DesignScene
Do you know who shot this picture? That’s right, we often know the picture but don’t know the faces behind the camera. Here are 15 photographers you never knew you knew.
1. Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz is the photographer behind the Kanye West and Kim Kardashian picture above, and probably the most famous portrait photographer today.
She worked with most major celebrities, including John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Demi Moore, and also President Barack Obama.
She started her career at Rolling Stone in 1970s, and worked there for 10 years defining the magazine look. In her photographs she seeks intimate moments with her subjects, who "open their hearts and souls and lives to you." In 2009, she was awarded The Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship (HonFRPS) in recognition of a sustained, significant contribution to the art of photography. [WebNeel]
2. Terry Richardson
Either you like him or you hate him. Regardless of your opinion, he is a successful fashion photographer who is mainly famous for explicitly sexual scenes and nudity in his photographs. He took candid and quite whimsical portraits of Kate Moss, Kate Upton, Jared Leto and many other celebrities.
3. Bruce Weber
Bruce Weber shot for Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ and Interview magazines. He has also been the man behind the camera for fashion campaigns for brands like Calvin Klein, Revlon, Versace and Ralph Lauren. He is mostly known for his ultra-sexy, and largely homo-erotic catalogs created for Ohio-based contemporary brand, Abercrombie and Fitch during the 90’s.
Weber first rose to international prominence in the early eighties on the success of images that combined classical styling with desire, mood and sexuality.Throughout his career, Weber has worked in various forms – he directed seven short and feature length films, published more than 21 books and has held more than 60 exhibitions worldwide – extending his lifelong exploration of the nature of human relationships. [AdcGlobal]
Most recent work of Bruce Weber: The latest cover of Jake Gyllenhaal for NYC-based luxury magazine, Man of the World.
4. Mario Testino
He shot numerous photos for Vogue and Vanity Fair, and celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Gisele Bundchen, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Britney Spears and many others. He shot campaigns for Gucci, Burberry, Versace and Calvin Klein, and according to the Richest, he is also the photographer of choice whenever the Royal family of England chooses to be profiled in a luxury publication. He photographed Princess Diana for Vanity Fair magazine in 1997, and most recently the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton.
5. Nick Knight
Nick Knight is a British photographer and director of SHOWstudio.com, an online fashion broadcasting company committed to pioneering live fashion media [Portable]. According to the Richest, he has worked with Alexander McQueen, Jil Sander, Levi Strauss, Christian Dior, Audi and even Mercedes Benz. He has also shot videos for Bjork and Lady Gaga, and most recently he directed the video for “Bound 2” by Kanye West, which featured a topless Kim Kardashian on a motorcycle with the Chicago rapper.
6. Mario Sorrenti
NYC based Italian photographer Mario Sorrenti has shot several top-tier models for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and his most recent work was rapper Drake's cover photograph in GQ magazine. He has also shot album covers for Shakira.
7. Mert & Marcus
Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, both were born in the same year, but had different careers before they joined their forces in this creative duo: Mert was a prominent Turkish model and Marcus was an assistant to a still-life photographer. Their striking images can be seen in LOVE Magazine, Vogue, Interview, Arena and many more. They also shot ad campaigns for Miu Miu, Gucci, Givenchy and Lancome.
8. Sarah Silver
Sarah Silver is a young NYC photographer, and her photographs appeared in several magazines including PDN/PIX, Italian Vogue, Elle and Time Out NY and the New York Times. Most recently Sarah worked on America's Next Top Model.
9. Steven Meisel
Steven Meisel is an American photographer, who obtained popular acclaim with his work in US and Italian Vogue and his photographs of friend Madonna in her 1992 book "Sex". He is now considered one of the most successful fashion photographers in the industry, shooting regularly for both US and Italian Vogue, and lately W (also published by Condé Nast)
As Madonna once said herself, there is “a great sense of mystery" about Meisel—so much so that after all these years she feels she still doesn't really know him very well. "I know that I love him," she says. "You get sucked into his aura. He knows things." Lutefiskmagazine
10. Rankin
His full name is John Rankin Waddel, but he simply goes by Rankin. According to FadedAndBlurred, Rankin is one of the leading photographers in the world. He has done shots for ELLE, Esquire and Look, and is most famous for his work with Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, and Dazed & Confused magazine, which he founded with his partner, Jefferson Hack. He has also worked with celebrities like Robert Downey Jr., Carey Mulligan, Madonna, U2, and even the Queen of England.
“Photography to me is an addiction. I get jittery after a couple of days without of camera. Everyone who knows me says I’m happiest when I’m shooting.” - Rankin FadedAndBlurred
SelectedViews Heidi Chocolate Eyes Shut, 2009 © Rankin
11. Mikael Jansson
Mikael Jansson is a world known Swedish photographer, currently living and working in New York. He shot for W Magazine, Vogue, Love, i-D, and created numerous campaigns for Christian Dior, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and many other fashion brands.
12. Tony Kelly
Tony Kelly is a world famous Dublin born photographer, whose trademarks, according to Vimeo, are dynamism, sex, relationships that are transgressed, beautiful men and women, ugly emotions, ferocious colors, darkest black, and total dedication to the integrity of the shoot. His work for Complex and Playboy magazines is exceptionally vibrant and kinetic. He’s done shots of Kate Upton, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and many more.
13. Karl Lagerfeld
Visionary, eclectic and iconic - Karl Lagerfeld is everything: A fashion designer, a publisher, a film director, and a photographer. His photography career is impressive and also long-lasting. In 2011, Lagerfeld shot Kanye West for the VMan cover. The image was that with Lagerfeld’s serious and minimalist tone. Showing a new version of Kanye. Lagerfeld’s “Little Black Jacket”, a photography exhibition and book celebrating the Classic Chanel garment, was announced in 2012.
14. David LaChapelle
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David LaChapelle is an American commercial photographer, fine-art photographer, music video director, film director, and artist best known for his photography that often references art history. His style is hyper-realistic, highly saturated aesthetic, often making social commentary.
Andy Warhol was the first who noticed his talent, and assigned him a job for Interview Magazine. Since then, LaChapelle shot iconic covers and ad campaigns for Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and many more.
15. Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindenberg is a world-known fashion photography icon and has been working in the industry since the late 1970s. He shot for Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Allure, and Rolling Stone. He shoots mainly in black and white due to his inspiration by early German cinema and the Berlin art scenes of the 19020s.
All images © of respective photographers and galleries