Robert Capa makes us look bad.

[CameraQuest]

This morning I perused the Robert Capa book edited by his brother Cornell. Robert Capa: Photographs (Aperture Monograph)

His first published pics were of Trotsky giving a lecture. Not a bad professional start...

To me the quality of Capa's work is just amazing. The sad part is that he took all those shots with cameras and lenses are very sub part current levels of professional cameras and lenses.

I can't help but wonder what he could have done with some really good equipment...

or maybe I should wonder instead, how is it possible so many crappy pics are taken today with the latest wonderkin darlings of the latest camera or lens test...

hmmm.

Stephen

 

[mfogiel]

Add the fact, how much better today's films are, and how much more control you can have in PS... In reportage photography there is no substitute to being there, close, and making the shot...

 

[sirius]

Try taking pictures of an event while a talented professional is also there. It's rather shocking what they can pull out of the same scene you're looking at. C'est la vie.

 

[Paul T.]

I have the COmplete Capa, I think it's called, and find it amazing, too.

I sometimes wonder if using RF cameras does result in a very different style. Later photographers with SLRs, like Don McCullin, crop tighter, the look is grittier; Capa's photos, even when he's close to the action, are somehow calmer in look, more contemplative, there's definitely more of an art aesthetic there.

As for whether modern cameras would enable better shots; I suspect Capa was better for looking with his eyes, as opposed to through the camera viewfinder.

 

[xayraa33]

Robert Capa used the best that was available in his time, Leica , Contax, Rollei, and Nikon.
why stop at the 1930s 40s and part of the 1950s,
great photos were taken in the 19th century with cumbersome view cameras, glass plates and the collodion process.
what would Felice Beato or Francis Frith do with a Voigtlander R3M and a Zeiss C Sonnar loaded with Fuji Acros in their day?
..probably take great photos like they did with wet plate.

 

[drewbarb]

It's true that Capa used the best equipment available at the time, but we all know a great photographer can make great work with any camera. Todays wunder-tech gear certainly helps some pros produce better work- but it also helps loads of less talented photographers look more technically proficient than they are, which is perhaps a shame.

As for Capa making us look bad, if it's true that he faked and/or staged half of the photos he is accused of, that's the real offense that would make us all look bad.

 

[Mael]

It's the photographer that makes a good picture. 😛Hiding behind equipement is not a good thing.😉

I know we can be interested in camera and lens quality, but don't forget that it is designed for picture taking. Not for shooting resolution charts.

How about some wonderful military shots taken aboard navy ships during WWII with Kodak Medalist ? Have you tried action picture with Medalist ?😱 It teaches you humility.😀

 

[BillBingham2]

ARe the only good pictures razor sharp? What is perfect exposure? Must there be a computer involved?

B2 (;->

 

[Oldprof]

Capa was a great photographer and photojournalist, but we shouldn't feel demeaned by his talent. We can celebrate his achievements and still feel good about our own work - at least I do.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

or maybe I should wonder instead, how is it possible so many crappy pics are taken today with the latest wonderkin darlings of the latest camera or lens test...

I'll draw another one of my "flawed analogies"...

Imagine a world where basketballs didn't exist. There weren't any memorable basketball players. Then it caught on. And then there were more basketballs to play and goof around with. There were many many many players without outstanding gifts (ok, let's take the Harlem Globetrotters out of the equation, those guys knew their stuff...) Then there were a few very memorable basketball players. But a heck of a lot more mediocre players.

The availability of more, better and improved basketballs, basketball shoes, and Nike ads does not guarantee every player will give Jordan results. Only a handful will know their stuff. But making it more available increases the chance of someone finding that as their true craft.

I know, I've tried to dunk a few, but the better, improved basketballs and shoes don't get rid of my crappy game.

 

[Pherdinand]

he had the best gear of his age.
And that includes a pair of the best eyes, too 😀
He would probably do the same today, with about the best gear of today (if that is defineable).

About us...well. We just look and wonder and try to do our best. That shall be enough.

PS: technically his shots are far from perfect, but for his subjects in general he didn't really need ultimate sharpness, tonality or all that mumbo jumbo we think of utmost importance.
And i'm sure he produced lot sof useless frames too, but natural selection took care of those.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

I originally thought this was an introduction to another Pro-Shooter, I was interested in how you were going to bring Robert Capa back 😉.

or maybe I should wonder instead, how is it possible so many crappy pics are taken today with the latest wonderkin darlings of the latest camera or lens test...

hmmm.

Stephen

not to hard to figure out, spend less time talking gear and more time taking pics

Capa was brilliant!

Todd

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

PS: technically his shots are far from perfect, but for his subjects in general he didn't really need ultimate sharpness, tonality or all that mumbo jumbo we think of utmost importance.

Try and explain that to the Delete Me group on Flickr. 😉

 

[Pherdinand]

As for Capa making us look bad, if it's true that he faked and/or staged half of the photos he is accused of, that's the real offense that would make us all look bad.

You can't really fake jumping out with a parachute with hudreds of soldiers in the night during heavy anti aircraft gunfire above enemy territory. You either are there or you are not. He didn't deny of being a chicken a few times and going home without getting into the action...

Staged? Yes i'm sure many of his shots were staged. Like the Ingrid Bergman shots, e.g. 😀

Sorry he's my favourite and i won't listen to anything that might sound a bit negative about him 😛

 

[Pherdinand]

Gabriel: Even the most talented cannot satisfy every member of our rapidly growing race... 😀
but that's a funny group indeed

 

[Finder]

This morning I perused the Robert Capa book edited by his brother Cornell. Robert Capa: Photographs (Aperture Monograph)

His first published pics were of Trotsky giving a lecture. Not a bad professional start...

To me the quality of Capa's work is just amazing. The sad part is that he took all those shots with cameras and lenses are very sub part current levels of professional cameras and lenses.

I can't help but wonder what he could have done with some really good equipment...

or maybe I should wonder instead, how is it possible so many crappy pics are taken today with the latest wonderkin darlings of the latest camera or lens test...

hmmm.

Stephen

Do you seriously believe that stong images are a product of technology and not the photographer?

 

[CameraQuest]

Do you seriously believe that stong images are a product of technology and not the photographer?

hardly, did you seriously believe that is what the thread is about?

Stephen

 

[LeicaTom]

I can't help but wonder what he could have done with some really good equipment...

Stephen

A Photographer is never "made" you have to be "born" to do this line of work....

I know someone here locally who has a Leica R with a digital back and thousands $$$$$$$ sunk into the camera and equipment and his pics look like they were taken with a cheap digital camera......
it`s not the gear it`s what you PULL out of it that counts 🙂

I use cameras that are all pre 1955 in my Retro PinUp business and my clients are all very happy with the outcome, I think sometime`s even "older" is better

When I used to live in Germany and I saw first hand what some men did with their camera`s back in the late 1940`s early 50`s with amazing sports photography with old beat up Leica IIIb`s and IIIc`s with Mooly Motors, Scnoo winders and Ploot housings, photos that would stand up to anything the modern cameras produce today...........

I think alot of it had to do with the caliber of the people in Capa`s generation as well, everything was different back then, people worked even harder and the finished product was appreciated more - nowadays, everyone wants everything so fast and does`nt care about quality, I think more thinking went into Photography in Capa`s time and also more adventure as well, people of that generation were more daring.........everyone I have met who lived through the great depression had guts and I think when you were a good Photographer that showed in your work, like it did with Capa`s 🙂

I still say.......It`s NEVER the gear, it`s whoever pushes the button that counts....

But, nonetheless it would have been amazing to see what Capa would have pulled out of a M6 and some modern lenses and even better film! 😀

Tom

PS: Historicaly I don`t think Robert Capa had the chance to use the Leica M3 did he?
While he was killed in Indo-China about the same time the camera was being released, is there anyplace posted online that talks about that "last" photoshoot?

I know the photos from it still survive.....

 

[gb hill]

Excluding myself, because I know my pictures suck, but I have seen better work from those with voigtlanders & russian cameras than many here with M8s and high dollar Leica film cameras with their several thousand dollar lenses. If you have a good eye for composition and good lighting along with a bit of luck, it doesn't matter much what you use. But to me it's about having fun.

 

[drewbarb]

You can't really fake jumping out with a parachute with hudreds of soldiers in the night during heavy anti aircraft gunfire above enemy territory. You either are there or you are not. He didn't deny of being a chicken a few times and going home without getting into the action...

Staged? Yes i'm sure many of his shots were staged. Like the Ingrid Bergman shots, e.g. 😀

Sorry he's my favourite and i won't listen to anything that might sound a bit negative about him 😛

Just to be clear, I'm not throwing my lot in with his detractors. I wasn't there, I don't know what he did for every shot. Of course he did jump out of planes and do all kinds of incredible things, and came back with some truly spectacular pictures. (Would some of those have been better if he had a modern wunder-cam? Perhaps...) My point is just that many people have claimed that various of his shots were faked and/or staged. This has been claimed of many photographers. For instance, many people swear the "Death of a Spanish Loyalist"- one of his most famous images- was faked. Whatever the truth is, allegations like this cast a pall over photography which is the thing that really makes us all look bad.

Wahtever the truth about this issue, Capa was unquestionably one of the greats.