Famous Photographers

Since its inception in the early 19th Century, photography has been a constantly evolving source of fascination and wonder. Learn more about some of the most iconic images in the history of photography and the people who made them, and discover new stars of modern photographic art.

Famous photographers and their works

Famous Photographers of the 21st Century
Famous Photographers of the 20th Century
Famous Portrait Photographers
Famous German Photographers
Famous Landscape Photographers
Famous Fashion Photographers
Famous Nude Photographers
Famous Architectural Photographers

Famous Photographers of the 21st Century

From photorealism to street photography, the Lumas portfolio contains works by some of the most famous photo artists to ever wield a camera.

Robert Jahns is one of the most celebrated artistic photographers of the 21st century, his surreal, playful compositions earning him the sobriquet “the world’s leading digital artist”.

Alex Strohl’s fascination with the natural world shines through in his realist landscapes. His works focus on our interaction with our environment, capturing solitary figures amid vast, sprawling landscapes. Through these thought-provoking scenes, Strohl distinguishes himself as a modern great of landscape photography.

After just 8 years of photographing, marine photographer Ray Collins has already earned plaudits from publications including Vogue and the National Geographic, with Forbes Magazine labelling him “one of the most distinguished photographers of waves and oceans in the world”.

Robert Jahns

Alex Strohl

Ray Collins

Famous photographers of the 20th century

Martin Munkacsi’s timeless photographs influenced Richard Avedon and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Alfred Eisenstaedt and Will McBride were prominent documentarians of the political and social events of their time. In his work as a photojournalist, Eisenstaedt met both Hitler and Mussolini, while McBride captured key moments of German postwar history. McBride was awarded the 2004 German Photographic Society Dr. Erich Salomon Prize in recognition of his lifetime of photographic achievements.

Martin Munkacsi

Will McBride

Famous portrait photographers

Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton and Wayne Maser are among the most celebrated portrait photographers of all time. Masters of light and shadow, they photographed both unknown models and cultural icons like Audrey Hepburn. Over the course of his career, Steichen’s influence and innovations spread far beyond the world of portrait photography.

Wayne Maser’s works continue the principles laid out by Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon. His outstanding portfolio of work has cemented his name as a giant of contemporary portraiture.

Edward Steichen

Wayne Maser

Famous German photographers

LUMAS is based in Berlin, one of the most active cities in the European art scene. As such, we take a special interest in German artists and local talent.

Legendary Berlin photographer Robert Lebeck’s diverse portfolio ranges from evocative shots of the city itself to intimate portraits of stars including Alfred Hitchcock and Romy Schneider.

Willi Moegle bridges the gap between photography and sculpture with his exquisite close-up shots of vases, bowls and ornaments, each texture and detail expertly captured.

With an equally perceptive eye, Erich Salomon documented German society of the 1920s. His naturalistic photos would influence generations of future photojournalists. Every year since 1971, the German Photographic Society has awarded the Dr. Erich Salomon lifetime achievement award for photojournalism in his honor.

Robert Lebeck

Willi Moegle

Erich Salomon

Famous landscape photographers

From Rome’s ancient Forum Romanum to postwar Berlin and the great wall of China, landscape photographer Erich Lessing had a unique ability for capturing and expressing the atmosphere of a location. In addition to his landscapes, Lessing rose to international attention with his portraits of notable politicians, including the West German chancellor Konrad Adenauer. In recognition of his achievements, Lessing was invited to join Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s photographic collective Magnum Photo in 1955.

Olivier Föllmi started his career as a press photographer in Afghanistan and the Himalayas. He is now widely known for his stunning images of Eurasian landscapes, with Life magazine dubbing him one of the world’s greatest living photographers.

Olivier Föllmi

Famous fashion photographers

Bart van Leeuwen’s entry into the world of fashion photography should be regarded as a turning point both for the artist and the genre as a whole. Inspired by the aesthetics of classic film noir, van Leeuwen imbues his still lifes and celebrity portraits with a sense of high drama and cinematic glamour.

Patrick Demarchelier began his photographic career as an assistant to the legendary Henri Cartier-Bresson. Since then, he has become a mainstay of contemporary fashion photography, turning his lens on models and celebrities and shooting covers for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Bart Van Leeuwen

Patrick Demarchelier

Famous nude photographers

The greatest nude photographers are able finely balance the themes of eroticism and aesthetics in their works, harnessing the grace and power of the human form.

Helmut Newton rose to fame with his nude portraits and is now widely recognized as one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

Man Ray depicted nudity in a more unorthodox manner, notably painting the backs of his models to resemble a giant violins.

Michael Comte creates vast, daring murals and large-format portraits that shine light on his famous subjects.

Sylvie Blum is a modern master of erotic photography, described by Maxim magazine as the “Ansel Adams of the female form”.

Man Ray

Michel Comte

Sylvie Blum

Famous architectural photographers

Heinrich Heidersberger was one of the most influential German photographers of all time. Most renowned among his oeuvre are his towering architectural photographs. Whether a bank, TV tower or gas station, Heidersberger had an innate ability to find new perspectives on seemingly familiar everyday structures.

“Changing New York” is a seminal series of 300 black and white photographs by Berenice Wolf documenting New York City life in the 1930s.

Heinrich Heidersberger

Berenice Abbott