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8 Painters Every Photographer Should Study
The artist must train not only his eye, but also his soul.
- Wassily Kandinsky
Everything we see hides another thing; we always want to see what is hidden by what we see.
- René Magritte
The relationship between painting and photography has extended the possibilities of image creation. When photography appeared on the scene, it was supposed to herald the democratization of portraiture (among other genres, like landscapes and still lifes). Photography gave painting the freedom it needed to burst into the rich fountain of expression it is today. There are many classic and modern painters whom, thanks to their skills with lighting and conceptualization, can serve as valuable guides for today’s photographers.
Vermeer’s paintings often depict women in subtle, light-filled domestic venues. He was one of many Dutch painting masters, even though he produced only a handful of paintings (just 34 paintings have been attributed to him so far). Vermeer is considered to be one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. His meticulous use of light offers a great guide for many photographers who are interested not just in portraiture, but in lifestyle photography. Also, the poses in his work provide a useful reference for how to capture an intriguing aura that goes beyond the traditional photographic poses we usually see.
