Alfred Eisenstaedt

Alfred Eisenstaedt
Eisenstaedt signerar ett exemplar av hans fotografi VJ day.
Född6 december 1898
Dirschau, Västpreussen, Kejsardömet Tyskland (nuvarande Tczew, Polen'
Död23 augusti 1995 (96 år)
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts,
Känd förV-J Day in Times Square (fotografi)
HemortNew York

Alfred Eisenstaedt, född 6 december 1898, död 23 augusti 1995, var en tyskfödd amerikansk fotograf. Han började sin karriär som fotograf i Tyskland under mellankrigsåren, men är mest känd för sitt arbete för Life. Hans mest berömda bild V-J Day in Times Square, visar en sjöman som kysser en främling efter Japans kapitulation under andra Världskriget.

Tidigt liv

Eisenstaedt föddes i Dirschau, men familjen flyttade till Berlin 1906. Eisenstaedts familj var judisk och på grund av förtrycket i Nazityskland tvingades de att emigrera till USA 1935.

Professionell karriär

U.S. Navy-fotografen Victor Jorgensens fotografi Kissing the War Goodbye, som föreställer samma ögonblick som i Eisenstaedts mer kända V-J Day in Times Square.

Han anställdes som heltidsanställd fotograf av Associated Press 1929.

1936, erbjöds han en anställning som fotograf på Life, som en av de fyra ursprungliga fotograferna, tillsammans med Margaret Bourke-White och Robert Capa.

Eisenstaedt fotograferar familjen Clinton

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Media som används på denna webbplats

Kissing the War Goodbye.jpg
"New York City celebrating the surrender of Japan. They threw anything and kissed anybody in Times Square."
  • National archive number 80-G-377094
  • Naval Historical Center #520697
Eisenstaedt signing "VJ day" print on August 23, 1995 at his Menemsha cabin on Martha's Vineyard.jpg
Författare/Upphovsman: William Waterway Marks, Licens: CC BY-SA 3.0
Alfred Eisenstaedt (Eisie) signing a "VJ day" print on the afternoon of August 23, 1995, for his

friend, William Waterway Marks. The location is Eisie's vacation cabin located at Menemsha Inn on the island of Martha's Vineyard.

Eisie died in the cabin about eight-hours later, shortly after midnight, on August 24, 1995, in the company of his sister-in-law, Lucille Kaye, and William Waterway Marks.
ClintonsEise copy.JPG
Författare/Upphovsman: William Waterway (aka William E. Marks), Licens: CC BY-SA 3.0
When Alfred Eisenstaedt photographed the Clinton family in August 1993 - no one realized these would be the last photos he would take in his life's journey as a photojournalist. This photograph's location is of the outside courtyard of the Granary Gallery in the town of West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard, USA.

Eisie is seated because he had difficulties walking without assistance. Also, due to arthritis in his hands, he was incapable of changing the lens on his Leica camera. Eisie's friend, William Waterway Marks, who was the only photographer Eisie allowed to document the photo session with the Clinton's, helped Eisie make one lens change. Eisie shot only one roll of 35mm color film during this session. The day before the shoot - Eisie listened to the weather report. The forecast was for another sunny day. Based on telephone conversations with Clinton's advance team, Eisie had an idea as to the window of time he would be photographing the Clintons. With this information, Eisie, and his friend, William Waterway, visited the courtyard the day before the actual shoot to figure out the session's choreography and to take light readings. With meticulous detail, Eisenstaedt had William set up the chairs so he could take various light readings. The loveseat chair was chosen by Eisie because he wanted a photo of Bill and Hillary sitting intimately close. Eisie's plan worked - as Bill and Hillary were seated and looking into each others eyes - Hillary placed her right hand on Bill's right knee. Also, in the practice session the day before the shoot - Eisie noticed that the art hanging on the walls was "too noisy," and detracted from the simplicity of the scene he was seeking. On the day of the shoot, Eisie had the art removed from the walls by the gallery's owners before the Clinton's arrived.

This photo was published in "People" magazine's "Star Tracks" section on Page 11, on September 13, 1993. This photo is one of a many taken by William Waterway (AKA, William E. Marks) to document Eisenstaedt photographing the Clinton's. For a period of over ten years, William Waterway did a photographic study of Eisenstaedt's life. William photographed Eisie signing his VJ photo on the day Eisenstaedt died. On the night of his death on August 23, 1994 - Eisie's sister-in-law, Lucille Kaye, and William Waterway Marks were with Eisie at his Menemsha cottage. Eisenstaedt died with his eyes open. With Eisie's sister-in-law standing nearby, William Waterway reached out and closed the eyes that had seen and photographed so much, for the last time.