Photography of the

20th century

10 Photographers

• Henri Cartier-Bresson

• Ansel Adams

• Edward Weston

• Richard Avedon

• Diane Arbus

• Cindy Sherman

• Manuel Alvarez Bravo

• Man Ray

• Leo Matiz

• Dorothea Lange

“The secret to becoming a great photographer is to surround yourself with the best photography available.”

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON

France

Henri Cartier-Bresson had an appreciation for capturing life. He loved the artistic side of it and had a candid eye. He most prominently known for capturing some of the largest events in our world’s history. His photos are taken in the “perfect instant”, never planned before hand. The magic of his photos is the timing: always in the perfect place at the perfect time.

Ansel Adams is a prominent photographer primarily known for his work throughout Yosemite National Park. He was also well known for his scientific accomplishments in the field of photography. He searched to capture landscape in an artistic manner, finding an accurate composition that included balance and emphasis in each photography.

ANSEL ADAMS

U.S.A

EDWARD WESTON

U.S.A

Edward Weston portrayed objects, food and female bodies, always searching to express suggestive and erotic characteristics in women. He planned and composed his scenes, calling this “pre-visualization”. Weston controlled the effects of light, atmosphere, and movement in order reveal the object in its deepest moment of perception and sensuality.

RICHARD AVEDON

U.S.A

Throughout his career Avedon has maintained a unique style. Famous for their minimalism, Avedon portraits are often well lit and in front of white backdrops. Avedon’s ability to present personal views of public figures, who were otherwise distant and inaccessible, was immediately recognized by the public and the celebrities themselves. Avedon was a break-point in fashion photography.

DIANE ARBUS

U.S.A

A controversial figure in contemporary documentary photography, Diane Arbus’ photographs are explicit and direct, portraying people who live on the edge of societal acceptance. Prostitutes, transvestites and pimps were commonly used models in her portraits, as well as people that were commonly denominated as “freaks”. Her shots are straight-forward, posed, but always in the person’s intimate and personal space.

CINDY SHERMAN

U.S.A

In Sherman's distinctive self-portraits she is dressed up and made up to portray hundreds of different women and occasionally men, but never herself. Her art deals with female stereotypes and how society perceive women. Another part of her work are the “film stills” which are scenes that seem to be part of a movie, but actually it is a set up made by the artist. Her scenes are all planned and posed.

MANUEL ALVAREZ BRAVO

Mexico

Álvarez Bravo's work was often political, referencing the Mexican Revolution, and emphasizing on local identity. He focused on capturing the essence of Mexican culture and its people.

MAN RAY

U.S.A

Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. Best known in the art world for his avant-garde photography, Man Ray produced major works in a variety of media and considered himself a painter above all. He was also a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. He is noted for his photograms, which he renamed "rayographs" after himself.

LEO MATIZ

Colombia

Matiz studied and worked in the studio of Luis B. Ramos who was known as the father of modern Colombian photography. In 1939 he began his first tour of Colombia as a documentary photographer. He then moved to Mexico, and by the end of 1949 Leo Matiz was recognized as one of the ten best living photographers in the world.

DOROTHEA LANGE

U.S.A

Dorothea Lange has taken some of the most recognizable and humanist pictures of all time. She is well known for capturing the consequences of the Great Depression. Her works portray sadness, hunger, despair, suffering, and a general human grief during the war and depression of her country.