Robert Capa was a renowned Hungarian-born photojournalist and war photographer of the 20th century. Born Endre Ernő Friedmann in Budapest in 1913, Capa later changed his name to avoid anti-Semitic discrimination. He was best known for his iconic images captured during major global conflicts, particularly World War II.
Capa began his career as a photojournalist in the early 1930s and quickly gained recognition for his raw and intense war imagery. His photographs were distinctive for their ability to capture the harrowing realities and emotions of war, often showcasing soldiers in the midst of combat. Capa famously declared, "If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough."
Throughout his career, Capa covered numerous conflicts, including the Spanish Civil War, where his iconic photograph of a fallen Republican soldier became a symbol of the war. He later documented the D-Day landings during World War II, capturing images of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Capa's fearless and groundbreaking approach to war photography earned him widespread acclaim and influenced generations of photojournalists. He co-founded the photography agency Magnum Photos in 1947, which allowed him to continue his influential work. Tragically, Capa lost his life on May 25, 1954, when he stepped on a landmine in Indochina while covering the First Indochina War.
Today, Robert Capa is remembered as one of the most influential photographers in history, renowned for his ability to capture the raw human experience amidst the chaos of war. His photographs continue to inspire and provoke emotions, providing a crucial visual documentation of the realities and consequences of global conflicts.
