Famous Photographers:

[gpaai]

This may not be directly related to PAD, but I was thinking that it might be cool for everyone to post their favorite photographer's (pro status) web site so other PAD members could see if there was any influence involved, or maybe just learn from that particular photographer's images.

One photographer that I have taken a liking to his work is David Mendelsohn. His works and views on things have been featured in many photogragh magazines. A couple of months back I was fortunate enough to get in contact with David. He even viewed my work here at PBase. He told me that while he could see a vision in my images, he thought I was playing it too safe, worrying more that I gained acceptance from others than actually going out on a limb to find myself. I guess that's why my more recent PADs have gotten a little crazier.

So who are your favorites? I would like to check them out.

Gary

[simonkirk]

He does not have a web site as such but do a search and you will find his work with ease, Don Mcullin would have to be my favourite photographer


His work is captivating showing human conflict of all types from around the world, simply magnificent.

[adalberto_tiburzi]

<a href="http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/fsa/images.html">Walker Evans</A>

[5points]

I say <a href="http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/TreePf_MAG.aspx?E=29YL53IQ1W7">Cartier-Bresson</a>

[neda_atash]

My favourite for the present is http://www.davidlachapelle.com

[katemalone]

My favorite living photographer is Sam Abell. "Sam Abell, The Photographic Life" is an incredibly beautiful book which is as informative as it is gorgeous. His photograph "National Hotel, Moscow" (with the pears in the window and the Kremlin in the background) is already a classic. And his Newfoundland series, especially the one of a father and son plying their trade as fishermen cannot be improved upon. His photos are strong, yet gentle and unpretentious. Some of them can be seen here:

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0 ... _intro.htm

Kate Malone

[cjmorgan]

One photographer that I have taken a liking to his work is David Mendelsohn... I was fortunate enough to get in contact with David. He even viewed my work here at PBase. He told me that while he could see a vision in my images, he thought I was playing it too safe, worrying more that I gained acceptance from others than actually going out on a limb to find myself. I guess that's why my more recent PADs have gotten a little crazier.

I would venture to guess he might be right. It's not really enough to
be techincally proficient at one's craft. But beyond that is the ability
to use that craft faculty towards something a bit more creative; not
so much deviating from what's been done in the past just for the
sake of rebeling, but rather striving for a sort of freshness of
vision; a desire for growth as both an image maker and as a person.

And so, in its most basic forms, such creative risk taking may be
attempted at just about any time by any of us-- have us considering,
for example, an alternative composition, or a chance of camera angle,
or perhaps being a bit more daring with how we light our subject matter.

These changes are not so much a matter of just going "crazy" in
a haphazard or uncontroled way, but rather a very careful, deliberate,
and calculated effort to explore new ways of seeing and new ways of
image making (if only to break us away from our own habitual
everyday way of taking pictures).

And sometimes our creative risk taking efforts succeed.

And sometimes we might push the creative envelope just a bit
too far and... well... just fall off the edge, as it were.

But "nothing ventured, nothing gained," as the saying goes, and it is
precisely our willingness to risk try new things with our image making
which pushes our boundaries as image makers and... once in a while...
has us hitting upon something where the creative risk taking has us
just nailing the shot.

And few things are more satisfying that that -- both to ourselves
as image makers and to ourselves as individuals who are perpetually
striving for continued learning and growth.

CJ

[juliano]

My three favorites: James Nachtwey, Robert Capa, Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

Chris

[peekseel]

My three favorites: James Nachtwey, Robert Capa, Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

Chris

Sorry forgot to Login...

[ukexpat]

Henry Fox-Talbot, the guy who started it all. If you ever find yourself near Lacock Abbey in the UK, the Fox Talbot Museum is a must see:

http://www.r-cube.co.uk/fox-talbot/

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/T/talbot/talbot.html

[matiasasun]

I like a mexican photographer called "Manuel Alvarez Bravo"
and a Chilean Photographer called "Luis Poirot"

Matias, Chile

[cjmorgan]

Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Freeman Patterson...
all three, not just for their image making, but also for
the writing they each did to be of help to other photographers.
CJ
http://www.pbase.com/cjmorgan

[hipolito]

I collect photography books. It is the best way to get to know the work of the masters.

You can see part of my collection here:

http://www.pbase.com/hipolito/library

[lou_giroud]

It makes me laugh when I see people jumping on any, so called, favourite photographer.

In photography one need to make the difference between the many
types and kinds of photography. There is the one of Mendelson, the one of La Chapelle, the one of Cartier Bresson and so on.

All those photographers have there own style. Mendelson plays the colour setup game, La Chapelle the crazy poster style, Cartier is a reporter and has no style what made him one of the greatest.

Why was Cartier Bresson so "great". he has indeed his own vison of things and would certainly never have been inspired by others. He had his favourite too, but allmost all of them where reporters like him.
Reporters make good shots with more easy because they are allmost allways where things happen and are paid for this.

So, why not try to get inspired by yourself. Do your photography and try to show people how you see the things. you might do a Mendelson or a La Chapelle but it will be something that peopl will say ; oh that looks like ...
Is this the goal. Gaining comments and good points is easy to do. Look what people like and do the same. This is then the start in a pro career where you do people's photos for people and your own for yourself.

Not the good way to my opinion. The best way to do it is to fix a goal and a style and get specialized in that field only if ever you want to earn money with it. Unless you are a freak for one certain style, just see the world your way and catch it that way with your camera.

I am someone in the Cartier Bresson category. I am interested by just anything I see around me and my camera helps me to keep this alive.
I have, like Cartier Bresson, no style and my mood and my fields of interests are determining the subject on my pictures.

My camera is where ever I am, this now winde more then 40 years and it still make me pleasure. I have climbed yesterday on the top of a 50 meters high blast furnace of a Steel industry that turned to bankrupcy and which is there like a ghost city and made in this village of rusted steel, tubings and dust the most amazing pictures.

This just to tell you that inspiration is not a thing you need to find at others.

This said, choose your material, your goals and go ahead. Portrait, abstract, coulour, poster, wedding, reporting,just anything, nature, architecture or even picture artwork which is the best way to destroy a picture to make people like it. All is to know what you want to do on the end.

On my side, i have choosen since a long time, I do just ..photos, my photos. What ever I see and what ever I think I need to shoot, I just do it. Like in the ancient west, shoot first, discuss later.

Enjoy and take care folks.

[gpaai]

I'm not sure I agree with you on this one Lou, (respectfully). Since the beginning of time, whether it be music, photography or whatever, man has been influenced, even if it was unintentional. Personally I have grown considerably even by the influences of other PADers.

I believe there comes a time when your natural creativity will flow, making your images original, but to have mentors along the way helps in personal growth.

Gary