Five Iconic Photographers Who Changed the Game
In this series of posts that go under the name "For the Love of Photography" we share tips, ideas, and inspiration from the photography world. We hope it will help inspire you to go out and shoot more.
Has the emotional impact of a photograph lost its merit? Since the rise of accessible cameras - and furthermore - the invention of the iPhone and subsequent advancement of its own built-in camera, it’s not entirely uncommon for people to question the need for or existence of professional photographers. Is it entirely impossible for photographs to mean something in today’s world where billions of photographs are mindlessly taken and shared each day?
Our answer? Of course not. Anybody can take a photograph, sure, but to take one with heart, with meaning, and with soul is a gift that not everybody has, and a gift not even the most advanced iPhone can compete with.
Here are five of the world’s most iconic photographers who have proven that the fine art of photography is about so much more than pressing a button or clicking a shutter.
Peter Lindbergh
Though also an avid filmmaker and director, German-born Lindbergh was perhaps most well-known as one of the world’s most iconic fashion photographers. One of his photographs featuring models Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, and Tatjana Patitz was featured on the cover of British Vogue in 1990, and many credit this photograph as the catalyst which began the era of supermodels. Unlike many fashion photographers, Lindbergh sought to tell a more honest story of the people he photographed. In his own words, "A fashion photographer should contribute to defining the image of the contemporary woman or man in their time, to reflect a certain social or human reality. How surrealistic is today’s commercial agenda to retouch all signs of life and of experience, to retouch the very personal truth of the face itself?”.
Ansel Adams
Conservationist and photographer, Ansel Adams was passionate about using his eye for photography as a means to encourage others to care about the world around them. He devoted much of his career to fight for conservation and protection of the natural world, and was a master of showcasing its rugged beauty through his work. His focus was largely on the American West, and he devoted much of his efforts to the protection of Yosemite National Park. Adams teaches us all that photography is so much more than taking pretty pictures; it’s a way to truly impact the world for good.
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Cartier-Bresson pioneered the fine art of street photography by taking to the streets of his native France with little more than a friendly face, his 35mm film camera, and a 50mm lens. One of his most well-known photographs details a smiling young boy brazenly carrying two bottles of wine down a street in France. Cartier-Bresson’s use of stunning architecture and eye-eating geometry to frame his photographs in unique way, as well as his ability to capture the genuine emotions and movements of people passing by - childlike cheerfulness in the case of the boy with the wine bottles - makes his work truly stand out and remain timeless and relatable to this day.
Annie Leibovitz
Whether realizing it or not, it’s safe to say that you have likely seen a photograph taken by American portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz. Leibovitz is famous for her portraits of well-known and influential people such as Queen Elizabeth, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Rolling Stones, and so many more. Her distinct shooting style is commended for being quirky, relatable, bold, and dramatic. Of her subjects, Leibovitz once stated “…A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people”. She teaches us all that vulnerability, boldness, and a unique perspective are key elements in successful portraiture.
Sir Donald McCullin
Sir Donald McCullin, British photographer, rose to fame as an avid photojournalist and wartime photographer. His wartime photographs and depiction of harsh living conditions and extreme poverty in London feature stunning images of heartbreaking situations. McCullin is a master of humanizing those caught in the most inhumane places, and ensuring that their stories are told honestly through his lens. Praised for his use of natural light and bold composition, McCullin’s photographs emit incredible soul and compassion, and his art acts as a means to give a voice to the voiceless and make sure that history lives on.
It can be tempting to feel discouraged in a world full of photographers when the market feels so saturated and your ideas feel recycled and stale. But these five pioneers have so much to teach us about viewing photography as both an expressive art form and a means to positively impact society for decades to come. Their boldness and willingness to put themselves and their work out into the world has quite literally changed the world for the better.
So go out and take photographs of the things, places, or people you love most, use your gear well, and affirm that photography is an art form that can never be stopped and certainly never be replaced.
Written by Niamh Wilkins
Niamh is a portrait and wedding photographer originating from Dublin, Ireland but currently based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Deeply rooted in nostalgia and introversion, she seeks to use photography to celebrate the quiet moments for what they are in the hopes that they will be felt and remembered for years to come.
For more content like this, as well as promotions and special offers, sign up to Photography Art News by Kolla. We'll knock 5 % off on your first order.
