8 Badass Female Photographers We Love That Are Crushing It Right Now

by Nina Vasic

Image credit: Priscilla du Preez via Unsplash

Happy International Women's Day! We thought we'd celebrate the occasion by taking a look at some of our favorite female photographers. As noble as it would have been to give you the top 8 female photographers of all time—really though we should all know Annie Leibovitz or Vivian Maier by now—we thought it would be more inspiring to take a look at some badass ladies who are absolutely crushing it right now. Here are our top 8 favorite female photographers that we love and why we love them. 

1. Mária Švarbová | @maria.svarbova

According to her website, Mária Švarbová's "distinctive style departs from traditional portraiture and focuses on experimentation with space, colour, and atmosphere." We couldn't agree more and if you haven't seen Mária's work yet, first of all, you're welcome. We've been mesmerized with Slovakian-based photographer and Hasselblad Master Mária's work from the moment we saw it. Her series Swimming Pool has been featured in The Guardian, Fubiz, CNN, Forbes, Harper's Bazaar, and more. She was also named one of Forbes/Slovakia's 30 under 30. 
Give her a follow on Instagram or see more of her work on her website. 

2. Shauna Wade | @so.shauna

Located in the New York/New Jersey area, Shauna Wade is a photographer, social media manager, influencer, and content creator. She's the founder of MoodyGrams and MoodyPorts, one of the largest, most respected, online photography communities in the world. With over 1.5 million followers across the two channels and over 30.3 million Instagram posts to their hashtags, it's safe to say that Shauna is not only an amazing photographer, but an empire builder too. She is one fierce powerhouse and we are inspired by her commitment to community and the craft. 

Follow Shauna on Instagram and learn more at MoodyGrams.net. 

3. Vanessa Rivera | @the_life_of_aivax

Vanessa Rivera's photography has won the hearts of people around the world with her surrealist worlds that turn a child-like imagination into reality. The California-based mom of 3 is a self proclaimed writer and future educator. Her skillful composite work combines photographs of her kids, everyday household objects, and a touch of magic to create work that is refreshingly lighthearted and playful. Vanessa reminds us to always stay young at heart and never lose our child-like curiosity.

Follow Vanessa on Instagram to see more of her surreal adventures, or check out her blog here.   

4. Chelsea Kyle | @chelsealouisekyle

If you're a foodie, we challenge you to find one dish that looks more mouth-watering than these food shots by Chelsea Kyle. As a Senior Visual Editor, Chelsea's work has appeared in Conde Nast, Epicurious, and Bonappetitmag. If you do nothing else today, check out her Produce Portraits series on her website. Is this a thing, because it should definitely be a thing. We can see these captures hung across kitchens around the world as a hilarious fusion of portrait and food photography. 
Follow Chelsea on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at being a commercial food photographer or check out her website to see more work. 

5. Tina Eisen | @tina_eisen

We're absolutely obsessed with LA-based beauty and fashion photographer Tina Eisen's portrait work.  With over 10 years of experience in the industry, Tina has worked with clients such as MaxFactor, Sephora, Ciate, Superdrug, Harvey Nichols, ASOS, Marks & Spencer, ITV, Amazon, Barbour and numerous other well-known global brands and magazines.
Follow Tina on Instagram here or check out more of her work on her website.

6. Marta Bevacqua | @martabevacqua

Italian photographer and director Marta Bevacqua is a master of natural light. The fashion photographer is now based in Paris and shoots for editorial spreads and advertising campaigns. Her commitment to only shooting in natural light is not only inspiring, but the results are nothing short of captivating. Take a look at her series mademoiselle for a delightfully fresh take on fashion portrait photography. 

Follow Marta on Instagram or check out her website to see more of her work.  

7. Natalia Seth | @escapingyouth

Natalia Seth's surrealist, colorful, and quirky work is riddled with storytelling. Her self-portraits feature dreamy landscapes and pops of saturated colour, all of which share her inner world. According to Natalia, she likes to tell stories through exaggerated facial expressions and through color. Not only did she start shooting and posting her work to Instagram at just 13, but only 5 years and 200,000+ followers later, Natalia is inspiring people around the world. She recently released an art book called The Imaginary World of Natalia Seth, available for pre-order now, and even offers classes on PHLEARN on surrealist composite photography.  

8. Elisabeth Brentano | @elisabethontheroad

California-based landscape and wildlife photographer, Elisabeth Brentano, not only takes stunning captures around the world, but also shares a poignant message along with her work. According to her Instagram profile, Elisabeth is "sharing the beauty of our planet — and inspiring others to do more to protect it." The writer and photographer is passionate about wildlife conservation and spreads the word through her photography and blog. Her blog advocates for reducing plastic pollution in our oceans, and also how to respect and enjoy this beautiful Earth through eco-tourism. That's a badass message that we can all get behind.
  
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Do you have a favorite female photographer that's not on our list? Let us know in the comments below.

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