A watch measures time. A photograph gives it lasting form. Behind the images that define an era are the people who help decide what we see, what we value, and what we remember.

Created with the support of Maurice de Mauriac, this selection brings together 60 of the most influential figures in contemporary photography—from curators and gallerists to collectors, editors, and other leading specialists. Through the work they create, champion, exhibit, publish, and preserve, they shape photography’s present and its future.

This list is a guide to understanding that influence. It introduces the people behind the exhibitions, collections, publications, and ideas that bring photography into public view—and explores why their decisions matter.

Inspired by the 60 minute markers on a watch dial, each position represents one person. As you move through their stories, the hand advances, tracing a collective portrait of the people shaping how our time will be seen and remembered.

Presented in partnership with Maurice de Mauriac.

David Zwirner’s relevance to photography comes from his broader influence on contemporary art. His international gallery provides artists with exhibition opportunities, publishing support, and access to collectors. Within this context, photography participates in a wider artistic conversation, benefiting from the visibility and institutional connections of a major gallery network.

David Zwirner

American art dealer and gallery owner

David Campany is an influential voice in photography as a curator, writer, and educator. His books and exhibitions explore how photographs communicate, circulate, and relate to cinema and contemporary art. Working with major museums and publishers, he connects academic research with accessible ways of looking at images.

David Campany

British curator, writer and photography theorist

Sarah Meister combines extensive museum experience with a major role in photographic publishing. After more than twenty-five years at MoMA, she became executive director of Aperture. Through exhibitions, books, and educational projects, she helps shape which photographers reach wider audiences and how their work is understood.

Sarah Meister

American photography curator and former MoMA curator

Larry Gagosian has helped position photography within the international contemporary art market. His gallery represents prominent artists working with photography, including Andreas Gursky, Sally Mann, and Jeff Wall. Through exhibitions, publications, and a global gallery network, he provides a powerful platform for their work and its recognition among collectors.

Larry Gagosian

American art dealer and gallery owner

Nathalie Herschdorfer is an influential curator and historian of photography, and director of Photo Elysée in Lausanne. Her career spans museum leadership, exhibitions, teaching, and international photography programmes. These roles give her an important platform for connecting photographic history with contemporary practice and introducing artists to new audiences.

Nathalie Herschdorfer

Swiss curator and photography historian

Lydia Melamed Johnson is executive director of AIPAD and The Photography Show, connecting an international community of photography galleries and dealers. Her influence comes from creating a platform where photographic work reaches collectors, museums, and the public. She helps strengthen the networks that support photography’s recognition and market.

Lydia Melamed Johnson

Executive Director of AIPAD and The Photography Show

François Pinault’s importance comes from his role as a collector and cultural patron. His collection brings together contemporary artists across generations, cultures, and media. In a photography-focused selection, he represents the influence of major collectors in placing photographic work within the broader history and public presentation of contemporary art.

François Pinault

French businessman and contemporary art collector

Roxana Marcoci helps shape how contemporary photography is understood and presented in museums. Through her exhibitions, research, and publications at MoMA, she connects photography with wider artistic and social debates. Her influence lies in bringing significant artists to international attention and helping establish their place in art history.

Roxana Marcoci

American curator and photography department head

Joshua Chuang has helped shape photographic culture through museum exhibitions, research, and carefully developed photobooks. His projects include work on Robert Adams, Anna Atkins, Santu Mofokeng, and Judith Joy Ross. His experience across museums, publishing, and Gagosian gives him influence over how photography is exhibited, interpreted, and collected.

Joshua Chuang

American photography curator, editor and historian

As director of Photo London, Sophie Parker helps bring galleries, photographers, and collectors together on an international stage. Her work supports both the commercial and cultural sides of photography. By developing the fair and its gallery relationships, she helps create opportunities for artists to gain visibility and reach new audiences.

Sophie Parker

British photography fair director and curator