Essay/Term paper: A memorable experience in photography

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Research Papers

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.