Who inspires you?

[halesr]

I have some favorite photographers; their work really makes me stop and think. Sometimes it is with awe that I look and sometimes with pure envy.

If you have someone or several someones you look to for inspiration, post a bit about them here. Better yet, if you can post a link to some of their photos online that would be wonderful.

I love to look at great work to learn and get new ideas. I think that is why PaD is so useful. We get to see lots of photos and get new ideas.

Anyway, this might be fun.--Rene

[halesr]

Okay, here is one of my favorites.

Sarah Moon
http://www.horvatland.com/pages/entrevues/07-moon-en_en.htm
Born in England in 1940.
Studied drawing.
Between 1960 and 1966: worked as a model in London and Paris.
Since 1967: fashion photographer and publicity filmmaker.
Works in illustration, fashion and still life, in black and white and color.
Lives in Paris.


Sarah Moon--"Very often I say to myself: I would like to make a photo where nothing happens. But in order to eliminate, there has to be something to begin with. For nothing to happen, something has to happen first."

Be sure to scroll down the page to see several examples of her work and the interview is quite interesting too.

[camera0bug]

Among a few...

D. Gorton:
http://dgorton.com/
Henri Cartier-Bresson:
http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/Frame ... ?V=CDocT&E
Ralph Eugene Meatyard:
http://www.geh.org/ne/str085/htmlsrc8/m ... 00001.html
Danny Lyon:
http://www.geh.org/ne/mismi2/lyon_sld00001.html
Jacques Lartigue (one of my early influences):
http://www.houkgallery.com/press-lartigue.html

[1designguy]

For as long as I can remember being interested in photography I have been drawn to Ansel Adam's work. Especially his mastery of composition, light and contrast.

More recent influences have been George Lepp and Galen Rowell (God rest his soul, boy do I miss his perspective). I also get a lot of inspiration from so many people on Pbase. I think it's always important to look at art and it's presentation through diverse channels and spheres of influence. This is a wonderful place to get just that.

[jypsee]

the philosophy of a photographer, not always or necessarily the photographs of the photographer, though I do interpret from the work of many photographers.
Both <a href="http://www.co.brown.wi.us/museum/Exhibits/Photos_by_Jerry_Dell/Photography_by_Jerry_Dell.htm">Jerry Dell</a> and <a href="http://www.mastersofphotography.com/Directory/sabell/">Sam Abell</a> are major influences in the way I do photography. Each of these photographers used the human interface with the "natural" world in a documentary way. I don't often do that, but the philosophy of each informs my photography.

[dazedgonebye]

Every year I buy an Ansel Adams calendar and every day I look up from my computer screen to see what he saw. August is Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
I think he has always been one of my favorites because his technical mastery of the black and white print is just so complete. Before I could recognize good composition, I could recognize the beautiful rendition of the tonal values in his work.
I keep finding new people to be inspired by here on PBase. Some I try to emulate, some I just admire. I have often looked at someone's work here and thought "How do they SEE like that?" Then I go out and try to see in the same way. I never succeed in doing what they did, but the experience always changes what I do.

[floradoragirl]

Heh~ dazedgonebye, we have the same calendar...I'm looking at the canyon too and it's downright beautiful.

I've realised recently, that a big influence on me is not a photographer but a painter, <a href ="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/hopper">Edward Hopper</a>, I love the people he paints and the isolated way they sit in the space around them. The sea and windows were major themes in his work, some of which can also be seen <a href ="http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/hopper/rm1_wrk1.htm">here</a> too. His paintings are so strong and powerful and also very melancholy and moving.

[adalberto_tiburzi]

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/fsa/welcome.html

[camera0bug]

Agree with Adal.

I'd like to add a few dozen more but I'd hate to have to track down all those links for you...

[halesr]

Camerabug, Add the names. We can all google.

Here is another of my favorites. I have one of his books (picked it up on the cheap) on my coffee table. I love the dark moodiness of his photos and his still lifes are fantastic.

Joseph Sudek--Here is a link to a little bit about Sudek and a VERY few of his images--
http://www.stephencohengallery.com/artists/vintage/sudek.html
Rene

[sjwphotography]

Lots of photographers on here....but usually I'm inspired more by theories...although they're harder to do well....

Baudrillard, a French theorist/philosopher. Also Sophie Calle, a French photographer. Both have done a work on absence and presence in photography.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, too. An incredible photgrapher who turned photo-journalism into art. For anyone in the UK, there is a new exhibition of his work in Edinburgh. The only place in the UK it is appearing.

[halesr]

I just re-FOUND a wonderful photo site with approximately 70 GREAT photographers--not ALL my cup of tea, but a great place to browse.

Here is a link directly to the index of the photographers. Check out the entire site for more stuff and links.

http://www.artphotogallery.org/02/monthly/indexof.html

Hope you enjoy this. BTW it is a beautiful site with a book metaphor.--Rene

[jude_53]

I must be the only person who cannot name famous photographers who iinfluenced me .. I mean.. years ago I discovered Arbus with morbid fascination. I can't say that I love the majority of work of any one photographer.. I like bits from many.

[camera0bug]

I just re-FOUND a wonderful photo site with approximately 70 GREAT photographers--not ALL my cup of tea, but a great place to browse.

Here is a link directly to the index of the photographers. Check out the entire site for more stuff and links.

http://www.artphotogallery.org/02/monthly/indexof.html

Hope you enjoy this. BTW it is a beautiful site with a book metaphor.--Rene

_____________________________________

That looks like a fantastic site to explore and of course many of my
faves are on there.
I'll be adding that link to the two photography groups I coordinate.
Thanks Rene!

[jcboyd]

Quite a long list.
In all honesty anyone who can make a living or at least pay for their hobby will inspire me. Wedding photographers don't count. Too much stress.