Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/15

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Subject: [Leica] RE: Staged Photographs: Iwo Jima
From: George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 05:43:42 -0600

At 04:16 PM 14/09/99 -0600, you wrote:
>This discussions comes up on the National press Photographers Association
>list about once a year. The result is always the same, after the various
>books and sources are consulted - no it wasn't posed for the photographer -
>yes, as Marc says - there were two flag raisings.
>
>Now, are we going to re-hash and deconstruct the Capa/Dying Spanish Soldier
>shot for the nth time? - save you the trouble - no, that wasn't posed
>either.
>
I don't mind scrutinizing the Capa photo in question.  I have seen some
sources which do question its authenticity.  It is a subject more worthy of
debate that the Iwo issue, which has been settled long ago.
   Some of the issues raised regarding the Capa shot that have never been
resolved are (going from memory):
The film mysteriously disappeared after the shot was taken.
Chin (Magnum) who was also in the general area at the time, can not recall
any fighting taking place at that time.  He was in an ideal position to
question the authenticity, since he was there at the time.
Another Capa shot, taken within a short time of the famous photo in
question, is definitely staged, and it has some similarities in its
composition.