Accomplishments

Robert Capa is best known for his controversial war photos. Capa redefined war journalism and photography; he showed the less glorified, dangerous side of war. He covered five wars total; the Spanish Civil War, The Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the First Indochina War. His most influential work was taken during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

Capa also had a reputation of embellishment; he would exaggerate or lie to help his reputation or to get more attention to a story that wouldn't have been covered otherwise. Capa supported "fakery in allegiance to the truth," said Henry Luce, publisher of Life magazine, who was Capa's boss. (www.nytimes.com)

Also, Capa was one of the creators of the Magum photo agency in 1947 along with photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. Magnum Photos was the first free-lance photography agency. Capa worked mostly free-lance for Life and Collier's magazines.

Capa's photography was more about 'catching the moment' than specific photography rules. He also believed in getting as near as he could to the subject of his photo; he believed in taking close-up pictures. "If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough" stated Capa while covering the First Indochina War shortly before he died. (www.photoquotes.com)

To view a gallery of Capa's work, click here.