In Focus: 5 Award Winning Women Photographers  

 “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
― Karl Lagerfeld

Time passes in the blink of an eye. Before we know it, our most cherished moments become memories. The art of photography has made it possible for us to capture these moments, just like Karl Lagerfeld asserted. Today, taking photographs is commonplace. Anyone with a camera or a smartphone can easily snap a shot. However, things were not always as easy. It took centuries for photographic cameras to evolve. It was not until the nineteenth century that any significant progress was made in the invention of the camera. Since then, there has been no looking back. Once the technology behind the process became somewhat stable, taking photographs gradually turned into an art form. From portraits and landscapes to photojournalism and street photography, various genres of photography took form.

Like any other field, soon photography was deemed to be the domain of men. Yet, this did not stop our talented female photographers. Anna Atkins became the first woman to take a photograph way back in the nineteenth century. In fact, she was the first person who used photos instead of illustrations in her book, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, and made photographs acceptable for scientific depictions. With time, many other women took up photography. Female photographers have played as significant a role as men in shaping the history of photography. Yet, many people are not aware of their extraordinary work.

Let us take this time and get to know some of the award-winning female photographers.

Anna-Lou Leibovitz

Awards: The ADC Hall of Fame, The Lucie Awards, The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum, Paez Medal of Art, Prince of Asturias Award for Communication, The Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship

Annie Leibovitz is one of the most renowned photographers. She got her first break with Rolling Stonesway back in 1970. Since then, there has been no looking back. After serving as the chief photographer at Rolling Stones for ten years, she moved to Vanity Fair. Leibovitz is known for her innovative conceptualization. She has taken photos of many notable personas across the globe. Be it Queen Elizabeth II or Leonardo DiCaprio, she has clicked them all. It is Leibovitz who took the iconic photograph of the nude and pregnant Demi Moore that graced the cover of Vanity Fair. Leibovitz is the one who took the last photo of the legendary musician, John Lennon.

Imogen Cunningham

Awards: Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Arts for Photography, Dorothea Lange Award, International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum

Imogen Cunningham’s industrial landscapes, botanical photographs, and classy nudes are still the talk of the photographic town. A member of the renowned direct photography f/64 group, Cunningham was closely associated with famous photographers like Ansel Adams, Minor White, and Dorothea Lange. Imogen Cunningham is known for her penchant to bring out the human aspect of her subjects. Her work is known for its intimacy and intensity.  

Margaret Bourke-White

Awards: Achievement Award: US Camera, Honor Roll Award: American Society of Magazine Photographers

Margaret Bourke-White was the first American woman to pursue photojournalism. However, this was not her only first. In fact, Margaret Bourke-White was the first woman photographer to work for Fortune and LIFE Magazine. She was also the first female who was allowed as a war correspondent in combat zones during WWII. It was she who was the only photographer from the West in Moscow who captured an image of Joseph Stalin during the German Invasion of the Soviet Union.  Her clicks of the liberation of the concentration camps made a mark in the hearts of people worldwide. Bourke-White traversed the globe and captured some of the most memorable moments of history. She covered the Korean War under the patronage of LIFE Magazine. Bourke-White documented the Independence of India and the India-Pakistan partition. She captured the last image of Mahatma Gandhi a few hours before he was assassinated. Her photo of Gandhi at the spinning wheel is one of the most famous images out there. Margaret Bourke-White’s work continues to inspire photographers to this day.

Gisèle Freund

Awards: Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, Officier des Arts et Lettres, Grand prix national des Arts pour la Photographie, German Society’s cultural photography prize

Gisèle Freund is one of the founding mothers of the art of photography. She is known for her photojournalism and portrait photography. Berlin-born Gisèle Freund was the only female founder of the Magnum photo agency. She took on at least 80 photographic assignments around the world. Freund is also famous for taking inspiring portrait photographs of some of the most renowned personalities in the art and literary world. She was the one who took the first color portraits of Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, and Andre Breton among others. She also captured James Joyce, Aldous Huxley, Vladimir Nabokov, Evita Peron, and Frida Kahlo. Her thought-provoking images are an inspiration to many.

Nan Goldin

Awards: Odre des Arts et des Lettres, Hasselblad Award, Edward MacDowell Medal, The Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship

Nan Goldin made it her life’s mission to capture real life through her camera. Goldin immortalized the passion, pain, and lives of her friends, lovers, associates, and of course, herself. She took it upon herself to snap pictures of controversial subjects like the opioid epidemic, the HIV crisis, and the LGBTQ+ community. Her work, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, is a moving collection depicting all these themes. Nan Goldin is indeed brave to portray the raw vulnerability of human beings through her unconventional photographs.

Conclusion

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.”
― Eudora Welty

Indeed, it is true. A photo helps us savor moments long after they pass. They help us retain history. Naturally, photographers have a great responsibility. Women photographers have contributed to the annals of history just like their male counterparts. This list is a short one celebrating the achievements of some of our female photographers.

Do comment and let me know which of these insanely talented photographers have mesmerized you with their skills.