The masters of portrait photography. Who are they?

[DocFrankenstein]

What are the Ansel Adamses of portrait photography?

[Tlee05]

Me....

[aam1234]

One name that comes to mind is Karsh (hope I got the name right). Check him out, he is really special.

Edit: Here's a site about Yousuf Karsh (http://www.westongallery.com/artists/y_karsh/yousuf_karsh.html).

Edit2: Another one is the British photographer who just passed away, maybe 3-4 weeks ago. Hope somebody knows his name. He has an outstanding work, and some of his photos are icons.

[cdifoto]

Anyone who makes a lot of (make up your own definition of a lot) money at it is a master. Doesn't matter if they're actually good or not.

[Curtis N]

Steve McCurry.

[scotgasch]

Don Blair, Dean Collins, Hugh Frazier, and Frank Cricchio to name a few.

[grego]

Greg Gorman http://www.greggormanphotography.com/
Annie Leibovitz (can't find a site of hers)

[Robert_Lay]

That is soooo subjective. Each of us can think of several portrait photographers who stand above the crowd. It really depends on the "style" of portraiture that you like. In many ways, Irving Penn's approach is ludicrous, with his grey bedsheet backdrops, but I like the end result. His concept of isolating his subjects while preserving their unique attributes is very revealing and appealing.

[grego]

That is soooo subjective. Each of us can think of several portrait photographers who stand above the crowd. It really depends on the "style" of portraiture that you like. In many ways, Irving Penn's approach is ludicrous, with his grey bedsheet backdrops, but I like the end result. His concept of isolating his subjects while preserving their unique attributes is very revealing and appealing.

Yup, that's photography for you, even in a more isolated topic like portraits. :)

[Jon]

Halsmann.

[Sageg]

I'd include Anton Corbijn

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

[Longwatcher]

I will add my vote for Annie Leibovitz.
Everyone else will get a lot of "who?"

I have a lot of favorites who do portraits, but when I think of THE portrait photographer I think of Annie Leibovitz.

[DocFrankenstein]

I wouldnt' mind any "whos?" as long as they have nice work.

[F. Stop Fitzgerald]

In many ways, Irving Penn's approach is ludicrous, with his grey bedsheet backdrops, but I like the end result. His concept of isolating his subjects while preserving their unique attributes is very revealing and appealing.


Interesting thought here. My sentiments too, but strangely, his name and Yusef Karsh's name came to mind first.

[Barb42]

That is soooo subjective. Each of us can think of several portrait photographers who stand above the crowd. It really depends on the "style" of portraiture that you like. In many ways, Irving Penn's approach is ludicrous, with his grey bedsheet backdrops, but I like the end result. His concept of isolating his subjects while preserving their unique attributes is very revealing and appealing.

Ludicrous? Strong word. I can't say that I understand why using a background is ever 'ludicrous'.

[Robert_Lay]

Ludicrous? Strong word. I can't say that I understand why using a background is ever 'ludicrous'.

You are correct. "Using a background" is not ludicrous.

Perhaps you have never seen the actual backdrops that he used in his Neutral Ground series. If not, visit your nearest Pizza Hut! Then decide what the proper adjective should be. Maybe I should have said that they were "amusing", or "very unusual".

[Mark_Cohran]

Another vote for Steve McCurry here. He gets the job done in the field and under the worst conditions. That makes him a master in my book.

Mark

[F. Stop Fitzgerald]

Ludicrous? Strong word. I can't say that I understand why using a background is ever 'ludicrous'.

You need to see Penn's work from this time period. He was reaching for minimalism, hence, the plain gray background.

[Nightcrawler]

My vote is for Kevyn Major Howard. http://www.headshot-photography.com/

[maderito]

My vote is for Kevyn Major Howard. http://www.headshot-photography.com/ Interesting site. Howard's approach is to capture the eyes. In looking through samples of his work, it's really interesting how your viewing eye is drawn immediately to the subject's eye. Well conceived and executed photographic technique.

[Barb42]

I searched for Penn's work on the Internet, specifically looking for his gray backgrounds. Quite interesting actually. It is apparent that he wants the subject alone to hold sway over the visual stage he establishes and the background appears to help. It has an interesting effect of pulling the subject out of its own time.

[garbidz]

I really like Sally Mann
http://www.art-forum.org/z_Mann/gallery.htm

[dietcookie]

Steve McCurry is good, David Lachapelle is really really good too.

[HJMinard]

Herb Ritts

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

Another Corbijn fan here...

[NickUK]

Lichfield and Bailey.

[aam1234]

Martin.

[ctymom]

Annie Leibovitz (can't find a site of hers)
Wish she did have a site. Would love to see some other takes on the photo session she did with the Carpenters for Rolling Stone Magazine.

Pamela

[Rainyday]

I don't know the man's name but the photographer who took the portrait of Gilda Radner in her belt and suspenders was brilliant. The publisher of her book had hired a different photographer originally. He was grim and unpleasant and Gilda wrote he made her feel tense and reminded her that she was terminally ill. The second photographer made her feel confident and inspired her to give her all to the camera. The resulting picture is great.

That is my idea of a great portrait photographer. One who inspires his subject.

[yogestee]

My choice.. David Bailey closely followed by Sam Haskins..

[tzalman]

I can't believe this. 30 posts and nobody has said Arnold Newman, the greatest master of the environmental portrait.
http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/newman/

[tzalman]

That is soooo subjective. Each of us can think of several portrait photographers who stand above the crowd. It really depends on the "style" of portraiture that you like. In many ways, Irving Penn's approach is ludicrous, with his grey bedsheet backdrops, but I like the end result. His concept of isolating his subjects while preserving their unique attributes is very revealing and appealing.
Irving Penn died yesterday at age 92.

[RDKirk]

Penn was one of my earliest inspirations back in the late 60s, and I'd recently been reviewing his work to revive that inspiration.

[mikekelley]

I can't believe this. 30 posts and nobody has said Arnold Newman, the greatest master of the environmental portrait.
http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/newman/
This guy is soo good

[stsva]

Richard Avedon.

[RDKirk]

We should also mention Phillip Halsman--who got people such as Marilyn Monroe and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to leap for his camera.

[airfrogusmc]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Arnold Newman (unless I missed it). LoL I just noticed the post right above this one SORRY
Heres a couple of his images. His ability to put clues into his images of who his subjects really are is an amazing ability. His famous photograph of Igor Stravinsky and his piano for a musical note.
http://iconicphotos.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/1.jpg

His portrait of O Keeffe and Stieglitz seem to capture their relationship perfectly.
http://nationalartsclub.org/images/arnold-newman.jpg

And this perfect portrait of the artist Mondrian. As you know Mondrians paintings were very grid like with a strong primary color in one of the squares or rectangles made by the grid and usually the strong primary color is near the edge of the frame. See the way Newman formed the grid with the B/G and the easel and placed the artists hand in one of the squares/rectangles near the edge of the frame. Just where mondrian would place a strong primary color. BRILLIANT.
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426002062/3275195/arnold-newman-piet-mondrian.html
And Newman really liked to work in available light.

[narlus]

i really like Shawn Brackbill's work.

http://www.shawnbrackbill.com/


my friend Brad Trent is certainly no slouch either
http://www.bradtrent.com/

[airfrogusmc]

I also like Mark Hausers work
http://www.marchauserphoto.com/

Check out his personal section.
http://www.marchauserphoto.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=2