INSPIRATION DU JOUR: LEIBOVITZ, CUNNINGHAM, & MAIER

The photographers that I have chosen are documentary photographers that have a certain aesthetic that is really pleasing to me. Two of the photographers can be considered documentary/ fashion photographers and they are Annie Leibovitz and Bill Cunningham. The other photographers name is Vivian Maier and she is a documentary photographer who’s work caught my eye immediately.

Annie Leibovitz is a photographer that has worked and been published in various big name magazines. She has photographed many celebrities and no name subjects alike and has always kept her same look. She is one of the most sought after portrait photographers and has a history of epic cover shoots. She began her career as a photographer with Rolling Stone in 1970 and continued to build her image and name at the magazine. She worked for Rolling Stone until 1983 when she left to work for Vanity Fair where she has since risen to fame for her iconic covers such as the latest cover of Caitlyn Jenner as she came out as a woman for the first time.

Bill Cunningham is a street style photographer in New York City. He has a unique look because he has a thing for taking photos of people off guard. He sometimes does not like for people to pose and prefers the candid photos he has taken. He either walks on the streets taking photos or taking them while he is riding his bike. He has won a Shorty Award for Fashion and his work is inspiring.

Vivian Maier is a photographer who was not discovered until after her death. She took photos on the streets of New York City and after she moved to Chicago where she was a nanny for a family. She always had her camera around her neck and the shots that she went undiscovered until a young man came across all her negatives and undeveloped film rolls. She makes use of light and her subjects in unique and candid ways. I’ve loved her work since watching the documentary that gave us a look at her undeveloped world.