The photography section has grown and increased in so many ways from when it first started to this very date. There are so many famous female photographers who, through their marvelous work, have gained so much fame and now provide people with stock photos inspiration today.
Our goal in this article is to go through each of these famous female photographers and intimate you with their work, as well as how they can be a source of inspiration for you as you venture into the world of photography. So continue reading while we go through each of these women.
We’ve provided a list of female photographers with amazing art that will undoubtedly amaze and inspire you. A lot of people think photography is a field for men alone, but over the past few decades, women have constantly proven that it’s a field for everyone, even though it’s not always easy for female photographers to make their way through the industry. That is why we are highlighting the several excellent women that have left a significant mark in the photography industry.
We will start our list with famous female photographers who left a mark in photography before we continue with famous female photographers who are still alive. So hang in there and continue reading because you’re about to get inspired.
Table of Contents
List of Famous Female Photographers in the Past
1. Anna Atkins (1799 – 1871): The First Female Photographer
The first famous female photographer on our list is Anna Atkins, a remarkable woman who not only left a significant mark in the world of photography but also in the world of science. Anna Atkins was a British artist who knew the techniques of photogenic drawing and calotype, which she learned from their inventor Henry Fox Talbot.
She was an English illustrator and botanist, and at age 42 (1841), she published the first book, which was exclusively illustrated using a photographic process. Henry Fox Talbot introduced Anna Atkins to photogenic drawings in 1839, and she learned the cyanotype process from John Herschel. With this knowledge she had, she went ahead to publish the illustrated book British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions in 1842.
2. Corrine Day (1962 – 2010)
Corrine Day is a well-known documentary and fashion photographer from the UK. She started off in the fashion industry as a model before she advanced to becoming a fashion photographer. Corrine Day became among the famous female photographers for many reasons, among which include the fact that she was the first person to take photos of Kate Moss in her teens. She also took pictures for different British Magazines, like American Vogue, I-D, and The Face.
She decided to leave the fashion world and explore documentaries, and this was the time when she became a documentary photographer. Her main focus was on her friends, who were cocaine users. Corrine Day also made a documentary of her own battle with a brain tumor, which she died from on 27th August 2010.
3. Diane Arbus (1923 – 1971)
She was an American photographer, and her focus during her time was on marginalized people. This included circus performers like giants and dwarves and also transgender people. Diane Arbus started her career in the commercial world by taking pictures of various items in department stores before she started creating images of models in her studio.
As time went by, she got tired of this role and went on to explore street photography. During this time, she worked for Vogue. The amazing thing about her is that her work is inspired by Weegee and Richard Avedon. Diane Arbus became the first famous female photographer to be included in Venice Biennale in 1972.
4. Vivian Maier (1926 – 2009)
She is one of the famous female photographers to explore street photographer over the last few years before she died. Sadly, it was only after she died that her work was discovered in huge suitcases. Vivian Maier was an awesome street photographer, and it was a hobby for her. She was a full-time nanny, and her passion as a photographer was a secret she kept for her entire life.
Thanks to the person that discovered her numerous negatives, her work can now be seen in different parts of the world today. There’s also a documentary film about her today, and this is mostly about her life as a photographer.
5. Dorothea Lange (1895 – 1965)
She covered the dust-bowl period of America more than any other female photographer, and this is what accounts for her fame today. She worked on an assignment for Farm Security Administration, and her images were a major influencing factor for the development of the documentary style.
By the time she was done with high school, she was yet to own a camera, but her determination was strong, and she was a studio photographer for 15 years before depression set in.
6. Hilla Becher (1934 – 2015)
She worked collaboratively with her husband Bernd, and they are popularly known for their photos of structures and buildings. Hilla Becher studied photography in Potsdam, where she obtained her apprenticeship. She and her husband started working as freelance photographers for a Troost Advertising Agency in Dusseldorf, during which their primary focus was on product photography.
7. Imogen Cunningham (1883 – 1976)
Our list of famous female photographers will not be complete without including Imogen Cunningham, an American photographer that is popular for botanical, industrial architecture, and nudes photographs. She was also a member of a group dedicated to the sharp focusing of subjects, the Californian Group f/64. She started working for Edward Curtis after graduating from the university, and this was when she learned portrait photography. Her work includes documenting different American Indian tribes.
8. Gerda Taro (1910 – 1937)
She was a war photographer, professional partner, and companion of Robert Capa, who was also a photographer. Gerda Taro died in the front lines of war while photographing. She is the first female photojournalist to die while covering a war. Even though she had a really short career, she made a huge impact in photojournalism and war photography.
9. Martine Franck (1938 – 2012)
She was a portrait and documentary photographer from Belgium, and she was also part of Magnum Photos for over 30 years. Martine Franck studied in Paris and Madrid before embracing photography. She also worked as a freelance photographer for Life, among other magazines, and Vogue.
10. Tina Modotti (1896 – 1942)
As an Italian who emigrated to the United States at the age of 16, she decided to explore the world of motion pictures in Los Angeles while maintaining her bohemian lifestyle. She eventually became a fine art photographer, and in 1921, she relocated to Mexico to start a studio with Edward Weston.
Her work included taking pictures of folk art and landscapes, as well as abstract images. Tina Modotti also ventured into taking pictures of flowers and architectural interiors.
11. Gisele Freund (1908 – 2001)
She is also among the famous women photographers of our time; she was also a photojournalist. Gisele was popular for her portraits of writers and artists. She first experimented with Kodachrome and Leica Camera, with which she was able to develop a unique portrait style. With time, Gisele Freund became the President of the French Association of Photographers.
12. Margaret Bourke-White (1904 – 1971)
Also a documentary photographer from the US, Margaret was popularly known to be the first female American war photojournalist. She was also the first foreign photographer to take photos of the Soviet industry during the Soviet’s five-year plan. She was a passionate photographer, and for her it was also a hobby. Margaret died at the age of 67 from Parkinson’s disease.
13. Berenice Abbott (1898 – 1991)
An American photographer who was popular for her portraits. She began photography in 1920, after working as a darkroom assistant for the renowned photographer Man Ray. Berenice went on to develop her talent after she met people like Edna St. Vincent Millay, James Joyce, and Max Ernst. Eugene Atget was also a major inspiration for Berenice.
List of Famous Female Photographers Who Are Still Alive
We will now continue our list with famous female photographers who are still making an impact today.
14. Nan Goldin
A female photographer from the US, born in 1953, started her career as a photographer by focusing on music scenes in Boston. She later created her body of work and called it The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. The images portrayed autobiographical, violent, drug use, and aggressive couples. For her, it’s a diary that she’d let everyone read. Her images are not usually shown as an exhibition of prints, but they are mostly shown as slideshows.
15. Sophie Calle
She was born in 1953 and started her career in photography in Venice. Her most remarkable work was The Hotel series, of which she worked as a chambermaid and photographed the different rooms with items and guests. Her work mainly examines intimacy and identity.
16. Gillian Wearing
She is a conceptual artist, born in 1963, and currently has numerous works in text, video, and photography. His work included various signs in street photography, with a focus on strangers that she met in London. Wearing’s work was primarily focused on individuality and how people see themselves.
17. Deborah Copaken
She is best known for her documentary photographic journalism and war photography. Born in Boston and a Harvard graduate, Deborah decided to follow her dream by moving to Paris in the 1980s. During this time, she photographed freedom fighters like Mujaheddin, amongst others. She moved to different parts of the world, including Romania, Amsterdam, Zimbabwe, and Moscow. Deborah is also a writer, and she has published a myriad of articles.
18. Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz is also among the famous female photographers of our time, and she is also currently the most famous female photographer today. She captured John Lennon the day he was killed, and also The Queen and Demi Moore. She was born in 1949 and started photography for Rolling Stone Magazine, which helped her to nurture her talent.
19. Cindy Sherman
She is a famous photographer that specializes in capturing conceptual portraits. Cindy works alone and shoots most of her pictures in her studio. However, she has also taken on several roles as a make-up artist, author, hairstylist, director, model, and wardrobe mistress. She also started working with fashion during the late 90s, and it was at this time that she created different concepts for runway shows.
20. Candida Hofer
She is globally known and recognized as an interior architectural photographer from Germany. Her focus is primarily on institutional and cultural spaces like opera houses, zoos, and libraries. Her most famous series is the Zoologische Garten from 1991, and this was where she captured the strangeness of different zoos.
21. Sam Taylor-Johnson
She is also an English photographer, and her work mainly focuses on fine-art photography. Sam is also known for her series Crying Men, and this featured multiple Hollywood celebrities. It also showcased portraits of men like Sean Penn, Robin Williams, Laurence Fishburne, and Jude Law. Her current focus is on directing different films.
22. Sally Mann
Born in 1951, Sally is also one of the most famous female photographers of our time, and she’s popular for her black and white photos, which are mostly in large format. Sally began photography by taking pictures of her children before she advanced to become a landscape photographer. Today, she has published different books and still exhibits her work.
23. Zoe Strauss
The next person on our list of famous female photographers is Zoe Strauss, who is an American street photographer and also a member of the Magnum group. Her documentary can be found in her series of 54 images, which also showcases are street photography experience. Her work also examines themes of a journey, homecoming, and odyssey.
24. Kunie Sugiura
She is a Japanese multimedia artist, painter, and photographer who moved to America in her 20s. Kunie utilizes a photogram, of which she uses in capturing flowers and sea creatures. Her focus is on pursuing the link between media and photography, which is why her work mostly captures light, and time resulting in a mixture of concrete and abstract.
25. Shirin Neshat
The last on our list of famous female photographers is Shirin Neshat, who is an Iranian artist based in New York City. Her media involves film, video, and photographer, and she focuses on the contrasts between Islam and the West. She also focuses on masculinity and femininity, thereby bridging the gap between the two.
Stock Photo Inspiration from the Iconic
You might be wondering why we are providing a list of these famous female photographers and what you can do with this information. Here’s what you should know:
- These famous female photographers today are a huge inspiration for everyone, especially women, thinking of exploring the world of photography. If photography is your hobby, and you want to start a career in this field, you can refer to these fantastic and intriguing women as a source of inspiration.
- Also, from the above information, you can also become a famous female photographer, but you should note that it requires determination. But don’t worry, practice make progress. Although it will take a lot of time and effort, you can surely find fun along the journey.
If you’re wondering how to go about this, you can start by trying your own shots, drawing stock photo inspiration from these women, and offering these photos on photoAC. This is an easy way that you can earn money without a hassle. You only need to register as a creator on photoAC to start earning extra money today.