Alfred Eisenstaedt By Lauren MacPherson

About him Alfred Eisenstaedt was a German-born American photographer and photojournalist. He was born December 6th 1898 and died August 24th 1995 at the age of 96. He began taking pictures at age 14 when he was given his first camera. Eisenstaedt began taking photographs as a freelancer for the Pacific and Atlantic Photos' Berlin office in 1928.

Professional Photographer Eisenstaedt successfully became a full-time photographer in 1929. One of his first photographs was a meet between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. He has photographed a long list of famous people including: Bill Clinton, Adolf Hitler, Ernest Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther king, Sophie Loren, and lots more. He worked as a staff photographer for Life magazine from 1936 to 1972. His photos of celebrities appeared on 90 Life magazine covers. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1989 by President George Bush at the white house.

V-J day in Times Square Alfred Eisenstaedt’s most famous photograph is called V-J day in Times Square. This photo is said to be one of the most iconic images associated with world war 2. He took the photo on August 14th, 1945 and was published a week later in LIFE magazine among many photographs of celebrations around the country that were presented in a section titled Victory. V-J day in Times Square, New York 1945 (Victory over Japan Day ) "In Times Square on V.J. Day, I saw a sailor running along the street grabbing every girl in sight. I was running ahead of him with my Leica looking back over my shoulder. Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse...I took exactly four pictures. It was done within a few seconds." – Alfred Eisenstaedt

5 Environmental Portraits

Baseball Player Joe Di Maggio Kneeling in His New York Yankee Uniform. What I think was done well in this photo is how the background and grass is all blurred out leaving him as the main subject so you can focus just on him. Also because its on his home stadium so he’s in a comfortable environment. I think that this photo was one of his most famous ones at the time because Joe DiMaggio was a famous baseball player for the New York Yankees so everybody knew who he was. I think that this is a good photo but I probably wouldn’t buy this because I don’t like baseball, otherwise I would. Baseball Player Joe Di Maggio Kneeling in His New York Yankee Uniform.

What I think was done well in this photo is how you cant see there faces just there body’s and costume because of the light coming in, this way you don’t need to focus on their faces. Also the buildings in the background are blurred out which makes the letters and dancers stand out more. I think that this photo was famous because this was taken at one of the most famous American dancing schools. I would buy this photo because I think it’s really intersting, and it’s a very famous photo. Dancers pause in the window of their dancing room at the Balanchine School of the American Ballet Theatre, New York City, 1936.

What I think was well done in this photo is how it shows Jackie Kennedy with her daughter in there own home so it is in a comfortable environment for them which makes it not posed. I think that this photo was famous because the Kennedys were a famous family and everyone knew who they were. I wouldn’t buy this photo because I don’t really know about the Kennedy family that well, but otherwise I think that’s it’s a good photo. Jackie Kennedy helping daughter Caroline put on her rain jacket, Hyannisport Massachusetts, 1960.

I think that this photo was also good because its in there own home, and you can tell its not a posed picture. Also the background is blurred out so its focused just on them. I think it was a famous photo also because the Kennedys are a very famous family. Again I think that this was a well taken photo but I probably wouldn’t buy it because I don’t know anything about there family. John F. Kennedy and his daughter, Caroline, at home in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, 1960

Children at a puppet theatre, Paris 1963. I think that this was a good photo because the two kids in the front who are laughing, are the main focus in the picture and the other kids in the background are more blurred out. I think that this was a famous photo because it was taken at a famous puppet theatre in Paris that hundreds of kids were at. I would buy this photo because I think it was taken very well the way the two kids in the front are the focus of it. Children at a puppet theatre, Paris 1963.

Bibliography http://digitaljournalist.org/issue9911/portrait12.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Eisenstaedt http://blogjoedimaggio.com/tag/alfred-eisenstaedt/ http://www.art.com/gallery/id--a6354-b152894-c23951-d207226/alfred-eisenstaedt-joe-dimaggio-black-and-white-photography-posters.htm http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2010/11/alfred-eisenstaedt.html#slide_ss_0=1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-J_Day_in_Times_Square http://www.art.com/gallery/id--b28001/life-magazine-covers-posters_p5.htm?ui=EA4358D29DC1414F97E823CF48854B95