Where are you from in Eugene Smith?

Eugene Smith (19 18- 1978) is regarded as a contemporary photojournalist. He created the most shocking photos in the history of war. The unfair portrayal of society in Smith's photos has deeply influenced the American people. The photos he took in Japan about the terrible consequences of mercury poisoning are one of his most famous works. Smith's photography career began in Newsweek. He was only 19 years old when he entered Life magazine. Later, because of different interests, I fell out with Life magazine several times. From the resurrection of 1946 to the resignation of 1954, he completed about 58 photography projects. New york International Photography Center has set up the "Eugene Smith Prize" in recognition of his belief in human nature, and will be his successor who has made outstanding achievements in the same way.

Chinese name: Eugene Smith.

Mbth: W. Eugene Smith

Nationality: USA

Place of birth: Kansas

Date of birth: 19 18 12.30.

Date of death: 1978

Occupation: Photojournalist

Graduate school: Notre Dame University

Main achievements: Being one of the first photographers to challenge the autonomy of magazine editors.

Representative works: TheReignofChemistry, SpanishVillage.

brief introduction

Eugene Smith (W.EugeneSmith, 19 18- 1978) Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas, USA in 19 18. /kloc-When I was in middle school at the age of 0/4, I was keen on air sports photography and was inspired by news photographer Frank Noe. After graduating from high school, he was hired as a photojournalist by the Eagle and the Beacon in this city, and photographed the famous famine scenes in the desert basin in the midwest of the United States. From 65438 to 0936, Smith won a special photography scholarship and entered erasmus University in Rotterdam. Eugene Smith, who has received formal higher education, is qualified to join the newly-established Life magazine and become a member of Newsweek. This publication actually fired him because he insisted on using the 6×6 small camera photos just released at that time. At that time, these big magazines used big cameras and paid attention to the exquisiteness of photos to cater to readers. Smith thinks that using a small camera has more freedom of exploration. He is not satisfied with the kind of "deep depth of field, not enough emotional depth"

Smith was unfortunately injured while taking photos of simulated war. Therefore, after 1942 World War II, he applied to join the US Navy photography team led by edward steichen, but was not admitted due to poor health. However, Smith's determination to be a war correspondent has not changed at all. He eventually became a reporter for several publications in the Atlantic War Zone. Later, he was sent to the "Independence" aircraft carrier by a publishing company to report on many island battles in the Pacific theater. 1944 joined Life magazine again and continued to work in the Pacific Theater. The famous works such as Saipan are the works of this period. He reported the cruel war with his own camera. He was injured again and again in the war, and finally returned to new york for treatment because of his serious injuries. Two years later, in 1946 after the war, he picked up the camera again and filmed the famous Road to Heaven, which was exhibited in the exhibition "Human Family" hosted by Steichen and became a world-famous work.

In the postwar years, Smith used his camera to capture the grim and hopeful scenes of contemporary life, and his photos became a typical record of social life. He said, "I try to influence people with my works, try to guide them with photos and let them draw their own conclusions." He aimed his camera at the typical hero he chose. Ordinary people with lofty sentiments are victims of social injustice. 197 1 year, he devoted himself to reporting an incident in which a large chemical plant in Japan discharged poisons, polluted local water sources and endangered more than 10,000 people, setting an example for news photography to dare to expose social contradictions. May +097 1 (53 years old) started to go to Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Naoko went into the bathroom.

Smith advocates "photographic articles", which is similar to what we call "thematic photography", which makes his photographic works more and more rich in content and more profound in people's thoughts. For example, his country doctor, midwife, Spanish village, Klan, aseptic life research and so on. , have profoundly portrayed people and things, impressive, profound understanding.

all one's life

Eugene Smith (19 18- 1978) is regarded as a contemporary photojournalist. He created the most shocking photos in the history of war. The unfair portrayal of society in Smith's photos has deeply influenced the American people. The photos he took in Japan about the terrible consequences of mercury poisoning are one of his most famous works. Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas on February 30th, 19 18. 1924 to 1935, studying in local Catholic primary and secondary schools. From 1933 to 1935, Smith began his initial photography. Frank Noel, a photojournalist at Huikko Tower, encouraged Smith to contribute to the local newspaper.

When Smith's father committed suicide, the newspaper report about it was quite different from the situation at that time. This made Smith question the norms of American journalism. Smith vowed to be a photojournalist, demanding himself with the highest standards in his career, and he was determined to be completely honest in his journalism.

From 1936 to 1937, Smith studied photography at Indiana University. After graduation, he worked for Hui Ke Tower Eagle and Hui Ke Tower Lighthouse, and later became an assistant photographer for Newsweek. He was later fired for using a 2.5-inch dual-lens reflex camera that was considered "too small". From 1938 to 1939, Smith worked as a freelance photographer in Life, Collier, Harper's bazar and other periodicals including The New York Times. Smith used a smaller camera to create a novel flash technology, which enabled him to make his photos taken indoors look the same as those taken in natural light or light. Smith accepted the job as an assistant photographer for Life magazine, from 1939 to 194 1.

Chronicle of events

Smith has been to Japan three times. His first visit was during the Second World War. From 1942 to 1944, Smith was a Pacific War reporter for popular photography magazine and other publishing organizations. 1944, he returned to Life magazine, but this time he was a regular reporter and photographer. With ideals and passion, Smith wanted to take patriotic photos when he first went to the battlefield of World War II. But he was frightened by what he saw. He gave up the idea of distinguishing who is just and who is not, and devoted himself to expressing the fear and struggle brought about by the war he saw.

1944, in Saipan Island in the western Pacific Ocean, Smith said in W.Eugene Smith: Phenomenon and Essence, the Life and Work of an American Photographer: "Every time I press the shutter, it is a curse and blame (for human crimes). At the same time, I hope that this photo can be circulated for a long time and can arouse people's vigilance, memory and thinking in the future. " Later, he said: "I hope my photos are not reports of news events, but accusations of war-accusing war of being barbaric and depraved, and cruelly hurting people's spirit and body;" I hope my photos can become a moving and powerful catalyst, a catalyst for thinking-so that such evil and cruel stupidity will never happen again. "

1944, Smith was assigned to the American aircraft carrier Bunkhill and filmed the raids on Tokyo, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. His exciting photos constitute an eternal and moving photo album, including a photo of a soldier who rescued a thin, dying baby covered with flies in a cave in Saipan; A photo of an injured soldier lying in LeyteCathedral, wrapped at will; And that photo of the rotting bodies of Japanese soldiers on the coast of Iwo Jima. Smith's photos of the Pacific battlefield during World War II are considered as one of the most serious and powerful war video evidences. On a small ridge off the coast of Okinawa, Smith was hit by a shell fragment, which grazed his left hand, face and mouth. He has been unable to work for two years.

Personal realization

After a long recovery from war trauma, Smith continued to work for Life magazine from 1947 to 1954. The first photo after his injury was AWalktoParadiseGarden, one of his most famous photos, in which his two children walked through a forest path to a sunny place. This photo was selected as the finale of the exhibition "FamilyofMan" held by 1955 in MuseumofModernArt, new york. During his work in Life magazine, Smith published many important photo stories, including the jury in 1948, the country doctor in 1948 and the midwife in 1948+0. And the chemical kingdom and Spanish village of 1953. These photos set a new standard for unforgettable photo stories. In a powerful, clear and beautiful way, they show the life processes and emotions that human beings must experience, such as sympathy, glory, daily work, birth and death. His photos are considered as universal symbols. Smith's photo of midwife MaudeCallen touched the nerves of American readers, and people donated money to help her set up a clinic in South Carolina. The photographer thinks Smith has made the most perfect interpretation of the photographer's personal creation. /kloc-0 1954《AManofMercy published a special topic about Dr. AlbertSchweitzer, a doctor of leprosy clinic, shooting in Africa.

evaluate

Smith's photography career began in Newsweek. He was only 19 years old when he entered Life magazine. Later, because of different interests, I fell out with Life magazine several times. From the resurrection of 1946 to the resignation of 1954, he completed about 58 photography projects. 1948 The Country Doctor, which was filmed in Cramlin, Colorado, is his first important photo story, telling how an unknown country doctor gave his youth and life to treat the suffering people. Before Eugene Smith, no photographer experienced the life of the subject so deeply and persistently in order to take photos. The reason why his photos are so moving is that he abandoned the identity of the bystander and integrated into the fate of the subject as a participant. Sometimes you have to think that the scenes in his photos are carefully directed and arranged, or are stills from classic movies. This kind of work, which becomes a fragment of life, is also the goal pursued by Smith. To this end, he was even criticized by the European photography community and became an "ideal romantic" ridiculed by critics. Smith thinks it's because they are cynical, cynical and depressed, so they can't believe anything, and he just keeps believing.

When shooting these subjects, Smith often encounters the contradiction between the artist's attitude and the requirements of the magazine. In practice, he honed the skills of telling stories with pictures. Even people who have no experience in reading pictures or can't read can understand what he wants to express. His illustrated reports, such as Spanish Country, Country Doctor, Midwife, Shi Huaizhe and Minamata, have greatly enriched and influenced the photography reporting methods of periodicals represented by Life magazine, and become a new mode for them to train photographers, because he never lets people lose hope while using photos to convey the power of compassion, and he himself is unwilling to hide it to show his calmness and depth. His figure of stepping out of the dark zone for a pair of young children was chosen at the end of the album "Human Family", symbolizing the hope of mankind. 1955, Smith left his life for magnum photos, but this cooperation lasted only four times. Since then, he has always insisted on compiling his own photo story set, so as not to let the editors "spoil" his photos at will. In his later years, Smith became a grumpy and stubborn old man. The suffering of local war correspondents in the South Pacific. Just when he accepted the invitation of Watch magazine to get his camera back, his identity collapsed and he never stood up again. In this year, new york International Photography Center established the "Eugene Smith Prize" in recognition of his belief in human nature, which will be regarded as a successor who has achieved outstanding achievements in the same way.

Pittsburgh project

As he became increasingly dissatisfied with the distribution of Life magazine, Smith quit his job there at the end of 1954 and became a member of Magnumphotography1955. In the next three years, he went to Life magazine, Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated.

Photo editor StefanLorant needs some photos reflecting Pittsburgh to make an album. The proceeds from this album will be used for urban renewal projects. Smith accepted the job and paid $500 in advance. After the project is completed, Smith will receive 1200 USD as a reward. The work should be finished in two to three weeks. However, Smith turned it into a three-year project, "Pittsburgh" photo story, which was basically not completed in the end. However, Smith found an opportunity to expand the narrative form of photos in this task. Smith moved to Pittsburgh, built a darkroom in his apartment, and hired an assistant and a tour guide. He worked hard and invested a lot of money in this project. During the five months of 1955 and the weeks of 1957, Smith took 1 1000 negatives. Due to Smith's self-abandonment, opinionated opinions and some legal problems, this work is difficult to carry out. Lorant's book was finally published in 1964, and 64 photos of Smith were selected.

In order to save Smith's works, magnum reached a publishing agreement with Look and Life magazine. But because Smith was dissatisfied with the layout of the magazine, they went back on their word and the agreement finally fell through. He wants to combine the photos into a whole with rich themes and many metaphors. The Story of Pittsburgh has never been published in any form similar to Smith's book. The most complete version of his own typesetting appeared in the PhotographyAnnual of 1959, and 88 photos were published on 37 pages. Smith thinks this work is a failure, but the Pittsburgh project is regarded as an outstanding pioneering work, which promotes the development of photographic stories into a vast space.

During this period (during the filming of the Pittsburgh story), Smith's marriage ended, his health deteriorated seriously and he was riddled with lawsuits. He owed magnum photos a lot of money and went bankrupt himself. He put his family in a very embarrassing position, even though he won the Guggenheim Scholarship twice.

There will be another task soon. From 65438 to 0956, Smith was entrusted by AmericanInstituteofArchitects to take some color photos of contemporary American architecture. Smith visited HitachiCorporation at 196 1 for the second time. He was invited to stay there for a year, filming the company and employees. In an article on MastersofPhotography, TonyHayden recalled the meeting of 1969 with Smith at WoodstockFestival in August. Smith came to Woodstock after filming singer BobDylan in new york. Smith and Hayden spent their first afternoon there, taking pictures while walking. Hayden recalled that Smith seemed to enjoy this quiet time and felt at home. Hayden wrote, "He was so involved that he felt that he was integrated with the camera, became a part of the camera, and integrated into the world of his subjects."