Robert Capa
Robert Capa (October 22, 1913 - May 25, 1954) was a Hungarian-American photojournalist of the twentieth century. One of the most famous war photojournalists. Born into a Jewish family in Budapest during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, his original name was André Friedmann. When he moved to France, in order to make it easier for others to remember him, he began to adopt the name Robert Capa. In 1947, he and Bresson, the advocate of the "Decisive Moment", founded the famous Magnum Photo Agency, becoming the world's first cooperative organization of freelance photographers. On May 25, 1954, while covering the First Indo-China War in Vietnam, Capa accidentally entered a minefield, stepped on a mine, and was killed.
Chinese name: Robert Capa
Foreign name: Robert Capa
Alias: Andrew Friedman
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Date of birth: October 22, 1913
Date of death: May 25, 1954
Occupation: War photojournalist
Main achievements: Covered five important wars of the 20th century
Founded Magnum Photo Agency with Cartier-Bresson
Representative works: "The Tragedy of Vietnam", "The Death of a Soldier"
Life of the Character
In 1936, fascism was on the rise in many countries. Franco started a civil war in Spain. Like many prominent figures of the time, Capa joined the Intelligence Department of the Popular Front. The war was hard. One day, Capa was in the trenches on the front line. A soldier jumped out of the trench and was about to attack the enemy. Suddenly, his body stopped and a bullet hit his head. Faced with this sudden incident, Capa reflexively pressed the shutter button. This is a tragic and heroic photo that happened in an instant. Capa became famous because of this photo published in Life magazine. (According to the 2013 NHK documentary "The Work of Destiny ~ The Authenticity of Robert Capa's "Falled Soldier" Revealed", it is speculated that the "fallen soldier" was not the moment of death but a fall during the exercise, and the person who took the photo was not Capa himself was the lover Gerda Tarot who went with him to shoot. But Capa hated war, and he was determined to make war the subject of his interviews throughout his life. Not for the pursuit of excitement, but to expose the cruelty of war. This immersive work was published with titles such as "Spanish Soldiers", "Martyrs on the Battlefield", "The Moment of Death", etc. It immediately shocked the photography world at that time and became an immortal work of war photography. This work has also become Capa's masterpiece. Also traveling to Spain with Capa for the interview was his young girlfriend, the German photographer Gerd Dana. The two of them braved the smoke-filled battlefield together regardless of their safety, and Dana unfortunately died under the tracks of the tank. The sad Capa stared at the battlefield forever. Most of his photographic creations were based on war. He used the camera as a weapon to expose war. Capa said: "The camera itself cannot prevent war, but the photos taken by the camera can expose the war and prevent the development of the war."
In 1937, Japanese militarism launched an invasion of China. The next year, Capa and Snow, the author of "Journey to the West", agreed to go to Yan'an for interviews. However, when they arrived in Xi'an, they were blocked by the Kuomintang. Capa failed to make the trip. At that time, he was the only Allied war correspondent who could cover the Chinese theater during the Anti-Japanese War. In Shanghai and other places, he took many news photos exposing the crimes of the Japanese invading army and made them public. Later, he went to the United Kingdom, North Africa, and Italy to conduct photo interviews.
In the spring of 1943, Capa came to Algiers, Africa, to photograph deserts, guns, and dead bodies.
On June 6, 1944, he opened the second battlefield with the Allied forces and participated in the Normandy landing plan. Later he went to Paris and Berlin and took extremely wonderful report photos. A young squad leader who was shooting a machine gun stood up as if to confirm whether he could be the protagonist of the photo. He glanced at Capa and fell silently.
Blood gushes from between the eyes. The difference between death and survival is that simple.
After World War II, he continued to photograph war, ruins, and people on the ruins.
In 1946, Capa met the Polish Seymour and the French Bresson in New York. They formed the "Magnum" photo agency, with offices in Paris and New York. Later, some other famous photographers were added, such as Luo Jia from the United States, Bisoff from Switzerland, etc. In the thirty years since the establishment of Magnum Photos, any major event in any corner of the Western world would have had their photojournalists present. With their selfless enthusiasm, they even risked their blood and lives to go deep into the front line to shoot, setting a new paradigm for the form and content of photojournalism.
In 1954, despite the dissuasion of relatives and friends, Capa came to the Vietnam battlefield. On May 25, 1954, Capa unfortunately stepped on a landmine and died at the age of 41.
Related events
I——André Friedmann
"I——André Friedmann" (André Friedmann) It is a self-narrative prose written by none other than Brother Capa. How Friedman became Capa is a wonderful anecdote in the history of photography. Friedman was born in Budapest, Hungary. He was very interested in politics in middle school and had intended to join the Communist Party. During a secret meeting to join the party, he took his bet back into his pocket at the last minute and turned away. Unexpectedly, he was followed by the government authorities the next day, and his family members were also interrogated. Friedman had to sneak out of the country immediately and go to Germany to study. From then on, he said goodbye to his hometown relatives forever. He was only eighteen years old at that time. That's all (1931). Friedman arrived in Berlin, where he worked part-time and worked as a master's assistant in a photo studio. This is how he fell in love with photography. Three years later, he went to Paris to make a name for himself and became one of the world's most famous fictitious photographers. ——Rob Capa. Friedman, who was full of evil ideas, rented an office in Paris with his Spanish girlfriend Gerda Talc (Gerda Talc died on the front line of the Spanish Civil War after breaking up with Capa in 1937), claiming to be a young and wealthy American. Image Masters - Robert Capa's agency. Friedman was responsible for making the photos, and Tarot used her clever tricks to sell them. He said that Mr. "Capa" was so rich that he didn't bother to make a living from photos, so each photo had to cost 150 francs. No, otherwise there is no need to discuss it. It is up to you whether you want to buy it or not. This price was three times the highest price at that time, but Tarot was forced to sell them one by one. A few months later, a "Capa fever" formed in the market, and important European newspapers and periodicals rushed to request photos of this "great photographer" whose name was only heard but whose identity was unknown. In addition, Tarot used the same trick on American news organizations, claiming that "Capa" was a young and wealthy video guru in Paris who made a lot of money. Of course, this wasn't just luck. Friedman's superior photography drive was the main reason for his success. However, this scam was finally exposed by MLader Vogel, the picture chief programmer of Vu magazine. There was a riot at an international conference in Geneva. All reporters were rudely driven away by the Swiss police. Only Friedman sneaked in and took exclusive close-ups. As luck would have it, this scene was clearly seen by Tik who was standing by. Three days later, those photos were delivered to Tonk’s desk. He called Capa’s agent. Tarot replied: “These exclusive photos of Mr. Capa cost three hundred francs each. ." Waichong replied: "The matter about Capa is quite new, but please tell that ridiculous little Friedman who is wearing a dirty leather jacket and taking pictures everywhere to report to my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. "In this way, Andre Friedman had to make his official debut as Robert Capa. Today, everyone has almost forgotten Capa’s real name.
Champagne·Horse Racing·Magnum
Capa became even more popular after his appearance, and as wars around the world gradually escalated, he began to travel around the world all year round, racing against bullets. Press the shutter button hard.
In 1936, he visited the United States for the first time; in 1938, he went to Japan and China; in 1939, he went to Europe and then to the United States; from 1941 to 1945, he began to work exclusively for "Life" magazine. Photography in various theaters of war in Europe. These works were flown back to the United States on military planes before the negatives were even developed, and were enlarged by others. Capa often didn't see his works until months or even a year later. He spent all day in the trenches and could not imagine that his fame had spread all over the world. Capa has almost become synonymous with war correspondents. In addition to influencing countless underachievers with his war photography, Capa's greatest achievement in the history of photography was the founding of the most influential photography organization in history - MAGNUM. In 1947, Capa brought together several colleagues—Bresson, David Seymour, and George Rodger—to set up an agency to distribute images of troubled times. photos. While they were struggling with the name of the company, Capa had an idea and chose a champagne name - "Magnum". "Magnum" is a two-quart barrel of champagne that is often drunk at parties celebrating the survival of friends. This also reflects Capa's witty character and optimistic outlook on life. Capa was the leader of Magnum until his death. Without him, this group would not exist today and become a gathering place for all the top reportage photographers in the world. In the early days, Capa often had to rely on horse racing to repay the salaries of his employees and colleagues. Bresson often had big quarrels with Capa because his remuneration was misappropriated by Capa as gambling capital. But everyone knew that Capa was betting on the survival of the entire group, so they didn't care too much. Capa almost never published any creative views on the art of photography. He was very talented in literature and still maintained the habit of writing notes in the trenches. However, they were all notes from that time and his own views on life, destiny, war, friendship, feelings, etc. In the text, one of his most famous photography quotes is: "If your photos are not good enough, it is because you are not close enough to the gunfire." His photos do not make people feel the importance of skills, but reveal a journey of life. The courage he can acquire through talent, this brave spirit makes his photos regarded as classics by people of any faction. No one will criticize whether his performance is delicate enough, whether the communication is powerful enough, whether the cropping is tight enough, whether the shutter opportunity is sufficient Is it just right enough and rich enough in tone? The quality of his most famous photo "Being Shot" is quite poor, while another frame of "Normandy Landing" is even blurry. Focus, aperture, and shutter are all useless terms in his photos. He used Life takes pictures, not machines, so Capa is the only photographer who is called a "great man" by ordinary people.
Lucky Capa
Capa has always been famous for his good luck. Other reporters who traveled with him gave him the nickname "Lucky Capa". On the day of his death, he was buried. It was the moment when the fighting started to subside in Thai Binn, and several reporters walked out of the trenches for a walk. Capa, who was carrying a camera, said he wanted to walk nearby to see if there was anything to take pictures of. Soon, these reporter friends heard the sound of explosions coming from the direction Capa was walking. Everyone couldn't help but say: "Damn it, lucky Capa got a good shot again." As a result, the mine took it away. Capa's life! Since then, the world has lost another great man - Robert Capa.
Character influence
On May 25, 1954, every evening newspaper in the United States published news of Capa’s death. The next day, the "Daily News" reported "About Capa's Death" with a headline. TV stations, radio stations and newspapers across New York also published extensive reports, unanimously praising him as one of the most courageous war photographers. To commemorate him, thirteen exhibitions of Capa's personal works have been held around the world, and many influential photography books and magazines have introduced him. Capa's works have been published in special volumes in the United States, Britain, and France. In 1955, the American "Life" magazine and the "Overseas Correspondents' Club" established the "Robert Capa Gold Medal" to encourage photojournalists who have made achievements in news photography. In 1966, the United States established the "Photography Foundation that Cares about People" to commemorate Capa and other photographers who lost their lives at Magnum Photos.
Personal Quotes
1. If your photo is not good enough, it is because you are not close enough.
2. Talent alone is not enough, you must be Hungarian.
3. The truth is the best photo and the best publicity.
4. This war (referring to World War II) is like an aging actress, becoming less and less photogenic and becoming more and more dangerous.
5. I hate war, so I want to expose it (with lens and pen).
6. The camera itself cannot prevent war, but the photos taken by the camera can expose the war and prevent the development of the war.
Evaluation of Works
Very few people discuss Capa’s works. There is no need to discuss them, just look at them. Contemporary litterateur, poet, photographer. E. Hemingway: "Capa, he is a good friend, a great and very brave photographer. For all people, don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst case, and encounter the 'case'." It was bad luck, and it was even more unlucky for Capa. He was alive, and thinking about the day he died was long and sad. "J. Steinbeck "I don't know anything about photography, about me. I must talk about Capa, purely from a layman's point of view, experts will have to bear with me. For me, Capa did prove beyond all doubt that the camera does not have to be a cold machine, like a pen, with its pen. As good as a person is, it can be a manifestation of the mind and soul. Capa knew what he was looking for and knew what to do with it when he found it. For example: War cannot be photographed because it comes roughly. It is said that it is a kind of "passion", but he did capture the "passion" during the war. He can show the advantages of the entire nation in the face of a child. His work itself is a photo of a great soul and unbearable sadness. No one can take his place, and we are lucky to have the human qualities in his photos. "L. Aragon" This young man is full of courage and inexhaustible energy. Wherever there is war, there is war. He. He runs around in troubled times, as if he feels a sense of mission, and he must always use his camera to capture the thin line between life and death. In our divisive and bloody era, human beings have become victims of accidents. Irving Shaw "He lived like the best soldier, obeying the strictest military law, and he always drove to the sound of gunfire." In Rob Capa's time, gunshots were a permanent feature of the landscape. "E·SteiChen" Robert Capa understands and hates war. In his vivid and real photos, like Goya's famous painting "The Disaster of War", he vents the sincere and strong true feelings of mankind. , he documented the horrors and grotesque folly of war. ”
Character evaluation
Robert Capa (1913-1954) is more qualified than anyone else to speak on behalf of war reporters, expressing the mood and price of exchanging life for images. He He is the most famous war correspondent in history. His photography career was like gambling on his life. He traveled to various theaters during World War II - the Spanish Civil War, Japan's invasion of China, the North Asian War, the Italian War, the Normandy invasion, and the French Liberation War. In the rain of bullets, he exchanged his flesh and blood for a frame of film in his Leica camera. He never took his bet back from the poker table at the last minute, and always held the courage and resignation of winning without losing, and waited. As the bead on the roulette wheel landed on that number, Capa won the war photo that has never been surpassed so far. However, on May 25, 1954, it was an extremely small one. In the gambling game, he lost his life - he accidentally stepped on a landmine and was blown away. Robert Capa, a soldier of images who was born and died, will always be imprinted on people's hearts. His photos have become a symbol of humanity and war. He hated war all his life and wanted to use images to awaken people's conscience and stop killing each other. His death was his final advice to mankind. Looking at Ka's photos, you can hear the sound of bullets flying and cannonballs rumbling in every frame. They are all evidence of human folly.
In people’s remaining memories, there is such a photo. Capa has a burning cigarette in the corner of his mouth and a camera in his hand. He looks at the reading of the photo with a calm look. who. There is a line of text in the upper right corner: The man who invented himself-Andre Friedman, also known as Robert Capa.
Robert Capa is not so much a war reporter as he is an adventurer, or an alternative warrior who charges into battle with a camera instead of a gun. He once said before the Normandy landing: "War reporter The bet - his life, is in his own hands, he can bet on this horse or that horse, or he can put the bet back in his pocket at the last moment. I am a gambler, so I decided. Charge with the first echelon of Battalion E. "He is a gambler who bets his life on the battlefield.