I happened to walk into a Hennessey + Ingalls "art and architecture" bookstore today, one that I've never been to. I was actually looking for a book by another photographer, but I found this book by Guido Argentini instead. Every photo in the book incorporates a jaw-dropping model (blacked-out for publication here), and a mirror:

I also have a hardcover copy of Chas Ray Krider's excellent rendition of motel kitch, "Motel Fetish," below:

warprints said:
Ansel Adams was probably my biggest early inspiration, then came David Hume Kennerly.

+1

PB PM said:
I became interested in photography because my dad took so many photos when I was young.

My dad also was ALWAYS taking pictures when I was a kid with his Kodak 126 Instamatic loaded with Ektachrome. That is where I first picked-up the bug.

Later, it was the three-part book series of Ansel Adams: Camera, Negative & Print that I first learned of composition, perspective, the Zone System and other technical aspects of photography.

I love sports, and shooting them is something that I have always enjoyed, and it was the work of Neil Leifer, Dave Black and Walter Iooss Jr. that I studied, but it was not until I read David Kennerly's 1979 book "Shooter" that I knew that photojournalism was what I wanted to make a career from.

Early in my career I had the good fortune to work side-by-side with, and be mentored by three Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalists: Larry Price, Jay Dickman and Skeeter Hagler, all three of which I am still close friends with today.

henri cartier-bresson
Annie Leibovitz
Dave hill
lauren randolph
kevin meredith

Many other people on flickr

What inspires myself to make a photograph is the feeling of making a memory priceless and beautiful in that split second of time and capturing it. Alot of work on B+W inspires me whenever i get down.

I think my inspiration is nature - the great outdoors. And the animal life that is an integral part of nature, of course. There is always a delicate balance in everything that is not human.

aslightdelay said:
Okay, so this isn't as articulate as I'd like.

Your post is very articulate! Good topic!

My two hugest influences when I was young:

1. Helmut Newton:

2. Jim Matusik:

I edited the title of this thread since I don't understand what the title of McNally's book has to do with the original question.

There's another thread on this subject too.

I became interested in photography because my dad took so many photos when I was young. Whenever we went camping, traveled or had a family event, he had our Nikon FE with him. I don't think I'd say there was any one photographer that inspires me, I just photograph whatever catches my eye. I've learned a great deal from other photographers, but as noted before I couldn't point to anyone in particular.

For me, it stemmed from travel and wanting to preserve the memories of some of the magical places I'd seen. As technology grew so did my interest in photography. I bought some books from the masters such as Adams, and modern photojournalism ala Henri Cartier Bresson, and became further inspired. Shooting over and over again as you can with digital makes you an even better photographer I believe, and its been a wonderful hobby that developed into profession now. :)

I'd forgotten David Hume Kennerly, and had never heard of Peter Keetman. Interesting stuff.

heartyfisher said:
Isn't that the name of a photography book?

Yes, By one of the best strobists around - Joe McNally

Ansel Adams was probably my biggest early inspiration, then came David Hume Kennerly.

I am always inspired by the work Peter Keetman did a the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Isn't that the name of a photography book?

Me I dont know. Have to think on it awhile I will revisit when I am not half asleep :-) I sure would be interested in what the others say..

Stepping away from gear and specs for a minute. I'm curious who everyone's photographic touchstones are, either the photographer whose work may have inspired you to pick up a camera yourself, or someone whose work you return to when your own inspiration's running low.

While I've always been interested in photography -- in part because my mother was always lugging her Minolta around, and partly also because I think I tend to be a bit visual by nature -- I think the first time I saw a photographer whose stuff made my jaw drop was Sebastiao Salgado. More recently, I've been looking a lot at older work (Weston, Cartier-Bresson, et al.) to open up my sense of composition a bit.

Okay, so this isn't as articulate as I'd like. But I'm curious to hear what some of you have to say (and hopefully discover some new photographers while I'm at it!)