Alfred Eisenstaedt

Eisenstaedt is a German self-taught photographer who established himself as one of the first and most important photojournalists. The Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm served as his first assignment beginning his professional career, in 1929. He immigrated to America in 1935 and worked as a freelancer for magazines including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Town and Country, among others. Alfred Eisenstaedt was one of the Europeans who, following the war, introduced their expertise to American media and pioneered the use of the 35-millimeter camera in photojournalism. Many photographers at the time focused their work on specific types of events or geographic areas. However, Eisenstaedt was a generalist and a favorite among editors for his eye and talent for taking excellent photographs of any situation, circumstance, or event. His images are memorable historic and artistic records of his time due to his nonjudgmental yet keenly sensitive eye and his skills in composition.

Written