“A Look at the World’s Top Fashion Image Makers”
Okay! Enough about painting and art exhibits! Let’s get back to fashion photography! I’ve compiled a list of my favorite fashion photographers who’s work generally always catches my attention. I am particularly taken with the strength that these photographers possess over two very important things: lighting and capturing the clothes on the models. They are not in any particular order except for the first one; I’d have to say Javier Vallhonrat is my favorite out of all of them.
So who catches your attention? I’d like to know which fashion photographers my readers follow and why!
- Javier Vallhonrat His use of color and light is extraordinary. I believe he captures sensuality like no other. And his use of the environment with the model is timeless.
- Ruven Afandor I think this is one fashion photographer who totally loves fashion. And completely understands how to shoot it.
- Glen Luchford Another very strong fashion shooter. His choice of models and his lighting are impeccable.
- Steven Meisel Of course! His work is explosive and emotive and probably the closest thing to Helmut Newton’s style that we have today.
- Solve Sundsbo The way this guy captures movement and emotion mixed with the garments on the models is insane! I’ve been following his work for awhile. He keeps getting more amazing!
- Vincent Peters I love the raw sensuality of his work. He seems to pull very real erotic qualities from the models.
- Enrique Badulescu While the link to his portfolio doesn’t show his best work, in my opinion, he has overall captured my attention over the years because of his innate sense of light and his command of capturing the model and the clothing in it!
- Ellen Von Unwerth Her ability to capture erotic but fashionable scenarios is without question. She has complete control of her shoots and one can tell that her models enjoy working with her, probably because she herself is one sexy woman!
- Peter Lindbergh He’s just phenomenal, what can I say?? His use of black and white and the theatrical sets is masterful! He totally understands a woman’s sensuality.
- Steven Klein Okay, maybe he comes closer to Helmut Newton than Meisel. His spread with Madonna in W a few years back made me take notice of him and keep my eye on his work.
This list is of photographers who are working today. They are at the top of their profession. They are by no means, though, the few that inspired me in the beginning. That list would include Helmut Newton, Chris von Wagenheim, Guy Bourdin, Dominique Isserman, David Bailey, Sarah Moon, and Nick Knight. These photographers are Gods to me! Their work still holds me in awe. Just researching them for this post, I was moved, again, by their images.
If you liked this post, SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to keep up to date
with the latest news on all things Fashion Photography!
I’ve been lost in learning and experimenting that I haven’t had time to get inspired again, my two favorite photographers are Helmut Newton RIP, and Ellen Von Unwerth.
I love how they portray women and their clothes, the strength and sometimes (with Helmut’s images) the “vulgarity” of the clash between erotica and jetset. That’s how I see it at least.
For now I haven’t had any other photographer impact me as much as those two. I like photos from one here and another there. But not one after the other.
Great article, and very inspiring photographers. Thanks for share this great references.
Thanks, wonderful post. I knew some of them, but got to know some wonderfull photographers as well. Personally, I’m still too new in this ‘branche’ to know a lot of names. I try to keep up with the Belgian ones to start with, and then try to remember the names of the stuff I like as I go through magazines like Vogue and Elle, for which I depend on friends to supply me
.
what a good list , Thanks for sharing this will keep me off track for sure…lol
aww no Avedon
I remember when I started photographer year before last, my friend from Greece who happens to love photography also showed me a book of Newtons best work.. it wowed me! and even more so he got one of the actual subjects in the book to sign her picture, the French singer Ute Lemper. I wish I could have gotten a chance to meet him before he moved on
Oh my god…what a great post. Now I will be spending hours purusing these links. There is nothing like great photography to inspire the soul to sing! I’m already needing, must having the Vallhonrat book, Animal-Vegetal. So my dear, you’ve sucked me in once again! Love this blog.
Thank you for introducing me to Vincent Peters!! Inspiring much? I’m also with you with Ruven Afandor.
One of my favorite fashion photographers is Miles Aldridge (http://www.milesaldridge.com/) Aside from the amazing color of all of his photos, I admire the amount of control he has over the light, the models, the composition, in each image. His work is original, erotic, distinctive, eerie, and thought-provoking. It’s never just a pretty girl looking pretty against a plain background. I also love that he’s not afraid to disempower a woman in a photograph. I like that whenever I look for the story in his photographs, it always boils down to something being very wrong!
Another favorite of mine is Sarah Silver (http://sarahsilver.com/v02/main.php?section=). She rocks because everything in her pictures looks simple enough, but if I were to try her lighting setups I would probably fail my first time around. Her work is sumptuous and flawless, and she is a master at capturing movement.
Love your blog, by the way! Take care!
Diana
I enjoyed this post as much as the last one about the influence of art in fashion photography.
thanx melissa!
Thanks for the awesome posts. Some of my favorite fashion photogs are, in no particular order:
Erwin Olaf
Guy Bourdin
Nick Knight
Raymond Meier
Ellen Von Unwerth
Mert & Marcus
Steven Meisel
Your blog’s refreshing – keep up the good work, and take care!
C. Moore
Memphis, Tn.
Oh my gosh, and Paolo Roversi .. Definitely can’t forget Paolo Roversi!
Oh Melissa, it seem that we’re joined at the hip with our faves and influences. This list could me mine, almost line for line. Amazing and inspiring though these people are, I was humbled by a recent visit to the London ‘Le Book’ show which showcases many up-and-coming, also established fashion photogs from Europe and the US. After five hours of exposure to mostly jaw-dropping work I was left with the impression that we need not fear that creativity is on the wane. Also there were few images which displayed obvious Photoshoppery which just goes to show how seamless post production has now become.
When I started to learn photography in the late 90s, Sante D’Orazio was my inspiration, especially his book, A Private View, was my way into the eye-opening world of photography.
I really study it from your work, and looking at other professionals creative work. Internet is a best platform to learn
thats why I feel you as my teacher
Thanks so much for Solve Sundsbo, I have a new hero. And thanks so much for this blog. It’s appreciated more than you will ever know.
Luca Ragogna
http://www.lucaragogna.ca
Let me just say that Javier is truly a master he really has it all, I guess we all have our favs for different reasons but for me Javier covers all the key areas, I was also really pleasently surprise to see Enrique Badulescu name in that list, he is a photographer that many over look. I was lucky enough to work for him on a job here in Sydney, 2 nd assistant, but he treated me as an equal and it was really cool to be working at that level….
Light is everything in photography. I point this out to models who, although smart in other aspects of life hadn’t always previously appreciated it. To take pictures of a given landscape at different times of day and in different weathers was always my favourite addiction before accommodating fashion photography and I believe it stood me in good stead. Thanks for flagging up photography’s most crucial aspect and the one which is most taken for granted.
Aargh…now how am I supposed to get any work done today?
Wow!!! They’re amazing!!!
I love Ruven Afanador and Vincent Peters. The way they capture the nature of fashion is just too great.
But I also like a lot Peter Lindbergh. His captions are between fashion and theater, they’re all amazing.
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Mario Testino yet. His portraits of Brad Pitt or Lindsay Lohan are really unique, and I love his the tounge-in-cheek humor in some of his work.
Mert & Marcus are fantastic, too. I can’t exactly pinpoint why, but I especially love their work for Bvlgari.
It’s sooo inspiring to read your blog! thanks for sharing all that!
Another great photographer: david lachapelle!
Norman Parkinson, Rankin, Platon, Patrick Demarchelier and then my ultimate fave of faves: Bob Carlos Clarke (not so much a fashion photog, but instantly stops me in my tracks whenever I see his work).
Barry Lategan, Lee Miller was great, ah I could type all night. What about Richard Avendon’s fashion pic with the elephants, my ultimate favourite fashion picture.
Blessings
Jase
Somehow my favorite fashion photographer has been left out:
Mikael Jansson
you can see his work at http://www.wilsonwenzel.com/
I really can’t get enough of all them! Some I even don’t know and I’m discovering all the time new great photographers. I’m just a 17-year-old girl who’s interested in fashion photography, only because I love it! I think this is one of the greatest art all together. And you give me more inspiration all the time with your blog!
Photographers I really love and know:
Ellen Von Unwerth
Steven Klein
Steven Meisel
Peter Lindbergh
Thank you for creating this blog!
Great post. Sarah Moon takes my breath away and sets a fire in my imagination.
Also:
Tim Walker
Kourtney Roy
and as kid I found the fashion spreads of Gordon Parks captivating.
I look forward to your future insights and technical tips.
Cheers!
stephanie
So many names in here but I dun see James Russel, too bad, he is great.
(oh and sry for late reply)
Another vote for Mert & Marcus. My favorite(s) working today.
Very good post as are all of your posts. Thanks for this list. I can’t wait to leave work and start looking these people up.
Thanks for the premium references and links. Excellent read also! A++
You’ve got my interest
4ERk2f qxmsezokraqa, [url=http://fvsnrbkqmpco.com/]fvsnrbkqmpco[/url], [link=http://ahpqdhdhruqp.com/]ahpqdhdhruqp[/link], http://iqntslkzyhxq.com/
sorry not that impressed by the famous names
very few in fashion can look beyond the current norms. few can go to the really new and real creation in photography. sheep not wolves
Nice list but i gotta say that glen luchford stands out like a sore thumb…
It’s important to have ‘personality’ in your work…
I like Lucia Giacani, by no means a ‘master’ (or mistress?) yet, but the best fashion photographers have to understand the essence of feminity…
http://www.luciagiacani.com
well, imho u have forgotten a few but here is one that deserves a lot of credit! i worked with him along, long time ago…
Jean-Baptiste Mondino
http://mondino-update.net/index.php?page=1
other very interesting fashion photographer is : URKO SUAYA from Argentina.
http://www.urkosuaya.com
Deborah Turbeville
Peter Linbergh
Yelena Yemchuk
Raphael Mazzuco (when hes shooting loose and natural and not over-lit)
All of these photographers have a keen sense of story and how to create mystery in an image…they shoot much of their work on location which is a key element in building story and feeling…and they shoot very simple and unencumbered…not over lit like so much location work is these days.
Love your blog…dont know how you find the time or energy for it…but nice that you enjoy sharing…Ive always felt their are no secrets in photography.
LD
I began shooting with a Nikon F4 before the digital world dominated the dark room. Then, I decided to get into modeling for several years. Although I still do enjoy modeling and playing alter-egos, I decided to start shooting with my new Canon 5D. I’m super inspired by the works of Ellen Von Unwerth and other fabulous photographers like Helmut Newton, Avedon, Meisel, Testino and a short list of my personal favorites. Thank you for your posts… I really enjoyed the beauty and sensuality of each photographer’s style. I look forward to creating a body of work that creates powerful impact upon the viewer.
Thanks for sharing…
Zoe Minx
here is a better website for mondino
Jean-Baptiste Mondino
here is a better website for mondino
http://mondinomonde.byethost13.com/
There are so manny amazing photographers , its soo hard to select few of them. I was surprise to see that no one named Annie leibovitz , Bruce Weber ,Craig McDean and david sims yet .
what about David Sims man??? pure, cutting edge sophistication and class, the new uniqlo stuff may look simple, but it’s a master class in fashion photography.
wow
What a fantastic list – although you’ve now wasted my day because I’ll be glued to these galleries for hours! I really, really, really love the Ruven Afandor shots. The tone of his colour photographs is gorgeous and the concepts are so compelling. I love the themes in his pictures. The ‘housewife’ and ‘English boarding school’ series are especially interesting. Thanks for this list.
wow im awesome
Thank you for sharing a great list of amazing photogaphers…
Her are some that keep me going..
Steven Meisel
Miles Aldridge
Guy Bourdin
Koray Birand
Thank you for sharing a great list of amazing photographers…
Her are some that keep me going..
Steven Meisel
Miles Aldridge
Guy Bourdin
Koray Birand
This list is definitely stacked w/incredible talent. I admire the work of Henry Clarke. He knows how to capture the femininity of a woman.
This list is definitely stacked w/incredible talent. I admire the work of Henry Clarke. He knows how to capture the femininity of a woman.