A List of Important and Influential Photographers

**willwilson** · 26-Feb-2009, 16:41

I started this list in 2002 when I was in college and starved for knowledge on the history of photography. I would love to continue to add to and improve the list. Please look over the list and either suggest some additions or vote for some photographers that you feel need to be moved up the list.

Links to the new additions and photographers already on the list would be great too!

Original photo.net thread:
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetc...&msg_id=003mcr

Current List (I won't be updating the old txt file from above):
http://www.willwilson.com/thelist.html

If anybody knows of any other list like this I would love to add links so pass those along as well.

Thanks -=Will

**Tim Meisburger** · 26-Feb-2009, 17:17

Well, sorry to see Weegee way down their at the bottom, below Yul Brenner. I think a relatively strong case could be made that Weegee was the single most [I]influential[I/] photographer of the 20th century, creating almost single handed the most profitable genre of still photography, paparazzi or celebrity journalism.

**Walter Calahan** · 26-Feb-2009, 17:19

What? I'm not on the list. Ha ha ha ha ha. My students think I'm influential. Grin.

**willwilson** · 26-Feb-2009, 17:26

Tim, the list is divided into sections by the number of votes received and then alphabetically. When you mention a name on the list make sure to give the full name so everyone can find it...don't forget a link if you've got one!

I gave Weegee another vote which bumped him up the list into the two vote section.

http://www.willwilson.com/thelist.html

**pkphotog** · 26-Feb-2009, 17:30

One vote each for Eugene Atget, Andre Kertesz, August Sander and Carleton Watkins.

**Steve M Hostetter** · 26-Feb-2009, 18:16

waste of good time

**willwilson** · 26-Feb-2009, 19:32

Originally Posted by Steve M Hostetter

waste of good time

I actually learned quite a bit from this list when I originally put it together. The photographers on it continue to inspire me.

-=Will

**Gordon Moat** · 1-Mar-2009, 17:31

Albert Watson

You might also consider Edward Burtynsky, and Bernd and Hilla Becher.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

**Emil Schildt** · 2-Mar-2009, 08:12

what a strange list..
I don't even know half of the photographers in there...

but the ones I do know, are missing (in action? ;-))

**Nathan Potter** · 2-Mar-2009, 13:53

William Henry Jackson really ought to be added to the list. One might say his work on documenting the opening of the West was rather documentary and pedestrian in some ways but it is of historic value due to the quality of the results under very trying conditions. He occupies a significant place in photographic history, akin to Edward Curtis.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.