Which photographers inspire you?

[gho]

Plain simple question. A key experience for my decision to take pictures on black and white film was seeing the pictures William Gedney took in San Francisco around 1966 and 1967.

[Pickett Wilson]

David Allen Harvey, James Stanfield, Steve McCurry.

[glooscap]

Got to be Karsh!

[Vince Lupo]

Dave Heath, Andre Kertesz, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Erich Salomon, Jacques-Henri Lartigue.

[pesphoto]

Callahan, Kertesz, Frank

[usagisakana]

Most recently: Daido Moriyama, Boogie, Trent Parke, Winogrand and Friendlander. Many others over the last few years.

[Ted2001]

Henri Cartier Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, Sebastian Salgado, Ernst Haas and all those from the FSA.

[35mmdelux]

Mary Ellen Mark, Salgado, Koudelka.

[charjohncarter]

http://www.jamesravilious.com/

[emraphoto]

http://www.qsakamaki.com/

http://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2009/11/dhiraj-singh-my-name-is-dechen/

http://www.noahaddis.com/#/home//portfolio__1

pellegrin

http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.StaticPage_VPage&SP=photographers_list&l1=0&XXAPXX=SubPanel10

http://www.eugenerichards.com/

[wlewisiii]

Robert Capa, Ansel Adams, David Plowden, Alfred Stieglitz, David Burnett

William

[andredossantos]

Not famous, but first and formost my father. I would sit with him in the darkroom fascinated watching the photos appear in the trays. My father is from Portugal and as a child i loved looking through all the prints of a foreign land.

There were always a lot of art books around my house, but not many of photography. There was a book of kertesz that mesmerized me when I found it as a teen.

[CK Dexter Haven]

Richard Avedon / Irving Penn / Steven Meisel / Peter Lindbergh / Josef Koudelka / David Alan Harvey / Elliott Erwitt / Michael Thompson / Steve McCurry / Alfred Eisenstadt / Robert Doisneau / Ellen von Unwerth / Edouard Boubat.

[Al Kaplan]

I've long been an admirer of British photographer David Hamilton. I'm also intrigued by how he seems to have been influenced by an artist from a century earlier who worked in pen and ink, Franz von Bayros. They both portrayed young girls in erotic situations, and the posing and compositions are very similar.

Caution! Some people might find these photographs and drawings offensive.

I think that seeing how others influence one another can be as enlightening as seeing how others influence you. The work doesn't have to be in the same medium to see this either.

[not_in_good_order]

A few are Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Sebastião Salgado, William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, and Lee Friedlander

To elaborate at bit on a couple of the folks named above: HCB and Frank got me fascinated with photography before I ever owned a camera, and a Friedlander traveling exhibition I saw a few months back at Cleveland Museum of Art totally blew my mind and made me completely reevaluate anything I had ever thought of in terms of what made an image work.

[Shac]

Paul Strand, Wilfred Thesiger, Galen Rowell, Ernst Haas

[selloutboy]

Joel Meyerowitz.
I share his passion in shooting color when doing street photography and I believe his Philosophy in photography.

Aside from Meyerowitz,
some few other local photographers here in the Philippines :D

[robinsonphotography]

Richard Avedon, Platon, Dan Winters, Eddie Adams, and many many more.

[ItsReallyDarren]

The biggest one for me? James Nachtwey. One for his photography the other for his humility.

[edodo]

My all time favorite and in my eye the only true genius of photography post war: DIANE ARBUS. We miss you Diane!

[Warren T.]

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell, Robert Capa

[swoop]

Walker Evans
Stephen Shore
Robert Capa
Arthur Fellig
Tyler Hicks
Lynsey Addario

[Ade-oh]

Roger Mayne, Don McCullin, David Bailey, Peter Lindbergh, Patrick Demarchelier, Jock Sturges, Salgado... but I could go on and on

[Sandwick]

Ragnar Axelsson: www.rax.is and James Ravilious: www.jamesravilious.com In both cases their focus has seemed to be on recording dying patterns of life in rural areas: Ravilous in South-West England and Axelsson in Greenland, the Faeroes and in his native Iceland. Ravilious died some years ago but Ragnar Axelsson is still working. From my perspective both have produced outstandingly beautiful images and both seem curiously overlooked. As far as I know, Ravilious used Leica rangefinders exclusively with older, uncoated lenses and I'm sure I've read that Axelsson has tended to use Leica M because of the extreme cold in which he often works in. They're both definitely worth exploring.

[Lilserenity]

Ansel Adams, André Kertesz, James Ravilious, W Eugene Smith, Jacques Henri Lartigue -- so many more...

In many ways though I'm more informed by painters, the romantics and the impressionists when it comes to my landscapes though.

[Rayt]

I am much more inspired by painters such as Edward Hopper. Most people know Hopper from his "Nighthawks". You can't help but react in some emotional level to his paintings . This is something I strive for but often in vain.

[Jeicob]

Man Ray among others

[J. Borger]

Kertesz, Callahan and Ralph Gibson.

[Roger Hicks]

Roger Fenton. Margaret Bourke-White. Sebastiao Salgado. Early David Bailey. And about 10% of what I see every year at Arles, from the classics (Willy Ronis, for example) to relative unknowns such as Cécile de Corniquet. If you can stand Cécile's website, www.cecileetlaurent.com (it's slow, gimmicky and irritating) you'll fnd some great pictures.

Cheers,

R.

[Pickett Wilson]

Ade-oh, my copy of "David Bailey - Birth of the Cool" is pretty well worn now. Good choice. :)

[Michael Da Re]

Petronio, Novak and Klurfield. Different styles, different inspirations. You don't have to be famous to inspire.:D

[buzzardkid]

Frank Petronio's work inspires me.

[snausages]

http://www.jamesravilious.com/

Thanks for sharing this link, John. Beautiful photos - I wasn't aware of his work...

[marduk]

http://www.eugenerichards.com/
Stunning emotional photos..

[abumac]

Cristina Garcia Rodero (Magnum)

[24x30]

One I miss is Winston Link

rudi

[konicaman]

Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Elliot Erwitt, Imogen Cunningham, Man Ray, Margaret Bourke-White.

[clachnacuddin]

Bill Brandt, Ansell Adams & Salgado

[Walt G]

Cristina Garcia Rodero (Magnum)

Nice call. Me too.

I found her book "España Oculta" to be right up there with anything by Salgado.

[lawrence]

Eugene Atget, Walker Evans & Robert Frank. There are many others I like but these three are truly 'inspirational'.

[le vrai rdu]

Franck and HCB, I saw there exhibition this year in paris, fantastic

Jeau Gaumy and Koudelka too :)

and many others like eugene smith, mc cullin (mostly for his pictures concerning england, they impressed me)

[helenhill]

Bill Brandt
Helen Levitt
Bruce Davidson
Lisette Model
Elliot Erwitt
Norman Parkinson

[HMFriedman]

In no particular order, and not for the same reasons:

Harry Callahan
Josef Sudek
Paul Caponigro

[gb hill]

Garry Winogrand, Bill Eggleston, Alec Soth, Boogie. There are many on flickr that really inspire me also. There are some really great photographers over there.

[colyn]

Lucian (Pappy) Goodson....my granddad..........

[shadowfox]

Jose Miguel Ferreira - http://www.jmf-photo.net/black-and-white-photography-jmf.html

[MickH]

In alphabetical order

John Claremont
Richard Jenkinson
Al Kaplan
J. H. Lartigue
Petronius
James Ravilious

[Michael Markey]

I`d go with that list too Mick except Lartique who I`m not familiar with. I`d add in Kertesz and Henry Wessel.

[MPerson]

Cindy Sherman
Lisette Model
Edward Quinn
Garry Winogrand
Andreas Feininger

[Al Kaplan]

Thanks for including me in your list, Mick! (Now my head is swelled so big I'm not sure that I can still get it through the neck strap!)

Lartigue is a name I haven't run across in awhile but he's done some great photography!

[hugh]

Roman Loranc http://www.romanloranc.com/

[stnolan]

Olaf Otto Becker

[jiroshashin]

Sugimoto, Tomatsu, Moriyama, Hosoe, Ishimoto, Gibson, Frank,Eggleston, Ghirri, HCB , Giacomelli

[lemalk]

Arbus
Winogrand
Jim Marshall
Dave Naz
Ginsberg's photos of the beats, especially Kerouac
Elliott Erwitt

[Paco]

Robert Frank .Lucio Anneo Seneca. Captain Beefheart .W Eugene Smith.
Roberto Rosellini. Koldo Chamorro. Graciela Iturbe. Germany Fotografs.
J L GODARD. Koudelka . P P Pasolini . Antoine d' Agata. M A Antonioni
URSS Fotografs etc etc ....................

[Haigh]

These contemporaries:Justin Langer, Ewa Zebrowski,Yuichi Hibi, Hiro Matsuoka, Todd Hido.

[Haigh]

Sorry: I meant Jason Langer, not Justin.

[jimmygcreative]

what about: james fee, rineke dijkstra, olafur eliasson, matthew barneyand a artist that has shown us great use of photography chuck close.

[nikon_sam]

Before I was old enough to use or even have a camera of my own, my parents for what ever reason, subscribed to "Life" magazine (some time in the early seventies)...I would look at those pictures over and over...it was the images and not the photographers that inspired me...I remember those B&W images, I never knew who took them...
I've never really followed any photographer but there are many who's work I truly enjoy...good work is good work no matter the person tripping the shutter...

[Dave Wilkinson]

In no particular order, and not for the same reasons:

Harry Callahan
Josef Sudek
Paul Caponigro Harry Callahan?...did'nt Clint Eastwood play him?

[Biggles]

Early influences: Richard Avedon (I got into portraiture because of an accidental exposure to his stuff), and Karsh.

Later, as I read and browsed-through and bought more photo books: Harry Callahan, Bill Brandt, Garry Winogrand... and most of all, I think, David Vestal. Those first three got me to seriously consider shooting street; Vestal, through his column in Photo Techniques and his two small, obscure books about making pictures, got me to consider why.

[GMcD]

David Bailey.

[pvdhaar]

I find Kyle Cassidy's work inspiring: http://www.kylecassidy.com/

[mrisney]

Martin Parr, Alec Soth, Torbjørn Rødland, Stephen Shore

[Ansel Adams]

Ansel Adams e Franco Fontana

[TheHub]

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, William Eggleston, and Ilse Bing.

[Cpitch]

HCB,came up to Don McCullin at one of his exhibitions and said simply
'I have one word to say to you Goya'

[sebastel]

just some who have not been mentioned yet:
herbert list
minor white
jeanloup sieff

[sara]

In no particular order:

Annie Leibovitz, Cartier-Breson, Richard Avedon, Martin Parr, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi.

[-doomed-]

I like photographs. I like a new one each time I look at some, my favorites change as often as my socks...
I not only enjoy the humor of your response , I feel the same way. I can't pick a favorite.

[Ming The Merciless]

Robert Doisneau, Berenice Abbott, Gordon Parks, Len Bernstein, Paul Strand, Vivian Cherry, to name a few.

[bgb]

Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson and I bunch of others whose names i never learned ... Monet's paintings

This guy and his photos of Vietnam 'fleetwoodjazz'

Quite a few other people on RFF .. there is some serious talent in our little family

[dedmonds]

Sebastião Salgado
Milton Rogovin
Ralph Gibson

[gavinlg]

At the moment enjoying:

Henrik Purienne
http://www.purienne.com/

Paul Barbera (aussie)
http://www.paulbarbera.com/

Darren Mcdonald (Aussie)
http://www.darren-mcdonald.com/

Oliver Stalmans
http://www.katibiphotography.com/

[mgd711]

Bump for an old thread...


Walker Evan’s and Takuma Nakahira.

A strange pairing!

[peterm1]

Not sure if I have posted her before (and too lazy to check.) Probably my favourite at the moment is Saul Leiter. He is not all that well known on this forum but I love his color work. He seems to have an aesthetic that I really relate to and I find myself subconsciously emulating him - even when I did know I was going so.

As a man though the person who I admire most is Capa. He was a mensch!

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2008/10/saul-leiter-ear.html

Some Leiter samples from the I'net

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JjLmrbWjcNw/SrUEkfTuuSI/AAAAAAAABDg/8Osu6QqmcRs/s400/1.+Saul.earlyphotos.jpg

http://www.photographersgallery.com/i/full/cafe_paris.jpg

[crist]

HCB, Sergio Larrain, Ernesto Bazan, Elliott Erwitt.

[Instantclassic]

The personal influences in photography are numerous but my short list of nordic photographers contains Sune Jonsson, Nina Kurhonen, Hans Hammarskjöld, Elin Höyland, and Elin Berge.
Walker Evans, Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea Lange, Helen Lewitt, Paul Strand, Bernice Abbot, Diane Arbus, Cindy Sherman, Sebastian Salgado, Annie Leibovitz and Sally Mann is just some of the fabulous community in great photograpers that makes my life more exciting.

[RanceEric]

Keith Carter and his dream-like images..
Some of my favorite of his:
http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/bubble-boy.html
http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/mar06-06.html
http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/heaven01.html

[Pickett Wilson]

I've known Keith Carter since the early 1980's (I live near Lamar University where he is a Professor) and he is a really nice, incredibly talented photographer and amazing educator. Definitely an inspiration.

[RanceEric]

I've known Keith Carter since the early 1980's (I live near Lamar University where he is a Professor) and he is a really nice, incredibly talented photographer and amazing educator. Definitely an inspiration.

Lucky you! I would love to meet him. His photographs are great, thought-provoking images. I chose him for an emulation project in college a few years ago. It was kind of intereesting trying to mimic his style of shooting and darkroom manipulation...