# favorite photographer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 27, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695 "2005-05-27T01:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/1 "2005-05-27T01:11:14Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/2 "2005-05-27T01:13:47Z")
Jock Sturdges? (I keep moving his books to the “Children’s Picture Books” at my local B&N.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/3 "2005-05-27T01:15:27Z")
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](http://www.nicephore-niepce.com/) (the p is silent [in Niepce, not Nicephore]). ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/4 "2005-05-27T01:20:36Z")
Hardly obscure, but I’m a longtime fan of [Andre Kertesz](http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/kertesz_a.html). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/5 "2005-05-27T01:34:28Z")
[Helmut Newton](http://www.artnet.com/artist/12541/Helmut_Newton.html?OVRAW=helmut%20newton&OVKEY=helmut%20newton&OVMTC=standard), dude. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/6 "2005-05-27T01:36:39Z")
Flowers: [Robert Mappelthorpe](http://www.eyestorm.com/works/Robert_Mapplethorpe_9870.aspx). Portraits: [Ruth Harriet Louise](http://www.divasthesite.com/Acting_Divas/Gallery/Gallery_Norma_Shearer_09.htm). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/7 "2005-05-27T01:38:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/8 "2005-05-27T01:47:17Z")
Resident sports photographer chiming in witrh the work of [Walter Ioos Jr.](http://www.walteriooss.com/walteriooss/index3.html) Of course, he’s done enough SI swimsuit stuff to keep you non-sports fans entertained. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/9 "2005-05-27T01:47:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 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. 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? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/10 "2005-05-27T01:52:39Z")
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](http://www.inuitfinearts.com/paintings/karsh/karsh-casals.html) for my wall – I swear I can actually hear the cello. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/11 "2005-05-27T02:00:35Z")
> [@AndyPolley](#): > > Resident sports photographer chiming in witrh the work of [Walter Ioos Jr.](http://www.walteriooss.com/walteriooss/index3.html) > > Of course, he’s done enough SI swimsuit stuff to keep you non-sports fans entertained. You could also add [Bill Frakes](http://www.billfrakes.com/) 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](http://www.vincentlaforet.com/), for both his sports and photojouralistic work. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/12 "2005-05-27T02:07:37Z")
I’ll second the vote for **Henri Cartier Bresson**. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/13 "2005-05-27T02:14:01Z")
**Duane Michals** , the great practicioner of narrative sequential photography. One of my favorite pieces is [The Human Condition](http://www.pdngallery.com/legends3/michals/) (click on number 7). He’s had a great influence on my own work. Of course **Robert Frank** isn’t chopped liver either. ---
**Author:** ![Dorie\_Uebel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Dorie\_Uebel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorie_Uebel)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/14 "2005-05-27T02:34:29Z")
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](http://deerfield-ma.org/allen.htm) and [here](http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/5aa/5aa116.htm). Not ‘sophisticated’ by any means, but I loved their life story and their photographs. ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/15 "2005-05-27T03:37:55Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > My favorites would be Diane Arbus Nicole Kidman is starring ina film about Arbus, entitled [Fur](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422295/) . Some of my favorites include - [E J Bellocq](http://www.masters-of-photography.com/B/bellocq/bellocq.html) , who did the Storyville Portraits that the film Pretty baby was based on. [Sally Mann](http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mann/) who did the landmark photo essay [At Twelve](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/089381296X/qid=1117165137/br=1-2/ref=br_lf_b_2//104-1482543-3271157?v=glance&s=books&n=1321) [Larry Clark](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/sui_bpm/Larry%20Clark_Tusla/Tulsa_1980.jpg) (link not workplace safe) [Larry Clark](http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/arts/art/11608/) (workplace safe) ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/16 "2005-05-27T05:05:31Z")
A couple more: [Mary Ellen Mark](http://www.maryellenmark.com/) [Elliott Erwitt](http://www.kochgallery.com/artists/contemporary/Erwitt/) ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/17 "2005-05-27T05:41:14Z")
[Peter Parker](http://www.toonopedia.com/spidey.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/18 "2005-05-27T14:17:49Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > [Peter Parker](http://www.toonopedia.com/spidey.htm) What about Jimmy Olsen? 😃 I would add [Alfred Stieglitz](http://www.artsmia.org/get-the-picture/stieglitz/) and [Edward S. Curtis](http://www.edwardscurtis.com/) to the lists above. Curtis’ work on the American Indian was epic. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/19 "2005-05-27T14:57:11Z")
I guess he’s quite obscure to non-photographers, so I’ll heartily recommend [Yann Arthus Bertrand](http://www.yannarthusbertrand.com/), 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. ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695/20 "2005-05-27T16:31:14Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > I guess he’s quite obscure to non-photographers, so I’ll heartily recommend [Yann Arthus Bertrand](http://www.yannarthusbertrand.com/), especially his “Earth from the Air” project… Very impressive. I had never heard of his work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-photographer/305695.md?page=2)