Top Contributions of History’s Most Influential Fine Art Photographers

If you have ever been to an art museum or gallery, you have likely seen some examples of fine art photography. In the modern age, most people agree that photography is a perfectly valid artistic medium. However, this has not always been the case. Many historical fine art photographers spent their lives working hard to earn the respect of the artistic community and bring the art of photography the status it currently enjoys.

Alfred Stieglitz is without a doubt one of the most influential fine art photographers in history, not necessarily because of his own photography, but because of his career as an art promoter. Stieglitz, who was born in 1864, spent much of his life championing photography as an art form by opening photography galleries and curating photography exhibitions.

Stieglitz’s efforts had a massive impact on the way photography is perceived in the art world. We can still see the fruits of his labor in photography exhibitions across the nation, as without him, photography may still be considered inane and devoid of creativity.

Dorothea Lange, born in 1895, made a name for herself as a photojournalist during the great depression. Her work would influence fine art photographers for decades to come. During her storied career, Lange produced perhaps one of the most famous photographs of all time, “Migrant Mother”.

Dorothea Lange was eventually invited to teach at the first Fine Art Photography Department at the California School of Fine Arts. Even in death, Lange remains one of America’s most celebrated fine art photographers.

Ansel Adams was an iconic fine art photographer famous for his landscape photography. Adams was born in 1902, and became an environmentalist at an early age. His love of nature is apparent in his photography, which usually features beautiful images of the outdoors in sharp focus.

In addition to being an iconic fine art photographer in his own right, Ansel Adams played an important role in establishing the photography department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. By doing this, he helped to solidify photography’s position as a legitimate and respected art medium.

Fine art photographers like Stieglitz, Lange, and Adams helped elevate photography to the level of visual arts like painting and sculpture, paving the way for generations of fine art photographers to come.