Over break the photography students were assigned to research two photographers of their choosing, one from the present, one from the past.  I chose Alfred Eisenstaedt and Robert Glenn Ketchum, two of the most influential and important photographers of their respective times.  After the research we were to write then post our findings here, I hope you enjoy.

Alfred Eisenstaedt

Alfred Eisenstaedt, or “Eisie” to his friends, was born on December 6, 1898 in Imperial Germany.  He served in the German Military in World War I, where he was wounded.  After returning from the war he became a freelance photographer for a local newspaper called the Berliner Tageblatt.  In the late 1920s he became a professional photographer.  Being Jewish in Nazi Germany, Eisenstaedt was forced to move to the America, where he lived for the rest of his life.  Here his work flourished.  He was a photographer for Life for thirty-six years, this position allowed him to get close to celebrities and he always had his autograph book handy.  He photographed people such as Bill Clinton, Ernest Hemingway, and John F. Kennedy.  During his years with Life he took eighty-six- cover shots and did over 2,500 multiple shot jobs, this total brings him to more published pictures than any other photographer in history.  He continued his work right up until his death on August 24, 1995.

His friends described him a curious and hard-working individual.  He would go take pictures of the Mayor of Chicago in the morning and then some actor Detroit at night.  While he was a photojournalist, he was a man of few words and allowed his pictures to say everything he wanted to be said.  He tried to be very friendly when he took pictures; he always listened to the subject’s desires.  Also, he never photographed unhappy or terrible things, probably because while living in Germany he had seen all of those things already, and had no desire to return to that.

His work in Life made him famous because of the fact that he portrayed famous people and events in the heat of the moment, with no staging or arrangements, he simply watched and took pictures that could never be staged.  This is probably most evident in his most famous picture of the sailor kissing the nurse in Time’s Square on V-J Day.  Also, the fact that he didn’t get faces or names allows people to connect and identify themselves or friends with the photograph more.

Alfred Eisenstaedt will always be one of the most important photographers in history; in fact, he has been awarded with Photo Journalist of the Century.  His in the moment shots of famous people and events have captivated people for decades, and some of his shots are among the best ever taken.  He was better than anyone at letting his pictures do the talking, something all photographers can aspire to.

V-J Day in the Square, one of Eisenstaedt's most famous images.

The Ice Skating Waiter, this and V-J Day both demonstrate how good Eisenstaedt was at capturing people in the moment

Robert Glenn Ketchum

Robert Glenn Ketchum, born December 1,1947, is viewed as one of the premier nature photographers and environmental conservationists in the world.  His signature sweeping vista shots have helped him promote conservation while making him one of the most famous photographers of all time.  Time and time again he has been listed in the top one hundred most important people of a certain field, including contemporary photography and the environmental movement.  He has served as the Curator of Photographer for the National Park Foundation and helped found the International League of Photographers.  He and his camera have helped pass legislation preserving whale nurseries, old-growth forests, and establish more than five major wilderness areas.  He continues to work on preserving the environment today.

Ketchum first started taking pictures when he was a student at UCLA.  These were mostly pictures of 1960s rock bands, but he eventually started to focus on nature and conservation.  He started reading legislation in order to better understand where and how he could help the environment the most.  During this time, photography was going through a drastic change: black and white to color.  Ketchum was on the forefront of this movement too, experimenting with all types of different printing techniques.  In fact, he and his friend, Michael Wilder, were among the first photographers to explore Cibachrome printing, which is an intricate printing process that results in sharp, colorful images.

Ketchum’s signature style is very large, deep vistas with everything in razor sharp focus.  This means he uses a very low shutter-speed, while also using a very high f-stop, creating the same focus throughout the foreground and background.   The genius in using this technique and style in an effort to preserve the environment is that it gives the viewer a much clearer idea of what is out there and worth saving, instead of seeing one tree in sea of unfocused green, they see the entire forest.  This is a simple but brilliant way to connect with the audience and get his message across very effectively.

Robert Glenn Ketchum has been, and still is, a driving force in the environmental movement that is going on today.  His breathtaking pictures and profound knowledge and dedication help him convince people to help nature.  With his help more than one hundred thousand acres of land have been preserved and he is still going at it.  His photography is literally helping save the world.

A great example of how Ketchum could capture everything for miles in perfect focus

A classic Ketchum picture, amazing vantage point and perfect clarity throughout

To read more of Jason’s blogs, click here: Jason Terry’s Blog

Also, don’t forget to check out my interview with Lisa Hill, coming soon!