Seeking inspiration is not copying, it is learning, it is seeing beyond what your eyes can see on their own, it is allowing yourself to be guided along paths that are still unknown to you, it is absorbing ideas when your creativity is inactive…
Today I am going to introduce you to a group of photographers who work with grayscale in such a wonderful way that after observing their work, the only thing you will want to do is go out with your camera in search of black and white images.
And it is that some people are born with a special sensitivity and find inspiration in a leaf that falls from the tree, in the texture of the peach that they are tasting, in a little bird that perches on the windowsill or in their own mind that speech. But others, most of the time they find it in other people who work or enjoy the same discipline, even The Beatles had their inspiration in another band called The Crickets.
Why black and white? Well, because (we have said it many times on the blog), among other things, black and white seduces, falls in love, shocks and never goes out of style… There are few people who love photography who do not succumb at some point to this type of Photography. And if you want to delve into it, be sure to go through our mega guide where you will find all the tips and tricks for black and white photography.
Before continuing, I will tell you that the ones I present to you today are not the best, it is simply an example list of some great, classic and contemporary ones (according to my opinion and my humble knowledge). Just as I couldn’t make a list of the best musical groups without leaving some out or without including others that should be out according to other people. What is clear is that, whether or not everyone is there or not everyone is, they are all really inspiring 😉
And now yes, here I present your next inspirations in black and white, as if they were frames from a dream…
1. Chema Madoz. I start with him because he has a very peculiar way of seeing reality, of making poetry out of everyday life, of achieving something complex and beautiful from the simple. And because he drives me crazy 😉
2. Cristina Garcia Rodero. Another Spanish whose main interest is the human being, something that is very clear in her photographs.
3. Dorothea Lange. American photojournalist whose humanist photographs caused a great impact and became icons of an era.
4.Ansel Adams. If landscapes are your thing, you have to know his work. Yes or yes.
5. Sebastian Salgado. Surely you have heard the name of this Brazilian photographer Prince of Asturias of the Arts in 1998 before. And if not, it is time to do so and take a tour of his work (which is not exempt from criticism).
6. Munem Wasif. A Bengali whose work is also clearly humanistic. The lights and shadows and the high contrast in the edition characterize his work.
7. Sebastian Liste. Sociologist from Alicante who works fundamentally in black and white and whose best-known projects have a deep social significance.
8. Fan Ho. This Asian is a master in the discipline of Street Photography. Lights, silhouettes and reflections are some of his most recurrent themes. really inspiring.
9. Tomasz Gudzowaty. A Pole who has dedicated most of his work to photographing sports all over the planet. He takes special care when editing his black and white photographs.
10. Erin Hensley. Not everything in black and white photography is photojournalism, documentary photography or street photography. Life is full of small great moments that happen around us, in our homes, with our loved ones… And this photographer who manages to capture color without color knows a lot about that.
11. Joel Tjintjelaar. Every lover of architectural photography should know the work of this Dutchman who takes long-exposure photographs, some of up to ten hours. The most spectacular thing is that he does not use retouching programs.
12. Harold Edgerton. Pioneer in high speed photography. A really fascinating job.
13. Vivian Maier. She was a nanny who photographed purely as a hobby and whose wonderful work was discovered by chance. Fate could not allow her jewels not to see the light or be enjoyed by our eyes.
14.Stephanie Mason. When familiar and everyday scenes become art, that’s what this photographer does.
I could go on and list many more, but for today you have enough inspiration. Do not limit yourself to observing the work of each of them superficially. Better that you choose two or three and study them in depth, that you review all their work and learn to discover what differentiates them from the rest, what makes them stand out beyond technique, what their style is. This exercise, in addition to being a pleasure and a delight for you, will be a learning experience and a shot of inspiration.
And remember, being inspired is not copying. It is letting yourself be impregnated by the art of others so that your creativity flows and your mind is activated.
Before I say goodbye, I would like to ask you if you have been wanting to go get your camera and put your photographic eye in #blackandwhitemode. If not, something is wrong, maybe it’s because black and white is not your thing or because we have very different tastes. But let me doubt it, if you really like photography, I don’t think that the work of these fourteen people has left you indifferent. So if what fails here is laziness, park it and start shooting, if you want to become a teacher one day or be someone’s inspiration, you will not achieve it from the armchair of your house 😉
And if you found this article interesting, don’t hesitate to share it on your favorite social networks, both your contacts and I will be infinitely grateful. Thank you and see you soon!