Influential colour-focused photographers - a reference guide

Posted on January 1, 2026   •  10 minutes  • 1944 words

Colour Photography Masters - Reference Guide

A curated collection of the most influential colour photographers and their essential works. This guide serves as a starting point for anyone serious about studying colour photography.

The Pioneers

William Eggleston (b. 1939)

Often called the “Godfather of Colour Photography.” His 1976 MoMA exhibition was controversial but groundbreaking, legitimizing colour photography as fine art. Known for his saturated images of everyday Southern life and his iconic “Red Ceiling” photograph.

Essential Books:

Key Characteristics:

Stephen Shore (b. 1947)

A key figure in the “New American Colour Photography” movement. Known for large-format work documenting mundane American scenes with meticulous attention to colour relationships and formal composition.

Essential Books:

Key Characteristics:

Background:

Saul Leiter (1923-2013)

Created painterly colour street photography in 1940s-60s New York, often shooting through windows and using reflections. His work has a sophisticated, almost abstract quality.

Essential Books:

Key Characteristics:

Background:

Joel Meyerowitz (b. 1938)

One of the earliest advocates for colour street photography, beginning in 1962. Known for capturing fleeting moments with rich colour palettes in New York City and American landscapes.

Essential Books:

Key Characteristics:

The New American Colour Photography Movement

Context

A watershed moment in the 1960s-70s when colour became accepted as legitimate fine art. Besides those mentioned next, this movement included photographers like Joel Sternfeld and many others who focused on contemporary American life, suburbia, and critiques of the American Dream — all through intentional use of colour.
Key figures legitimized colour photography through:

Other Key Figures in the Movement:

Australian Masters

There are also several notable Australian photographers who work significantly with colour.

Contemporary Australian Colour Photographers

Tracey Moffatt AO (b. 1960)

Known for: Vibrant colour photography and film, narrative storytelling

Essential Work:

Key Characteristics:

Major Series:

Style:

Collections: Tate, MoMA LA, National Gallery of Australia, AGNSW

Rennie Ellis (1940-2003)

Known for: Social documentary in vibrant colour, capturing Australian popular culture

Essential Books:

Key Characteristics:

Style:

Quote: “If you want to learn about the use of colour in photography, Rennie is your man”

Legacy:

William Yang (b. 1943)

Known for: Documentary colour photography of Australian identity

Background:

Famous Work:

Style:

Collaboration: Worked with Rennie Ellis documenting Sydney’s gay community and Mardi Gras scene

Historical Context

The 1960s-1980s Colour Revolution in Australia

This period saw major changes in Australian photography:

Key Figures (mixed colour/B&W) include Carol Jerrems, Sue Ford, David Moore, Mervyn Bishop

Book: Imagining a Real Australia by Stephen Zagala - documents this period

Contemporary Landscape (Colour)

Many contemporary Australian landscape photographers work significantly in colour:

Key Distinctions

Tracey Moffatt:

Rennie Ellis:

William Yang:

Where to See Their Work

Tracey Moffatt:

Rennie Ellis:

William Yang:

International Masters

Alex Webb (b. 1952)

Known for complex, layered compositions with intense colour saturation, often shooting in Latin America and the Caribbean.

https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/new-orleans-300-alex-webb/

Focus: Latin America, Caribbean, street photography
Style: Multiple planes of action, rich colour contrasts, tropical light

Steve McCurry (b. 1950)

Famous for evocative colour documentary work, including the iconic “Afghan Girl” photograph with mesmerizing green eyes.

Focus: Human struggles, vanishing cultures, contemporary culture
Affiliation: Magnum Photos

Raghubir Singh (1942-1999)

Documented India’s streets with brilliant colour composition, transcending the typical Western photographic gaze.

Influences: William Gedney and American street photography
Medium: Supplied with film by National Geographic

Constantine Manos (b. 1934)

Greek-American photographer known for vibrant street photography.

Focus: Colour relationships in Mediterranean light

Ernst Haas (1921-1986)

Early colour photography pioneer known for poetic use of colour and motion.

Period: Active in 1950s-60s when colour was still considered illegitimate

Contemporary Masters

Martin Parr (b. 1952)

British photographer known for saturated, often humorous documentation of consumer culture and modern life.

Style: British photographer with ironic eye
Focus: Modern life, tourism, class, consumerism
Affiliation: Magnum Photos

Nan Goldin (b. 1953)

Revolutionary for her intimate, saturated colour snapshots documenting her community. Her book “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency” was groundbreaking.

Most Famous Work: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (1986)
Style: Snapshot aesthetic with rich colour
Medium: Originally designed as slide installation with music

I have a very saturated vision – Nan Goldin

Mona Kuhn (Contemporary)

Contemporary photographer known for intimate portraits and landscapes with distinctive colour palettes, particularly greens and golds.

Style: Greens, golds, and pinks; humanistic perspective
Notable Series: Native (2009) - “vivid poem rendered in green and gold”
Book: Mona Kuhn: Works (Thames & Hudson, 2021) - comprehensive retrospective

Andreas Gursky (b. 1955)

German photographer creating massive-scale colour photographs of contemporary landscapes and consumer culture.

Background: Düsseldorf School
Style: Digital manipulation, vast detailed compositions
Most Famous Work: Rhine II - Sold for $4.3 million, record for photography
Focus: Consumer culture, contemporary landscapes
Technique: Balance between representation and abstraction

Essential Concepts to Study

Colour Theory Fundamentals

Historical Context

Technical Aspects

Study Approach

For Beginners:

  1. Start with Eggleston’s William Eggleston’s Guide
  2. Move to Shore’s Uncommon Places
  3. Study Leiter’s Early Colour for subtle palette work
  4. Read Meyerowitz’s Cape Light for light mastery

For Intermediate Students:

  1. Compare Eggleston’s saturated work with Leiter’s muted tones
  2. Study Shore’s formal compositions vs. Eggleston’s spontaneity
  3. Analyze how each photographer uses the colour wheel
  4. Note technical approaches (large format vs. 35mm, etc.)

For Advanced Study:

  1. Trace the influence of abstract expressionist painters
  2. Study the social context of each photographer’s work
  3. Understand the technical evolution (film types, printing methods)
  4. Examine how the New American Colour Photography changed the medium

Key Takeaway

These photographers didn’t just use colour—they understood that colour is a language. They saw relationships between hues, understood psychological impacts, and used technical mastery to achieve their visions. Study their work not to copy it, but to understand how deliberate colour choices create meaning, emotion, and visual impact.

This guide is a living document. As you study these photographers, you’ll discover your own favorites and develop your understanding of what makes great colour photography.

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