Larry Burrows

CMoore · Jan 5, 2022

I always knew him as a "War Photographer"
He shot other, interesting frames as well.
What a guy. Its men like him that always make me wonder if i had the stones to do what they did.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Burrows

James Bleifus · Jan 6, 2022

I’ve seen his work at the War Remnants Museum in Saigon. Amazing stuff.

Cheers, James

benjiboy · Jan 6, 2022

I know that Burrows had a son who is a photographer, and that more than seventy photographers were killed in Vietnam.

jvo · Jan 6, 2022

Preceding Steve McCurry's afghan girl, he shot similar pictures of 2 Pakistani survivors of a cyclone - same impact, different emotional motif. He did mostly B&W, but these were in color.

jtk · Jan 6, 2022

Afghan Girl is/was rarely represented honestly...her blue eyes were typical of a minority of her people and Nat Geo has only reluctantly admitted that.

Alan Edward Klein · Jan 6, 2022

jtk said:
Afghan Girl is/was rarely represented honestly...her blue eyes were typical of a minority of her people and Nat Geo has only reluctantly admitted that.

What do you mean? Did McCurry change the photo colors or what? She was Afghan wasn't she?

jtk · Jan 6, 2022

McCurry isn;'t at fault..Nat Geo is at fault. Her blue eyes are typical of a sub-group of Afghans.

The photo was ultra-popular only because of her blue eyes and was marketed on that basis....

MattKing · Jan 6, 2022

jtk said:
The photo was ultra-popular only because of her blue eyes and was marketed on that basis....

The eyes are critical, but the photo offers more than that:

jtk · Jan 6, 2022

MattKing said:
The eyes are critical, but the photo offers more than that:

It's a fine photo but wasn't even as significant as the other Burrows photos, not to mention the many other fine photographers in Afghanistan, including Afghan photographers.

Alan Edward Klein · Jan 6, 2022

jtk said:
It's a fine photo but wasn't even as significant as the other Burrows photos, not to mention the many other fine photographers in Afghanistan, including Afghan photographers.

But her eyes are so intriguing, piercing, mysterious and beautiful, you're naturally drawn to them, the article, and want to buy the magazine. That's what makes the photo so good. Of course, NatGeo picked it. So would I. Who wouldn't? Why would you discount this photo for their cover? Some people might just buy the magazine to rip the cover off and frame it on their wall. Isn't that what photos are supposed to do to us? Stir our souls? I only wish I could capture a picture like that someday.

benjiboy · Jan 6, 2022

Sharbat Gula is a widow now, with a family of four children.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/afghan-girl-home-afghanistan

DonJ · Jan 6, 2022

benjiboy said:
Sharbat Gula is a widow now, with a family of four children.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/afghan-girl-home-afghanistan

She escaped to Italy when the Taliban took over:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/people...d-afghan-girl-finds-refuge-in-italy/?amp=true

jtk · Jan 6, 2022

I visited a big exhibit of McCurry prints never having seen the Nat Geo cover. Excellent B&W and color reportage was nearly totally ignored by the crowd that clustered around that single "girl" photo. Some were thrilled that she appeared to be, um, white.

I'm sure we're all happy that Nat Geo has made a boatload (per their own report) with "girl" posters and nicknacks. Not unlike AAs coffee cans and various artifacts

My point is that McCurrys reportage seems more worthwhile than the decor. Can't blame the photographer for his fanboys.

Larry Burrows

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