5 Fashion Photographers that Rule the World

February 26, 2017

Updated June 2023

Following the work of the greatest fashion photographers is crucial for drawing inspiration and creating new photoshoots. These talented photographers have established themselves as industry leaders through their unique vision and creative excellence. By studying their work, photographers gain valuable insights into composition, lighting, styling, and storytelling techniques. It allows them to stay informed about the latest trends and artistic approaches, fostering their own growth and innovation. The inspiration derived from the work of these masters serves as a guiding light, helping photographers to conceptualize and execute captivating photoshoots that leave a lasting impact. Use the work of the legendary photographers below to get inspiration for your next photo shoot at our photo studios for rent in LA, NY and Chicago.

Ever wondered who is behind each cover of a fashion magazine, Vogue sensations, each advertising campaign of the fashion brand, or simply almost every contemporary masterpiece picture?

To produce the Icon is a job of a lot of hours or months of a preparation and the hard work of a sizable teams of professionals; producers and coordinators, make-up and hair artists, models and stylists, multiple assistants and lighting & grips, and, of course, the photographers. Especially photographers. While its never easy to determine truly the champions among modern fashion photographers, we would highlight the most interesting 5 of them.

1. Steven Klein

DATE OF BIRTH: 04.30.1961

PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, USA

Steven Klein is one of the most talented American photographers who is well known by his conceptual, dark-colored, sexual and eclectic style. His love for photography began at age of 10. After high school, Klein studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design. When he graduated in 1985, he decided to focus full time on photography. Klein has said that artists Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon have greatly influenced his photography style. His first photography job was shooting for a Christian Dior beauty campaign in Paris. In 1994, he photographed his first Vogue portfolio titled Nude Study with models Jaime Rishar, Shalom Harlow, and Nadja Auermann. Klein’s first solo photography exhibit “Steven Klein” took place in 1997 at the Staley-Wise Gallery in New York City. Nowadays he is famous by his projects: “MADONNA.X-STaTIC PRO=CeSS”, “ Revolution of love” with Madonna, pictures of the most famous celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Tom Ford, Naomi Campbell and others; advertising campaigns of “Calvin Klein”, “Dolce & Gabbana”, “Nike”, “Alexander McQeen “; publishing in such prestige magazines as “i-D”, “W”, “Arena”, “Dazed & Confused”, “Commons & Sense”, “Rolling Stones”, “Vogue” etc.

2. Patric Demarchelier

DATE OF BIRTH: 08.21.1943

PLACE OF BIRTH: Paris, France

Patric Demarchelier is genius not only by his talent but also by the popularity that surrounds it. He is all about the beauty and believes that “Beauty surrounds us from all sides. To see this, simply open your eyes …”. This is a man who catches the beauty through the lens and brings it to us in the prints of his exquisite images.

Patric was born in Paris in 1943. He didn’t like to study, but became interested in photography, which overjoyed his parents. At first Patrick worked in a photo shop retouching images. On the 17th birthday his father gave him a personal, though not a new camera. After the training with Hans Foyrera, Patric began his career as a paid photographer. Although first earnings were small – 3 to 6 centimes, the number of clients gradually increased. Soon enough, by 1970 his photographs were already printed in popular magazines “Elle”, “Marie-Claire” and “20 ans”. Customers appreciated natural look of his shots, fans were trying to find out how he captured it. But his secret and basic principle was simple – photography has to be like a sport: persistent, every day training. In this case it’s possible to understand the errors, and get the necessary experience.

When it comes to published works, the maestro has quite a few masterpieces. Eleanor Lambert Award Winner (2007), Officer of the Order of literature and art, Patric Demarchelier is known by his albums: “Patritsk Demarchelier: Photographs”, 1995, “Patrick Demarchelier: Exposing Elegance”, 1997, “Patrick Demarchelier: Forms”, 1998, “Patrick Demarchelier: Photographs” ,2008. He is a photographer who’s working with the most famous magazines: “Glamour” and “Mademoiselle”, “GQ”, “Rolling Stone”, “Harpers Bazaar” and “Vogue”.

3. Annie Leibovitz

DATE OF BIRTH: 10.2.1949

PLACE OF BIRTH: Connecticut, USA

Annie Leibovitz – one of the most famous female photographers – has mastered the art photography; her work is always related to the world of art. The list of her clients is overwhelming. She worked with such famous personalities as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Joaquin Phoenix, Whoopi Goldberg, Jude Law, Kate Moss, Natalia Vodianova, Barack Obama, Mikhail Gorbachev and many others. Annie works in different styles not only portraits but interior photography, landscapes, nudes and still life, reportage and other genres. Still art in all its ways has always attracted Annie Leibovitz.

After graduating high school, she began studying at the Art Institute in San Francisco. While she was traveling in Japan her interest in photography grew stronger and deeper. Annie even started to attend evening photo classes . But education in the institute didn’t attract her much. After studying for a year, she went to Israel, and there, spending time at the excavation sites of the palace of Solomon in the Old Town and photographing it, Annie realizes that she would like to take pictures professionally as a career. Fixed on this belief, in the process of finding a niche for her professional passions she stumbled upon “Rolling Stone” magazine and got inspired by the photos of famous musicians.

Her most famous projects are “Fallen Bicycle of Teenage Boy Just Killed by a Sniper”, “Women” ( co-author Susan Sontag) ,”A Photographer’s Life: 1990-2005″, “American Music”.

4. Mario Testino

DATE OF BIRTH: 10.30.1954

PLACE OF BIRTH: Lima, Peru

Who is he? A talented indie photographer or a commercial photographer who aims to perfect e-commerce genre? In different periods of life he gives different answers to these questions.

Sometimes he feels as “a fisher of wonderful moments,” saying that “… the magic of photography is that it reflects the one thing that did not exist before and will not happen again in the future.”

And sometimes he would claim completely different approach to photography: “Our job – to get customers to buy clothes because it is our most important task and no matter how attractive it would be to see our pictures on the walls of art galleries, or sell them as works of art. first of all we have to sell clothes … ”

His path to the global success was not so rapid. In the beginning of his carrier Mario was practicing on models who worked as waitresses at the bar. Some time later Mario realized that for serious pictures he needs good components. He loans money from the bank, buys lighting equipment and starts working with the more successful models. 20 years later in his career, in 1995, when the House of Versace models invited him to make pictures of a new collection, Testino learned the fine art of helping the model to fully unfold in front of the lens. Back then his approach was innovative and somewhat questionable. But surprisingly Versace was able to detect and heed his talent – the ability to take pictures of the clothes so that it “speaks” for itself. It is indeed a rare gift to be able to show what you want to sell, in no way distracting from the artistic value of the photograph as a whole. And Mario Testino certainly possesses it to the fullest.

His works were constantly seen in “Vogue” and “ Vanity Fair”, as well as “Any Objections?” (1998), “Front Row Back Stage, Bulfinch Press” (1999), “Mario Testino: Portraits, Bulfinch Press” (2002), “Kids, Scriptum Editions” (2003), “Let Me In, Taschen” (2007), “Lima, Peru, Damiani” (2007)

5. Steven Meisel

DATE OF BIRTH: 06.05.1954

PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, New York

Steven Meisel was known to the world of show business from the childhood. He was born in 1954 in New York. His father worked at the London Records and thanks to his father, Steven was able to meet celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles when he was a child. Steven’s passion and interest in the world of fashion was so big that at age of 12 he persuaded his girlfriends to call a model agency and impersonate a secretary of the photographer Richard Avedon just to get a chance to shoot with models like Twiggy and Veruschka.

After graduating high school, Steven Meisel began studying at the Higher School of Art and Design and then in Parsons (later he returned to school Parsons as a teacher). But his first specialization was in fashion illustration, not photography.

After graduation, Steven Meisel worked as an illustrator of fashion in Women’s Daily Wear. But he was still attracted the art of photography and understood that the beauty fashion illustration fades into the background and the first place and primary focus goes always to the photography. Steven admired photographers such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon and Bert Stern. Soon enough he decided to go to the Elite Model Management, where he was allowed to take pictures of their models. Although his first pictures were taken in his apartment or on the street, his work was noticed by “ Seventeen” magazine that offered Mr. Meisel to cooperate with them as a photographer.

Today Steven Meisel works with a lot of well-known fashion magazines. He photographs many most famous models and celebrities. His prominent studio is located in New York on 64th Street Worcester, but he also rents Pier59 in New York and Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles.

All 5 photographers undoubtedly are leaders of the World’s fashion. Yet the industry’s talent pool does not end here. What is your favorite fashion photographer? Any newcomers that you like and want to spread a word about? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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5 Fashion Photographers that Rule the World

1. Steven Klein

2. Patric Demarchelier

3. Annie Leibovitz

4. Mario Testino

5. Steven Meisel

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