Magnum - Softcover

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough," said Robert Capa, the legendary photojournalist who, with Henri Cartier-Bresson and other documentary shooters, founded the Magnum press agency in 1947. Capa got close to the action, of course; he died under fire in Indo-China in 1954, seeking the perfect image of war. Other Magnum photographers died in places like Afghanistan, Israel, and Chechnya, always at the forefront of battle and strife, always with an eye on capturing history as it unfolded. In this well-written study of their work, British journalist Russell Miller shows how their images have changed the ways in which we respond to war, politics, and crises. --Gregory McNamee

A profile of one of the most influential and prestigious photo agencies in the world, told through the lives of its founding members. On the occasion of Magnums 50th anniversary, Miller, a British journalist and author of ten books, has written a lively, sympathetic history of the organization and the characters who defined it. Magnum has always been synonymous with outrageous talent. Founded by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, David Seymour, and George Rodger in 1947, the agency was intended to release its members from the dictates of magazine editors and allow them greater artistic freedom and copyright control. Its cooperative mandate, for which Capaa charming hedonist and talented war photographerwas responsible, immediately set it apart from other purely commercial ventures. So did the visions of its founding members. With their lightweight Leica and Contax cameras, Capa and his brethren were able to travel to the most distant lands and dangerous conflicts and bring back images that mesmerized the world. Miller skillfully juxtaposes their compelling storiesof military offensives, celebrity-gilded parties, and perfect shotswith equally detailed information about the more quotidian challenges they faced, from rivalry to financial ruin. Miller devotes an entire chapter to the story of Eugene Smith, a brilliant photographer who joined Magnum in 1955 and subsequently wreaked havoc. Although he was known to be difficult, few of his peers anticipated that he would not only endanger the agency financially (he borrowed thousands from it to support his drug and alcohol addictions) but also divide its ranks. By the time he resigned, his fellow photographers were relieved, yet still compassionatetypical, Miller believes, of Magnums solidarity. Even those members who have decided to resign, Miller writes, almost invariably leave with some smatterings of regret. Miller debunks lingering myths about the agency and provides an entertaining account of the mesh and fray of personalities associated with it. (16 pages b&w photos) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.