Many years ago with my Olympus Om1n and rolls of 35mm film I began my journey into learning to see. I still have the camera and it works fine. Frankly it was a struggle and at times was very frustrating. Subscribing to Popular Photography and reading all the books I could comfortably digest I made my way. Along that way I looked at many peoples work who were a lot farther down the trail than I .  I still hold them in very high regard and can always learn from looking at their pictures. Looking at someones work is the quickest way to evaluate where they are at. Its the quickest way to put your thumb on the pulse of what they do. It is also a way to learn . Being a subjective issue of course a lot of it comes down to personal taste. Below I have added links to the photographers who helped me immensely. 

Eugene Atget ( I got to see his exhibit in San Francisco in the 70's )

Ansel Adams ( A total Icon and trail blazer )

Galen Rowell ( A true photographer , we lost him and his wife in a  tragic plane crash 8/11/2002 )

Timothy Wolcott ( I actually got to meet him at his shop and we talked for over an hour 

he is an excellent photographer and very humble also )