The Most Underrated & Most Overrated Photographers

[angel222]

Currently the most overrated photog is Mario Testino ---- bar none. Some underrated photogs include Bill King, Andrea Blanch, Sheila Metzner, and Denis Piel among other. I'm so glad this thread got started I found this website not too long ago, and this thread reminded me of it.

Underrated Masters of Photography:

http://www.popphoto.com/americanphotofeatures/3191/underrated-masters-of-photography.html

 

[kasper!]

most overrated----david sims

most of his work:white background+ jumping model

 

[5nap5hot]

Overrated: Juergen Teller.... at least Terry Richardson has some style and/or humor in his photos.

Underrated: Paolo Roversi.... otherworldly... dream-like...hypnotic.

 

[MulletProof]

most overrated----david sims

most of his work:white background+ jumping model

I'd say it's US Vogue's fault here as it never fails to bring every artist and/or model down to a very dull and insipid level where any flaws or capabilities are nearly imperceptible.. David's work was, in my opinion, one of the most joyful and inspiring in fashion until he started working for Vogue, I was very surprised myself to see he had managed to pull off something so perfectly mediocre and devoid of life and personality. in other words, he really sold out.. which is unfortunate. but I would say that somewhere down there, there's still a hell lot of talent in David.. I think he's capable of achieving staggering imagery when he's on his own.. or wintour-less, whatever. if he's praised by his work for Vogue exclusively, I'd agree he's overrated but judging him as a photographer in general or after being familiar not just with his present but what he's done in the past, then I'd wholeheartedly.. disagree.

 

[unipine]

^ his editorial in the latest issue of V Magazine was just stunning. he still has it but is brought down by the constraints of American Vogue, like you said.

 

[ms-nietzsche]

overrated: Juergen Teller. i don't get why he's so big
underrated: yelena yemchuk. there's something so romantically foreboding in her work

 

[singlo]

Over-rated
1.Mario Testino
2. David Bailey,
3.Rankine,
4.Juergen Teller

under-rated

1. Javier Vallhonrat
2. Ali Mahdavi
3. Herbs Ritts
4. Paolo Roversi

 

[Omnis]

Mario Testino is by far the most overrated in my opinion.

 

[singlo]

Mario Testino is by far the most overrated in my opinion.

He is famous because he took pictures of Princess Diana.

David Bailey is married to a famous actress Catherine Denuve and published several books. He can afford to be lazy with lighting and style becuase he is David Bailey.

Rankine owns a fashion magazine.
God knows why Juergen Teller is so big, his photos are not inspiring and all hype.

If you look at the works of Javier Vallhonrat, you see he is an artist with very strong vision and style; his use of colours and lighting skills are incredible. He is a master of light.

 

[kristiinawilson]

If it's fine with photos looking all the same, why bother shooting a new editoral, instead of pasting a new dress over a model's body using computer graphics? Because it doesn't look so perfect?

:

I SO agree with what you are saying here! I really dislike the fact that over the past 5 years especially photographers have to stay in this tiny little box of a VERY particular style and keep doing exactly the same thing. There is no room to grow, to change, to keep things fresh. It just makes things easier for photo editors so they know exactly what they will get but I think it is boring for everyone else. I love Paolo Roversi but I wish he would push himself to do something new -- always the same thing. Same with many big name photographers -- please, try something different! It should be ok to not always have exactly the same way of shooting (I think you will always have the same "style" and feeling no matter how you shoot).

 

[MUXU]

generally..i find all those big photographers looking all the same...steven meisel, mario testino, I&V etc etc. they remind me of old masters like helmut newton and guy bourdin.
alot of the photos look too digitally enchanced that it lost that initial reality to it.

i dont know alot of underrated photographers so this thread should help me

i like Daniel Jackson recently, he started off quite like David Sims but i can see him getting better and moving on from jumping models. i especially liked his recent editorial in i-D dec/jan issue with Suvi. the way he captured her expression was great! most of the time, im tired of dead straight model faces...show some emotion and expression damn it!

 

[BetteT]

I SO agree with what you are saying here! I really dislike the fact that over the past 5 years especially photographers have to stay in this tiny little box of a VERY particular style and keep doing exactly the same thing. There is no room to grow, to change, to keep things fresh. It just makes things easier for photo editors so they know exactly what they will get but I think it is boring for everyone else. I love Paolo Roversi but I wish he would push himself to do something new -- always the same thing. Same with many big name photographers -- please, try something different! It should be ok to not always have exactly the same way of shooting (I think you will always have the same "style" and feeling no matter how you shoot).

I have a photographer friend who had the privilege of having a personal tour at US Vogue by an editor there. He was told that she (Anna Wintour) does not allow much change in her photographers ... that she uses each one to get a specific look and if she wants something different ... she finds another shooter.

So that just confirms what you are saying Kristiina ... but that it's not actually the photographer's fault, in a lot of cases. It's their employers (the magazines) who force them into a box. It's a shame that a shooter of that caliber is not allowed to stretch.

 

[mass]

overrated:
meisel
lachapelle
meisel
inez + vinoodh
meisel
demarchelier
meisel

underrated:
sophie delaporte
thierry le goues
wendy bevan
tim walker, sometimes.

 

[happytrail]

overrated:
david lachapelle
patrick demarchelier
mario testino

underrated:
yelena yemchuck
laurie bartley

 

[ms-nietzsche]

I understand that, but when they are constantly taking inspiration from others they are also seen like copycats, it's not right for professionals like Meisel or I&V, I have read a lot of comments by young people where they write how AWESOME Meisel is, that I&V are the best photographeres ever, that's the moment where they started to be overrated 'cause that young people don't know the facts, they have never seen the work of Avedon 'cause he's not of their generation. that's what annoys me.

Avedon is definitely not of my generation, and when I took a photo class all the way back in high school he was the only name I bothered remembering.
Fashion photography, to be completely honest (and with few exceptions such as Roversi, I adore Paolo) is quite limited. I remember being completely blown away not with his fashion work, but with Avedon's photoshoot of the American West. He reached a level in photography that Meisel, I&V, and many of the hot fashion photogs of today can never achieve. I guess that's why I don't really mind Avedon's fashion work being copied

 

[ms-nietzsche]

There's a lot of Terry haters here...
Yes he's crass and blatantly sexy, but to be fair sensuality isn't everyone's cup of tea, and he can be very creative about it sometimes. Case in point:

Terry's work was original and creative, at the least. It flirts with It's gotten very repetitive lately, but whose photos haven't? It's the curse of fashion photography.
It's fair to not like Terry, but I don't think he's overrated. If you consider how he's rated- no one holds him on the same level as Yemchuk or Paolo, no one calls his work sensual or romantic or dark- people know Terry's taste.

source: Terryrichardson.com

 

[kasper!]

I declare that I retract my post at #42..it's so embarrassing!!!..i think i was strongly pissed off by jumping-trentini ed in vogue us..sorry again..for my stupid post..i was so irrational at that time

 

[Ms. Jazzy]

I mean, in terms of photography everything has already been done, even 60's photographers like Penn or Avedon took inspiration from old art, but it doesn't matter, you can even create your old signature style, certain pose, certain angle, certain element characteristic of your pictures.

Some people think that having a signature style is boring but that's what makes them real artists, if you get bored of a photographer try another one.

examples of artists with signature style? Avedon, Penn, Hurrel, Lindbergh, Weber, Ritts, Lachapelle, Richardson, Teller, Newton, Bourdin, Scavullo, Leibovitz ..........

I agree with this 100%. I also agree with the posts referring to editors/magazines not allowing photographers to grow and not pushing them.

However, photographers today are kind of afraid to shoot in their own style, not realizing that although they may never get to do it editorially, they should be willing to do for the sake of being an artist.

Personally I don't like to think of any artist/photographer as overrated or underrated. I think it diminishes their attempt at the project at hand (we don't know the facts pertaining to the shoot in question,) and discourages any attempts from future growth.

 

[audreyh]

under-rated

1. Javier Vallhonrat
2. Ali Mahdavi
3. Herbs Ritts
4. Paolo Roversi

Ali Mahdavi is definitely one of the most underrated photographers. I adore his work - especially his art projects. Most overrated is Mario Testino. Yawn.

 

[SnejanaIsMyMuse]

Overrated-Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino ,Mert and Marcus, La Chappalle, Meisel(sometimes)

Underrated-Eugenio Recuenco ,Yelena Yemchuk, Bob Richardson(I just love his works, and they really aren't talked about as much as they should be).Miles Aldridge ,despite all of his things having a similar look, is very underrated I think also.