Living photographers you most admire

nikos79 · Mar 19, 2025

There is also this young Italian (born 1984) which I find pretty interesting.

Ciro Battiloro

www.cirobattiloro.com

Also this young Greek (born 1983)

Angelos Balatsas Lekkas

Angelos Balatsas Lekkas was born in Athens in 1983. He lives and works in Finland. Involved with photography since 2006. Since 2017, member of the Photography Circle: An Athens-based 33-year old association comprised of 200+ photographers with personal work.

angelosbalatsas.com

And this middle aged Japanese (born 1965)

TATSUO SUZUKI

Tatsuo Suzuki - Born in Tokyo, and began photographing in 2008.

www.tatsuosuzuki.com

retina_restoration · Mar 19, 2025

I like a lot of Beth Moon's photography.

Vaughn · Mar 19, 2025

retina_restoration said:
I like a lot of Beth Moon's photography.

I have seen a lot of her work -- beautiful stuff.

Alex Benjamin · Mar 19, 2025

Really like Larry Towell.

There's an exhibit of his work until April 26 at the Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto.

Stephen Bulger Gallery

[Head in Hand] , circa 1925 © Margaret Watkins / courtesy Stephen Bulger Gallery Exhibition Dates: Thursday, July 17 – Saturday, August 30, 2025 Stephen Bulger Gallery is pleased to present “Canadian Photographs: 1900 – 1950,” a group exhibition. Recent events have prompted citizens of Canada to...

www.bulgergallery.com

Carnie Bob · Mar 19, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
Really like Larry Towell.

There's an exhibit of his work until April 26 at the Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto.

Stephen Bulger Gallery

[Head in Hand] , circa 1925 © Margaret Watkins / courtesy Stephen Bulger Gallery Exhibition Dates: Thursday, July 17 – Saturday, August 30, 2025 Stephen Bulger Gallery is pleased to present “Canadian Photographs: 1900 – 1950,” a group exhibition. Recent events have prompted citizens of Canada to...

www.bulgergallery.com

I have to agree shamefully as I printed this current show for him.

nikos79 · Mar 19, 2025

Carnie Bob said:
I have to agree shamefully as I printed this current show for him.

Wow!

Alex Benjamin · Mar 19, 2025

Carnie Bob said:
I have to agree shamefully as I printed this current show for him.

Now I'd really like to see it ! Drives me nuts that I'll be in Toronto the week after it closes.

Rayt · Mar 19, 2025

Alex Webb - I like his layered photographic style
Sam Abell - His photography has a lot of depth certainly a huge influence
Koudelka - Exiles got me into photography though not a huge fan of his pano
Alan Schaller - I learned a lot from his YouTube channel.

MattKing · Mar 19, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
There is an immense production of trite, generic and uninspired street photography that poorly attempts to imitate the works of Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand or Lee Friedlander, as there is an immense production of trite, generic and uninspired landscape photography that poorly attempts to imitate that of Ansel Adams or Elliot Porter

It could be worse, they could be emulating Anne Geddes or William Wegman.
Characterizing - actually labelling - any photographer as good, bad or indifferent isn't really of much use at all.
It is much more helpful to focus on particular facets of their work.
And in many cases, to focus only on particular segments of their work.
Every great artist has clunkers in their portfolio.
Neither their great accomplishments, nor their clunkers, define the photographer.
The only real value of centering one's attention on a particular photographer is that it helps one find work of value - or work that is schlock.

albireo · Mar 22, 2025

Gundula Schulze Eldowy
Gerry Johansson
John Gossage
Paul Graham
Raymond Depardon
Guido Guidi
William Eggleston
Stephen Shore
Gianni Berengo Gardin
Robert Adams

Alex Benjamin · Mar 22, 2025

albireo said:
Gundula Schulze Eldowy
Gerry Johansson
John Gossage
Paul Graham
Raymond Depardon
Guido Guidi
William Eggleston
Stephen Shore
Gianni Berengo Gardin
Robert Adams

That's a fantastic list. Glad to see Gerry Johansson's name pop up. I have his Spanish Summer. Beautiful, understated photography, beautiful, and generous book.

Depardon should be more celebrated outside of France than he is—as much for his photography than for his films.

Can't wait for a re-issue of Gossage's The Pond. That book is unobtainium. Prices on the used market are absurd.

albireo · Mar 23, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
That's a fantastic list. Glad to see Gerry Johansson's name pop up. I have his Spanish Summer. Beautiful, understated photography, beautiful, and generous book.

Depardon should be more celebrated outside of France than he is—as much for his photography than for his films.

Can't wait for a re-issue of Gossage's The Pond. That book is unobtainium. Prices on the used market are absurd.

Thanks. And yes - Gerry Johansson is incredible. He has a new book out

Gerry Johansson - Maine

The Ice Plant 2024 In 2023, Swedish photographer Gerry Johansson roamed the state of Maine with a Rolleiflex, curious to make new pictures in a region of America he first encountered in the work of Paul Strand five decades ago — he found Strand’s views of New England “boring” at the time — and...

bildbandberlin.com

Seems like he's not publishing with MACK anymore, so distribution might be a little more spotty. I haven't bought a copy yet but I will soon. Spanish Summer is great, as is Pontiac and American Winter. Sadly most of his greatest books are out of print and MACK just doesn't seem interested in reprinting,

Is there a 'The Pond' reprint planned? That would be great!

nikos79 · Mar 23, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
That's a fantastic list. Glad to see Gerry Johansson's name pop up. I have his Spanish Summer. Beautiful, understated photography, beautiful, and generous book.

Depardon should be more celebrated outside of France than he is—as much for his photography than for his films.

Can't wait for a re-issue of Gossage's The Pond. That book is unobtainium. Prices on the used market are

Interesting list! I don’t know the first three photographers, so I’ll definitely look them up — thanks for expanding my horizons.

It’s also intriguing that you mention Gardin. Most people, when thinking of Italian photographers, tend to go for Paolo Monti, Luigi Ghirri, or Ferdinando Scianna. But I like Gardin too.

As for Depardon, he’s a curious case. There’s no doubt he’s a skilled and talented photographer, but something about his work doesn’t quite resonate with me. It feels like a careful, well-crafted production, almost too meticulous. What I miss is that element of surprise or awe I find in other photographers — that spark that makes a photo linger in your mind long after you’ve seen it.

albireo · Mar 23, 2025

nikos79 said:
Interesting list! I don’t know the first three photographers, so I’ll definitely look them up — thanks for expanding my horizons.

It’s also intriguing that you mention Gardin. Most people, when thinking of Italian photographers, tend to go for Paolo Monti, Luigi Ghirri, or Ferdinando Scianna. But I like Gardin too.

Luigi Ghirri, the greatest Italian photographer of all times, is sadly long dead. I think we're discussing living photographers here.

And I'm not 'most people'

albireo · Mar 23, 2025

nikos79 said:
As for Depardon, he’s a curious case. There’s no doubt he’s a skilled and talented photographer, but something about his work doesn’t quite resonate with me. It feels like a careful, well-crafted production, almost too meticulous. What I miss is that element of surprise or awe I find in other photographers — that spark that makes a photo linger in your mind long after you’ve seen it.

I'm not sure why you feel the need to nitpick on other people's favourite living photographers' lists?

nikos79 · Mar 23, 2025

albireo said:
Luigi Ghirri, the greatest Italian photographer of all times, is sadly long dead. I think we're discussing living photographers here.

And I'm not 'most people'

Ah sorry mixed up the threads "living" photographers indeed

nikos79 · Mar 23, 2025

albireo said:
I'm not sure why you feel the need to nitpick on other people's favourite living photographers' lists?

Of course, I had no intention of provoking or diminishing your choices — just sharing my thoughts. After all, you didn’t seem to mind when people praised your list, so I hope it’s not too different when someone offers a different perspective. I’m genuinely curious to hear other opinions and debate certain photographers. Discussions like these are enriching; for example, I learned so much in the Atget forum that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

nikos79 · Mar 23, 2025

albireo said:
Luigi Ghirri, the greatest Italian photographer of all times, is sadly long dead. I think we're discussing living photographers here.

And I'm not 'most people'

If you are Italian (which I have a feeling you might be) could you share with me some modern Italian photographers you like? I only known Ciro Battiloro, Andrea Torrei, and Federico Borobio

albireo · Mar 23, 2025

nikos79 said:
Of course, I had no intention of provoking or diminishing your choices — just sharing my thoughts. After all, you didn’t seem to mind when people praised your list, so I hope it’s not too different when someone offers a different perspective. I’m genuinely curious to hear other opinions and debate certain photographers. Discussions like these are enriching; for example, I learned so much in the Atget forum that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

Ah ok got it. Makes sense I guess. I normally try to stick to the unwritten rule "if you don't have anything nice to say about someone who is not present, don't say anything at all". But I don't mind alternative opinions on some of the people whose work I admire.

Carnie Bob · Mar 23, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
Now I'd really like to see it ! Drives me nuts that I'll be in Toronto the week after it closes.

Well I have a selection of gum over palladiums I printed for him at my studio if you visit Toronto you can see them.

aconbere · Mar 23, 2025

I haven’t seen Linda Connor mentioned but she’s a photographer who’s work I find myself frequently returning to.

Alex Benjamin · Mar 23, 2025

Carnie Bob said:
Well I have a selection of gum over palladiums I printed for him at my studio if you visit Toronto you can see them.

What a generous offer ! Thanks ! I'll be there from May 6 to May 11. I'll pm you a week before so you can give me the address and see if our schedules can fit.

aconbere said:
I haven’t seen Linda Connor mentioned but she’s a photographer who’s work I find myself frequently returning to.

I've only recently been introduced to her work and her very interesting and unique approach.

Sirius Glass · Mar 23, 2025

Are we allowed to include ourselves in our posted lists?

Don_ih · Mar 23, 2025

Sirius Glass said:
Are we allowed to include ourselves in our posted lists?

see

Sirius Glass said:
Myself

Sirius Glass · Mar 23, 2025

Don_ih said:
see

So I must have had the same thought twice! Who knew? Don_ih

Living photographers you most admire

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