate the market.

One interesting detail is that Lik’s pieces often have a lower resell value. He says his work is “like a Mercedes-Benz. You drive it off the lot, and it loses half its value.” But art isn’t valued in the same way as a car.

Many people buy art purely as an investment. They make a purchase hoping the value will increase over time. And fine art sales usually follow this trend. A piece of art doesn’t lose value when it leaves the gallery.

It begs why anyone would pay such a large sum for work that will decrease in value. It will be worth less than you paid as soon as you get it home. A Peter Lik work is a bad investment. That’s not something the rich are usually interested in.

Conclusion

We’re not trying to argue that Peter Lik is a bad photographer. The guy has talent. And he knows how to use a camera and print photographs. But his success isn’t just about clever camera work. Peter Lik’s success is down to his marketing.

Peter Lik is not just a photographer. He’s a brand. When you look at his website, it has phrases like the “Peter Lik Style™.” His shots are striking. But the same is in the name, not the photography.

The mention of his name will spark a debate. And that works perfectly for him. He doesn’t mind if the publicity is negative, as long as people are talking about Peter Lik. It means people go to his galleries and buy his prints.

It’s harsh to call Peter Lik a fraud. He’s a talented photographer. But use caution when you hear his name. You need to take anything you hear about Peter Lik with a heavy pinch of salt.

Check out our Simply Stunning Landscapes course to take your landscape photography to the next level!

Insightful Perspective

Peter Lik - Australia

Discover the stunning beauty of the Australian landscape through the lens of a controversial photography genius. Get a unique perspective on the essence of the Australian spirit.

20 Contemporary Portrait Photographers To Know

This list is the perfect place to find inspiration to start your own portrait photography journey. Learn from the modern masters so you can create fantastic portraits with your camera.

Omar Z. Robles | @omarzrobles

Omar Robles is a portrait photographer from Puerto Rico, now based in New York. He’s a dance and documentary photographer. And his portraits focus on dancers in different and unusual settings. He has a love for photography and dance.

Rosie Matheson | @rosie_matheson

Rosie Matheson is one of the UK’s leading portrait photographers. She works with traditional film, mainly using medium format cameras.
Her style is casual, but her portraits are deeply intimate. It’s like we’re close friends with her subjects. Eye contact plays a leading role in the composition of her portraits, which demands the viewer’s attention. Her photos are bright, but the tone and atmosphere are soft.
Rosie came close to winning the Portrait of Britain Award in 2016. And her work has only continued to improve since.

Sasha Arutyunova | @sashafoto

No one has more mixed experiences than Sasha Arutyunova. Born in Moscow, raised in Florida, based in Brooklyn, she is a multi-tasking photographer. Her passions range from portraits on the street to documenting artists on stage.

Justin Hogan | @thankscamera

Justin Hogan is predominantly a music photographer, taking portraits of singers and musicians. His black and white portraits are very compelling. They stand out due to their crispness, quality, and creativity.
Most of the images are staged and constructed. But don’t let that distract you from the artistry involved in creating these stunning portraits.

Nirav Patel | @niravphotography

Nirav Patel is the still-life photographer who beats all others. Her scenes have a magical, ethereal air to them as if all the scenes she captures are from cinematographic movies. She manages to bend and use light as if it belongs to her. Her portraits are atmospheric and moody.

Jordan Voth | @jordanvoth

Jordan Voth is a portrait and wedding photographer based in Seattle, Washington. His images not only capture the wonderful atmosphere of a wedding, but his portraits of the happy couple are to die for.

Jovana Rikalo | @jovanarikalo

Jovana uses portrait photography to teleport you to a magical world. Her elaborate floral and dreamy designs bring fairy tales to life. She creates characters and tells stories through her magical style of portraiture.
She’s a master with the camera and an imaginative costume and set designer. Her work is elaborate with a strong and distinct style. Female elegance is combined with natural themes, often using plants and animals in her photos.

Jared Kocka | @jaredkocka

Jared Thomas Kocka is a New York and Los Angeles-based pop photographer. Much of his editorial and fashion photography is shown as torn collages. This is a bright, fresh, and brash style. Follow for far-from-the-standard inspiration to help take your work in a new direction.

Ire Chernova | @irachernova

Ira Chernova is a race and culture-conscious portrait photographer. She’s based in the US but has a huge following worldwide. She’s very much in demand right now. She covers bands in live and staged settings and photographed Cage The Elephant’s album cover. She’s a must-follow.

Olivia Bee | @oliviabee

Olivia Bee is a photographer from Portland, Oregon, based in New York and Los Angeles. She is intrigued by the beauty of everyday life. And she explores how beautiful memories touch us.
She doesn’t just do portraits. Her series are character studies that demonstrate she is deeply interested in people and their personalities.

Clement Pascal | @cgbp

Clément Pascal was born in Paris, but his photography career took off in Dakar, Senegal. Since then, he has moved between Paris, Cairo, and New York.
His work includes fashion, portraits, and documentary film photography. He’s been featured in The New York Times, T Magazine, The WSJ Magazine, and Dazed & Confused.
If you are amazed by his cool and hip portraits, you are on the same page as us. We love his authentic and candid shots of all the people he comes across.

Andi Elloway | @andi.elloway

Andi Elloway was born and raised in Southern California. Her work is influenced by the vibrancy of the West Coast and skater culture. She uses her eyes to capture photos depicting glamour, self-discovery, and indulgence moments.
Her studio work is minimal, exciting, creative, and fresh. Exactly what we need in this portrait-saturated world.
Her clients include Rolling Stone, i-D, Nylon, and The New York Times.

Omar Victor Diop | @omar_viktor

Omar Victor Diop has a strong sense of style that shines in his portrait photography. His images are stylized and considered with bright and vibrant colors.
He uses portraits and self-portraits to explore ideas of identity and history. His style has influences from 19th-century portraiture and Orientalism. He combines classical portraiture with a modern sense of humor.

Caroline Mackintosh | @carolinemackintosh

Caroline Mackintosh is somewhat of a glamor photographer with a natural aesthetic. She explores the female figure and experience with beautiful portrait photography. She incorporates nature and nudity into her work, which gives an authentic free-spirit perspective.

Rhiannon Adam | @rhiannon_adam

Rhiannon Adam is an Irish photographer based in London. But she never stays in one place for long. She’s a natural traveler, documenting the people she finds on her journeys.
Portrait plays a massive role in her documentary photography. Her stories are about the people, their personalities, and how they relate to their environment. She’s an excellent storyteller with the camera and the pen.

Ciro Galluccio | @cirogalluccio

Ciro Galluccio is an Italian portrait, fashion, and fine art photographer. The detail in her work is immense and sometimes intense. The tension and atmosphere she can create within a still image are incredible. Her concepts are as strong as her skill with a camera.

Chiara Lombardi | @xchiaralombardix

Chiara Lombardi is a determined and scrupulous photographer. She shows a genuine love for the arts, craftsmanship, and science of the photographic process. Her images may look simple, but the minimalism is deliberate and well-crafted.
The depth of emotions comes from the atmosphere she creates in her portraits. She uses space and light. And there’s a cold color pallet throughout her photos.

J. Flynn | @flynn

J. Flynn is a British portrait photographer based in London. His portraits are stylish and modern, but he always produces an intimate and relaxed series. He connects with his subjects, which gives his images a personal feel.
He works just as well shooting in the street as in the studio. And he’s fast becoming one of the UK’s top portrait artists.

Bella Kotak | @bellakotak

Bella Kotak has a vibrant and vivid imagination. And thankfully for us, she has the skill to bring her dreams to life. She’s a portrait photographer that works in the realm of magic and fairy tale.
Her subjects are beautifully adorned with floral costumes. And everything you see in her images has been designed with care and precision. Her portraits are magical and surreal. She creates characters and builds new fantasy worlds.

Emily Kai Bock | @emilykaibock

Emily Kai Bock isn’t just an amazing portrait photographer. She’s a cinematographer and director too. Her love of the moving image comes across in her portraits. They have a strong cinematic quality.
She’s worked with companies like Vogue and Yves Saint Laurent. And she’s created music videos for Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, and many more.

Conclusion

These fantastic contemporary portrait photographers show us that portrait photography is still one of the most powerful art forms we have. Portraits can be personal or intimate. Or they can be styled and experimental. The are no limits to portraits.
You should now feel inspired and fired up. Now it’s time to get your camera out and start taking your own portraits.
Take a look at our Profit from Portraits Ebook to take your portraits to the next level!

Most of us cannot live the beach lifestyle we want, so why not live vicariously through people who do! These photographers eat, sleep and breathe the beach, so who is there better to capture the essence of surfing. As a big extreme sports fan, my Instagram is full of surf accounts. Here is a selection of the best.

What Makes a Good Surfing Photo?

Surf photography is challenging to capture and harder to master. The main issue you will face is how to keep your camera dry. The quick answer for this is to buy a waterproof housing for your camera body and lens. Also, the setting of a beautiful beach does help, but most of the time, it will just be the sky, the sea and the surfer.

Surf photographers are usually found evoking the feeling of the viewer being in the water. The camera points toward a surfer poised on their board, hanging onto the wave. The money shot clearly shows the tunnel formed from the collapsing wave.

Apart from this, many surf photographers have a less extreme approach to their images. They take photographs of surfers enjoying the smaller waves, hanging ten and relaxing on their boards past the break.

Some surf photographers go further and use photography’s ability to freeze time to capture images of the waves in a sculptural way. We will look at a wide range of surf photographers in this list. By the end, you will have some wavy inspiration to last you till the summer!

Best Surf Photographers to Follow

1. Russel Ord

As one of the worlds leading surf photographers, Ord will have your Instagram timeline full of some of the beautiful places he comes across in his travels. When it comes to his surf photography, you can tell he has spent years in the water.

His composition tends to capture the pure might and power of the waves. He often portrays them as giant walls that seem threatening in contrast to the water matador who is taming them. Ord can also capture light in fantastic ways, often using the transparency of the waves to act as its own light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Russell Ord (@russellordphoto)

2. Sarah Lee

Lee is a well-established surf photographer. You’ll find his work on huge platforms such as National Geographic and ESPN, as well as many surf magazines. From photographing in the sea since she was 15, Lee is a surf photographer who perfectly captures the beach vibe.

Her strengths lie in capturing a more relaxing and reflective approach to surfing. Where the waves don’t seem as threatening and you are faced with a person who is fully in tune with their environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by sarah lee 🌊 water photographer (@hisarahlee)

3. Ted Grambeau

In a way, Ted Grambeau is the complete opposite of Sarah Lee. Grambeau is an expert at capturing big wave surfing. Here, he makes waves seem like one of nature’s scariest and most destructive forms. His compositions have you guessing whether the subject made it out of the scenes presented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by TED GRAMBEAU (@tedgrambeau)

4. Clark Little

Clark Little has made a name for himself through a unique aesthetic and subject that he calls ‘shorebreak’ photography. He creates otherworldly images through the split seconds where the wave crashes down on the shore.

These images are a little closer to water photography rather than a surf photographer. Although, Little is presenting the viewer with a similar view that a surfer would get riding through a barrel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Clark Little (@clarklittle)

5. Ha’a Keaulana

Keaulana is from a long line of famous surfers in Hawaii. She would have been raised to be aware of all the intricacies of surfing. Leading her to study these observations of the sport that make her one of the top surf photographers!

Her strength lies in capturing surf culture rather than competitive surfing. Perfectly capturing beach scenes through the eyes of a born surfer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ha’a Keaulana (@haakeaulana)

6. Chris Burkard

Burkard is a surf photographer whose career has led him to shoot worldwide and even led him to do a TED talk about it! The content you will get from his Instagram goes beyond surf photography and will be perfect for the travel heads out there.

I am a big fan of the way he seems to be a landscape photographer, and the action in the images only take up a small part of the frame. This gives a great sense of location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by ChrisBurkard (@chrisburkard)

7. Morgan Maassen

Maassen is one of the surf photographers who has a natural ability to capture the dramatic. Whether it is through the subject or the photographic techniques he uses (slow shutter speeds to blur the image), his pictures are highly emotional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Morgan Maassen (@morganmaassen)

8. Joni Sternbach

I always have time for surf photographers who use old photographic processes to capture their subjects. There is something so satisfying and fitting about tintype portraits of surfers.

Maybe it’s because the sport itself isn’t too different from its humble beginnings. Sternbach’s images truly capture the timelessness of this sport. Follow Joni’s Instagram if you are more interested in surf culture and considered photography.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Joni Sternbach (@jstersurf)

9. Ben Thouard

If you want to see an Instagram timeline that instantly relaxes you, head over to Thouard’s page. This is an excellent example of a perfectly executed curation of an Instagram page. Beyond this, the calming tone of the blue he presents us is almost like an instant breath of fresh air.

In his work, we face abstract forms created by the ocean. He provides us with new compositions of surf photography. He often places himself below the waves to deliver us a unique viewpoint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ben Thouard (@benthouard)

10. Luki O’Keefe

O’Keefe’s photographers are again the viewpoint of a person who has grown up around the sea. Her photographs capture every part of surf culture. And, perfectly reflect the beauty and grace associated with surfing.

Following her Instagram will give you an insight into a surfers lifestyle where fun and frolicking are forefront. If you are to explore her surf images further, you are faced with the same fun and lighthearted imagery that reflects the time off the board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Luki O’Keefe (@_lucrecia_)

11. Todd Glaser

Glaser has been a SURFER staff photographer for over a decade and has his photographs published in many other magazines. I am a fan of how he can capture the intensity of surfers faces throughout the chaos.

Glaser has a great ability to mix this chaos with calm. This ability put him up there as one of the best surf photographers, as you can view the images in both ways, either relaxing or terrifying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Todd Glaser (@toddglaser)

12. Maria Fernanda

Maria Fernanda is an excellent example of one of the surf photographers who upload many consistent images on Instagram. This makes her a great photographer to follow, as your timeline will have a healthy fix of surf content throughout.

On her website, her images are split up into places rather than categories. I like this as it feels like you are following her around the world on a great big surf trip!

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Maria Fernanda Photography (@mariafernandaphoto)

13. Sachi Cunningham

Don’t be fooled by Cunningham’s Instagram page, where it seems she is a dedicated surf photographer! She is a fantastic documentary filmmaker and teaches as a professor at San Francisco State University.

After looking at her surf images, it makes complete sense. The way she can capture the emotions that go along with the sort is a unique ability. Sequencing is something that she plays with as well. She uses this effectively to show a surfer as if they were progressing through the wave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Sachi Cunningham (@seasachi)

14. Ed Sloane

Ed Sloane’s vibrant blue is strong enough to wash away the greyest day. Throughout his Instagram, you will find this blue punching through your screen, giving you an instant calming feel. You will then notice the hugely dangerous situations presented, which may cause you to rethink the calmness.

Sloane has the remarkable ability to bring the viewer right into the scenes he depicts. This is done by the use of a long lens, transporting you right into the soul of the wave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ed Sloane Photography (@edsloanephoto)

15. Tahnei Roy

Born and raised on the North Shore of Hawaii, Roy quickly got her hands on waterproof housing and jumped into photographing surfing. I like her style of photography as it mixes this softer, elegant aesthetic with surfing. Roy is also excellent at capturing female surfers doing what they do best, making the waves seem easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Tahnei Roy (@tahneinei)

16. Lucia Griggi

Griggi’s career started out by photographing her passion for surfing but led her to be a Canon ambassador. Her Instagram is more commonly populated with wildlife and travel imagery. But, when it comes to her surf photography, you can see why she has made such a successful photography career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Lucia Griggi Studio (@luciagriggi)

17. Stewart MacKellar

It may be hard to surf in the UK, but MacKellar makes British surf photography look as electrifying as it seems! It’s refreshing to see the different environments in which the sport occurs. The sublime nature of the waves matched with cliffs makes for some really dramatic imagery.

MacKellar’s Instagram is packed with these dramatic images. They feature a range of photographic techniques that capture how it feels to be by the sea. He currently has a calendar for 2022 for sale as well as photography sessions for surfers in the UK. If you need some action shots of yourself in the UK, you know where to go: www.stewartmackellar.co.uk/shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Stewart MacKellar (@stewmackellarphoto)

18. Ryan Craig

Craig is another surf photographer you’ll find along Hawaii’s North Shore. He is a permanent member of the SURFER magazine photography team and has rightfully earned his place there. Photographing a wide range of surf environments, Craig’s images show the wonderful surfing world in all its forms. Don’t forget the occasional sunsets that come along with this lifestyle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by ᴿʸᴬᴺ ᶜᴴᴬᶜᴴᴵ ᶜᴿᴬᴵᴳ ✌🏼 (@chachfiles)

19. Trent Mitchell

Trent Mitchell’s style of photography falls under water photography rather than surfing. He is totally in tune with the water and has managed to capture the various forms of water that you would come across in the sea; the walls of water, the ocean spray.

Mitchell looks at the water as a sculpture, a translucent surface that is constantly in motion. This allows him to capture unique types of light and some beautiful forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Trent Mitchell (@bytrentmitchell)

20. Christa Funk

Funk is a Hawaii resident who started out as a Coast Guard before transitioning into photography full time. Her surf images have taken her to get front cover images for numerous surf magazines. It’s not surprising that Funk does a great job balancing the scene between the surfer and the wave they are riding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Christa Funk (@instaclamfunk)

Conclusion

After looking through this list, we hope you have found at least one surf photographer to follow on Instagram. Certain accounts offer better competitive surfing images or big wave surfing, but this list looks closer at the photographers who live to surf.

I can tell you now if you do end up following these people, you will need a holiday almost every time you look at your Instagram!

Famous Architectural Photographers: What is Architectural Photography?

It’s exactly what you think—pictures of buildings. Some photographers focus on pattern or texture. Others use block colors and clean lines for minimalist art. Still, others document the growth of a city skyline or create a typology of images. They all fall under architectural photography.

11 Famous Architectural Photographers You Should Know

To inspire you, here are eleven of our favourite architectural photographers of all time. You will find photographers in various eras. And not everyone featured on this list was active during the age of Instagram.

Berenice Abbott

Berenice Abbott first became a famous photographer for her portraiture during the 1920s. Under the tutelage of Man Ray, Berenice photographed people in high-class social circles. She returned to New York in 1929 to find the skyline was changing. So, she devoted herself to capturing it. You may not know it, but you will have seen some of her work. She made stunning high contrast black and white photographs of New York during the great depression.

Julius Shulman

Shulman’s photograph of the Stahl House (1960) glamorised the modern California lifestyle. He was key in promoting modernism. His work has tracked architectural changes throughout Los Angeles for 70 years. As his work featured buildings and inhabitants, it shaped views of Californian life. The Stahl House has since appeared in more books, advertising, and movies than any other.  In 2004, he photographed Frank Gehry’s stunning design for the Disney Concert Hall.

Lucien Hervé

Lucien Hervé portrays space, texture, and structure in a way not seen before. Many consider him one of the great architectural photographers of our time. His influence shows up throughout modern architecture photography. And, his personal story is as fascinating as his photographs. Germans capture him during WW2. He escaped and earned a medal of honour from the French Foreign Legion.

Hilla and Bernd Becher

Hilla and Bernd Becher spend 40 years documenting industrial architecture. They presented their work as typologies—grids made up of photographs of the same thing. It is only when we see them together that the differences stand out. Water towers, blast furnaces, and factories feature in their award-winning work. They also founded the Dusseldorf School of Photography. In doing so, Hilland Bernd mentored a generation of world-class photographers.

Walker Evans

Walker Evans was an early 20th Century photojournalist. His work for the Farm Security Administration depicting the effects f the Great Depression is his most famous. As a large format photographer, Evans’ aim was to take photographs that are ‘literate, authoritative, transcendent’. A subject of retrospectives the world over, Walker Evans is undoubtedly one of America’s greatest architectural photographers. Helen Levitt, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, Lee Friedlander, and Bernd and Hilla Becher al count Evans as an influence. As an originator of documentary-inspired work, Evans was able to see his present as if it were past, creating a visual encyclopedic of Depression-era America in the process.

Robert Adams

In over fifty books and exhibitions, American photographer Robert Adams documented the despair and hope of the American West. His upbringing across the country, made Adams think about parts of the Western region’s geography and architecture which required photographic exploration. Adams’ work examined a mixture of the human imprint on nature, as well as nature’s resilience to it—all within the context of western landscapes and architecture.

David Goldblatt

The South African photographer David Goldblatt was famous for his images depicting the country during apartheid. A photographer for some fifty years, Goldblatt’s work did not focus on the violence of the time. Rather, it showed the effects apartheid had on landscapes, society, and architecture of the time. Having never been photographed in color in his apartheid work, Goldblatt explained as being inconsiderate. In his later life, color was gradually introduced to his landscape photos.

Ed Ruscha

Mostly known as a pop artist, Ed Ruscha’s series of Twentysix Gasoline Stations is an example of his unique take on architectural photography. Mostly without human presence, Ruscha’s work is meant to emphasise form and building placement over anything else. Aside from Twentysix Gasoline Stations, his Every Building on Sunset Strip is another example of artistic depictions of mid-century South Californian culture.

Carol Highsmith

Carol Highsmith has donated her body of work (42,000 photographs) to the US Library of Congress. Since 1980, she has documented landmark architectural works in all fifty states. In doing so, Highsmith has encapsulated the modern way of American life. Highsmith has documented all fifty US states, as well as Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. Aside from architecture, her work also includes landscapes, urban and rural life, and work environments. As one of the most contemporary photographers on this list, Carol Highsmith has become the seminal 21st-century photographer of American life.

Lewis Baltz

A vital figure in the New Topographies movement, Lewis Baltz images describe the architecture of the human landscape. By this, offices, shopping centres, parking lots, and other everyday buildings are featured throughout. Many of his images also feel with human interaction with landscapes—developments destructive to nature. Robert Adams and Bernd and Hilla Becher are just two of Baltz contemporaries with similar architectural photography styles and goals.

Stephen Shore

Known for images of banal scenes, Stephen Shore is one of the most famous architectural photographers of the twentieth century. He was also a vital member of the New Topographies movement that also counted Lewis Baltz and Robert Adams as members. A pioneer in the use of color in architectural photography, Shore was the first living photographer exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Aside from this musem, Shore has also exhibited at the Guggenhein, Hammer Musuem (Los Angeles), Kunstehalle (Dusseldorff), and Jeu de Paume (Paris).

Conclusion: Famous Architectural Photographers

Success as an architectural photographer isn’t about photographing what other people see. It’s about showing others how you see the world, in shapes and lines, shadows and tones, or big blocks of color and space. The famous architectural photographers featured here give others a unique insight into the beauty of a space.
Architecture photography provides endless opportunities to be creative. Explore the artists here and take what you have learned to the streets.
Do you want to learn how to capture photos to rent and sell properties at higher prices? Check out our Picture Perfect Properties course!