Portrait Black & white photo
Ellen Auerbach, born Ellen Rosenberg, is an American photographer of German-Jewish descent and a master of avant-garde photography.
Ellen studied at the Baden State School of Art and continued her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart before meeting photographer Greta Stern (1904-1999) in Berlin. Together they opened Ringl+pit, a photography and design studio specializing in advertising, fashion and portrait photography. The photographer is most remembered for her groundbreaking work at this particular studio. Ellen, who also experimented with film, made two short black-and-white films.
In 1933, Ellen emigrated to Palestine and opened a children's portrait studio there. A few years later she moved with her husband Walter Auerbach to the United States, where she worked in a private art collection, taught photography, made films and photographs to study children's behavior, and worked as an educational therapist.
The Ringl+pit works and photographic oeuvre of Ellen Auerbach and Greta Stern were rediscovered in the 1980s, and a series of solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Germany followed.
Ghitta Carell was the professional name of Ghitta Klein, a naturalized Italian photographer, born in Hungary, who came to prominence between 1930 and 1950. Noted for her portraiture, she was a favored photographer among the aristocracy and despite her Jewish heritage she helped build the imagery used in Fascist propaganda. After the fall of Mussolini, she remained in Italy, though her field of influence was greatly diminished. At the end of the 1960s, she immigrated to Israel, where she died in obscurity. Her archives, preserved by the 3M Foundation, have widely toured throughout Europe and a revival of interest in evaluating her skill as a technician has developed in the 21st century.
Lucien Clergue is a French photographer of black and white photography, the first photographer elected a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
Lucien Clergue is one of the most famous photographers in France and founder of the annual Arles Festival, which has become the main event in the world of artistic photography, attended by up to 100,000 people. His famous photographic works - modernist black and white studies of female nudes, harlequins, dead animals, gypsies and bullfighting - are considered exemplary of the photographer-artist. Clergue is also known for his friendship with Pablo Picasso, which lasted some 30 years, until the artist's death.
Walker Evans was an American photographer and photojournalist best known for his work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) documenting the effects of the Great Depression. Much of Evans' work from the FSA period uses the large-format, 8×10-inch (200×250 mm) view camera. He said that his goal as a photographer was to make pictures that are "literate, authoritative, transcendent".
Many of his works are in the permanent collections of museums and have been the subject of retrospectives at such institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the George Eastman Museum.
Nan Goldin is an acclaimed American photographer renowned for her profound visual narratives that delve into her personal world, marked by themes of addiction, sexuality, and intimate relationships. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1953, Goldin's journey into photography began in the early 1970s, capturing the lives of those around her, forming a "substitute family" amid a backdrop of drugs, sex, and violence.
One of Goldin's most celebrated works, "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency" (1986), is a raw and intimate portrayal of her "tribe," documenting their lives through the late 70s and early 80s in New York City. This work, initially presented as a slideshow, captures moments of love, sexuality, and domestic life, transcending into a poignant narrative of the era's challenges, particularly the AIDS crisis.
Throughout her career, Goldin's photography has continued to evolve, exploring various themes and mediums, including film. Her work, deeply personal and often autobiographical, challenges conventional perceptions of beauty, identity, and relationships, offering a window into the complexities of human connection and the essence of her subjects.
Goldin's influence extends beyond the art world, with her activism, particularly against the opioid crisis, marking another significant chapter in her journey. Her profound empathy and commitment to portraying the raw, unfiltered realities of life resonate through her extensive body of work, which continues to be celebrated in exhibitions and collections globally.
For art collectors and enthusiasts, Goldin's work offers not just aesthetic value but also deep emotional and historical resonance. To stay informed about Nan Goldin's works and related updates, signing up for newsletters from prominent galleries or her exhibitions could provide valuable insights and opportunities for engagement with her art.
Lewis W. Hine was not an artist in the traditional sense, but rather a photographer and social documentary photographer who used his camera as a tool for social change. He is best known for his work in the early 20th century, documenting the living and working conditions of children in the United States.
Hine's photographs were instrumental in bringing about changes in child labor laws in the United States, and his images were used as evidence in court cases and Congressional hearings. He believed that photography could be a powerful tool for social reform, and he used his camera to highlight the injustices and hardships faced by working-class Americans.
In addition to his work as a photographer, Hine was also a teacher and an advocate for the arts. He taught at the Ethical Culture School in New York City, where he encouraged his students to use photography as a means of social commentary.
Hine's legacy as a photographer and social activist continues to inspire generations of artists and advocates for social justice. His photographs are considered a valuable historical record of life in the early 20th century, and his commitment to using art as a means of social change remains a powerful example of the role that artists can play in shaping society.
Dennis Lee Hopper was not only a prominent figure in the American film industry but also an accomplished photographer whose work captured the essence of a transformative era in the United States. Hopper's artistic journey spanned various mediums, with photography holding a special place in his array of talents. His photographic career, which began in earnest during the 1960s, offers a compelling glimpse into the cultural and social landscapes of the time.
Dennis Lee Hopper's photography is celebrated for its raw, candid portrayal of his surroundings, capturing moments that range from the intimate to the chaotic. His images provide a personal narrative of his life and times, reflecting his connections with key cultural and artistic figures of the era. His work is not just a collection of images but a visual diary, chronicling the vibrant and often tumultuous world he inhabited.
Notably, Dennis Lee Hopper's photographic portfolio offers an invaluable perspective on the American counterculture movement, showcasing his keen eye for composition and his ability to capture the spirit of the moment. His photographs, including portraits of famous contemporaries and snapshots of street scenes, resonate with authenticity and artistic integrity.
For collectors and enthusiasts in the realms of art and antiques, Dennis Lee Hopper's photographs represent a unique convergence of cinematic and photographic artistry. His works not only capture moments in time but also evoke the broader cultural shifts of his era. For those interested in exploring Hopper's photographic legacy, staying informed about exhibitions and auctions can provide opportunities to engage with his work more deeply and appreciate his contribution to the art of photography.
To stay updated on Dennis Lee Hopper's photographic works and related events, subscribing to updates from art galleries and auction houses is recommended. This subscription will provide timely information on new exhibitions, sales, and insights into Hopper's impact on the world of photography and art.
Peter Hujar was an American photographer best known for his black and white portraits. He has been recognized posthumously as a major American photographer of the late-twentieth century. Yet Hujar's work received only marginal public recognition during his lifetime.
Walde Huth, née Waldberta Huth, is a German photographer known for her street photos and portraits of famous people and fashion models.
She graduated from the State School of Applied Arts in Weimar, and after World War II she became a freelance photographer doing portrait and art photography. Walde Huth is primarily known for her fashion shots of the '50s, she also took unique stills and advertising photos, and created portraits of famous contemporaries. Her iconic fashion shots were taken in Paris. She shot the most famous models of her time not in the studio, but on location in the city, in front of the Eiffel Tower, along the Seine River, in contrast to the architecture and street life.
Walde Huth was an exceptional woman, a creative artist and a versatile photographer.
Johann Baptist Isenring was a Swiss landscape painter and printmaker, one of the first photographers in 19th-century Switzerland.
Johann studied painting and aquatint at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, opened an art studio in St. Gallen in 1828 and soon began publishing his lithographic collection of picturesque views of Switzerland's most remarkable cities and towns.
In 1839, Isenring, fascinated by the discoveries of Niépce and Daguerre, bought equipment for "daguerreotype" and a year later organized an exhibition in his studio in Multtertor, which was probably the first photographic exhibition in the world. Isenring even gave up painting for a while and worked as a photographer for two years, settling in Munich. He made portraits, photographs of architecture, reproductions of paintings and developed a coloring method for his prints, which he patented in America.
Helga Kneidl, née Claus, is a German photographer.
Helga worked as a dancer in her youth and married stage designer Karl Kneidl in 1961. She then learned theater photography in Zurich and worked in theaters as a staff photographer. Helga Kneidl gradually gained a reputation for taking portraits of many famous people, and her work was published in newspapers and magazines.
In May 1973, Helga Kneidl spent three full days with actress Romy Schneider in Paris, taking a series of photographic portraits of her.
Since 1997, Helga Kneidl lives in Berlin and works mainly in portrait photography.
Angela Lo Priore is an Italian portrait photographer living and working in Rome and Milan.
Women are one of the main subjects of Angela's photographs, but scenic design plays an important role here, helping to create surrealistic subjects.
Having experimented with different forms of photography in architecture, advertising and fashion, Angela Lo Priore has found her true artistic expression in portraiture. The portraits of stars and divas of Italian and world cinema are her most famous works. The result of this work is the book "One Hundred Portraits", a gallery of one hundred stunning photographic portraits of famous actors, actresses and directors.
Christopher Makos is an American photographer and artist living and working in New York City.
Makos has traveled extensively in Europe, studied architecture in Paris, and studied with photographer Man Ray. In 1977 he met media artist and pop art star Andy Warhol and has been friends, traveled with him and photographed him extensively ever since. Makos published several acclaimed books on Warhol, and the latter called Makos "the most modern photographer in America."
In addition to him, Makos took photographic portraits of many art stars, including Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dali, John Lennon and Mick Jagger. His work has been published by many of the world's most famous magazines.
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, celebrated for his black-and-white photographs that captured a range of subjects including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. Born in New York in 1946, Mapplethorpe's work is renowned for its technical precision, formal elegance, and controversial content, particularly his documentation of the gay male BDSM subculture and his erotic art. His body of work not only includes provocative themes but also more traditional subjects like flowers, showcasing his versatile artistic talent.
Robert Mapplethorpe's education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn was foundational to his artistic journey, where he met Patti Smith and began his explorations in photography, initially through Polaroid camera use before advancing to more sophisticated techniques. His collaboration with Lisa Lyon, the first World Women's Bodybuilding Champion, and his retrospectives at significant institutions like the Whitney Museum of American Art highlight his broad artistic impact and continued influence in the art world. Despite his premature death in 1989 due to complications from AIDS, Mapplethorpe's legacy endures, supported by the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation which promotes photography and funds medical research.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Robert Mapplethorpe's work remains a testament to the power of photography as a medium of both aesthetic beauty and provocative commentary. To stay updated on sales and auction events related to Robert Mapplethorpe's works, sign up for updates to not miss out on owning a piece of this influential artist's legacy.
Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, known by his pen name Nadar, is a French photographer, cartoonist, journalist, writer and balloonist.
Throughout his career, Nadar shot portraits of many famous personalities, including writers, artists, musicians and politicians. Among them were Victor Hugo and Charles Baudelaire, Sarah Bernhardt and George Sand. Nadar's portraits were in great demand as he had a unique ability to reveal the inner essence of his subjects, revealing their character and emotions.
In addition to portraiture, Nadar was an aerial photographer, using hot air balloons to capture breathtaking images from high above. His boldness and adventurous spirit led him to explore new perspectives and techniques, making a significant contribution to the development of aerial photography. In 1858, he became the first person to take aerial photographs.
Helmut Newton (born Helmut Neustädter) was a German-Australian photographer. The New York Times described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications."
Carmen Oberst is a German artist, graphic designer and photographer.
She has lived in Hamburg since 1980 and works as an independent photographic artist, curator and teacher of design using photographic media.
Carmen Oberst originally worked as a graphic designer. Since 1997 she has been active in photography and experimental film, holding numerous exhibitions at home and abroad. Back in the 1980s, she developed her own visual language based on analog black and white photography and photoalchemical experiments. And in 1996 she founded PHOTO.KUNST.RAUM, a center for fine art photography and fine art known outside Hamburg.
Carmen Oberst turns the world into a stage: she routinely uses found events and randomly present people to create a fantastical production from the group of works "Rods of Imagination - On the Road" through the medium of photography.
Edward Quinn is an Irish photographer famous for his portraits of celebrities and artists.
Edward Quinn began his career as a photojournalist, covering events such as the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. In the 1950s he moved to the French Riviera and began photographing the rich and famous — Pablo Picasso, Brigitte Bardot, Grace Kelly, Max Ernst, Alexander Calder, Francis Bacon, Salvador Dali, Graham Sutherland, David Hockney.
Quinn's photographs are noted for their naturalness and spontaneity. He had a talent for capturing his subjects in inconspicuous moments and revealing their true essence. His portraits often show his subjects relaxed and at ease, as if they were unaware of the camera's presence.
In addition to photography, Quinn was also a writer and filmmaker. He wrote several books about the French Riviera and made a documentary about Pablo Picasso.
JR (French: Jean René) is the pseudonym of a French photographer and artist who does not give his full name. He lives and works in Paris and New York.
He describes himself as a "photograffeur" (photographer and graffiti artist in one word) and claims that the street is "the biggest gallery in the world". His work is flyposting large black and white images in public spaces. JR works at the intersection of photography, street art, filmmaking and social activism. Over the past two decades he has developed many public projects in cities around the world, from buildings in the slums of Paris to walls in the Middle East and Africa or favelas in Brazil.
JR places large-scale photographic images in public spaces. He started creating graffiti as a teenager on the streets and rooftops of Paris and on the subway. In 2007, he gained worldwide attention by placing huge photographs of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight Palestinian and Israeli cities on both sides of the separation barrier. In his works, the photographer always addresses current political and social issues in the world. For example, in 2019, JR worked with a group of inmates of a maximum security prison in California and created a large format piece with portraits of the inmates.
JR has traveled to many cities with his work, participating in exhibitions, he has collaborated with magazines and created films about his work. JR has also directed three feature-length documentaries, one of which, Women Are Heroes (2011) was nominated for an Oscar. At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, he won the Golden Eye for Best Documentary.
Linn Schröder is a German photographer living and working in Hamburg and Berlin.
Schröder studied at the HAW University Hamburg, then went on to study at the Hochschule für Arbeitsgemeinschaft in Hamburg, specializing in communication design/photography, and the Gestalt School in Zurich.
Her works often deal with the relationship between dream and reality, they are like a record of memories. Some of Linn Schröder's series are based on family photographs. The images in her photo series "I Think and Family Photographs" deal with one of the most original tasks of photography - to capture and preserve memories.
Many of the photographer's works have won numerous awards and have been shown repeatedly throughout Europe. Linn Schröder collaborates with international magazines and regularly teaches at the Berlin-Weißensee School of Art, the HTW Berlin Institute and the Ostkreuzschule for Photography, among others. Several books have been published on Schröder's work.
Jeanloup Sieff was a French photographer distinguished for his portraits, landscapes, and notably, his nudes. Born on November 30, 1933, in Paris, Sieff was known for his mastery in the use of black and white film, and his skillful use of wide-angle lenses and dodging techniques in the darkroom. His career spanned various fields, including fashion photography, where he was particularly prolific, contributing to major publications such as Elle.
Sieff's education at the École Vaugirard in Paris and the École Supérieure d’arts appliqués in Vevey, Switzerland, laid the foundation for a career that would be marked by an elegant integration of surrealism into his works, reminiscent of Man Ray's influence. He began as a freelance photojournalist in 1954 before later turning his lens towards fashion.
Sieff's photographs, characterized by an ethereal quality and a certain timelessness, continue to be celebrated in exhibitions and collections around the world. His work is not only a study of form and contrast but also an exploration of the subtle interplay of light and shadow.
For those interested in the evolution of photography, particularly in the realm of fashion and portraiture, Jeanloup Sieff’s work stands as an important bridge between the classic and the modern. His images remain a source of inspiration for photographers and a subject of admiration for collectors and art lovers globally.
Philip "Snapdragon" Stern was an American photographer noted for his iconic portraits of Hollywood stars, as well as his war photography while serving as a U.S. Army Ranger with "Darby's Rangers" during the North African and Italian campaigns in World War II.
Bert Stern, real name Bertram Stern, is an American fashion photographer and documentary filmmaker.
His career began with the iconic and legendary Smirnoff Vodka advertising campaign in 1955. Using a well-equipped studio, Stern experimented with many of the latest techniques, including videotaping, screen printing, photo offset combinations and computer prints. His brilliant work made him a star in the advertising world, photographing advertising campaigns for Canon, Dupont, Pepsi-Cola, US Steel and Volkswagen brands. One of the high points of Bert Stern's career was working for Vogue in the 1960s.
Despite his drug addiction, the fashion photographer was sought after by Madison Avenue, Hollywood and the international fashion scene for decades.
Stern was one of the last photographers to shoot Marilyn Monroe in June and July 1962, six months before her death. Some of these photographs were published in Vogue magazine. In 1982, Bert Stern published The Last Sitting, a book that includes many of his more than 2,500 images, including those that Monroe did not like and were crossed out.
Stern directed and cinematographed the films Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959), A Date with an Angel (1987), and The Unknown Marilyn (2012).
Robert Stivers is an American photographer.
He became interested in photography at a mature age, after a career as a dancer and choreographer. Self-taught in the art of photography, Stivers prides himself on his printing skills. His photographs are printed on matte paper and are often tinted by hand or processed in a darkroom.
The aesthetics of early photography and silent film are evident in Stivers' work, helping the viewer immerse himself in a familiar but distant cultural unconscious. In his technique, the photographer uses defocused images, a blur of movement, to create a hazy vision of the world. In Stivers' photographs, the viewer sees ghostly images of dreams, where objects float and pose, or find themselves caught in the middle of a gesture that reflects his past history in dance.
Jock Sturges is an American photographer living in Seattle, Washington.
After serving in the Army, Jock earned a Master of Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute and studied psychology. Diligently and extensively photographed teenagers on nude beaches in California, France or Ireland. This attracted the attention of law enforcement, but the artistic community of the United States and Europe spoke in defense of the photographer, and in the end he was not charged.
But after that Jock Sturges became popular: he published more than 10 personal albums, as a master of children's and teenage pictures he organized many solo exhibitions and took part in the same number of group exhibitions. However, these exhibitions were often accompanied by high-profile scandals, one of which happened in Russia in 2016: senators accused the photographer of distributing child pornography.
Lothar Wolleh is a German photographer.
Lothar Wolleh had a difficult fate: after the war he spent many years first in Allied captivity and then in the USSR, and only after returning to Berlin in 1956 was he able to resume his education at Lette-Verein, the school of photography, design and fashion.
As one of the most expensive and well-known photographers in the FRG of the 1960s, Wolleh worked successfully in fashion and advertising, collaborating with Deutsche Bundesbahn, Tchibo and Volkswagen. In 1969, Wolleh traveled around the Soviet Union for several months. Photographs taken on this trip were included in the illustrated book "The USSR - The Soviet State and its People", published in 1970.
But Wolleh's greatest fame and popularity came from his 109 portraits of contemporary artists. He began this series in the late 1960s and devoted all the following years of his life to it. His works are so recognizable and distinctive that they often became the reference portraits of the photographed artists.