Alfred Eisenstaedt

By: Audrey Golden

Alfred is most famous for...

This picture was taken in Times Square in New York City on V-J Day. The sailor in the picture was running around grabbing every girl

he saw. Eisenstaedt was running in front of him and in four shots he captured this sailor kissing a nurse.

1945.

LLLLIIIIFFFEEEEEEBorn on

December 6,1898

Died on August 24,1995 German-American

photographer and photojournalist

Most known for his candid photos

Fought in World War I, was wounded in 1918. Decided to take photographs as a

freelancer

Became a full time photographer in

1929.Came to the United States in 1935. Eisenstaedt worked for

Life Magazine from 1936 to 1972.Alfred’s pictures

appeared on 90 covers of Life

Magazine

Hitler & Mussolini meeting on June 13,1934, before Hitler took full power.

Faculty children following a drum major at the University of Michigan. This is

unstaged and spontaneous. Eisenstaedt said he wants to be remembered by this

picture.

Marilyn Monroe,1953.This

picture hung in Eisenstaedt’s office.

Dancers taking a break at the

Balanchine School of the

American Ballet Theatre

New York City, 1936. 

Alfred Eisenstaedt, Jaqueline and

Caroline Kennedy, 1960

Dusk in Menemsha,1962

Kathy Eisenstaedt at Zack's Cliffs,

1960

“The Father of Photojournalism”

Alfred Eisenstaedt is said to be the preeminent

master of candid photography in the 20th century if there was one. He is otherwise known as

“The father of photojournalism” His talent for capturing

spontaneous photographs is incredible.

Premiere at La Scala, 1934

Eisenstaedt had his first exhibition containing only his pictures in 1954 at the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York.

Accpmplishments

Alfred received the National Medal of the Arts which he

received from President George Bush in 1989.The

ceremony took place on the White

House lawn.

Humility and Humanity Alfred’s style is very simple. It hasn’t changed much in the 60 years that

he has been photographing. He uses natural light most of the time and doesn’t stage pictures. Most people

don’t take him seriously because he barely carries

any equipment.

Thomas Hart Benton with a self-portrait, 1970.

 

 The famous Clock in theold Pennsylvania Station,

New York City, 1943.

Alfred’s last pictures were of Bill Clinton and his wife and daughter. This took place in a fenced in court

yard protected by the secret service. It was fully documented by William E.

Marks. Marks photographed Eisenstaedt over the span of 10

years.He also captured Alfred signing his famous V-J Day photograph the

morning before he died. Eisentstaedt died at 96.

Works Cited

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue9911/icon01.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Eisenstaedt

http://www.artscenecal.com/ArticlesFile/Archive/Articles1997/Articles0397/AEisenstaedt.html

http://www.photographersgallery.com/photo.asp?id=4140