Who do you love?

jmolligo · 08-12-2008, 04:51 AM

After bouncing around this site for several months - I would have to say that some of the best photographers in the world today are either subscribers or members here.

I was wondering what photographers you guys/gals like or are inspired by.

Personally I've always been partial to Henri Cartier-Bresson and Diane Arbus.
More currently - I'm pretty impressed by the lith prints of Tim Rudman.

Hope this is not an overworked question - I looked for a similar one in the search and did not find one. I guess the moderators can cancel this post if it is.

2F/2F · 08-12-2008, 05:03 AM

I am particularly inspired by Lee Friedlander, Ernst Haas, Robert Frank, and Willy Ronis at this time. Haas and Friedlander are the masters, in my opinion. A lot of what and how I see and shoot has a lot in common with them. I really like Robert Capa's stuff as well, and also Garry Winnogrand's. I like both of these guys for their seemingly haphazard attack with the camera. I go back and forth with Cartier-Bresson's work. I have to be in the right mood for it, but when I am, I love it to death. For more still and/or staged things, I like Mapplethorpe a lot, and Ansel Adams. I can't imagine myself doing any work remotely like theirs, but I love what they did.

Also, if you can't be inspired by your own pix, a lot of the joy of photography is lost, IMO. Thus, I am constantly editing, printing, reprinting, etc. my own pix as well. This gives me new ideas, so I guess you could say they are somewhat inspiring.

usagisakana · 08-12-2008, 05:06 AM

My most recent inspirations have been Garry Winogrand, Jonas Bendiksen and Bruce Gilden. Trent Parke has always inspired me, especially being an australian.

jmolligo · 08-12-2008, 05:13 AM

2 posts and some great ones so far.
I tend to forget about some of those guys.
A side thought in regard to Capa - I understand the military lab ruined most of the film he shot on D-Day (I don't think a free replacement roll cuts it in a situation like that).

usagisakana · 08-12-2008, 05:24 AM

Oh and I forgot Robert Frank of course. The Americans was the first photo book I bought, and I still look at it every day. Am going to order Peru when I next buy something from Amazon.

eddym · 08-12-2008, 06:00 AM

W. Eugene Smith, Robert Frank, Eliot Erwitt, HCB...

Slixtiesix · 08-12-2008, 06:13 AM

Barry Thornton and Lord Snowdon are my favourites

KPT · 08-12-2008, 07:43 AM

U Atget, A Adams, L W Hine.

Les McLean · 08-12-2008, 08:13 AM

Edward Weston, Paul Caponigro, Don McCullin and Gary Winogrand are my favourites.

IloveTLRs · 08-12-2008, 08:20 AM

There are a bunch of people on Flickr that inspire me