Top 25 Photographers

When I was in my teenage years, every image I liked, whether it be of a landscape, a profile or an editorial shot, I needed to know who was behind the lens when it was shot.

I felt that was a unique quality in me, and possibly my wanting to know led me on my current career path, journalism. Instead of just ogling a poster of Cindy Crawford on my wall, I had to know the specifics behind it, and I discovered said photo was taken by Marco Glaviano for her 1992 calendar.

When it came to nature, I wanted to know who was on the National Geographic beat, or who was responsible for the vivid shots in calendars. It was inherent in my curiosity to know who took the photos.

As a budding photographer for the Town Crier, here are some of the photogs I look up to, and often times don’t get the credit for the work they do, or in some cases, did.

25.		Photographer: Robert Huntzinger Category: Sports, Glamour, Culture, Automotive Credits: Sports Illustrated Why: It was tough to find an actual photo of this photographer, thus the Wilt Chamberlain SI cover. During the ’60s Huntzinger was a standout profile photographer, and also took photos for Mercedes Benz.
24.		Photographer: Maria Stenzel Category: Nature, Wildlife, Culture Credits: National Geographic Why: Great photographer from one of the apex publications for shutterbugs. Her work in Antarctica is incredible, and if you get a chance take a gander at her work of old oak trees in Georgia.
23.		Photographer: Dorothea Lange Category: Portraits, Culture Credits: Aperture (co-founder), Guggenheim Why: During the Great Depression, Lange hauled around camera equipment so bulky and cumbersome to shoot some of the most memorable images of that era. The Migrant Mother was probably her most iconic shot, but there are others of those most affected by the Dust Bowl fallout.
22.		Photographer: Terry O’Neill Category:Music, Glamour, Culture Credits: Independent Why: Known as the man who shot the ’60s, O’Neill has taken a lot of iconic photos from the famous white dove landing on Audrey Hepburn’s shoulder to Muhammad Ali. O’Neill’s work is a great still-life of life in the grooviest decade.
21.		Photographer: Art Wolfe Category: Nature, Wildlife, Culture Credits: National Geographic Why: A solid blend of photojournalism and art appears in his work. Zebras, elephants, seals and bears are brought to life through his work.
20.		Photographer: Jim Brandenburg Category: Nature, Wildlife, Landscape Credits: Life, Newsweek, National Geographic Why: What I appreciate about photographers, in particular nature ones, is they give back through philanthropic means. Brandenburg, who has an incredibly talented eye for nature’s subtleties, gives through the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation.
19.		Photographer: Helmut Newton Category: Glamour, Fashion Credits: Vogue, Playboy Why: It’s Helmut frickin’ Newton. He turned the world into his own bizarre, erotically-fueled canvas for which he captured with silver halide in black and white.
18.		Photographer: Roeselien Raimond Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: Grasduinen, National Geographic Why: There’s an element of cuteness in her captures of foxes, giraffes. Still, her photos are bold, rife with nature’s brilliant colours, and capsules of the animal kingdom’s emotional side.
17.		Photographer: Marina Cano Category: Nature, Wildlife, Landscape Credits: Why: Raw, incredible and the tiniest details from nature are uncovered through Cano’s lens. She’s from Spain but has travelled far and wide to shoot zebras, snow leopard, chimps. Her use of shadows, light and just capturing spontaneity is incredible.
16.		Photographer: David Lloyd Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: Why: Another Commonwealth resident — lives in London, but is from New Zealand — Lloyd really captures Africa in a spooky way. He also comes with a cache of photography awards, including the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the year in 2011.
15.		Photographer: Andy Rouse Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: Getty, BBC Wildlife Magazine Why: This Rouse should not be confused with the racecar driver. He’s another British chap with a penchant for shooting wildlife (in the safest way possible). Much like his fellow countryman Austin Thomas, he has his own blog and website.
14.		Photographer: Mario Testino Category: Fashion, Portraits Credits: Vogue, Vanity Fair Why: He could be the man responsible for Gisele Bundchen’s success. Otherwise, he’s just one of the fashion industry’s most celebrated snappers. He even shot Princess Diana and her two sons, William and Harry.
13.		Photographer: Arny Freytag Category: Glamour Credits: Playboy Why: If a young lady tells you she’s going on a shoot with Freytag, it’s a big deal. Some guys will remember the measurements of Playboy, but ask them who shot the centerfold, and they’ll come up empty. Most of his work utilizes plenty of strategically place lights. Heck, not everything is photoshopped folks.
12.		Photographer: Raphael Mazzucco Category: Fashion, Glamour Credits: Sports Illustrated, Guess, Victoria’s Secret Why: Another Canadian to make it big behind the camera lens, Mazzucco is known for his 2006 SI issue cover with eight models on the cover, as well as his 2008 (Marisa Miller) and 2009 (Bar Rafaeli) covers.
11.		Photographer: Austin Thomas Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: BBC Wildlife Magazine, BBC News Why: This British shutterbug has grabbed some incredible shots of my favourite animal, the puffin, in its natural environment. He has his own website, which has a nifty blog on his adventures.
10.		Photographer: Joel Sartore Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: National Geographic, Time, Life, Sports Illustrated Why: I’d buy the wolf calendars just for this guy’s work. He always made the lupine critters look ethereal in their winter wonderlands.
9.		Photographer: Marsel van Oosten Category: Nature, Wildlife Credits: Audubon, National Geographic, Science Illustrated Why: You’ve probably seen this Dutch camera guru’s work as a wallpaper on someone’s desktop computer, but he really captures nature in its simplest form.
8.		Photographer: Ellen von Unwerth Category: Fashion, Glamour Credits: Vogue, Vanity Fair, Arena Why: I think I bought a copy of the old-style, 10″x12″ Rolling Stone once just for the Guess ad of Claudia Schiffer. That image from the early ’90s was shot by Ellen von Unwerth. Much like Herb Ritts, von Unwerth has also directed music videos. She’s also a former model herself.
7.		Photographer: Stewart Shining Category: Fashion, Glamour Credits: Sports Illustrated, Victoria’s Secret, Vanity Fair Why: If there was a more refined version of Walter Iooss, it would be Shining. Whatever rapport he has with models like Alessandra Ambrosio, Molly Sims, Elsa Benitez and Daniela Pestova, he’s brought their beauty up front and in focus.
6.		Photographer: Annie Leibovitz Category: Fashion, Portraits Credits: Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone Why: You don’t get to be the most acclaimed portrait photographer for nothing. She shot the memorable John Lennon and Yoko Ono Rolling Stone shoot, and consistently turns out some of the best group photos for Vanity Fair. Still don’t know who she is? She shot the famous nude and pregnant portrait of Demi Moore.
5.		Photographer: Ansel Adams Category: Landscape, Nature Credits: Aperture, U.S. Department of the Interior Why: Black-and-white landscape photos that seem trapped in time. His eye for nature, probably from his philosophy and early environmentalist advocacy, is one of the greatest I have seen.
4.		Photographer: Yousuf Karsh Category: Portraits, Celebrities Credits: Life Why: It’s not really observed that Karsh is Canadian, by way of Turkey, but Karsh was known as one of the greatest profile photographers during the Golden Age of Hollywood: Grace Kelly, Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and Joan Crawford. He also shot the famous Winston Churchill portrait from Life.
3.		Photographer: Herb Ritts Category: Fashion, Celebrities, Glamour Credits: Esquire, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone Why: If you want to track down one of the most proficient of those behind the lens, look no further than Ritts. He’s directed music video, shot photos of some of the most beautiful women in the world, and models his work after the Greek classics.
2.		Photographer: Marco Glaviano Category: Fashion, Glamour, Music Credits: Vogue, Vanity Fair Why: Remember that 1992 Cindy Crawford calendar, this guy shot it. Two of Cindy’s most iconic photos came from that day-tracking tool. Also, Glaviano is known for his photos of jazz legends.
1.		Photographer: Walter Iooss, Jr. Category: Sports, Glamour Credits: Sports Illustrated Why: I don’t think there’s a guy on the planet who hasn’t asked Iooss if he could tag along on of his shoots for SI’s annual. But it’s also his sports photography that should be highlighted too. Iooss is a legend.