50 Photographers You Should Know

So I'd like to crowd-source a list...of notable photographers who came along after 2000.

Years ago, I made a list for my students called "100 Photographers You Should Know." I used it as a resource for various lessons and assignments.

Of course, that list included "historically important" photographers and many 20th-century photographers...the latter for a very good reason: at the time, it was the 20th century.

So here's what I'm wondering...who are the photographers anyone should know from the 21st century? That is, since 2000? The main criteria is that these should be people photographers should know (rather than the best or the most famous or the richest or whatever). Students or students of the art.

Maybe exclude photographers who were mostly important in the last century. I'm thinking of people who have been important, or formative, or who emerged, post-2000. (I'm going to put Vivian Maier on this list, because my thesis is that she's a photographer whose story belongs to 2009 and the years that follow, not the years she took her pictures.) Maybe not people who've reached the snow-on-top stage or who are having lifetime retrospectives in this century.

So far I've got Vanessa Winship, Gueorgui Pinkhassov, Vivian Maier, Uta Barth, Matt Black, Aaron Huey and Chris Jordan on my list.

Who would you nominate? Again, the main criteria is that these would be people who gained recognition mainly after 2000 who we ought to know, that's all.

UPDATE: I'm getting a few recommendations of photographers who really made their mark mostly in the 20th century...even a few who died before 2000. I've rewritten the above to make it more clear. Just to reiterate, we're looking for people who have made their mark since 2000, or saw most of their international recognition and influence happen after that date.

And we've gotten some wonderful suggestions, too. Thanks. I hope to catch up with posting the comments tonight.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

AlexM: "Yuri Kozyrev."

Bob Blakley: "I'd nominate Lauren Simonutti. She's now deceased, but came to the attention of the world much more through flickr and her blog than through gallery representation (the Edelman gallery, whose site seems no longer to be accessible). All her online photos date from 2008 or later, so she's a paradox—a 21st century photographer, working entirely in large format film, who found her audience almost exclusively through the digital image. Her work and her life story are both compelling."

Mike replies: I'll say.

Dan Deakin: "Not sure how famous you need to be to make the list, but this Rui Palha's street photography is world class. See here and here."

Hans Muus: "What a lovely idea! I would like to propose for inclusion: Evgenia Arbugaeva. Born in 1985, winner of the Oskar Barnack Award in 2013 (that's how I came to know her)."

Douglas MacLellan: "Michael Christopher Brown. One of the innovators of iPhone visual journalism, particularly his Libya and Congo work. Robin Hammond. Especially his Zimbabwe and mental health in Africa work."

mark: "Definitely Joe Holmes. One of my personal favorites of this century."

Mike replies: Which one?

mark responds: This one.

Floyd Takeuchi: "Shinya Arimoto, a contemporary 'street photographer' based in Tokyo. He has a very different take on the usual Japanese street photography style—direct but often with the acknowledged participation of the subject(s). Earlier work in Tibet. Arimoto-san is a film photographer, and he usually makes his photos with a Hassleblad wide, often with a flash. Earlier work was done primarily with a Rolleiflex TLR. And he prints all of his work—gorgeous prints, which are shown at the Totem Pole Gallery, a photographers' cooperative, in Tokyo."

expiring_frog: "The trio of Doug Rickard, Jon Rafman and Michael Wolf. For a truly 21st century questioning of what it means to be a photographer, and for producing poignant and provocative images in the process."

Salvador Moreno: "Edward Burtynsky, the Ansel Adams of the 21st century."

Comments

[Mark]

Mitch Dobrowner. Peter Turnley (obviously).

For different reasons, in progressing the art: Brooks Jensen and Lenswork

[Jerry Reed]

Please consider including a favorite of mine:

Ray K. Metzker

[Dave Jenkins]

Sorry to sound like a mossback, but I really think that most of the significant photography was done in the 20th century.

[Kurt Kramer]

Does Vivian Maier belong on a list of 21st century photographers? I don't think so.

[Kurt Kramer]

This is a good idea and I am anxious to see the whole list. I am pretty aware of 20th century photographers, but am not aware of the best of the last decade and a half.

[John D]

I would say, make sure you include "yourself" on this list. Get to know and appreciate yourself. Take the time to reflect on your strengths and improvement opportunities.

[Chris Bertram]

Pentti Sammallahti

[Craig Beyers]

I'd add Alex Soth and Gregory Crewdson.

[Greg Edwards]

Zack Arias
Lara Jade
Lindsay Adler
Benjamin Von Wong

[John Krumm]

This should be interesting for me. Following a recommendation from your first recommendation (Vanessa Winship) I checked out the work of George Georgiou. Lots of interesting and powerful photography from Serbia and Turkey, and also a pretty neat look at London from bus windows.

http://www.georgegeorgiou.net/projects.php

[jussi pakkala]

I would nominate Pentti Sammallahti and Michael Kenna. Two very different photographers, both true masters of their craft.

[Guy Batey]

Michael Ackerman
Joachim Eskildsen
Jason Eskenazi
Bryan Schutmaart
Mark Steinmetz
Oleg Videnin

[Paul]

David Alan Harvey and Anders Petersen. Both these photographers have survived or adapted one way or another very well to the current digital scene.

[kirk]

Dan Winters, Wyatt McSpadden, James Evans, Maggie Steber, Elliott Erwitt, Loretta Lux, Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, David La Chappelle, Salgado, Josef Koudelka.

[adamct]

Dunno if she is significant enough to qualify, but Taryn Simon comes to mind...

[Kenneth Tanaka]

You've posed quite a challenge Mike. Photography --in all aspects-- has changed so dramatically since 2000. "Greats" aren't being made as they were in the last century.

It might be more persistently useful to also ask folks where to look for "good" photography, either online or off.

[david]

Abelardo Morell.

[david]

Edward Burtynsky

[Winsor]

Sebastião Salgado

[Stephen]

Got to have Saul Leiter.

[Geoff Wittig]

Edward Burtynsky for sure.
Gregory Crewdson, though I'm not personally fond of his work.

[Geoff Wittig]

Oh, and Sebastiao Salgado, of course.

[Maggie Osterberg]

I'd say Eddy Pula, but I'm worried that something happened to him. I've not seen any new work from him in months.

[Stan B.]

Here's a few: Eva Leitolf, David Taylor, Wayne Lawrence, Christian Patterson, Zoe Strauss, Jim Mortram, Brenda Ann Keneally, Russell Frederick, Jens Olaf Lasthein, Chris Verene, Mark Steinmetz, Jonathan Auch, Thomas Kern...

[Joe Holmes]

Though I'm not a big fan, Ryan McGinley would have to be included.
Certainly Zoe Strauss.
Taryn Simon of course.
Abelardo Morell.
Definitely Alec Soth.
Loretta Lux.
All are either important or influential -- or both.

[Andrew Molitor]

There's Terry Richardson, whether you like him or not, whether you like his work or not, I think he's either influential or at least a strong indicator. He kind of embodies an aesthetic that's pretty potent right now, and gives some sort of connection to the facebook/vernacular/selfie/whatever stuff that's going on. If not Terry, someone like him.

[William Barnett-Lewis]

David Plowden
David Burnett

[robert e]

Matt Stuart and Siegfried Hansen
http://www.mattstuart.com/
http://www.siegfried-hansen.de/

[Chris Y.]

Mike Meyer-Disfarmer, because just when you think you understand the history of photography...

[Lothar Adler]

Joel-Peter Witkin !!!

[Another Phil]

Hi Mike,

A couple for your list;

Rosie Hardy from the UK, just beginning to make it big;
http://blog.flickr.net/en/2013/10/18/maroon-5-discovers-young-photographer-on-flickr/
I've been keeping an eye on her since she started posting on Flickr, through all her early trials and tribulations.

Julius Tjintjelaar
http://www.flickr.com/people/tjintjelaar/
Dutch B&W architecture and a bit of landscape.

Alex Stoddard
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/alex-stoddard-in-the-wake-of-thunder
Portraiture and surrealism.

All the above links have other links to their own sites, etc.

best wishes phil

[Joseph Brunjes]

Robb Kendrick?

[Jock Elliott]

Steve McCurry.

[Eric Randolph]

Ryan McGinley

[Stevan Latkovic]

John Bladen Bentley, Toronto, Canada.

[Pepino]

Here are the current people I can think of. Not sure if it's what you want as what they offer is mostly about technique and evaluating though each one of them is also a good photographer.

Bruce Percy
David du Chemin
Thorsten Overgaard
Chase Jarvis
Steve Huff
Ken Rockwell

[M. Conrad]

Two photographers from Canada: Yousuf Karsh and Freeman Patterson.

[marek_k]

Josef Kuodelka

[mike]

Matt Weber
http://weber-street-photography.com

[robert e]

also:

Alec Soth
Tony Mendoza (Ernie)
Zoe Strauss http://www.zoestrauss.com/ (see "10 years")

and possibly:

Will Steacy (Photographs Not Taken) http://willsteacy.com/notebook/ (see "projects")
Rodney Smith http://www.rodneysmith.com/
Stella Johnson http://www.stellajohnson.com/
Estelle Hanania http://www.estellehanania.com/

[Ned Bunnell]

Aaron Siskind

[Paul]

Joakim Eskildsen

http://www.joakimeskildsen.com/default.asp?Action=Menu&Item=113

[Nigel Voak]

Micheal Kenna.

I saw an exhibition of his work here in Reggio Emilia, Italy. I was astounded by his landscapes, especially the photographs of a part of the Italian Apeninnes I know extremely well. He saw things, I presume on a single visit that I should have been able to see and photograph after many visits.

[Tim Fitzwater]

David Hobby
Joe McNally

[Larry Monczka]

Freeman Patterson because of his continuing importance as a photographic educator.

[Andydfotos]

I would nominate Eugene Richards for his body of work for the last forty years.

[Michel]

I would say Elliott Erwitt for his humour.

[Glenn Brown]

Clifford Coffin without a doubt, near the top he invented fashion photography.

Humphrey Spender, street photography before it was street photography.

I own prints of both Photographers.

[John Wilson]

Young, British, Social documentary photographer Jim Mortram http://smalltowninertia.co.uk/

[kodiak xyza]

Saul Leiter... who perhaps belongs in the era of his 'discovery' (post 2006/08), and in the context of the 40s/50s.

[Maarten B.]

That is a difficult one. I would be glad to name 5!

[Rob Atkins]

Bedrich Grunzweig.

A Google image search yields a rich selection of his work.

[Bryce Lee]

Michael Reichmann, Ctein, Mike johnston, Jum
HUghes, Peter Turnley, O. Winston Link

[Will]

So you didn't like my nomination of Alec Soth?

I think he more than pays his dues... he certainly (judging mainly from Sleeping by the Mississippi, due to be published in 2014 by Steidl) makes for a 21st century Eggleston (rather directly, it would appear), with slightly less emphasis on pure color (Eggleston is still unmatched in that arena, I'd say), but more than making up for it with his composition and depth of field selection. Similar subject matter, similarly approached, but with more technical thought on the part of Soth, compensated by less emphasis on color and printing prowess.

[Sandy Rothberg]

Kenneth Josephson
Barbara Crane
Harold Allen
Les Krims

[Simon Robinson]

Peter Dench
Tom Wood
Jocelyn Bain Hogg
Peter Mitchell
Rimaldas Viksraitis

Four British and one Lithuanian.

[AlanV]

Thomas Joshua Cooper

[expiring_frog]

Alec Soth, perhaps?

[Doug Howk]

Gregory Clewdson as the ultimate in conceptual still photography. Check out his video and you may notice he doesn't even take the shots.

[Joe Glaser]

Jack Spencer http://jackspencer.com/intro/1/

Todd Hido http://www.toddhido.com/

Joel Meyerowitz http://www.joelmeyerowitz.com/

[ColinP]

Some from the UK; Jane Bown, Fay Godwin and Chris Killip

[Mike Chisholm]

Checking off some notable names from a nearby bookshelf:

Andreas Gefeller, Susan Derges, Raymond Meeks, Pradip Malde, Edgar Martins, Peter Bialobrzeski, Naoya Hatakeyama, Jamey Stillings, Irene Kung, Abelardo Morell, Richard Misrach...

[Mahn England]

As I am an architect who takes photos I would nominate Helene Binet. She makes the spaces she photographs tactile.

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/dancing-in-the-dark-the-architectural-photography-of-helene-binet/?hp

[Stephen R]

1. Rhodri Jones
http://rhodrijones.com/

2. Rinko Kawauchi

[Peter]

Anthony Dod Mantle -- a cinematographer properly speaking, not a still photographer, but I've always been at least equally inspired by cinematographers as by photographers. His notable work includes "Slumdog Millionaire" and from this year, "Rush."

An early adopter of digital cinematography with the Dogme 95 movies of Lars von Trier, his digital work conveys the beauty of film like no other photographer or cinematographer I know.

[Ryan]

Daniel Shea

[AlanV]

Raymond Meeks

[Rod Purcell]

Hi Mike

I'll pitch for Jason Eskenazi mainly for his Wonderland project

Rod

[Chris]

I think an argument could be made for people like David Hobby of Strobist fame. I wonder if it would be possible to calculate the number of photographers that his blog has influenced to try off camera lighting.

[Tippler]

Loretta Lux

[Dave in NM]

Mark Surloff

[John Hufnagel]

Elliot Erwitt
Ernst Haas

[Ned Bunnell]

Sorry, didn't read your request carefully enough :)

Vincent Laforet

[Gordon Brown]

Todd Heisler, New York Times photographer

[Moose]

Such a list was to a considerable extent arbitrary in the past. But there was at least a practical restriction, in that only a relative few photographers had a body of work available for viewing in books, galleries and museums. The taste of a relative few determined what was available. The taste of an even smaller number helped determine what was ‘important’.*

There was also the limitation of actually producing decent prints. Someone with a great eye, but no or poor technical skills, was not available for selection.

In the Art World of museums, galleries and auction houses, I expect this idea to persist for some time. But they are in the business of making money, power and prestige by creating artificially high monetary values for investor/collectors. I'm not disparaging this business, only pointing out that it's nothing necessarily to do with providing examples to educate, inform, inspire, and broaden the horizons of photographers.

With digital cameras and the web, the number of photographers with work available for viewing is essentially inifnite. The idea of a reasonably small number of 'essential' photographers seems to me to have vanished. But then, I never did like the idea that a few arbiters of taste should determine what’s good and what isn’t worth the bother. In any competition between a small number of things to view selected by a few curators, critics, gallery owners, collectors, and so on, and the chaos of a free market, I’ll take the problems of an endless choice.

Now, any such list, no matter how created and presented, becomes entirely arbitrary, a list of "photographers I/we like". As such, it may be interesting, but unlikely to be any 'better' than another list from someone else with the same taste, but no overlap in specific content, or, for a different viewer, another list from someone(s) with different taste(s).

I do like the idea of a list from TOP readers, but would rather title it “Photographers We Like And Would Like To Share”.

Moose

* There are more images I would frame and hang on my wall in Alex Gotfryd’s 1988 Appointment In Venice, which I just picked up for $3, than in the work of some ‘major’ 20th. century photographers.

[Erik Petersson]

From the Swedish scene you might be interested in Pieter ten Hoopen or Jens Olof Lasthein.

[adamct]

Ooh! I don't know how I forgot him, and I assume others have already mentioned him, but Andreas Gursky strikes me as a name to be included here. You may not like him, but he has certainly been influential. His famous "99 Cent" photograph was taken in 1999, but I don't think it became super widely known until later.

Regards,
Adam

[Bob Kruse]

W. Eugene Smith for his powerful photographic essays, particularly the one on mercury poisoning in Japan.

[Michael Wall]

50 photographers:
Susan Burnstine

[Jim Mooney]

Alec Soth for sure. Shinya Arimoto as well.

[Lee Johnson]

Simon Roberts

[Richard N]

Lucas Blalock

[Fiddlergene]

Scott Kelby (just kidding)

[John King]

Alexander Gronsky's work always impresses me.
http://www.alexandergronsky.com/#/portfolio/works/norilsk-2013/0

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Well, since his story is also a 21st century one, and since he has just died, then I nominate Saul Leiter:

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2309658/photographer-saul-leiter-has-died

[MartinB]

Edward Burtynsky - though he had exhibitions, it wasn't until 2005's Manufactured Landscapes that he achieve wide recognition

[Oliver]

Philip Toledano

[Marcin Wuu]

I have to admit I'm a huge fan of sleek, highly polished, reeking with high budget eyecandy. Therefore: Chase Jarvis (the guy who invented Instagram), Tim Tadder, Andreas Smetana, Dave Hill (THE postprocess man), Erwin Olaf. There.

[Mark Kinsman]

Joey Lawrence, Chase Jarvis, Trey Radcliffe and David Duchemin are four that come to mind.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Kyle Cassidy for projects including Armed America, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, and War Paint.

[Giovanni]

Jacob Aue Sobol
but you will maybe accept Saul Leiter (RIP) and Sergio Larrain, shooting well in the prior century but surged in our collective minds in the very last period?

[Tony Reed]

Peter Bialobrzeski
Saul Leiter
Simon Roberts

[JR Hall]

Paolo Pellegrin (active before 2000, but bulk of work and awards after)

Tim Hetherington

Chase Jarvis

[Robert P]

Simon Norfolk probably qualifies.

[Pete Atkinson]

Sandra Bartocha, Jan Tove.

[Federico Agostini]

Harry Gruyaert, Alex Webb, Chris Steele-Perkins

[Robert Gordon]

Joel Aron. http://joelaron.com/lucasfilm_portraits/

[Payton]

Martin Schoeller, Julie Blackmon (!!!), Anup Shah, Tyrone Lebon, Ryan McGinley, Federico Cabrera (perhaps especially for his non-fashion if you can find it), Ryan Pfluger, Priya Kambli, Ren Hang, Sarah Wilmer, Fabio Bucciarelli, Terry Richardson (whether you like him or not)... I'll post more later.

[Richard N]

Ori Gersht.

[Henning]

Fred Herzog. His most notable body of work is from the 1950's and 60's, but only in the last 6 years has he become known beyond his friends.

http://www.equinoxgallery.com/artists/portfolio/fred-herzog
http://www.amazon.ca/Fred-Herzog-Photographs/dp/3775728112

He still photographs, but as he says 'the galleries are only interested in the old stuff'.