There are four photographers whose work I admire most. Even though these four have had no great influence on my styles and approaches to the photographic medium, they are the ones who got me interested in the first place.
When I was studying painting at university, I had my first introduction to Man Ray. Of all the movements in art history, my favorite has always been Dada. And Man Ray was one of the first photographers to be included in an art movement (i.e. Dada). His experimentation took photography beyond a simple device for representation and his images still hold their power today.
I also came across Joel Peter Witkin around the same time. This American photographer is not too far removed from Man Ray in that he encapsulates the spirit of Surrealism. Though his images often cause offense because of their subject matter. He uses human body parts and deformities primarily to shock the viewer. However, his compositions and themes are harmonious and ineffably beautiful, so they cause aesthetic conflict in the mind of the observer.
An Australian photographer whose work I have admired for more than 25 years is Bill Henson. He has also caused controversy due to his use of underage homeless children as models for his work. This is the kind of challenging work that pushes the art of photography across moral boundaries.
Finally, more recently I saw an exhibition of a Japanese photographer named Ken Domon. His simple black and white images portray Japan in the aftermath of World War 2. The scenes are often very innocent, yet on occasions also shocking. Although, they never preach any moral stance. They simply record a time in history.
