Digital Camera World » documentary photography

The 55 best photographers of all time. In the history of the world. Ever. Definitely.

jmeyer — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:12:10 +0000

The best photographers of all time? Surely there can be no definitive list! We’re not afraid of courting controversy here at Digital Camera World. OK, maybe we are a little bit, which is why we thought it was time to be bold for once! Over the years we’ve interviewed a number of famous photographers and been inspired by each of them, but one thing we often hear from readers, social media followers and others is… “who are the best photographers of all time?”

It’s a good question! We put on our thinking caps and took a stab it.

Following lots of coffee and some heated tuts, we agreed on a list of the 55 best photographers of all time.

In the history of the world. Ever. Definitely.

Is this list definitive? Of course it is! But we’d also like to hear from you too. If we’ve missed someone or you question our choices, let us know in the comments. Or on our Facebook wall. Or anywhere else we hang about.

So without further ado…

The 55 Best Photographers of All Time: 55 through 51

55 Art Wolfe (born 1951)
Popular nature photographer and television presenter whose vividly-coloured images of wildlife, landscapes and indigenous cultures celebrate the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

54 Garry Winogrand (1928-1984)
One of the great street photographers of the 1960s and 70s, Winogrand’s pictures of everyday urban life are complex, sometimes humorous and often profound.

53 Edward Weston (1886-1958)
One of the most influential American photographers of the 20th century, Weston shot meticulously detailed large-format pictures of landscape, nude and still-life subjects.

Image copyright Jorge Barrios

52 Mario Testino (born 1954)
One of the world’s most famous photographers in the world, Testino is particularly celebrated for his glamorous and flattering fashion photography of women and his advertising campaigns for Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.

Image copyright United States Library of Congress

51 Alfred Stieglitz (1864 -1946)
Groundbreaking photographer, tireless promoter of others’ work and a hugely important figure in the development and acceptance of photography as a serious art form.

Cowboy life: A photo series from Todd Klassy

samanthacliffe — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 06:00:17 +0000

Todd Klassy has captured the real working life of ranches in Montana. His photography is beautiful and captivating, but also serves an important role in documenting the lives of working cowboys and cowgirls, whose ways of life are dying out due to advances in modern technology. Here, Todd talks about the story behind the photos.

Photographing the Wild West

“In early 2010 I decided to close my business in the telecom industry, sell my house, and move to Montana to photograph one of the more beautiful corners on our planet. Many people think of mountains when they think of Montana, but I had the goal of photographing some of the less traveled parts of what is America’s 4th largest state.

High Steed by Todd Klassy

As I traveled across this state I learned that cowboy life (the art of roping and the old school way of life for the old fashioned cowboys) is slowly coming to an end. Horses are being replaced by four-wheelers (or Japanese quarter horses as some call them in these parts), roping is being replaced by mechanical contraptions, and cowboys are being replaced by hired men who have spent more time riding around in the back of a pick-up truck than they have on a horse. The opportunity to photograph rustic, real American personalities surrounded by beautiful scenery in one of the more remote corners of Montana was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

by Todd Klassy

Dangerous conditions

As I grew up on a dairy farm, I’m comfortable working around cattle; but working around horses and real, hard working cowboys who have a job to get done made a bit more anxious. Horses can be more dangerous if they are unfamiliar with someone. Luckily there are dozens of people helping out during branding season when most of my photographs were made and they all kind of help to keep an eye on the rookie, which is not to say that I wasn’t close to being trampled a couple of times! It was important to constantly keep my head on a swivel and not keep my eye glued to my viewfinder.

by Todd Klassy

Apart from shooting ranch life I spend much of my time taking photos of the remote, anonymous landmarks that dot the western landscape. I hope my photos show a fondness for Montana where I find many of the old abandoned homesteads, churches, schoolhouses, and grain elevators that distinguish the Montana landscape. I also spend much of my time photographing Montana’s cowboys, Native American Indians, and railroad workers, whose culture and traditional way of life is threatened by the hands of time.

by Todd Klassy

I try to carry my camera with me where ever I go, but for the most part I average one day a week in the field photographing. Because everything is so far away here in the western United States each shoot has to be meticulously planned, even if it is just for a personal project. Safety is a factor, too. The weather here is quite harsh. The high temperature in summer, for example, is 66 degrees Celsius warmer than the coldest days I shoot in the winter. And many shoots are very, very remote. If my vehicle breaks down in many places I shoot, I may face a day-long trek through wilderness, facing extreme weather conditions, and animals that can kill you (i.e. rattlesnakes, grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolves, etc.).

by Todd Klassy

Going full-time

Although I spend a lot of time out photographing, I do have a day job. I intended to go full-time when I moved to Montana, but I was wasn’t prepared to jump in with both feet and lose a regular paycheck. As such I have spent the better part of the last two years working on the business side of photography. I still only get to shoot one day a week at best, but because of my attention to the business side of photography my sales have increased to a point where I’m confident going full-time in the spring. My photographs have been published in several national and regional publications and print sales have increased dramatically since moving to Montana.

by Todd Klassy

Between now and spring 2013 I plan to wrap up work on my cowboy series, which will require several more photo shoots around the state of Montana, this fall’s cattle drives, the birth of calves in late winter, and the brandings in spring. This fall I will also begin working on a series of photographs taken on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and in late spring.

Trailing the Herd by Todd Klassy

Next year I plan on becoming a full-time photographer and continuing my voyage through the American west, Alaska, and Canada and create packaged multimedia stories for consumption by newspapers, magazines, local television affiliates, radio, and web pages. These pre-packaged “stock” stories will include still images, photo slide shows, HD video, HD audio, written articles, and info graphics that will be ready for any news outlet to license on a royalty free or rights managed basis at an affordable price. Living and working out of a camper trailer, I hope to become a professional story teller, sharing with people the stories of interesting places and things well off the beaten paths.

Call of the Moon by Todd Klassy

Camera equipment

The vast majority of my photographs are shot using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Mark III with either a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM or 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens. I also use a couple of Canon Speedlite 580EX flashes when the sun gets too high in the sky, but those are being replaced this week with the newer Canon 600EX-RT flashes and Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT. I also shoot black and white using a Canon EOS 5D, which was converted for infrared shooting.”

Watch Todd’s video which features more of his fantastic photography.

Why not follow Todd on Twitter.

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Photo of the day: 4 July

samanthacliffe — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:00:54 +0000

Gangsters – 3 Falleras in Valencia, Spain by ‘SJGPhoto‘

This fantastic documentary style photo captures the gritty realism of the moment. The style is similar to that of British photographer Martin Parr, who is known for capturing the ‘uglier’ side of every day life, rather than trying to represent an often distorted ‘more beautiful’ reality.

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Featured photography blogs: Maddie on Things and This Wild Idea

samanthacliffe — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:02:56 +0000

Theron Humphrey runs two photography blogs; Maddie on Things and This Wild Idea. Tumblr blog Maddie on Things has become hugely popular online based on a very simple concept; Theron simply takes photos on his iPhone of his dog Maddie standing on various things! The documentary style of the photography works well with the tone of the blog its simplicity, and the photographs – although taken on an iPhone – are beautiful.

We spoke to Theron about what is behind Maddie on Things.

Maddie on Things

Why did you decide to start your blog, Maddie on Things?

Maddie is just a side project I do; something to always makes me laugh. Even if you’re doing what you love in life – living your dream – some days are going to feel like a grind. The Maddie project is little a pause to life for me.

How have you found the response to this blog?

The response blew me away at first, I was just taking some fun photos of my dog. But folks love animals, and I’m with them, I love my dog! I wonder if that’s how William Wegman felt; I think he started off just using his dogs in some art video projects and I bet it evolved.

The photographs are beautiful and I see that you are now selling prints; do you have any plans to publish a photo book?

I’m having some initial conversations with a book publisher this week actually, we’ll see where it goes. The best part is that I’m just taking the photographs for fun, because I love to, so I already feel content.

This Wild Idea

Theron also runs This Wild Idea, which focuses entirely on documentary photography. Perhaps aptly named, This Wild Idea sets out to photography people across all 50 states in the US to document the lives of the ‘ordinary’ people who live there. The individuals and the important aspects of their daily lives are photographed, and a brief story of that person is told on the blog. You can even change Theron’s route online if you decide you want to be featured in This Wild Idea. Theron’s wild idea might just turn out to be a very good one.

‘This Wild Idea’ sounds really interesting. You’re now on day 200 and it looks like you’re going strong! What is the idea behind the project?

What I’m doing is pretty simple, but I suppose a lot of good things in life are. I’m traveling to all 50 states in the US in one year photographing folks everyday, telling and collecting stories, in the hope that the images will become more valuable one day. Often in photography extremes are celebrated – war or poverty – but I became more interested in grandmothers planting heirloom seeds in their backyards. Everyone has a story, and they are always good ones.

How have people reacted to this project? Have they been happy to get involved?

When folks realize that you’re not asking them for money and that you’re not trying to sell them anything, I’ve almost always found open hearts. When folks slow down and think, “What if I had audio of my mom’s voice before I was born?” or, “What if I had 10 nice photographs of my grandparents”, they realize that what I’m out here doing will be bigger than all of us one day, even if it’s just to one person.

What camera equipment do you use?

The Maddie project is done with my iPhone 4 using the Instagram App. The This Wild Idea project is done with a Canon 5D Mark II with a vintage 35mm Carl Zeiss lens.

How did you start out in photography?

I went to undergrad in the Appalachian Mountains; it’s this wonderful region filled with stories and music. I was studying computer science there, and I just happened to be in the generation that had access to affordable digital cameras. Digital photography fulfilled my nerd side; I could still build a computer to edit images, and there was their amazing craft aspect that filled up my soul.

Visit Maddie on Things. Visit This Wild Idea. Take a look at more of Theron’s photography or follow him on Twitter.

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World Press Photo 2011 winner unveiled

jmeyer — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:33:32 +0000

Samuel Aranda/Corbis Images/World Press Photo

The votes are in, and the World Press Photo of the Year 2011 award goes to Samuel Aranda from Spain.

Aranda, who was on assignment for The New York Times in Yemen, shot his image of a woman holding a wounded relative in her arms during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen, on 15 October 2011. The woman was inside a mosque being used as a field hospital by demonstrators who were clashing against the rule of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Some 5,247 photographers from 124 countries entered the World Press Photo 2011 competition, now in its 55th year, submitting a staggering 101,254 pictures by the mid-January deadline.

The World Press Photo 2011 jury gave prizes in nine themed categories to 57 photographers of 24 nationalities, hailing from Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Jury member Koyo Kouoh said of Aranda’s picture: “It is a photo that speaks for the entire region. It stands for Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, for all that happened in the Arab Spring. But it shows a private, intimate side of what went on. And it shows the role that women played, not only as care-givers, but as active people in the movement.”

Fellow World Press Photo 2011 jury member Aidan Sullivan added: “The winning photo shows a poignant, compassionate moment, the human consequence of an enormous event, an event that is still going on. We might never know who this woman is, cradling an injured relative, but together they become a living image of the courage of ordinary people that helped create an important chapter in the history of the Middle East.”

The judging is conducted at the World Press Photo office, where all entries are presented anonymously to the jury, who discuss and debates their merits over a period of two weeks. The jury operates independently of the World Press Photo organisation.

The World Press Photo contest is open to professional press photographers, photojournalists and documentary photographers.

Documentary category winners: Photographer of the Year 2011

dcworld — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:26:09 +0000

Winner

Fisherman’s wife, by Buchachon Pettanya (Thailand)

What the judges were looking for:
“Use your camera to tell us something about the world. Your subject doesn’t have to be distant and exotic – there could be something interesting on your own doorstep.”

2nd place

Street children of Bangladesh, by David Lazar (Australia)

3rd place

The village hawker, by Khairel Anuar Che Ani (Malaysia)

Documentary shortlist: Photographer of the Year 2011

dcworld — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:22:52 +0000

What the judges are looking for in the Documentary category: “Use your camera to tell us something about the world. Your subject doesn’t have to be distant and exotic – there could be something interesting on your own doorstep.”

10 quick documentary photography tips

dcworld — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:05:53 +0000

Start telling stories through your pictures: here are 10 documentary photography tips for shooting interesting subjects in compelling new ways…

Whether you’re just starting out in digital photography or simply searching for some inspiration, our top 10 photography tips will help you take your photography to the next level.

1 Tell a story

Use photography to tell a story. First you’ll need to choose a subject, which can be the hardest part of the process. Before you head off to far-reaching countries, try experimenting with photo ideas closer to home. Whether it’s the drudgery of life in an office or the joy of working your own allotment, you’ll find there are plenty of interesting stories near by.

2 Do some research

Even if the story is close to your heart or home, you should still do some research. Plan what you want to say. Ask yourself if you want to tell the story in just one shot or whether the subject might benefit from a series of multiple pictures. A photo essay, for example, could help you to reveal more about your subject.

3 Choose your style

Think about the way you intend to shoot and how you want the final image to look and feel. Do you want the finished pictures to be in black and white or colour? Do you only want to use natural light to enhance the mood, or will hard flash light add to your story? A bit of planning will make your photos more coherent. Take a look at the best documentary photography entries from our past Photographer of the Year competitions for inspiration, such as the one above, by Phil Charnock, or the image by Ho Lee at the top of our documentary photography tips list. Both of the images were shortlisted entries in our 2011 documentary photography category.

4 Be prepared

Once you’ve decided on an approach and style you’ll need to ensure you have the right gear to capture your shot. You probably won’t need to take your entire kit bag with you, so just select the tools you need. Be sure you’ve got the right focal lengths covered, and ask yourself if you might need a tripod. Are your camera batteries fully charged? Have you got spare batteries for your flashgun and plenty of memory cards? Don’t let a lack of preparation ruin a shoot.

5 Get permission

It’s a good idea to seek permission, especially if you’re photographing people going about their business. Explain what you’re doing and you’ll often get a hearty collaboration from your subject, but sneak around suspiciously and you’ll be given a wide berth or asked to leave. If you’re working on a long-term project you’ll need to build a healthy rapport to get results.

6 Don’t rush

The best documentary photography is often the result of a long-term project, so try not to rush in and attempt to capture all the shots in one go. If you do end up with limited time in one location, try to maximise the time you have.

7 Get back-up

One of the most important tasks for a digital photographer is to ensure all your images are safe. As soon as you get back from your day’s shooting, download your images and make back-up copies on an external hard-drive or DVD. It’s a good idea to keep your back-ups in a different location to your main computer.

8 Process your images

Once your images are safe you can start to process them. If you shoot in RAW you can make most of your tweaks to colour, tone and contrast at the processing stage using smart software such as Adobe Camera Raw. For documentary photography projects, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to manipulate your images heavily. Just make a few adjustments or try converting to black and white for added impact.

9 Think about presentation

Once you’ve finished your project, think about how you want to show it off. If you’ve made a series of images, perhaps you could have them printed and framed to be hung in an exhibition, or perhaps they would be better suited to being viewed in a book format. There are plenty of online printing services that can make great books of your pictures for a reasonable price.

10 Learn from the best photographers

Magnum Photos is a photo agency that was founded by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David “Chim” Seymour just after the Second World War. It’s since become one of the world’s most important photographic institutions. Check out the ‘In Motion’ section for slideshows of the members’ work, along with fascinating commentaries.