Famous Portrait Photographers: 51 Artists to Know

Famous portrait photographers worth studying include Julia Margaret Cameron, Yousuf Karsh, Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, and Steve McCurry. Each offers a different way to photograph a person, from a carefully lit studio portrait to a face framed by its surroundings.

This guide brings together 51 photographers, with examples of their work and links to explore further. It includes historical figures, influential modern photographers, and a wider selection of portrait styles. It is a selection for inspiration, not a ranking or a complete history of the genre.

Start with a style you want to explore. Look at the light, framing, pose, and background in each example, then choose one idea to try in your own portrait session.

Find Portrait Photographers by Style

Use this shortlist to find a starting point in the full collection below.

If you want to study…	Start with…	Look closely at…
Expressive, softly focused portraits	Julia Margaret Cameron	The face, light, and separation from the background
Dramatic studio portraits	Yousuf Karsh and George Hurrell	The relationship between lit areas and shadows
Portraits that use a setting	Arnold Newman	How objects and space contribute to the portrait
Fashion and celebrity portraits	Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, and Peter Lindbergh	Pose, styling, and the mood of the image
Close-up faces	Martin Schoeller and Lee Jeffries	Framing, expression, and visible detail
Staged and imaginative portraits	David LaChapelle and Jovana Rikalo	Color, costumes, and the story within the scene
Portraits made during travel	Steve McCurry and David Lazar	The relationship between the person and the surroundings

Portrait photography overlaps with many types of photography, including fashion, editorial photography, and wedding photography. Here, the focus is on each photographer’s pictures of people.

A portrait can suggest character, but it also reflects choices made by the photographer and subject. A relaxed expression alone does not tell us whether a picture was candid or directed. Study the visible result without assuming how every image was made.

Famous Portrait Photographers You Should Know

Compare several portraits by each photographer rather than judging a whole career from one image. The examples below show different approaches to light, expression, and storytelling.

The three sections cover historical portrait photographers, influential modern work, and more portrait photographers to explore. The groups are a browsing aid, not a claim about who is alive, newly established, or more important.

If our list of the best portrait photographers inspires you, check out our Profit from Portraits ebook. It has everything you need to know about getting started with portrait photography.

Navigate through the different categories of portrait photographers using the links below. 

• Famous Portrait Photographers from History
• Influential Modern Portrait Photographers
• More Portrait Photographers to Explore

Famous Portrait Photographers from History

In this section, we’re celebrating the portrait photographers of the past. They’re artists who have led the way in portrait photography over the decades, breaking rules and setting standards.

Their work spans the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Look for different ways to use a studio, a location, or a carefully chosen pose.

Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879)

Julia Margaret Cameron was a true trailblazer of portrait photography. Not only was she a woman thriving in a man’s world, but she also developed her own style of portrait photography. Her work divided opinion in her own time: some photographic critics objected to its technical imperfections, while artists and other reviewers praised it.

Her softly focused portraits direct attention to expression rather than crisp detail. Compare the light on the face with the darker background in the examples here.

Her subjects included Charles Darwin, Henry Taylor, and Sir John Herschel, as well as family members and people from her household.

See more of Julia Margaret Cameron’s work here.

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)

Edward S. Curtis is one of the most important names in American photography. He was a photographer working in the American West near the turn of the century. His portrait collection is an important historical archive.

Curtis photographed hundreds of indigenous people from various tribal groups across America. They include the Hopi tribes in the southwest and the Inuit peoples in the north.

His collection includes portraits of Geronimo, Red Cloud, and Chief Joseph. Read the sitter names and cultural context alongside the pictures; these are portraits of individuals and communities, not illustrations of a single “Wild West” story.

Check out Edward S Curtis’s masterworks here.

James Van Der Zee (1886-1983)

James Van Der Zee was an essential part of the Harlem Renaissance of the ’20s and ’30s. His portraits are stylish and well-crafted. But his work also serves as a historical document for a significant moment in African-American history.

Van Der Zee used his camera to document the fashions and figures of a black culture revival in New York. His portraits show a middle-class African-American society. It’s a self-confident community that was thriving culturally.

Some of his notable subjects are dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and civil rights leader Marcus Garvey. He worked mainly in a studio, using lavish props and set dressings.

This James Van Der Zee collection is the best way to see Harlem in its heyday.

George Hurrell (1904-1992)

George Hurrell was a portrait photographer from the golden age of cinema. As the official photographer of MGM Studio, his portraits captured some of Hollywood’s most iconic actors and actresses.

Hurrell’s celebrated list of subjects includes everyone from Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart to Joan Crawford and Marilyn Monroe.

The archetypal celebrity photographer, his portraits are intensely glamorous. His collection strengthens the legend and mystique of this timeless Hollywood era. His style is dramatic, with strong contrasts between light and dark.

If you love Hollywood glamor, this George Hurrell collection is a must-see.

Angus McBean (1904-1990)

Angus McBean is often overlooked when it comes to lists of the most famous portrait photographers. But he shouldn’t be. His portraits were wholly original, blending a sharp style with surrealism and wit.

McBean’s style was less polished and more earthy than his contemporaries. His lighting was sharp and dramatic, which he used for a darker tone in his work. He wasn’t afraid to add surrealist elements or humor, even when working with Hollywood stars.

As a celebrity portrait photographer, he worked with A-listers like Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, and The Beatles.

This is the perfect book if you want more portraits from Angus McBean.

Philippe Halsman (1906-1979)

Philippe Halsman brought humor and movement into his portrait work. He had close connections to surrealist artists and was a long-time collaborator with Salvador Dali.

His portraits are joyful and exuberant. His subjects are often snapped in mid-air as they jump and dance before the camera. But despite the humor, there’s always a personal warmth to his images. His portrait photos are uniquely personal.

As well as Salvador Dali, prominent subjects include Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, and Muhammad Ali. His skill behind the camera also led to a career as a fashion photographer.

Click here to see more of Halsman’s Jump collection. Or maybe you prefer his book of portraits.

Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002)

Yousuf Karsh is undoubtedly one of the greatest portrait photographers of all time. You may not be familiar with his name, but you’ve probably seen a few of his portraits.

His name reached global acclaim with his stunning portrait of Winston Churchill in 1941. He went on to photograph some of the most iconic individuals of the 20th Century. These include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Muhammad Ali, and Nikita Khrushchev.

His style is clean and classy. The portraits are posed and deliberate. But they all pack a punch of personality and charm. Most modern portrait photographers owe a debt to Yousuf Karsh.

See the full Yousuf Karsh retrospective here.

Robert Capa (1913-1954)

Some might be surprised to see Robert Capa on a list of famous portrait photographers. It’s true that he made his name as a photojournalist. But there’s a case to be made about Capa’s abilities as a portrait photographer.

Capa is famed for his courageous war reportage, with stunning images from the Spanish Civil War and World War II. But as you look through his collection, you’ll find it’s littered with captivating and enchanting portraits.

Capa died in 1954 while photographing the war in Indochina. Alongside the conflict photographs, look for portraits of figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.

Here’s the full collection from Robert Capa.

Arnold Newman (1918-2006)

Arnold Newman was an American photographer famed for his environmental portraits. He used a person’s surroundings to help describe their life and work. An artist’s studio or a musician’s piano could become part of the composition. Environmental portraiture does not have to mean photographing outdoors.

His portraits have been printed in Life, Fortune, and Newsweek magazines. He has portraits of some significant players from the 20th century. These include presidents like Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan and artists and musicians like Picasso and Stravinsky.

You’ll find more of Arnold Newman’s finest portraits here.

Frank Horvat (1928 – 2020)

Frank Horvat was an Italian photographer who spent most of his life living and working in France. He had a long and varied professional life, working as a photojournalist and fashion photographer in a career spanning many decades. 

His fashion work is his most famous, including editorials and covers for Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. But portraiture plays a crucial role in his fashion photography style. His shots are playful and engaging, drawing you in with humor and juxtaposition.

When shooting for pleasure, his portraits are far more low-key and informal. They often look and feel completely candid, giving them an intimacy that bridges the gap between the subject and the viewer.  

You can get a taste of Horvat’s photography style in his Photofile book. Or you can take a deeper dive with the Frank Horvat: 50-65 anthology.

Richard Avedon (1923-2004)

Richard Avedon was an American fashion photographer born and raised in New York. His catalog oozes class and elegance. And his work as a portrait photographer is intelligent and creative, setting him apart from his peers.

His work spans several decades of the 20th century. And he has portraits of many notable figures from the arts, fashion, and politics. They include Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, and George H. W. Bush during his time as director of the CIA.

Avedon set the standard for portrait photographers to come. The elegance and coolness of his images have influenced many photographers who followed in his footsteps.

You’ve got to see Richard Avedon’s full collection.

Herb Ritts (1952-2002)

Herb Ritts defined a generation. He worked with some of the most famous people on the planet throughout the ’80s and ’90s. But to call him a celebrity photographer would be a disservice. His images are the definition of cool. And he produced some of the most iconic images of the period.

His sharp and stylish portraits led him to a career as a fashion photographer. And with his portrait photos, he helped establish the era of the supermodel. He worked with Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Claudia Schiffer.

Take a deep dive into the photography style of Herb Ritts here.

Influential Modern Portrait Photographers

This section moves from historical portraiture into fashion, music, editorial, and fine-art work. It includes Peter Lindbergh, who died in 2019, alongside photographers whose work spans later decades.

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is known for elaborately composed portraits of public figures. Her career spans several decades. Her portraits have graced the cover of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and Vogue.

The portraits shown here illustrate two different approaches: John Lennon seated on a couch and Arnold Schwarzenegger posed on skis. Compare how much context each frame gives the viewer.

She works in studios and on location. But the most striking aspect of her portrait photography is her composition. The shots are structured for a strong impact. But her subjects always have an air of openness.

Check out Annie Leibovitz’s early work here. Or you can dive into her later portraits here.

Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry is one of the most renowned photojournalists in the world. He documents conflicts and hardships across the globe. His portrait work plays a huge part in his journalism, bringing depth and soul to his war reportage.

His subjects are the people he encounters on his travels. They’re the afflicted and the conflicted, the protagonists and the victims. McCurry adds humanity to conflicts that can seem abstract to newspaper readers.

McCurry has an eye for a powerful image. He picks his subjects with precision and photographs them with compassion. His images are some of the most recognizable portraits and stand out in an era of mass media.

If Steve McCurry is your type of portrait photographer, you need to see his In Search of Elsewhere collection.

David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle is known for highly staged portraits with saturated color and surreal settings.

LaChapelle has a bold style that combines a kitsch aesthetic with a surrealist sensibility. He’s not afraid to exaggerate with colors or styles. There’s realism in his work, but he turns it up to 11.

David LaChapelle’s portraits have become a staple of popular music and culture. He’s worked with Lady Gaga, Eminem, and Tupac. Many of his images are just as iconic as the artists themselves.

Lost + Found: Part II is some of LaChapelle’s most adventurous work.

Mario Testino

Mario Testino came to prominence in the ’90s, photographing huge names like Madonna and Kate Moss. But his true breakout came from his photoshoot of Princess Diana. This shoot defined him as a truly famous portrait photographer.

Testino’s portrait style is bright and clean with a hint of old Hollywood glamor. His shots are styled and considered and leave nothing to chance. But his images have a familial quality. The subjects always seem at ease, like they’re in the company of friends.

See more of Mario Testino’s finest portraits in this collection.

Mark Mann

Mark Mann is a British portrait photographer. He’s made a name for himself as one of the finest celebrity portrait photographers. He’s worked with famous people in the arts, sports, and politics.

Mann’s portraits are rich in detail and color. He often uses a close-up composition for powerful and intimate portraits. Mann’s a master of the studio portrait. His lighting is deliberate but warm and sympathetic. He looks for the depths in his subjects.

Compare the close framing in the examples here. With less background to read, small changes in expression become more prominent.

Lorenzo Agius

Lorenzo Agius is a British photographer. His work encapsulated the feel-good hedonism of the Brit Pop of the ’90s. His early work with Ewan McGregor brought him to prominence. And since then, he’s become one of the most famous portrait photographers.

You can still find the fun-loving aesthetic of his ’90s work in his modern work. His best portrait photos have a cheeky sense of fun. He has the style and compositional skills of a fashion photographer. But he always brings out the humor in his subjects.

Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson is a British portrait photographer. But he’s also an extensive traveler photographing people from every corner of the earth. His portrait photography studies and celebrates traditional cultures worldwide.

Nelson’s portrait photography serves as a window into traditional cultures. His subjects wear the traditional dress of their people. And Nelson explores and examines everything in glorious detail. His portraits celebrate the heritage and roots of ancient cultures.

Peter Lindbergh (1944–2019)

Peter Lindbergh was a German fashion photographer and filmmaker. His black-and-white work helped shape the visual language of fashion portraiture. His career and dates are documented by Fotografiska’s exhibition, curated with the Peter Lindbergh Foundation.

Often working in black and white, his portraits are sharp and dramatic. The shots are styled, but they have an atmosphere of casual disruption. His shots often seem like he took them during the break of the shoot. His relaxed approach brings the personality out of his subjects.

Peter Lindbergh’s On Fashion book is a must-have for fashion fans.

Martin Schoeller

Martin Schoeller is known for closely framed portraits that give faces unusual prominence. His subjects include both public figures and people outside celebrity culture.

Schoeller has a distinct style that sets him apart from other portrait photographers. He’s a fan of the extreme close-up. In his account of developing this style, he describes using fluorescent tube lights to draw attention to the eyes. Do not confuse visible skin detail with hard lighting; look at shadow edges when judging the quality of light.

He takes two different approaches. One is more minimalist, with nothing but lights and a plain backdrop. And the other is more stylized, with lavish sets and props.

Raven B. Varona

Raven B. Varona, aka Ravie B, is a Bronx-based photographer who has made a name for herself in the world of music photography.

She started shooting downtown concerts in New York, getting to know the movers and shakers in the world of modern hip-hop. Now she’s shooting portraits for some of the biggest stars in popular music.

Color plays a huge part in her portraits, but the images are never overwhelming. Varona always finds the perfect balance of tones and hues to complement the subject and scene. 

Alessio Albi

Alessio Albi is an Italian portrait photographer working in the fashion industry. His portraits combine careful styling with atmospheric compositions.

Albi’s portrait style blends realism with a stylized approach. He creates an atmosphere of heightened reality. He has a collection of fabulous studio portraits, often in dynamic black and white. But his location shots steal the show with their cinematic vision and depth.

Kenneth Willardt

Kenneth Willardt is a fashion photographer with a passion for close-up portraits. Study the close framing and the relationship between color, hair, and makeup in his portraits.

His portraits are intense and pop with color and energy. Hair, makeup, and set design play a huge role in his photography. All this, combined with his strong compositions, makes his portrait work stand out from the crowd.

Jovana Rikalo

Jovana Rikalo is a fine art photographer. She uses her portraits to tell magical stories and create fairy tales. She has a unique style that evokes a mythical past and brings legends to life.

Rikalo uses intricate costumes and set designs to create her scenes. She’s a visual storyteller, and each shot takes us on another step of the journey. Her portraits have incredible attention to detail. And her set design skills are matched by her camera work.

We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with Jovana Rikalo. Together, we made an incredible guide to Fairytale Portraits. It has all the tips, tricks, and techniques to make your own portraits in her style.

Philip Edsel

Philip Edsel is a fashion photographer working in the sports arena. He’s worked with some of the greatest athletes of our generation. And he’s headed projects for the biggest sports brands, like Adidas and New Balance.

When you look through his collection, his portraits are always a highlight. His black and white photos are sharp and elegant. And his color photography is vibrant with near-neon tones. Edsel brings a cinematic eye to sports editorials.

Mert Alas

Mert Alas is one of the top portrait photographers in the fashion industry. The portraits shown here offer a useful contrast between a carefully styled look and a more informal mood.

His style ranges from highly styled to natural and laid back. He often uses lavish sets with extensive costume and makeup design. Other images have the relaxed appearance associated with candid photography, even when the production method is not shown.

Pamela Hanson

Pamela Hanson makes fashion and portrait photographs with an informal feel. The examples here use pose and expression to create a relaxed mood.

Hanson’s photos are intricately put together. But the atmosphere of her shots is always relaxed and natural. She brings the heart and soul out of her subjects, giving her portraits a warm glow.

You’ll find some heart-warming family portraits on her website. They show a different side to her portrait work.

See more of Hanson’s work in her Girls or Boys collections.

Joe McNally

Joe McNally is an American photographer. And his portraits have explored many areas of American pop culture. As an experienced photographer, he’s developed a powerful and unique style.

He’s produced portrait editorials for musicians, athletes, and fashion brands. He never fails to create memorable images. McNally has a detailed and illuminated style. He uses a mix of lighting to bring his subjects to the fore and create a sense of heightened reality.

Erik Almas

Erik Almas was born and raised in Norway. But his work as a professional photographer has taken him all over the globe. He’s created images used by some of the world’s biggest companies.

Almas has an expansive style of photography. His shots are bright and open. They contain many intricate details, but they never feel busy. He’s not shy when it comes to post-production techniques. But he also has a collection of minimalist portraits that are just as impressive.

Lee Jeffries

Lee Jeffries places the human face at the center of his portraits. His portraits are character studies. He examines every detail of the face, leaving nothing unseen.

Jeffries’s style is intense. His portraits emphasize facial detail through framing and contrast. A detailed face does not by itself reveal whether a photographer used focus stacking. Each portrait is a punch of personality. They’re almost intimidating!

Nirav Patel

Nirav Patel is a portrait and editorial photographer whose official site identifies San Francisco as a base. Patel’s work explores mood through carefully composed portraits.

Patel’s portraits have a cinematic tone. Each shot is meticulously constructed to evoke emotion. Patel uses natural and soft lighting to create deeply atmospheric images. The color palette is rich and dark. But the photos buzz with energy.

More Portrait Photographers to Explore

The following photographers broaden the range of work in this collection. Browse for a visual approach that interests you, from informal portraits to staged fashion and self-portrait projects. Some have long-established careers; the point is to explore different approaches.

Rosie Matheson

Rosie Matheson makes portraits with an informal feel. Her work includes film photography, mainly using medium format cameras.

Matheson has a casual style of portrait. Her subjects are always relaxed, like they’re hanging out with friends. She likes pastel colors and faded tones. Combined with a soft focus, her portraits are warm and personal.

Carianne Older

Carianne Older, formerly known as PeggyShootFilm, makes brightly colored, heavily styled portraits. 

Older’s portraits incorporate elements of glamour, fashion, and fantasy. Elaborate costumes and sets are central to the images shown here. And while she has a bright, intense style, everything is well considered and expertly arranged. 

The Playboy image shown below is an example of her use of color and elaborate styling. 

Craig Fleming

Craig Fleming makes portraits with a classic feel. The two examples here show his work on black-and-white film. 

Compare the sequence of head-and-shoulders frames with the single full-body portrait. The change in framing gives pose and posture a different role. 

The plain backgrounds keep attention on the sitter. Look at how the angle of a head or the position of a hand changes the image.

Sasha Arutyunova

Sasha Arutyunova is a photographer whose work uses light, color, and surroundings to explore people’s lives. Her official biography describes a cinematic approach to narrative.

Sasha uses natural light to create deep and moody portraits. Although light is sometimes at a premium, her atmospheres remain joyful and warm. This approach to light gives us portraits that seem honest and authentic.

Charlotte Patmore

Charlotte Patmore photographs musicians and bands. The portraits here show Self Esteem and King Krule. 

Patmore has a distinct style that’s fun, casual, and intimate. She really has a strong rapport with all her subjects, which helps her capture images that perfectly display the subject’s personality. That’s why so many music artists are going to her for promotional shoots. 

Justin Hogan

Justin Hogan makes portraits of musicians and singers. He also has a collection of sports photography projects worthy of your attention.

For his portrait photography, Hogan mainly works in black and white. The deep tones of his work create warmth in his photos. Many of his shots are staged and planned, but they still have a sense of honesty.

Ira Chernova

Ira Chernova is a photographer and model. She’s experimental and daring with her ideas. But she holds true to the original concepts of the genre. She gets to the heart of her subjects with warm and personal portraits.

Her compositions are bold. And she confronts interesting themes in her work. But her portraits are always humane with a soft affection. She always gives her subjects the respect they deserve. And this is repaid with openness from her subjects.

Rhiannon Adam

Rhiannon Adam is an Irish portrait photographer based in London. Her photography combines travel and photojournalism. Portraits play a huge role in her work, as she documents the people she encounters on the road.

Adam has an honest and authentic style. She photographs people as they are. The portraits shown here have a direct, informal appearance. There’s a bond between her camera and her subjects. This approach allows her to give an honest portrayal of real people. Writing also plays an important role in her work, and she’s as skilled with a pen as she is with a camera.

Manny Librodo

Manny Librodo uses portrait photography to celebrate different cultures around the world. His shots are stylized and constructed. Seek context about the people and clothing rather than treating styling alone as a cultural explanation.

His color palette is deep and rich. And he enhances the colors of traditional clothing to make his portraits stand out. Librodo’s portrait photos are full of details, with everything deliberate and considered. His library will take you on a trip around the world.

J. Flynn

J. Flynn is a London-based photographer. His portraits here use a relaxed, informal visual style.

His portraits have a casual style. Every shot seems candid and natural. The focus is slightly soft. And the color tones are muted, giving his images a rich but soft finish. The rapport he has with his subjects is clear in every portrait. You feel as if you’re in the company of friends.

Kieran Lowe

Kieran Lowe is a photographer whose work includes portraits. The examples here contrast an informal portrait with a wet plate image. 

Lowe’s portraits here feel informal. One uses a mirror and an interior setting; the other shows a seated subject outdoors. Compare how those settings affect the mood without assuming how the sitter felt. 

The wet plate portrait below offers a different texture and tonal range from the first example. Compare the two without assuming that the process alone creates the mood. 

Olivia Bee

If you’re into the alternative music scene in the USA, you might be familiar with Olivia Bee‘s work already. Her work includes music photography; the examples here feature Maggie Rogers and Brandon Flowers.

Her portrait style is earthy and honest. It invokes the portraits of folk and country stars of past ages. Her portraits are down to earth with a hint of 21st-century reverie.

Kelly Ann Bobb

Kelly Ann Bobb is a professional portrait photographer from Trinidad. The examples here show a vibrant approach to portraiture.

She takes a traditional approach to portraits. She shoots in film, using 35mm and larger format cameras. And her studio compositions echo the portraits of photographers from the early 20th century. Her location work embraces her culture and her environment. She celebrates Trinidad with her photography.

David Lazar

David Lazar is a travel photographer from Australia. He has many spectacular landscape and travel shots. But his portraits are the jewels on the crown.

Lazar uses portraits to explore cultures all around the world. He goes on journeys, but it’s about the people he meets. More than any landscape, the people are his subject.

Clement Pascal

Clement Pascal makes portraits with a gentle, informal atmosphere.

The examples here combine soft-looking light with muted color tones. It gives his portraits a feeling of familiarity. The subjects are relaxed and natural, making the viewer feel the same.

Omar Victor Diop

Omar Victor Diop is a master of self-portraits. More often than not, he’s his own subject. But he also takes excellent portraits of others. His distinct style is turning heads across Europe and America.

His Diaspora project reinterprets historical portraits of Africans in Europe through staged self-portraits. Football-related objects connect historical figures with questions about recognition and exclusion in the present. Color and costume serve the subject of the work rather than acting only as decoration.

Nina Masic

Nina Masic is a fashion, beauty, and portrait photographer and art director, as described in her official biography.

Masic has a clean and fresh style of portrait. She uses closely cropped compositions. And she’s able to match everything in her photos to the skin tones of her subjects. It comes together for a styled yet natural-looking portrait.

Zhamak Fullad

Zhamak Fullad makes energetic portraits with an informal, sometimes chaotic feel.

Her portraits are characterized by a high-energy and chaotic atmosphere. It’s as if nothing is planned and everything is done on the fly. The DIY appearance also comes from her mixed media approach, as she sometimes uses film and Polaroid cameras.

Caroline Mackintosh

Caroline Mackintosh combines fine art and portrait photography, creating fabulous images that promote freedom and openness. And there’s a hint of cultural studies in there too.

The examples here use outdoor settings, with color and texture drawn from the surroundings. Her work is a celebration of the natural world and our place in it.

Conclusion

Choose two photographers whose portraits feel different from each other. Compare the direction of light, distance from the camera, background, and pose. Then decide which one of those choices you want to explore.

For your next session, try one idea with a willing subject rather than copying a whole image. Make a close portrait and a wider version, or change the background while keeping the light similar. Comparing your results will make this collection more useful than simply saving another list of names.

Check out our Fairytale Portraits course from Jovana Rikalo—one of the photographers on this list—to get amazing inspiration and instruction for your next portrait!