Eisenstaedt, Alfred

Eisenstaedt, Alfred, 1898–1995, American photographer, b. Dirschau, Germany (now Tczew, Poland). Widely considered the father of photojournalism, he began creating photo essays in Berlin during the 1920s and early 1930s. He emigrated to the United States in 1935 and joined (1936) the original photography staff at Life magazine. Soon Eisenstaedt came to epitomize the magazine's style with his topically important and beautifully composed 35mm photographs and his candid portraits of the great and the anonymous. Working for Life until its 1972 demise as a weekly, Eisenstaedt traveled throughout the world, becoming internationally known for his photographic series (e.g., Japan (1945–46)); he continued working into the 1990s. Probably his most famous photograph is of the joyous Times Square kiss of a sailor and a nurse on V-J day. His many books include Witness to Our Time (1966), Photojournalism (1971), and Germany (1981).

Bibliography

See his autobiographical The Eye of Eisenstaedt (1969), Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt: A Self Portrait (1985), and Remembrances (1990).

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Eisenstaedt, Alfred

(born Dec. 6, 1898, Dirschau, West Prussia—died Aug. 23, 1995, Oak Bluffs, Mass., U.S.) German-born U.S. photojournalist. He became a professional photographer in Berlin in 1929 and came under the influence of Erich Salomon. His work appeared in many European picture magazines in the 1930s. In 1935 he immigrated to New York City, where he became one of the first four photographers hired by Life (1936). He would contribute more than 2,500 picture stories and 90 cover photos to the magazine, including outstanding portraits of kings, dictators, film stars, and ordinary people.

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Eisenstaedt, Alfred (1898–  ) photographer; born in Tczew, Poland. Arriving in America at age 37 with his high-speed Leica camera, he became a pioneer photojournalist at Life magazine (1936–62), capturing telling moments in history with a glance or gesture, reproducing them on 90 Life covers.