This is one of the oldest topics on many photo boards, but I am thinking we might have some unique perspectives, tending towards manipulation-friendliness as one might assume we are.

So who (not what) are your photographic influences?

My own are Edward Weston (both his prints and his daybooks), William Mortensen (funny to be placed in this particular list, as he was loathed by the two artists that bracket his entry here, but I really enjoyed some of his stagier works, perhaps this reflects the friendliness I mentioned earlier), Ansel Adams (not really for his prints, there are only a couple that I really admire, but his writings and life are to be admired), Jerry Uelsmann (again, more for the concept than for his execution, but he was Photoshop before home computers even existed), Annie Liebowitz (who IMHO invented what most people consider magazine photography today). Steiglitz (again, not for his work, which I honestly don't care much for, but for his work in promoting photography, which I take some inspiration from here at RP). There are too many others to mention, I'd be typing all night.

Your turn.

What Doug said and adding James Nachtwey for the brutally honest photojournalism.

On a personal level, I like the brave souls who shoot nature of the world whether it be flower or majestic mountain...and everything in between.

Janet

So who (not what) are your photographic influences?

There are so many photographers, professional and amateur, that have created images that grab my attention and speak to me, but I'll limit the list to those that truly influenced my photographic behavior, or at least my photographic intentions --

When I was a school-child, I was influenced mostly by Walter Chandoha (animal photography), and Life Magazine photographers. In college, Edward Steichen's "Family of Man" stirred my soul. Then for years, I was too busy working to notice photography much. When I found more time, I fell in love with John Shaw's nature photography ( www.johnshawphoto.com/galleries.html ) and one of his images showed me how a simple subject paired with wonderful lighting and artistic framing could compete with exotic subjects. Anne Geddes images of infants in flower costumes showed me what imagination could bring to portraits.

For the last few years, I'm more influenced by photographers I view in online galleries (PBase, etc.) -- some are pros, but some are amateur photographers who have a great passion for their hobby, and have truly honed their skills over years of practice and hours of photography.
Mark Ehlers (http://www.pbase.com/marke/image/21584476 )
Anna Pagnacco (http://www.pbase.com/annapagnacco/root ),
Wendy O ( http://www.pbase.com/wendyo/image/74176997 ),
Marilu Bishop (http://www.pbase.com/canyonlu/in_the_neighborhood ),
Dave (http://www.pbase.com/dave1/till ),
Robert Levy ( http://www.pbase.com/robertl594/image/17873416 ). and a number of others...
Since they're not famous (yet), I think I might be able to shoot like them sometimes... maybe at least once...

Afraid to say I don't have any.

I rarely look at the names of photographers. I judge each picture I see on whether I like it or not, not on who shot it.

An obvious flaw I know, but I've never seen anyone all of whose work impresses me that much, just individual pics that blow me away.

I'm like this with pretty much everything, not just photography, which is why I guess I've never understood the "fanclub" mentality.

Alfred Eisenstadt, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Henri Cartier-Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, Adams, Weston, Steichen (in no particular order). More recently - ditto on James Nachtwey and my current pick for best on the planet - Sebastiao Salgado. Look him up if you don't know his work. Astonishing.

Oh. Forgot Diane Arbus. And probably a few others.