Top 10 contemporary photographers

[Jeremy Moore]

no order:

Mark Citret
Araki
Michael Smith/Paula Chamlee
Sally Mann
Alex Soth
Kerik Kouklis
Paul Caponigro
Sugimoto
Ralph Gibson
Keith Carter

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

I have to admit a little surprise to some of the answers here. John Sexton on the same level of Bruce Davidson?

No one has mentioned Irving Penn??

[Frank Petronio]

active living photographers!?

[Paul Metcalf]

Herman Leonard
Domenico Foschi
Roman Loranc

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

active living photographers!?

Irving Penn just had a show at Pace/MacGill. Paul Caponigro isn't in the best health of his life....photographers who are alive.

[Merg Ross]

What do you mean by "top 10"? Those who have been published or self-published books on their works, or have enlisted agents? The responses so far to your query, with a few exceptions, embrace a group of photographers who are skilled at self promotion and are also talented.

[Frank Petronio]

I love Irving Penn, George Tice, etc. but man, even Michael Kenna has already crested career-wise. Who's in their prime RIGHT NOW?

[davidb]

Alec Soth

[Andrew O'Neill]

Paul Caponigro
William Clift
Roman Loranc
Gabriele Basilico
Ray McSavaney
John Sexton
Michael Kenna
Flor Garduno
Irving Penn
Andrew O'Neill

[Gordon Moat]

My picks on ten best, though I have to admit that my personal list of influential photographers to watch is closer to 50 individuals. Probably most of these names will be unknown to some in this LF Forum. A few of these use (or start) with large format. Most are advertising shooters, a few also do fashion and lifestyle. Some are in very high demand. I have included links on the names, in case anyone is curious.

Craig McDean - managed by art+commerce, mostly fashion shooter using 8x10 and 4x5, sometimes RZ67
Ljubodrag Andric - works mostly with a 4x5
Chris Gordaneer - check out his landscape images
Olaf Veltman - works mostly with 8x10
Nadav Kander - I don't like some of his work, though he is one of the most prolific advertising shooters today
Mark Laita - amazing usage of colour; also uses a 20x24 Polaroid for some work
Markku Lahdesmaki - amazingly vibrant, almost dreamlike images
William Huber - subtle colour usage
Stuart Hall - I like his recent Salton Sea photos
Andy Glass - cool way to use light
Erwin Olaf - beyond David LaChappelle
Jonathan Kantor - some here may enjoy his Personal Location images

So no particular order. With everyone else naming either fine art or southwest landscape photographers, I hope this mixes things up a bit. I do have a completely different list of who I think the ten best art photographers are today.

I think photography is too diversified to pick only ten. There are too many genre of photography, or categories of work. Even picking the ten best living photojournalists might be tough, though I would guess Salgado would land on many lists, and maybe James Nachtway. Maybe you should reword and restrict your question to only art photographers. Influences are another issue, and many of the photographers I listed mention Irving Penn as a great influence.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio