Black and White Street Photographers

[AidanA]

Hey RFF,

I shoot street photography. I usually shoot color, but now I have the opportunity to learn developing in a B+W lab, so I'm moving to B+W for a while.

I'd love to hear the names of some iconic or personal favorite B+W street photographers. I love to get inspired by looking at the work of those who have developed and pushed the limits of their craft--those who really produce unique and touching images. Who should I check out?

FWIW, though I haven't done my fair share of digging when it comes to street photographers, when shooting color I always used Alex Webb's The Suffering of Light as a point of inspiration. His photographs get me every time.

Thanks!

 

[Chris101]

Um, there's Gary Winogrand, Robert Doisneau. "HCB", Ned Bojic and me, as well as others who I cannot name at the moment.

 

[eckhardf]

Some other great influences (for me anyway) include: Robert Frank, Joseph Koudelka and Lee Freidlander... Also Andre Kertesz and Sebastian Salgado are well worth a look.. Sorry for any mis-spelling in the above names!

 

[Erik van Straten]

I would like to add Junku Nishimura. By far the best of the younger photographers.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/junku-newcleus/

Erik.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Robert Frank, Meyerowitz (his early B&W work) and see eckardf post above. Bruce Davidson, Mary Ellen Mark, Margaret Bourke White, Jill Freedman, Boogie, Bruce Gilden.

Agree... And there are certainly many more.

A good movie on NY street.
http://everybodystreet.com

I am really not into labels like street though I tend to use it all the time there are a couple of photographers work that post here that really are doing inspirational work. Vince Lupo is certainly one that comes to mind though don't know if I would exactly call it street. His images from the SW are truly inspiring.

Erik van Straten has some really intersection work and I know his images as soon as I see them (big compliment btw)

There is guy Simon that I haven't seen posting here in a while that has really interesting work.

sjones ( I think that he posts here) started with digital and went film and really educated himself in the history of photography. His love for art and photography surely drives his vision now and I admire his work and also find it very inspiring.

There are also many more that post here whose work I find inspiring.

 

[rhl-oregon]

Let’s add Allen, aka Airfrog (above) to this list, in the same spirit as he so kindly advocated for Vince and Erik and Simon (aka Our Man in Tangier). I’ll add Marek Fogiel, M7 of the Med, and Dan Wagner (NYdan, the Rolleiflex that shot NY), as a few others here whose eye and handiwork are instantly recognizable.

And get to know your peers here around the world! That is, spend some time looking in the RFF gallery! Many good photographers, many good street photographs among in there. Some are known only by their avatars (Tuna), others use their initials and/or locations (as I do) and some use their actual names linked to their photography websites. Enjoy the search and discovery.

 

[jojoman2]

mark cohen, richard sandler, daido moriyami, nicholas nixon,

I shoot mostly color now but shot a lot more black and white in the past. @kingofkodak on instagram

 

[jojoman2]

definitely check out koudelka, he's a master

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

There is guy Simon that I haven't seen posting here in a while that has really interesting work.

if you mean Simon Lee, I agree, if you actually mean me, i humbly thank thee.
(little poem for you there, you're welcome!)

also, i'm not dead, just stuck in an 80's training-for-the-final-confrontation movie montage.

cheers
simon

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Viktor Kolar.

https://www.viktorkolar.com/

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Philip Jones Griffiths
W. Eugene Smith
Benedict Fernandez

Phil Forrest

 

[charjohncarter]

(T)hose who really produce unique and touching images.

Not really a paved street photographer but for where he lived (Devon) he certainly worked like what you would call a 'street photographer,' his images are unique and touching:
James Ravilious.

http://www.jamesravilious.com/gallery.asp

 

[jim_jm]

I've always liked Helen Levitt's work.

 

[filmtwit]

Daido Moriyama: Very prolific japanese street photographer who has worked extensively in 35mm B&W over the last 5 decades. His B&W work is very visual and contrasty as hell. While mainly seen as street photographer when you look at his work as a whole, he's really documented all the subtle changes in in post war japan.

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/jap...ma-the-father-of-street-photography-in-japan/




https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=27&v=foWAs3V_lkg

 

[Dogman]

Lee Friedlander, Elliott Erwitt, Diane Arbus, Louis Faurer, Henry Wessel, many others I'm forgetting.

Don't forget early Walker Evans, the biggest influence on many of today's "street" photographers, whether they realize it or not.

 

[Satisfied Fool]

Dont forget the Scandinavian guys, Anders Petersen, JH Engstrom and Jacob Aue Sobol.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Junku added some new work to his Flickr account.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/junku-newcleus/

Erik.

 

[back alley]

gordan parks...

 

[tbhv55]

(T)hose who really produce unique and touching images.

Not really a paved street photographer but for where he lived (Devon) he certainly worked like what you would call a 'street photographer,' his images are unique and touching:
James Ravilious.

http://www.jamesravilious.com/gallery.asp

Yes - one of my favourites. It's good to see that his work is known further afield.

 

[tbhv55]

Lee Friedlander, Elliott Erwitt, Diane Arbus, Louis Faurer, Henry Wessel, many others I'm forgetting.

Oh yes... Erwitt - simply superb!