Post originally authored by Travis Dewitz – Eau Claire Portrait Photographer
As a photographer, I spend a great deal of time looking at other photographer’s work. I look at my local competition, search the internet, and I look through books and magazines trying to find the best and most intriguing. During the great deal of time I spend Googling photos, a few photographers stand out to me. I find myself going back to view and study their work a lot. I have bookmarked their sites and I follow their blogs watching for their latest photographs. Their photographs stand out on another level not matched by very many. What makes their work stand out from many photographers is how many of their images tell a story in one frame. They make you stop and think longer than many other images that you flick by.
This is my Top 10 Best Portrait Photographers Today list. This top 10 list is comprised of a selection of my personal top 10 portrait photographers today. These photographers stand out because they are very good, PERIOD. I will admit that there are other factors that got them to my top 10 list. Many of them are already well-known (because they are the best) and that helped to get their images in front of my eyes. Some of them are actually famous which Google does a good job at putting towards the top of many of my search terms since everyone else is writing about them too. Factors like these really can mess with someone making a top 10 best of list as there are 1,000s of great photographers that could have easily made this list if I had seen their portrait works. Plus a top 10 photographer list is pretty hard to narrow down. I could have done a top 2,500 list but nobody would have read it. So take my selections with a grain of salt that this isn’t the one and only top 10 portrait photographer list. A few other factors went into my list like, a few of the selected photographers offer training to help other photographers in mastering this craft. The list below is in no particular order and feel free to share anywhere you wish, please just keep my link included at the top or bottom.
Joe McNally
Joe McNally | portfolio.joemcnally.com
Joe McNally
portfolio.joemcnally.com
Joe McNally’s Photography Books
Google Images
Joey Lawrence
Joey Lawrence | www.joeyl.com
Joey Lawrence
www.joeyl.com
Joey Lawrence’s DVDs
Google Images
Scott Kelby
Scott Kelby | www.scottkelby.com
Scott Kelby
www.scottkelby.com
Scott Kelby’s Books
Google Images
Zack Arias
Zack Arias | zackarias.com
Zack Arias
zackarias.com
Google Images
Tim Flach
Tim Flach | www.timflach.com
Tim Flach
www.timflach.com
Tim Flach’s Books
Google Images
Erik Almas
Erik Almas | www.erikalmas.com
Erik Almas
www.erikalmas.com
Google Images
Chase Jarvis
Chase Jarvis | www.chasejarvis.com
Chase Jarvis
www.chasejarvis.com
Chase Jarvis’ Books
Google Images
Michael Muller
Michael Muller | www.mullerphoto.com
Michael Muller
www.mullerphoto.com
Google Images
Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz
no personal website
www.vanityfair.com/contributors/annie-leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz’s Books
Google Images
Jaime Ibarra
Jaime Ibarra | ibarraphoto.com
Jaime Ibarra
ibarraphoto.com
Google Images
Links to my Best Work – Instagram / Commercial Photography / Photojournalism
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Wylee
I feel somewhat comforted by the idea that the one woman photographer you included is the only photographer whose work I immediately recognize. On the other hand, it does seem like a rather male-heavy list, doesn’t it? Or is it just me? I’m sure it’s just me. Carry on.
Travis Dewitz
Now that you pointed that out, it really is male heavy. I choose the portrait photographers based solely off their photography. My number 11 pick was a female photographer though.
Travis Dewitz
She was also on my list. Her work is very art like. http://www.bottlebellphotography.com
Bobbie Sue Baker
I agree with all of your choices, but what about Sally Mann?
Nick
Good picks!
Travis Dewitz
Thank you, Nick.
Travis Dewitz
Very cool being able to surprise Scott Kelby.
RickN
Any list that omits Dan Winter, is, well……… Nice try, though.
Travis Dewitz
Dan was another photographer that I need to cut to hit my top 10. Maybe I need to revisit this and do my top 50 🙂
Mark
great list, thanks for sharing.
(but no jeremy cowart? sigh.)
Travis Dewitz
He was one of the photographers I had to cut. It was tough trying to get down to just my Top 10. Thank you.
Travis Dewitz
I don’t know if I want to work harder or quit, when I look at my Top 10 Favorite Portrait photographer’s portfolios.
guna
super
Beth Potocsnak
Love Jerry Ghionis!
Travis Dewitz
I will check him out, Beth. Thank you.
Jordan
I’d put Jill Greenberg in there.
Travis Dewitz
Great suggestion, Jordan. I will say I’m not a big fan of her latest set of high detail (HDR looking) portraits but they are unique and eye catching. Her other work is great. Very inspiring. Thanks again.
CHARLES T.H.
I also like Robert Maxwell’s B&W and I do agree with Wylee’s earlier comment that adding another female to your top 10 would have been a good move. I am not a feminist but more of an egalitarian in today’s complex society.. Cheers!
Travis Dewitz
I can say that I only choose the photographers by the work that I found and not by the name attached to it. I love Sally Manns work, but she has a very narrow field of portrait subjects that she works with which was the reason she didn’t make the list. Not a global enough appeal. Do any female portrait photographers come to mind whose work should take the place of someone on my list? I really would love to know. Thank you for your suggestions.
Ed
Thanks for the picks. You have highlighted some really great photographers. Are you familiar with the work of George DeLoache out of Los Angeles. He is has received the Eastman Kodak Gallery Elite Awards in the portrait category. Check out his websites.
http://www.deloachephoto.com and http://www.georgedeloache.com
Travis Dewitz
Thank you. I have not heard of him so I checked his work out. Very nice work especially his black and white photos.
Ed
Yes I really like the black and white work also, I met George when I took a workshop on lighting at his studio.
Jeremy Cowart
How come I am not in the list?
Travis Dewitz
I like much of Cowart’s work but as a whole when this was put together, his portfolio wasn’t as strong as the 10 photographers above but he was considered.
Nick
@stopticphotography – I find it interesting to follow new photographers and watch their work evolve as they experiment with new styles. One that I just discovered
Hawaii Photographer
Awesome Photography!!
Diane M
I absolutely love, love love Scott Kelby’s work. Absolute genius. Thanks for sharing this post and I cant wait to ckeck out the rest of the people on the list. Readers might want to check out this tutorial on cool photography tricks they can use on their own bit.ly/fotomasterclass
Reservo
Hi,
May I recommend Reservo for photographers. It’s an image sharing script that allows you to setup an image hosting site. It also contains a number of tools perfect for photographers.
Kind regards,
http://reservo.co
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