How to Recognize Art by Alfred Eisenstaedt

Alfred Eisenstaedt (1898-1995) was a German-American photojournalist who left Nazi Germany for Queens, New York before the beginning of World War II and wound up being one of America's most beloved photographers thanks to the images he supplied for "Life" magazine. Known for his candid, spontaneous images, he is most famous for the "V-J Day Kiss," a photograph that depicts a returning soldier bussing a woman in the middle of Times Square in 1945.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Read books written by Alfred Eisenstaedt himself, such as "The Eye of Eisenstaedt" and "Eisenstaedt's Guide to Photography" for reproductions of many of his photographs, in addition to overviews of his artistic goals and visions.
2. Use online resources such as the website for Gallery M to see reproductions of some of "Eisie's" more famous photographs, such as "V-Jay Day Kiss," "An American Block" and "Children at Puppet Theater" (see Resources below).
3. Note that while Eisenstaedt often experimented with filters, prisms and lenses (most of which were attached to his trusty Leica M3 35mm camera), he always insisted on using natural lighting to capture his distinctive look, which would eventually earn him the nickname "The Father of Modern Photojournalism."
4. Study the genuine, natural expressions on the faces of most of his subjects. Eisenstaedt, who was barely 5 feet tall, captured these by remaining perfectly still for long periods of time with his small camera until people would stop noticing he was there.
5. Investigate back issues of "Life" magazine and recognize all of the classic covers which were shot by Eisenstaedt. He worked for "Life" from 1936 to 1972 and supplied more than 90 cover photographs for them.
6. Recognize Eisenstaedt's method of presenting scale and perspective in his photographic images by capturing people in the foreground. One of the most famous examples of this is in "Premiere in La Scala, Milan," where he shows the expansive size of the opera house by focusing on a young girl nearby.

Tips & Warnings

• In the rush and celebration of V-J in Times Square, Eisenstaedt never knew the identities of the couple he photographed for his most famous image. Many people claimed to be one of the two in the photograph, but only one man, George Mendoca, proved his identity by matching scars and tattoos, as detailed on the "Life" website (see Resources below).

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