Avedon, Richard. Mental Institution #9, East Louisiana State Mental Hospital, February 15th 1963.
Richard Avedon was one of the most influential photographers that ever lived. He not only shot some of the most famous people and events of his time, but he also took photos of the more difficult things, such as the photo pictured above. A great photographer is versatile, and although he may keep up with the times, he has to create meaningful work as well and Avedon did just that.
You can find more of Richard Avedon's work here.
#29
Annie Leibovitz
Leibovitz, Annie. Demi Moore, Culver City, California. 1991
What would a list of important artists be without Annie Leibovitz? A true icon of modern portraiture Annie always gets the shot. The above shot of Demi Moore dating back to 1991 was extremely scandalous for the time, but Annie had been breaking boundaries long before that and continues to do so now. Leibovitz will take whatever photo she feels is best and she knows what the best is. She has shot nearly every big name celebrity there is, and there's reason for that.
#28
Pieter Hugo
Hugo, Pieter. Portrait #12 Rowanda. 2015
This artist holds a special place in my heart. When I cam upon Pieter Hugo's series "1994" tears instantly welled up in my eyes. I've known what my ultimate goal was in my career for about a year now, and this project is so near to where my passion lies. In his project Hugo photographs children from South Africa and Rowanda that have been born since 1994 which was a dramatic year for both countries. In South Africa, that spring, the first multicultural elections were held. In Rowanda, 1994 started a mass genocide that resulted in close to 1 million deaths in 100 days. Hugo photographs these children because they are free from this history but still somehow bound by it. His photos almost look like they came out of an unsettling fairytale. I have a project in mind that falls along the same lines as this series does and it hit home to see it done so beautifully.
Here's a link to Pieter Hugo's website.
#27
Rania Matar
Matar, Rania. Maryam 9, Beirut Lebanon. 2011.
Rania Matar photographs young girls in both the U.S. and the Middle East. She chooses girls that are "Becoming" hence the title of her series. These young girls are growing up and becoming women, and Matar explores what that looks like and means to different places and different cultures. She asks her subjects not to smile and lets them naturally work out their posing. She uses medium format film, so the girls can't see their photos instantly, these things she believes helps her achieve her goal in photographing these young women in their most raw form.
#26
Camila Svenson
Svenson, Camila. From the series "you will never walk alone".
There is something so incredibly powerful about art that speaks to your own life experiences. Growing up in rural Maine I can completely relate to Camila Svenson's series "you will never walk alone". All about Icelandic children transitioning through their teen years in their small town, Svenson would photograph the kids in groups or alone, and always in their every day activities. This photo stuck out to me because it reminds me of drives back home with my sister. Coming from such a small place there wasn't really ever much to do, so to get quality time with someone sometimes we would just go for car rides through the mountains. To be able to relate so strongly with the subject matter of this series is beautiful.
To find more of Camila Svenson's work, visit her website here.
#25
J. Shotti
J. Shotti. Image from "Every Two Weeks". 2014.
In his series "EVERY TWO WEEKS" J. Shotti used his polaroid camera to document people who he came in contact with for the course of two weeks. Sometimes a concept can make a photo so much stronger. Of course there is a story behind this photo regardless, but with a good project and mission behind a series you can't help but want to see more. Did he spend more time with this fellow? Who else did he meet? Who did the guy in this photo meet during those two weeks? So many questions can arise with the right type or project and this one is extremely interesting because we all obviously come in contact with a lot of people in a week, but how many of them do we remember?
Check out more from this series (there are a LOT of photos) on J. Shotti's website by clicking here.
#24
Dennis Stock
Stock, Dennis. Bill Crow, New York City. 1958
Dennis Stock took photos of many famous people such as James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, and Miles Davis. What makes someone great though? It can't just be the people that they shoot, there has to be more. This is a question I have been asking myself while doing this project. We all know the names of the greats who've shot EVERYONE but WHY have they shot everyone? What makes them special? Anton Corbjin answered that question about Dennis Stock saying that he regrets never having met the photographer after doing more in depth research into James Dean's life. Since he's found that Stock had a great eye for detail in life and what was around him. Now this is something I can get behind. The above photo exemplifies a moment that might not be captured had it not been for someone who had great attention to detail.
You can find some of Dennis Stock's work here.
#23
Jeremy Kramer
Kramer, Jeremy. from #inverse2014.
I'm always interested in what people are doing differently in the studio. Jeremy Kramer takes a different approach to the studio portrait and a sort of spin on the double exposure. This series could have to do with the "real us" and what we let others see. Either way, very creative concept and an over all aesthetically pleasing outcome.
To see more or Jeremy Kramer's work visit his website here.
#22
Olivia Bee
Bee, Olivia. Codependency Before College. 2012
Olivia Bee is a 20 year old photographer from Brooklyn, NY. Her series "Kid's in Love" is a sort of personal diary from her experiences with love from ages 15-20. I think almost anyone can relate to the concept of kids in love however the picture I have chosen to share in this journal is extremely relatable for anyone who has had a relationship at the end of their high school years. The photo's soft focus and lack of contrast creates a sense of wonder and intimacy but her arms around his neck show urgency. All too real feelings for those in love at that time.
Check out more of Olivia Bee's amazing work on her website.
#21
Youngho Kang
Kang, Youngho. The Dog That Knows Time.
Youngho Kang is usually behind the camera shooting for clients like Vouge and Coca-Cola, but int his new series "99 Variations" he's behind the camera for a change. I wanted to put in an artist who took a leap and went behind the camera because I've been feeling like I might need to try that again sometime soon. The art of self portraits is hard to master but I believe you learn a lot about yourself from it. As for Kang, he went behind the camera because even when he's in the studio shooting he finds himself dancing around and getting very involved with his subject. He thought why not become his subject for a change. He believes that in doing this he has gained a better sense of his own identity and that of his work.
That's all for now folks! Thanks again for reading hope you enjoy these.