Favorite photographers?

[shawngibson]

<p>>>Shawn, Mind to expand on how Sally Mann gave you "perspective"? I'm a big fan of hers...</p>

<p>Sure. I started photography in the early 90s but had been taking pictures (point and shoot) since the 80s for my paintings. I've always been first and foremost a fan of painters like Rembrandt, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese. Then came other influences, who I mentioned above. It was always about the portrait, and it was always, on some level, sensual without crossing the line.</p>

<p>It was never sexual. That's my point. I remember way back when coming across both Sally Mann and some male photographer named something Hamilton, I believe: his shots always promised to be a portrait but never ended up being anything more than male-wanting-female. It bothered me. I never saw a sensual, let alone provacitively sexual portrait of a young girl, and frankly didn't want to. Sally Mann was in that respect a calling card for me. She shot people she loved, in documentary ways, essentially, without forcing them to be sexual. That's sort of what all my favourite artists do. Look at Freud, lots of 'nudity' but zero sexuality minus what's implied from being human. Sally on that last point never even shot that.</p>

<p>On that note, I wouldn't nor have I ever dreamed of doing work like Sally Mann. That's a mother relationship. A male should never be privy to such intimacy. That Hamilton guy is a good example. As a guy who raised a little girl for 10 years, I can't imagine exposing her to the public for the small sake of my art. Don't care how beautiful she is, in this world people would only see sexuality, if photographed by a man.</p>

<p>So what I mean by perspective is, it's ok to do it, make the photographs you want, just not with children because unless you are female the world will never understand. And that makes sense. We are the same species but two sexes, and we can not deny that.</p>

<p>I walk down the street every day and I see women I want to sleep with. Normal. Photographing that, turning it into a commodity, is not my thing. Not even with adults. Least of all with children who don't know the difference. But as I say, I'm a man. I might feel less weird if I had a young son, maybe would photograph him like Sally did her children.</p>

<p>The point here is, Sally Mann made me realize it is OK to find beauty everywhere, but that sometimes being a female gives you different opportunities.<br>

If you're male, photograph cognizant women, moreso for their sake than yours.</p>

 

[donna pallotta]

<p>annie leibovitz... robert mapplethorpe... Marjolein Martinot</p>

[dan_b.4]

<p>Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans and my photography instructor at Indiana University, I. Wilmer Counts.</p>

[gary_meader]

<p>If you mean who made my favorite photos, it would be (besides me!) Michael Kenna, Ansel Adams, and Oliver Gagliani</p>

[euripides_smalls]

<p>In life, I have pretty disparate and random tastes in things, and photography is no different.<br>

Bruce Davidson<br>

Sante D'Orazio<br>

George Hurrell</p>

[simon_sutcliffe]

<h1 id="firstHeading" >Andre Kertesz<br />Ansel Adams<br />James Dow(Family friend and one of the best architectural photographers in the world.)</h1>

[bob_bill]

<p>After posting above the famous photographers that influence me, I realized the greatest influence on my work has come from folks on this site. Tim Ludwig for helping me think outside the box in my lighting, Matt Laur for his insights on lighting and glass, Nadine for helping shape me into a wedding guy-whoda thunk, Bob Bernardo for all his tips, Kent Straubus for his passion for lighting and trying what appears impossible, Jeff for his inspirational event work, Phillip for his touchup insights, Shun for all the sound gear advice. And of course, our founder, who made it possible. That's more than 3 and I am probably leaving some out. I look at pnet as a finishing school for someone who is trying to master the craft on their own. When I view my work, I see some of you in all of it. Thank you all. </p>