Out of focus: Kappa war photo journal

Author: Robert Capa (USA), translated by Xu Zhenfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This book serves as the author's personal photographic diary of World War II, faithfully recording everything he experienced and felt during the war. Reading through it, one may occasionally break into a silent smile, but more often, it leaves one feeling heavy-hearted. Capa deeply loved life and peace, detested war, and abhorred his profession—watching young lives fall in an instant, a stark contrast that no one could bear, especially when such tragedies unfolded right before his eyes, or even threatened to befall him at any moment. Yet Capa recorded everything with an almost "cruel indifference," his words and photographs embodying this detachment. Hidden behind the calm was the courage that could only be earned with one's life. As the pioneer of war photography, Capa possessed the typical adventurer's spirit. He once said, "The war correspondent's bet—their life—is in their own hands. I'm a gambler." His more famous quote was, "If your photos aren't good enough, you're too far from the action." His photographic works lacked excessive technique, with imprecise focus, untidy cropping, and muted tones. Yet none of these "flaws" could overshadow the greatness of his work.