Your Favorite Portraitists

[William Whitaker]

That's a word, right? Portraitist? Someone who specializes in portraiture?
I've grown quite interested in portraiture, especially after seeing some of the talent here in the ongoing monthly portraits threads.

I'm interested to hear about who inspires you and if you can recommend any books or other resources about them.

When I first thought about this I thought the list would be lengthy. But after a couple of names (Karsh, of course, and Hurrell) I drew a blank. And that left me wanting to learn more.

Looking forward to your comments.

[Tin Can]

I recently, like last week, became aware of Berenice Abbott.

Waiting for a picture book of her images.

I am setting up a copycat portrait of hers this week.

[DrTang]

Alfred Cheney Johnston

Irving Penn

Diane Arbus

[mdarnton]

Steichen's work for Vogue magazine,
Cartier-Bresson (it took me a long time to realize he made a large proportion of his income from editorial portraiture!)

[Merg Ross]

August Sander

Imogen Cunningham

Another vote for Steichen

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

To the names mentioned above I wish to add August Sander (1876 - 1964) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Sander)

I had the opportunity to visit, in Dudelange (Luxemburg), an exhibition, about 100 images (modern baryt prints from the original glass plates) from this famous series
August Sander, People of the 20th Century, ISBN 9783829606448

Prior to this, I knew of course several European portraitists of the XIX-st century like Nadar, and of course I knew some iconic portraits by Karsh, but after I visited this exhibition, I realized that August Sander's work would be my guide if I wanted to enter the delicate domain of portrait photography.
All his life, August Sander used only available light and large format cameras.
He photographed with the same talent all kinds of people, not only celebrities. (https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m78v4kq8qq1rw3fqbo1_1280.jpg)

Regarding Irving Penn, there was a nice exhibition in Paris last year, his portraits of "small trades" as well as celebrities in the 1940s-1950s are stunning.

[Hugo Zhang]

Julia M Cameron
Paul Strand
August Sander

[Tin Can]

NSFW

http://whmortensen.com/

[robshepherd]

Robert Demachy

[William Whitaker]

Thank you Randy. Love Mortensen's work! (Is it because AA detested it so much?)
The Vimeo video, Monsters and Madonnas by Stephen Romano was a treat, especially because it was narrated (almost certainly, but no credit shown) by Vincent Price. Very appropriate!

And fwiw, I'd vote for Steichen any day of the week. Love his work and work, generally, from that period!

[Merg Ross]

Will, my choices reflect a preference for environmental portraiture, hence Sander and Cunningham. Steichen did some wonderful portraits; Garbo comes to mind. For Cunningham, the portrait of her father at 90, and her early portrait of the painter Morris Graves, the dancer Martha Graham; all of them excellent. As noted above, the portrait series of "People of the 20th Century" by August Sander is loaded with excellent environmental portraiture.

This may be a very long thread!

[neil poulsen]

I like environmental portraiture. So . . . Arnold Newman.

[Mark Sampson]

The late Evelyn Hofer is not appreciated enough. See her work in "London Perceived" (an early influence on me) and "Dublin: A Portrait". She made many other city-themed books, all now out of print: I'm slowly tracking them down. I can't recommend her work enough.

Beyond that, the usual 'greats'; Strand, Edward Weston, Arnold Newman, Sander.
As I started out as a 'portraitist', I appreciate Yousuf Karsh.
From the 19th Century, Hill & Adamson, Nadar, Julia Margaret Cameron.
I've learned from them all.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

One of my favorites was Phillip Stewart Charis along with everyone who has been mentioned. Phillip worked with large format film and in color and his portraits were stunning. What about today's photographers?

[Mark Sawyer]

Sally Mann for her family portraits. The team of Southworth and Hawes are also photographers a serious portraitist should be aware of.

[windij]

As an impressionable young lad I came across a copy of some Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographs in my high school library. I've been a fan of Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans ever since.

[Tin Can]

Ha! I do own collectible Art, Dyke Deck!

Besides this poster, who knows which one made the Dyke Deck of cards with portraits on each card.

I thought that was cool.



**Jo Ann Callis(1940)
Barbara Kruger (1945)
**Carrie Mae Weems (1953)
Nan Goldin (1953)
Uta Barth (1958)
Loma Simpson (1960)
**Catherine Opie (1961)
Gillian Wearing (1963)
Kara Walker (1969)


** touchstones ... and alive, still working, also born before me.

[G Benaim]

Mark Steinmetz, Alec Soth, August Sander.

[Armin Seeholzer]

Phillip Halsman
Y. Karsh
Clarence Sinclair Bull
Anni Leibowitz
and many more!

[ScottPhotoCo]

Paolo Roversi
Sarah Moon
Richard Avedon
Herb Ritts
Patrick Demarchelier
Irving Penn

[mdarnton]

Probably I'm the only one who thinks this, but Michael Disfarmer.

[Tin Can]

Probably I'm the only one who thinks this, but Michael Disfarmer.

Had to look him up.

Real nice work!

[Ulophot]

Strand and Mathew Brady are standouts, though Strand was not a portraitist per se.

[Jim Jones]

Karsh at his best was unequalled.

[Robert Bowring]

+++ for Disfarmer

[William Whitaker]

Some great suggestions here. Thanks. And to which I'll add Clarence Sinclair Bull.

My intent with this thread was to hopefully get some direction on finding books which might provide both inspiration and direction. A nice thing about photography is that much can be learned from coffee table books without having to dig too deeply into dry and desiccated text books.

[Tin Can]

I have 2 books about Berenice Abbott coming Thursday. One is mostly pictures.

I also prefer image books.

Good thread

[William Whitaker]

One of my favorite portrait books is an old Kodak paper surface specifier. You know, like they used to have in photo stores way-y-y back in the day. Many good examples of commercial portraits. True, they're all formula. But they're formulas that work. So it's a good learning tool, IMHO.

I do lament the passing of that age, though. There was an amazing selection of surfaces back then. They just make me want to slap the 305 Kodak Portrait on the 8x10 and get busy! :cool:

[Merg Ross]

One of my favorite portrait books is an old Kodak paper surface specifier. You know, like they used to have in photo stores way-y-y back in the day. Many good examples of commercial portraits. True, they're all formula. But they're formulas that work. So it's a good learning tool, IMHO.

I do lament the passing of that age, though. There was an amazing selection of surfaces back then. They just make me want to slap the 305 Kodak Portrait on the 8x10 and get busy! :cool:

Indeed, there were wonderful paper choices! For portraits, our studio used Ansco Indiatone in the 60's.

I found this an informative list of "back in the day" papers.

https://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/AntiqueP/antiquep.html

Cheers,
Merg

[William Whitaker]

That's a very interesting link Merg - thank you for sharing it. I did scan over it, but will need to go back and read in depth.
I have taken the loss of paper varieties to represent a boost for alternative processes where there are more choices of paper surfaces. That may or may not be the case. But I'm trying to "make lemonade" of the situation.

[chassis]

The OP didn't specify which medium.

Photographic: Annie Leibovitz, and many others already mentioned

Painters and engravers: Rogier van der Weyden, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt Peale, others

[Tin Can]

The OP didn't specify which medium.

Photographic: Annie Leibovitz, and many others already mentioned

Painters and engravers: Rogier van der Weyden, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt Peale, others

No, but we assume.

My last wife painted like Rembrandt. Amazingly slow but authentic in technique.

She painted her contemporaries. Punk Rockers. And it's becoming classic. Of course, Marnie has passed as few artists are popular in their lifetime. RIP

[William Whitaker]

The OP didn't specify which medium.

As this is a photography website, I assumed I did not need to specify a medium. But for the record I intended photography, although I'm sure there is much to be learned from other media. Lighting and posing are universal.
My intent was to try to enlighten myself about other photographers and styles as they relate to portraiture so that I could research them and hopefully learn styles and techniques which may help me in my pursuit to become a better and more versatile photographer.

[Michael Wellman]

Karsh, Paul Strand, Jock Sturges, Dorthea Lange, Joel Grimes, Dean Collins

[bob carnie]

This being totally biased as I print for this photographer, but Rita Leistner is doing fantastic work in the portrait field. She is one of the most dedicated photographers that I know and lately has seen lots of attention and praise on the international level.

Currently she is in Paris with this festival as a keynote speaker. http://photodocparis.com/

[Tin Can]

Interesting!

Rita Leistner's 'The Tree Planters' is a new genre?

Fantasy Historical Documentary Portrait?



This being totally biased as I print for this photographer, but Rita Leistner is doing fantastic work in the portrait field. She is one of the most dedicated photographers that I know and lately has seen lots of attention and praise on the international level.

Currently she is in Paris with this festival as a keynote speaker. http://photodocparis.com/

[vincent007]

There are lots of portraitist who can draw picture like real, here given some name below such as:

*William Dargie
*Lucian Freud
*Dan Llywelyn
*Ralph Heimans
*Isobel Peachey
*John Wonnacott
*Antony Williams

[mike rosenlof]

Martha Casanave, environmental portraits. I have her book "Trajectories: A Half Century of Portraits", very nice.

Imogen Cunningham, I love her portrait of Frida Kahlo.

[Tin Can]

Too bad we can't post a favorite print from each of these exemplars.

Perhaps we can under Copyright Fair Use as education?

If we may we should post directly to the forum server and not from our disappearing photo sites.

I'll wait for Mod input. Here is a link to a very famous faceless portrait of the masses. https://goo.gl/images/iAemZ4 Berenice Abbott 1936

[chuck461]

A couple of my favorites not yet mentioned. Both primarily, if not exclusively 8X10 view camera work. Monica prints Platinum Palladium. Ross does gold toned POP prints.

http://www.andreamodica.com/
http://www.fractionmagazine.com/judith-joy-ross/

[Greg Y]

Y Karsh for sure. Standing in the courtyard of Georgia O'Keefe's house in Abiquiu looking into the enrty was where he took her portrait sent shivers up my spine. I would like to have seen Avedon's "In The American West" show when it opened at the Amon Carter. Those are strong portraits for sure. I also have a real soft spot for Jay Dusard's cowboy portraits.

[Michael Graves]

Dorothea Lange
Walker Evans
Yousuf Karsh