Essay/Term paper: A memorable expierence in photograpy

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Book Reports

A Memorable Experience in Photography

To experience photography, one must have a certain style of
photographs to really appreciate or admire. Photographs are picturesque
images and views that really catch the interest of the photographer.
For me to experience and admire photography, it took me only one
photographer to really appreciate the power it has his name is Robert
Capa. Robert grew up in Hungary he experienced the political unrest and
turmoil. He lived under the oppression of Horthy and knew the kind of
anarchy that constitutes war(Images of War 8).

Robert's work represented 3 categories:
1. Images of battle.
2. Images of the effects of war.
3. Images of calamity(Photographs,Introduction).

His work also had a swift understanding and sympathy for the people
who suffer from being caught in war. This type of suffering made it
impossible for him to ignore the events which affected their
lives(Images of War 9). Robert's belief on photography is "If your
pictures are not good enough, your not close enough"(Photographs
Foreword).

Robert's breakthrough in the field of photography came during the
Spanish Civil War. His most famous picture was a snapshot of a
courageous man in the act of falling(Capa18). His own special talents
and course of world happenings, led him into a role as a professional
photographer of war(Images of War20). To really admire and understand
Capa, you must have a fascination for dramatic and emotional pictures of
war. There probably has been thousands who admire the work he does.
Well you can include me in that group of thousands. Capa puts into
perspective in just one photograph, something my grandfather will never
forget. The Bombing of Pearl Harbor. The photograph that brings back
these memories is taken somewhere in Europe during World War II. It's a
photograph that has the air full of scores of Japanese warplanes. They
are flying over war stricken farmland. As an American citizen, this
photograph brings a lot of emotions through me and would have brought
greater emotions to my grandfather. I used this photograph because it
brings back the memory of my grandfather telling me the story of how he
survived that tragic day.
On December 7, 1941, my grandfather was stationed at Pearl Harbor
as a airplane mechanic. It was still early in the morning and he was
still sleeping. Then out of nowhere he heard numerous explosions and
then the sirens went off._ _He rushed out of bed and ran upstairs to see
what was happening. In the sky he saw scores of Japanese airplanes
flying and bombing the area. Some of the airplanes would risk their own
lives to do more damage to the ships and the harbor.
My grandfather said it was just unbelievable what was happening.
You had to of been here to have a clear picture of the destroyed
surroundings. Numerous airplanes and ships were being destroyed and
hundreds were being wounded or killed. My grandfather said he was so
scared he did not know what to do. After it was all over he just sat
their in midst of all the destruction and cried. After he got his
emotions together, he helped in cleaning up one of the most disastrous
events in United States history.
This experience has been a emotional one for me. In my eyes my
grandfather was a hero and Robert Capa helps me recollect that image in
that one picture. This picture was not directly related to the event,
but it brings back the memories of the day my grandfather told me the
story. I never really was interested in photography, but now I realize
the beauty and power it can have on your emotions.

Works Cited
Capa, Robert. New York: Grossman, 1974.
Capa, Robert. Images Of War New York: Paragraphic Books, 1974.
Capa, Robert. Photographs
Eds. Cornell Capa and Richard Whelan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf
Inc, 1985.