Living Art, Living Legends: Photography 2021 Winners

The human form has been the subject of art since the first artist. With the rise of photography came a new way of turning bodies into art, and with today’s special effects in digital photography, there’s no stopping the experimentation!

Howard Schatz is an award-winning American photographer and Graphis Master based in New York City. Throughout his career, Schatz has used his photography to explore many different genres, though his fascination with the human form is the thread that ties his works together. In his Platinum-winning photo series entitled “Beauty” (above) from our Photography 2021 Annual, Schatz takes his work to another level, showcasing dancers in exaggerated poses while incorporating a creative blend of graphic overlays with intricate patterns, texture, and vivid colors that are reminiscent of Art Nouveau and psychedelic art movements of the past. Maintaining his bedside manner from his days as an ophthalmologist, Shatz has always ensured that his subjects are comfortable and at ease throughout the entire photography session, allowing him to capture stunning shots of each person in seemingly unguarded moments. On top of the overlays, the dancers are also decorated in shimmering metallic paint and make-up, giving them an ethereal and other-worldly appearance.

Another 2021 winner is a portrait submission by Craig Culter, a photographer, and artist also from New York. The portrait “Serena Williams on Chaise” (above) was taken of the renowned tennis player, entrepreneur, and fashion mogul for her new jewelry line. Focused on authenticity and being “unapologetically you,” the brand’s collection is a beautiful celebration of the strong women both in Serena’s life and around the world, and was created to inspire people to “love themselves, believe in themselves, and, of course, treat themselves.” To translate this message through the brand’s visuals,  Culter was entrusted to capture images of Serena that exude quiet confidence while showcasing some of her best jewelry pieces like rings, a chain bracelet, a necklace, and some diamond-encrusted dangle earrings. Paired with a classic little black dress and modern chaise lounge chair, the photograph presents Serena and her jewelry line in a way that was both sophisticated and fashionable while staying true to Serena’s philosophy for her line.

To learn more about entering your photography into our Photography Annual 2023, visit graphis.com! And if you want to see other Photography 2021 winners, click here.