Photography is the cumulative outcome of many technical discoveries. Starting from the pin hole camera (described by Aristotle and Euclid in the 5th and 4th centuries BC) passing through the stages of color imaging and traveling in the space, photographers have even recorded the first step man took on the moon. There are many categories of photographers and a few of them are  advertising, aerial photographers, astrophotography, documentary photographers, fashion photographers, landscape photographers, sports photographers, underwater photographers, war photographers, and many others.

It is not merely the education, professional background or expertise of the photographer that makes him famous, but the result produced by him- the photograph taken in some unusual way, capturing an important or historical moment in time. Pictures like that of the Twin Towers at the time of being struck by the airplanes are iconic and have a long lasting place in history. It is said that a picture outweighs a thousand words. Photographers perform the important task of preserving the past, like the photography of biodiversity which is at the brink of extinction and never to be seen again except through photographs. They record the present and ensure preparedness to record the events going to happen in future in a number of fields including the war fields, surgical operation theaters and sports arena.

1. Thomas Hoepker

Thomas Hoepker was born in Munich, Germany on June10, 1936. He is a member of Magnum Photos and is best known for his photography of the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy. He studied archeology and history at Goettingen, Munich Germany. He reported from many different locations around the world when working for German TV as a camera man. He worked for American Geo as director from 1978 to 1981. Mostly he used Leica, Nikon and Canon Cameras. His photos had been exhibited in the museums of Munich, Cologne and Hamburg. galleries in Germany and in the Rizzoli Gallery, New York, Us.

2. Jeff Pinilla

Jeffrey Pinilla was born to Angela Maria Figueroa and Edgar Armando Pinilla in Dallas, Texas on November 17, 1988. He is an American photographer  first recognized in 2011 for his work on a print campaign for New York’s WP IX 11 newscast. He received a Promax Gold Award for best Consumer Advertisement. He has been nominated and has won may other awards. Jeff Pinilla  produced a series of commercial film projects featuring Jerry Springer, which won him 6 New York Emmy Award nominations.

3. Irakly Shanidze

Irakly Shanidze was born in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia in 1968. He graduated from Moscow State University in 1993 with a degree in Chemical Enzymology. He earned his PhD in pharmacology at Wayne State University. In 2004, he opened an International Academy of Photographic Arts in partnership with Pavel Kiselev in 2004. His fine art work is on permanent display in Fotoloft Gallery of Moscow. Irakly Shanidze’s work has been exhibited in USA, Canada and Russia. He has published more than one hundred photographs and articles in American and Russian magazines.

4. Pete Muller

Pete Muller is an American Photographer who focuses on war, poverty, sexual identity and humanitarian issues.  He was named ‘Best Photographer on the Wires’ by the Time Magazine in 2011, for his contribution to the Associated Press from Central Africa and Sudan. His work on mobile military tribunals was included in the Open Society Foundation photography exhibit. Peter Muller has contributed to many prestigious magazines like, Associated Press, USA Today, Newsweek Magazine, Al Jazeera TV, National Geographic Channel INTL, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Green Peace and many others.

5. Giles Duley

Giles Duley was born in Wimbledon, London on September 15, 1971. He is a famous British photojournalist, best known for his unique photography on humanitarian issues with a special focus on the consequences of war. During a foot patrol with the US 75th Cavalry Regiment, he stepped on an improvised explosive device and was severely wounded, losing both legs and his left arm. He was treated in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, England where he remained in Intensive Care Unit for 45 days. It was after many months that he could start rehabilitation at DMRC Headly Court.

6. Jepe Olof Wikstrom

Jepe Olof Wikstrom was born on April 10, 1963. He is a Swedish and known as the country’s best published photographer with about 20 titles to his credit. His sales exceeded 500,000 copies in April, 2011. He is part owner of the publishing house Bokforlaget Max Strom in Stockholm.  In 2007, he was awarded the St. Eriks Medallion for his meticulous and buoyant depictions of the capital city in his photographs. Sweden’s Princess Christina honored him for his contribution to building bridges between cultures and the business community.

7. Joakim Eskildsen

Joakim Eskildsen is a Danish photographer. He was educated at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. His photographs have been exhibited in many countries including Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, England, France, Italy, China and South Africa. He is best known for his book The Roma Journeys which enlighten the reader regarding aspects of the life of Roma in text, along with more than 200 photographs. In 2009 he was awarded the prize of Otto Pankok Foundation, for this book. He has won many other awards including; Photo Eye Book & Print Annual Award, American Ponchielli Prize, Deutscher Fotobuchpreis Gold medal and David Octavius Hills Medal.

8. Martin Achoeller

Martin Achoeller is a New York based, American photographer best known for his portraits. His photographs appear in The New Yorker. He studied photography at Lette Verein in Berlin. His published works include; Close up: Portraits 1998-2005, Female Body Builders, Fotographie portfolio #54. His works are at permanent display in Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. He has won many awards including 2010 National Magazine Awards: photo portfolio, American Society of Magazine Editors, The Hadza, National Geographic.

9. Mitchell “Mitch” Epstein

Mitchell “Mitch” Epstein was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S in 1952. He was educated at Wilson Academy, and Rhode Island School of Design. Epstein won the 2011 Prix Pictet for his series American Power. He was also awarded the 2008 Berlin Prize in Arts and Letters by the American Academy in Berlin. His works are at permanent display in many world famous museums like;  New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Tate Modern in London.

10. John McMurtrie

Born in 1969, John McMurtrie is a famous British music photographer. He is best known for his popular portraits of heavy rock musicians. He is a regular contributor to the prestigious magazines including Total Guitar, Rolling Stone, US and the British Q Magazine. Her has written and photographed the best selling book “On Board Flight 666” for Iron Maiden, published by Orion Books on October 20, 2011. John McMurtrie was honored with the prestigious 2011 Professional Photographer of the Year Award on March 29, 2012. He has also won “Best Portfolio” Award and News Editorial Photographer of the year runner up.

Conclusion:

Photographers have contributed a great deal in promoting the need for peace and they have drawn attention of many towards the burning humanitarian issues, consequently moving and motivating many to curb the vice through all possible means. John Donne, the great English poet wrote, “No man is an island.. .any man’s death diminishes me , because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the tolls; it tolls for thee”.