20 Worldwide-Known Fashion Photographers of All Time

If the fashion industry, and photography in particular, interest you, this review covering the most famous fashion photographers will catch your attention, for sure.

As a genre it emerged in 1911 when Edward Steichen (a professional shooter) conducted a photo shoot of dresses created by a famous Paris designer Paul Poiret, which later appeared in one of the editions of Art et Décoration magazine. Modern fashion photography can convey different moods: it can be glamorous, exquisite, dramatic, conceptual, etc.

Without doubts, Edward Steichen is a founder of modern fashion genre. His works underline the convenience and exquisite look of clothes, which were considered to be the standard of 1920s and 1930s fashion. He often shot celebrities publishing his works in both Vogue and Vanity Fair.

His black and white photos deserve special attention as they highlight silhouettes presenting the garments and accessories in the best light. The play of light with shadows, as well as highly contrasted images form the signature style of Edward Steichen’s photography.

Helmut Newton became famous in the 1970x when he worked for French Vogue. Since then his popularity had grown at a quick pace, making Newton one of the most influential photographers of his time.

Shooting in the street or inside, and placing a model in controversial scenarios, are the most well-liked methods the photographer used during photo sessions. Bold lighting and impressive compositions characterize his style as well.

In his photography, he prefers dramatic lighting and unusual female poses when taking impressive shots. Helmut Newton devotes most of his works to such themes as sadomasochism, prostitution, and violence depicting models as feminine or masculine or a combination of the two, highlighting their sexuality.

Patrick Demarchelier is one of the most famous fashion photographers who created multiple iconic images for such legendary magazines as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. His most distinctive work is a portrait of Diana, which increased the popularity of this royal person and brought her closer to common people.

His images appeared in campaigns of such luxury brands as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and others, as well as adorned covers of the most famous fashion magazines.

Demachelier’s photography stands apart from the works of other shooters with its elegant and restrained style. They are also not similar to other fashion pics because of unusual shooting angles and techniques like overexposure or creative framing in photography, etc.

Lee Miller is not only one of the greatest fashion photographers but also one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. She worked as a World War II correspondent for Vogue, whereas his artistic compositions are mainly in a surrealistic genre.

Lee Miller was also a model and you can evaluate her talent by checking her fashion self-portraits, which are considered to be unique as a genre.

The fashion world, which emerges in times of war, contributed to the development of Lee Miller’s career, as she managed to capture the influence of war on women’s lives in the 1940s and 1950s. All photos are very realistic, taken in natural conditions without much staging, which contributes to their charm.

Richard Avedon was probably one of the most prominent model photographers in the post-war period. Thanks to his impressive works, America got its image of style, beauty, and culture for the second half of the 20th century.

He worked as a freelance photographer for Harper's BAZAAR, as at this time the magazine was not allowed to have a studio to shoot. Avedon conducted fashion photo sessions right on the street or in a cafe.

So, he took uniquely American energy to France and quickly became famous for his talent at finding new and not trivial ways to photograph fashion.

Norman Parkinson brought innovation to the genre of photography of the 1950-70s. He took women out into the real world conducting fashion photo shoots in some interesting outdoor locations.

Avoiding static poses that make a model look like a hanger for a fashion garment, Parkinson preferred active and sensual posing against picturesque backgrounds.

He liked to be a part of history and conducted numerous photo shoots of the members of the British Royal Family. His works also feature world-famous figures from various fields such as film, theatre, and music. These are Audrey Hepburn, The Beatles, Twiggy, Grace Coddington, David Bowie, Iman, Jerry Hall, and many others. Norman Parkinson also worked as a portrait photographer in the private and public sectors.

Perfect lighting and bold solutions when creating unique surrealistic compositions using revolutionary photography techniques like double exposure are what characterize the art of Horst P. Horst and make him the best fashion photographer of all time. Such skills and methods allow a photographer to produce fashion images that entered history for ages.

Horst’s readiness to experiment resulted in multiple iconic pictures. His friend Elsa Schiaperlli was a designer of surrealistic clothes, so the photographer spent much time shooting her designs. This cooperation led him to fruitful working relationships with Salvador Dali.

Just before the start of WWII in 1939, Horst conducted an outstanding photoshoot for Vogue magazine in Paris, where he took an extraordinary Maibocher Corset series, which became the visiting card of a shooter. Working with Hoynigen-Huene, Horst became the leading photographer of French Vogue. However, his works also appeared in other publications of Great Britain and the USA.

Ellen von Unwerth Ellen is one the most famous fashion photographers who started out working as a fashion model. Her ten-year experience in the modeling business allowed her to gain success in the photography field. Once Ellen took a camera in her hands, she could not deny her passion for photography anymore.

Vanity Fair, Dior, and Ralph Lauren are among the fashion giants Ellen von Unwerth worked for. In 1998, she achieved worldwide recognition by getting the status of one of the most important people in photography from American Photo Magazine.

Her works are atmospheric and filled with confidence, and emotions, as well as conveys a unique vibe and idea. Frequent experiments with composition and photo post-production make each shot original and not like others.

Each photo taken by Tim Walker excites viewers’ imagination and look like a scene from a fantasy movie. Besides, a photographer also shoots short films. He receives regular orders from Vogue.

Extraordinary fashion shots, which stand apart from most images published in famous magazines, make Walker one of the greatest model photographers. In his images, he does not focus on clothes, considering garments only a part of a composition that helps a photographer realize his idea. Actively using various props, which resemble movie decorations, Tim Walker encourages viewers to appreciate every image detail.

Undoubtedly, Mario Testino is one of the greatest fashion photographers, who is recognized worldwide. He also often takes portraits and shoots sporting events.

Chanel, Burberry, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace are industry leaders that often hire Testino as a photographer. A considerable part of his images features celebrities, and members of the royal family.

Although photography is probably Trentino’s greatest passion, he is also active in other fields, being a founder of a museum, working as a creative director, etc. Extreme neatness is not about the photographer’s shooting style, which is rather characterized by natural-looking lifestyle pics taken without staging.

Being the most prominent artist of Harper’s BAZAAR, Zhang Jingna produces high fashion photography you will be captivated with, for sure. Her compositions are bright and unique with every detail complementing the overall atmosphere.

She started her career as a shooter when she was 18, and nowadays Zhang is presented in the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list, and her portfolio inspires many fashion photographers.

Zhang Jingna primarily works with women, capturing and showcasing the uniqueness and character of each model in her shots. She also creates fine art portrait photography projects that showcase her talent and style.

Jeff Bark is one of the greatest fashion photographers, who is known for his surrealistic images. He thinks over compositions, and poses, and creates special props for these shootings. Dazed and Confused Magazine published many of his works, whereas a considerable part of his pics is showcased in museums, like the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Bark’s portfolio includes artistically staged nude photos, which have a unique style, so you won’t confuse them with the works of other fashion artists. His pics are characterized by bright colors, many details, and complex artistic processing. Furthermore, he tries his best to showcase models as realistically as possible.

Steven Meisel is considered one of the most controversial fashion photographers. His style is beyond the classical understanding of fashion photography, but I included him in the list, as the photographer always demonstrates the most current trends in modern fashion.

He cooperated with Valentino, Marc Jacobs, British Vogue, and Moschino, as well as with other famous persons such as Adele, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, and more. When speaking about poses, stages, and ideas, his fashion photography resembles lifestyle photography, as it is relaxed and a bit sloppy.

Cass Bird's fashion photos are distinguished from others by their sophisticated and elegant style. She does not use a lot of detail in the photo so that the viewer can focus on the clothes showcased in this way. Many of her shots are black and white or feature a limited number of colors in order not to overload the frame.

The list of Bird’s clients is truly endless and Calvin Klein, Zara, and American Eagle are among the most famous of them. She also produced portrait photographs of famous of many celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Lewis Hamilton, Ana de Armas, and more. This shooter also works with common people of various ages, therefore his images are so artistic and diverse.

Lara Jade became engaged in photography art when she was 14. In the beginning, she took self-portraits and images of others and posted them online. These publications attracted the attention of multiple viewers bringing popularity to Lara.

Her fascination with self-portraiture grew into a real passion for fashion.

Currently, she conducted photo shoots for such famous personalities as Gemma Chan and Zara Larsson. Avon, Monsoon, and other well-known companies are among her clients as well. Jade’s style is minimalistic, lacks distracting elements on the background, and is aimed to demonstrate every detail in clothing photography.

Actually, Daniel Jackson is a sculptor by profession. And his knowledge of shapes made him an expert in creating flattering light for models and helped him to develop a successful career. He shot many professional models and Gigi Hadid and Doutzen Kroes are among his clients. Jackson’s works appeared in many publications, including i-D, VMAN, and more.

Ideal photography composition is what makes Daniel Jackson the best fashion photographer. All his images feature neutral backgrounds like white or grey, therefore many brands invite him to shoot their new collections.

Julia Hetta’s works are very similar to the art of Rembrandt. Unlike many other photographers, she prefers using natural lighting, which results in original shots that perfectly blend with the world of fashion.

Being a romantic person, Hetta tries to reflect this feature of character in her portfolio. To do this, she benefits from exquisite textures and uses soft illumination to produce impressive artwork. Due to her unique style, many brands like Alexandr McQueen and famous magazines like British Vogue turned their attention to her fashion photography.

Emily Soto is one of the most popular model photographers in America. Her works feature trends, which are displayed in lifestyle style, therefore she is also considered a great street photographer who focuses on fashion.

Her images are elegant and subtle, and many also called them delicate. Moreover, one can characterize the style of her photography, especially, close-up photos as minimalist and featuring a clean aesthetic.

David Roemer is a prominent fashion photographer, whose style involves various trends. His portfolio, which includes many artistic images, is really impressive. Roemer likes to experiment with shots using overexposure or other interesting lighting techniques, while the major part of his images is perfectly lit. He photographed many celebrities like Barbara Palvin and Jessica Chastain.

When working with models, David prefers classic static model poses, which do not distract the viewers’ attention. He fills the frame, using close-ups, and picking the right locations and props.

In her portfolio, you will find both staged classic fashion shots and conceptual abstract body photography that features the beauty of a female body. A pregnancy photo shoot is another direction of her work.

Dramatism and bold solutions make her photography stand out from the artworks of other shooters. Of course, many famous brands like Puma, Dior, Swarovski, etc. have noticed the unique style of Lina’s photographs and invited her to cooperate. By the way, Tech often works as a model, so she is an expert in posing and staging.