Alice Austen is one of the oldest photographers I have on this list, and that just makes her even cooler. Most of the people on this list are modern-day photographers, but Alice Austen was in her prime in the 1920's. She was one of the first out lesbian photographers and for that, I owe her a "thank-you". She helped pave a road for future queer artists and her work is nothing short of incredible. Her photos of women together are pure gold. In some of them, we as viewers don't know if they are lovers or partners, but the photos make us believe it is so. Her photos of groups of women within the secret queer community of her time give future generations a history lesson of what life was like then and serve as a history lesson for anyone that believes "the gay community is only recently popular". Aside from her photographs of other people, her self portraits and self portraits with her partner, Gertrude, are also spell-binding. I have always loved Alice Austen's work, but after learning about her story and her history, my love for her just continues to grow.
