According to historians, the first portrait was created about 4 thousand years ago. This genre played a huge role in the history of mankind and the development of culture, especially when you consider that the portrait covers not only painting, but also sculpture and photography. To understand its essence, it is important to give a precise definition of the portrait. It is called the artistic image of a person, focusing on his face. The deep purpose of the portrait is to show the individuality of a person or his resemblance to someone, as well as convey the mood of the person.
Thanks to portraits, portrait photographers can teach us a lot, even if we are not fans of this genre of art. So that you can make a more or less holistic picture of portraits, we have compiled a mini-rating, consisting of the best portrait photographers known to mankind. The name of each of those on the list should be known to both professionals and photography enthusiasts. Perhaps this rating will give you inspiration, and you, forgetting everything else, take a camera and begin your career as a photographer, even if not in the portrait genre.
So, here's a list of the 10 most famous photographers whose portraits make them admire even after many years.
1
Steve McCurry
Even if you don’t know the name of this American photographer, then you definitely know his most famous work - “Afghan Girl”. This photo is rightfully the most famous cover of National Geographic magazine. McCurry is a native of Philadelphia, a photographer educated in theater. He began to show interest in photography only when he became a student.
He worked as a photojournalist in many hot spots. He began his career in Afghanistan, where the most famous photograph of the photographer was taken. Under the guise of a local resident, McCurry entered the territory of the rebels, taking photos on a film that was hidden in clothes. In addition to the conflict in Afghanistan, Steve traveled to Iran, Iraq, Cambodia, Lebanon and many countries in a state of war or military coups. He was a member of the world famous agency Magnum Photos.
2
Lee Jeffries
Lee lives in northern England in Manchester. It was there that the lion's share of his breathtaking black and white portraits was made. However, he took his first steps as a photographer as a sports photojournalist. Change of direction was made by ordinary chance. While in London, Jeffries met a homeless girl who “hooked” him so much that he could no longer think of anything but portrait photography. According to the photographer, he took a hidden picture, but the girl still noticed this, overcoming the desire to hide, Lee went to the girl.
Since then, he has taken many black and white shots in the portrait genre. Its objects are most often homeless people. However, Lee’s photographs do not turn away the viewer, on the contrary, they sparkle with hope and a glimpse of optimism in the eyes of people from the pictures. Take the time to look at his work, and see how touching the photo can be.
3
Jimmy nelson
If you are going to see the works of Jimmy Nelson, do not rely on glamorous photos with models or pictures of bohemian life in the capital. In our opinion, Nelson is more than a photographer, he is also a historian, showing the viewer how the peoples of the world lived many centuries ago. Jimmy is known worldwide for a series of portraits, the objects of which are tribes and indigenous peoples of different countries of the world. Instead of well-groomed faces and designer clothes from photos of Nelson, people in animal skins with feathers on their heads will look at you. These are people who every day fight for survival, maintaining their authenticity. The background for the photographer is not studio scenery, but wildlife landscapes.
In total, Jimmy spent 3 years with 35 tribes that became models for his photo exhibition “Until They Fade”. Nelson lived with the natives, sharing food and shelter with them, so he knows firsthand what life in the wild is like. It took up to 4 days for the photographer to take some pictures. We simply must pay tribute to the work of Jimmy Nelson, appreciating his portraits.
4
Rehan
Like Jimmy Nelson, Rehan Crokeville visited many countries, photographing the local population. This French photographer took pictures around the globe, from Cuba to India, but he loved Vietnam the most. Having visited this Asian country as part of a charity event, Rehan, while still not a professional photographer, took a series of pictures that the whole world saw. They were so good and unusual that they made the population of the western hemisphere look at Vietnam and its inhabitants in a completely different way. Since 2007, Croqueville visited the former Siam at least once a year in order to move there in 2011 with his family.
Portraits of Rehan are not just face shots, his photos contain a tiny story that conveys the image of the object. In his works, the author conveys the cultural characteristics of the country in which he works, slightly revealing the soul of people posing for the author. His photographs were repeatedly published in the Daily Mail and National Geographic, and the “Hidden Smile” is considered to be the best portrait, which depicts a 73-year-old woman from Vietnam earning money by transporting people and goods on a boat.
5
Eric Luff Forge
Eric Luffforg took thousands of shots in different parts of the world. Each frame is not just a picture, the author “season” it with a small story of the person who was photographed. The photographer’s stories about life in Kurdistan or Namibia are unusually fascinating, but his photographs taken in North Korea were most popular.
Lufforg was several times in this country, the most closed state in the world. After the last visit in 2012, entry there was forever prohibited for the photographer. Visiting excursions and exhibitions along with an escort provided by the state, Luffforg took a series of shots. After viewing the author’s photos, the guide accompanying him insisted on removing most of the frames. However, Eric managed to hide these photos, which he later posted on the Internet for general availability.
For us, these photos are not unusual, the author managed to get away from the image of the cogs of the system, with which the population of North Korea is often associated. The pictures show a lot of life stories that the country's leadership did not like with its ridiculous prohibitions. For example, it is forbidden to take photographs of people there if they walk in well-worn clothes or you can’t take pictures of military soldiers resting (you can’t take pictures of military men at all). Some parts of the country were so poor that they simply took the camera away from Luffford. His series of shots allows us to better understand the hardships of modern life in North Korea, which is strikingly different from the ceremonial photographs presented to us.
6
Manny Librodo
Manny worked as an ordinary teacher at the international school in Bangkok (Thailand), when he discovered the talent of a photographer, giving the whole world a unique approach of "pure comprehensive light" that filled portrait shots of a fashionable, glamorous and tourist destination.
In 2010, world-famous American photographer Scott Kelby named Manny one of the 5 best photographers that you have not heard of. Since then, Librodo has been working in all parts of the world, and the "geography" of his work includes the USA, Egypt, Australia, Singapore, Canada and other countries. Manny has a truly unique gift for noticing ambient light on the set, artistically conveying it in the pictures.
His style is so unique that the author even received the nickname "Photoshop Sorcerer." Many professional photographers fly to Bangkok to take a workshop from a master.
Manny's photos are constantly published in various magazines, and also fall into the top of various photo contests. They adorn UNICEF calendars, as well as the covers of publications such as Asian Geographic and Digital Photographer Magazine.
7
Lisa Kristin
Lisa Christine is a photographer from San Francisco, known for her humanitarian missions around the world. During her life, she took pictures of the indigenous population in more than 100 countries, conveying the features of their culture, customs and living conditions. Her pictures draw the attention of people from developed countries to social inequality and the oppression of many nationalities living in limited territories for millennia.
Kristin has released several photo books, and also noted the significant work that exposed modern slavery in the ranks of the countries of the "third world". Based on its materials, the documentary “Slavery” was released, which was released in 2010. In recent years, several more films have been released, and Lisa has also served as an example for activists who created a society for helping children, which raised about $ 1 million.
8
David lazar
David Lazar is a travel photographer from Australia who travels a lot, photographing cultural features, moments of life and beauty in every part of the world. He is attracted to places rich in traditions, and still unknown to other authors. Davids made the most famous shots in Brazil, Bangladesh and Kenya, created in the portrait genre.
Lazar’s photos were featured in travel magazines such as Lonely Planet, Asian Geographic, and National Geographic. For his work, he received many awards and was nominated for various awards in the field of photography. And also David is the judge of several competitions, where pictures of young photographers are presented. However, most of all awards and titles about the skill of David Lazar will say, of course, his work. For the sake of his shots, the author will overcome any difficulties, giving his viewer amazing moments. Appreciate his portraits, in which the soul and sincerity are invariably present.
9
Joel Santos
Joel Santos is a world famous travel photographer who has received the Best of the World Award in 2016. He is from Portugal, but works in many countries, visiting the most exotic places on the planet. A series of his photographs taken in the Mongolian steppes, where a nomadic Kazakh tribe lives, leading a lifestyle that is not much different from the way of their ancestors, is very famous. Santos does not just take portraits, he communicates a lot with all objects of photographs, which allows the author to reveal their mood and convey to the audience the feelings that people experience at the time of photographing.
Santos' photos add charm to their unpredictability. According to the photographer, despite the development of a clear plan for any trip, he almost never follows it. If something went wrong as planned, the best way is to take a camera and take pictures of people around you on the go. Joel’s most important assistants remain not cameras, but translators who help the photographer find a common language with the locals of the country in which the author finds himself.
By the way, read on thebiggest.ru interesting material about the Top 10 best professional cameras of 2018.
10
Phil borges
American photographer and director Phil Borges is a talented person who once again proves that photography geniuses still live among us. And also the life of Borges shows - the photographer, this is a state of mind, not a profession (especially when you consider that Borges is a dentist by training, who has given 18 years of life to the “specialized” profession). Having been fond of photography all his life, Phil finally decided to leave his main profession, focusing on his hobby.
His first works were photographs of teenagers with educational difficulties. Through the pictures, he conveyed all the drama of human fate, which could touch the viewer. Borges not only shows the subject, he makes you think about the causes of a particular incident, giving people a signal for action.
The main creation of Phil Borges is the project "Tibetan portrait", which caused a storm of emotions in the world of culture. The result of the work of the photographer were dozens of prizes received by him in different parts of the world. The project includes photographs of Tibetan refugees fighting every day for life with nature, and advancing civilization. Since then, Borges has found his theme, highlighting the problems of endangered nationalities and cultures that require our protection.