Inspiring women in photography

Susan Meiselas

Susan has been a significant name in the photography world for decades. Over the years, she’s documented countless stories, many of which are women-centric, and made some unforgettable photo projects all around the world. She’s captured everything from women in the US army to maternal mortality in India, and many of her projects can be viewed on her website, with some, unsurprisingly, having made their way to print.

Bella Kotak

Bella’s fine-art portraits are thoroughly modern and as unique as they come. The mood is dreamy, the colours are sublime and there’s no shortage of detail to enchant. A number of her photographic ‘stories’ can be seen on her website, or you can find her on Instagram at the handle @bellakotak.

Rossella Vanon

Rossella is an Italian-born, UK-based fashion and beauty photographer, whose work has been featured on the cover of some of the industry’s biggest magazines. She defines her photos by their attentive use of light and colour, and it’s certainly apparent. Her expert direction ensures a distinctly intimate and natural feel to her photographs. See her particular brand of glamour on her website or on Instagram @rossellavanon.

Juno Calypso

Juno is another photographer who explores ideas of femininity through her work, in a stylish and contemporary way. Often using herself as a subject, Juno presents her findings through a surreal, dream-like and darkly comedic lens. You can see select shots from The Honeymoon, a series captured in romance-themed hotels, and What to do With a Million Years, taken in an underground Las Vegas bunker, on her website. Juno can be found on Instagram at @junocalypso.

Marilyn Stafford

Born almost a century ago, Marilyn had an unusual start to her photographic career, and some of the first photos she took were portraits of Albert Einstein. From there, she continued to document life around the world, photographing strangers and prominent figures from modern history alike. Known for her use of monochrome, her photos offer countless stark, joyous, monumental, unusual and outright beautiful moments. In recent years, her FotoReportage award has helped to inspire and promote the next generation of women photographers. You can find much of her work on her website.

Annie Leibovitz

This International Women’s Day list would simply not be complete without a mention of Annie Leibovitz. She’s an icon, and one of the most well-known photographers in history. She began her professional career as a photographer for the equally iconic Rolling Stone, and just three years later, she was the magazine’s chief photographer, shooting no less than 142 covers during her time there. Her celebrity portraits almost defy definition and to many, she’s the best that’s ever held a camera.

She achieved the remarkable feat of being the first woman to have a solo exhibition at the prestigious National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., and the number of photographers she’s inspired, women and otherwise, is undoubtedly countless. You can see Annie’s work on Instagram at the handle @annieleibovitz, and we’d urge you to pick up at least one of her books.