Famous Photographers of the 20th Century: Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Joe Rosenthal (Research Paper Sample)

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Famous Photographers of the 20th Century: Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Joe Rosenthal
The use of photographs to record events has undergone a tremendous revolution over the years. In the last 100 years, photographs have been used to shape the perceptions and ideologies of the people about critical issues such as the world wars as well as diseases. The onset of the Second World War led to the adoption of the camera to produce photographs in different places where the war was being fought. The photos played a significant role in the provision of information about the war to the people. This paper examines the famous photographers in the last hundred years; Joe Rosenthal, Eugene Smith, and Robert Capa. Through their artworks, the photographers played a crucial role in providing vital information to the public and also highlighting the devastating effects of the war.
Robert Capa
Robert Capa was a Hungarian war photojournalist who brought a critical impact in the field of photography. His startling depiction of the major wars such as the Second World War, the second Sino-Japanese war, and the Spanish civil war helped in the dissemination of the information about the progress of the wars and the effects on the civilian as well as the army (Livesey 355). Robert Capa used a Film 16mm movie camera. This type of camera was a standard picture recorder that led to the generation of high quality pictures at the time. The advancement of technology has however led to the use of highly sophisticated camera over the years. In the course of his duties, Robert Capa risked his life since he had to capture the pictures in the battlefield. He worked for several media establishments such as the Life Magazine and the German Photographic Agency.
The photographs had a significant impact on the shaping the perceptions of the people during the early and mid-20th century. Most of the photographs were taken during the Second World War. To the audience at the time, the pictures passed crucial information about the progress of the wars as well as the devastating effect of the wars on the victims. For example, the ‘Magnificent Eleven’ depicted the U.S victory in Normandy. Moreover, the pictures taken during the Spanish civil war symbolized the liberation of Italy from the Nazi rule. The pictures presented a vivid description that evoked emotions among the audience at the time. The most famous pictures of Robert Capa was the Falling Soldier. This iconic photo passed a message of the sufferings that the army was facing. The death of the Republican soldier moreover, showed the world that the army was also a major casualty during the second World War. However, the war photos also led to controversies. The stark representation of what was happening in the battle field led to trauma and despair since the people feared that the enemies could kill and capture their territories (‘Lens of War’ 476). The Falling Soldier by Robert Capa was also criticized as a staged photo that did not represent what was actually occurring during the battle.
The works of Robert Capa also has a significant impact on the contemporary society. To the modern generation, the iconic pictures are beings used as a historical account of what happened during the second World War, the Sino-Japanese War, and the Spanish civil war (Roeder 1809). Since the current generation did not witness the wars, the pictures provide vital information about what occurred during the wars. Moreover, the photos are also symbolic of the impact of the wars on the people and the army. The Falling Soldier tells the story of the desire of the United States to bring peace and fight for equality. For example, the war at Normandy symbolizes the U.S commitment to making the world a better place for all people. Moreover, the photos have also depicted the changes that have occurred in the field of photojournalism and the use of high quality cameras over the years.
a) The Falling Soldier by Robert Capa
Joe Rosenthal
Another photographer who produced iconic pictures of the Second World War was Joe Rosenthal. The photojournalist began working for various media establishments such as the San Francisco News and the Associated Press in the early and mid-20th century. At the beginning of the Second World War, Rosenthal became a war correspondent for the U.S Army and the U.S Marine corps. The photographer covered the wars in several countries such as the Holland and Japan. It was during the war at Iwo Jima in Japan the Joe Rosenthal produced his most famous picture; ‘Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (Boger 124). The iconic photo was shot using a Speed Graphic Camera on top of the mountain. Joe Rosenthal continued to report on the progress of the second world war. The photojournalist reported the progress of the war and highlighted the impact of the war on the army as well as the civilians.
The war photographs played a critical role in providing information about the war in different parts of the world. At the time, the photography became an important tool for disseminating visual information during the war. The people in different parts of the globe thus acquired the information on the second world war. The photos highlighted the defeats and the victories that the allied forces received. The pictures played a crucial role in cementing the United States as a world super power during the second world war. The audience who saw the pictures at the time acquired information about the victories of the United States, and thus it helped in shaping their perceptions of the war.
In the contemporary society, the photographs of Joe Rosenthal have redefined the perceptions of the people on the role that each country played during the Second World War. The Raising of the Flag at Iwo Jima has symbolized the victory of the United States at the peak of the world war. Through the pictures, the modern society can learn about the role that the United States played in an attempt to end the great war and bring peace in the world. The pictures have also depicted the evolution of the cameras. Today, the adoption of advanced technology has led to the use of the highly sophisticated camera that produces high quality images, unlike the Speed Graphic camera that Joe Rosenthal used in the early 20th century.
a. Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal
William Eugene Smith
Eugene Smith was an American photojournalist whose works have revolutionized the field of photography and journalism. The photographer captured unique pictures that showed the events that unfolded during the Second World War. Eugene Smith became popular due to the adoption of photo-essay technique (Hölzl 4). The method involved narrating a story using a series of war photographs. The photo-essay had a great impact on the audience since it presented a vivid account of what was happening at the time. And also adopted a humanistic –approach. Moreover, the photojournalist observed ethical conduct and did not take sides with the political organizations. Smith took several iconic photos of the Second World War as well as other famous photos such as Dr. Schweitzer’s Clinic. However, the most famous photo that Eugene Smith took was ‘Tomoko in Her Bath. The iconic photo highlighted the effects of the Minamata disease that was ravaging Japan in the early and mid-20th century.
The works of Eugene Smith was relevant to the audience in the historical context. At the Great War was ravaging different parts of the world, the pictures captured by Smith passed the information to the public. The people thus saw the reality of the wars. The people saw the effect of the war on the army, the governments as well as the civilians. Unlike the works of other artists that had a political inclination, the works of Smith depicted the devastating impact of the war such as the loss of lives, the destruction of property and the displacement of people (Ibson 125). For example, ‘Tomoko Uemura ...