Anyone want to brag about their sophisticated taste and knowledge of obscure photography? I’m starting a photography summer class, but all I ever really look at are NASA pictures. Well, those, and porn. But can anyone suggest an photographer whose work may be a bit more inducive to artistic growth?
Jock Sturdges?
(I keep moving his books to the “Children’s Picture Books” at my local B&N.)
My favorites would be Diane Arbus and, cliche’d as it may be, Dorothea Lange. (I understand Diane’s daughter is quite good as well- Diane was married to character actor Alan Arbus, incidentally.)
Of course for obscurity it’s ironically hard to beat the man who began it all, Nicephore Niepce (the p is silent [in Niepce, not Nicephore]).
Hardly obscure, but I’m a longtime fan of Andre Kertesz.
Helmut Newton, dude.
Flowers: Robert Mappelthorpe.
Portraits: Ruth Harriet Louise.
Where to start?
Kertesz is a good place. I’ll definitely second him.
Ansel Adams—creator of the “Zone system.” Perhaps America’s most well-known photographer
Henri Cartier Bresson—coined “the decisive moment”
Robert Capa—“the father of photojournalism”
Diane Arbus (as mentioned)—quintessential Americana photographer
Margaret Bourke-White—one of the original Life Magazine photographers
Sabastiao Salgado—best known for his work on Brazilian mines
James Nachtwey—the best photojournalist of the last 20 years. Winner of Magazine Photographer of the Year awards year after year after year. This guy’s nuts.
Weegee—Gritty, “naked” street and news photographs of New York from the 30s onwards
Laszlo Moholy-Nagy—geometric, Bauhaus art photographer.
Harry Callahan
Imogen Cunningham
Cindy Sherman—one of the most famous contemporary art photographers. The bulk of her famous work feature her in staged film stills.
Steve McCurry—National Geographic “Afghan woman” cover
David Allen Harvey—another National Geographic photographer, known mainly for his work in Cuba
Brassai—transplanted Hungarian (along with other photography masters such as Capa, Kertesz, and Moholy-Nagy), known for his dramatic Parisian street and cafe scenes.
Robert Mapplethorpe—known mostly for his fiercely sexual and homoerotic work, but he also has an excellent series of flower portraits. Master of lighting.
That’s off the top of my head. I’m sure I’m forgetting many. Some of those are canonical artists; some may be considered obscure. Take or leave as you please.
Resident sports photographer chiming in witrh the work of Walter Ioos Jr.
Of course, he’s done enough SI swimsuit stuff to keep you non-sports fans entertained.
I’ll add a third to Kertesz. One of the greatest photographers ever. I’ll add to the list Paul Strand, Edward Weston (not exactly obscure, granted), Tina Modotti, Berenice Abbott, Jan Sudek, Paul Capponigro, Lee Friedlander and Aaron Siskind.
Now if you want really obscure, check out this guy’s work. 
Hey, a guy’s gotta get in a shameless plug every now and then, right?
I’ll cast my vote for Yousuf Karsh. One of these days I’m going to hunt down a print of his portrait of Pablo Casals for my wall – I swear I can actually hear the cello.
You could also add Bill Frakes to your list of sports photographers (even if he is an insufferable prick in person). I’ll also pimp out New York Time photographer Vincent Laforet, for both his sports and photojouralistic work.
I’ll second the vote for Henri Cartier Bresson.
Duane Michals, the great practicioner of narrative sequential photography. One of my favorite pieces is The Human Condition (click on number 7). He’s had a great influence on my own work.
Of course Robert Frank isn’t chopped liver either.
The Allen Sisters (1885 to 1920)
Sisters Frances and Mary Allen of Deerfield, Massachusetts, began their careers as schoolteachers, but when deafness forced a change of profession, they turned to photography. Self-taught in their craft, the Allen sisters achieved remarkable success. During their photography career from 1885 to 1920, their work appeared in numerous books and magazines as covers, illustrations and frontispieces.
You can see some examples of their work here and here.
Not ‘sophisticated’ by any means, but I loved their life story and their photographs.
Nicole Kidman is starring ina film about Arbus, entitled Fur .
Some of my favorites include -
E J Bellocq , who did the Storyville Portraits that the film Pretty baby was based on.
Sally Mann who did the landmark photo essay At Twelve
Larry Clark (link not workplace safe)
Larry Clark (workplace safe)
What about Jimmy Olsen? 
I would add Alfred Stieglitz and Edward S. Curtis to the lists above. Curtis’ work on the American Indian was epic.
I guess he’s quite obscure to non-photographers, so I’ll heartily recommend Yann Arthus Bertrand, especially his “Earth from the Air” project in which he took a large format camera up in a balloon (imagine! I can barely operate one on terra firma) and took some absolutely stunning images, which hang together extremely coherently given his views on diversity and ecological responsibility.
Very impressive. I had never heard of his work.