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Margaret Bourke-White
Photo Journalist
Margaret Bourke-White
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Born: 1904 in New York
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Died: 1971 Satamford Copnnecticut
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Photo Journalist
You thought you had a difficult time developing your photographic career!
This lady was one of the pioneers of photo journalism recording some amazing images during her career.
After graduating with an arts degree she began work in architectural and commercial photography. She then moved onto Fortune and Life magazine as one of the early pioneering women in this field. Her image of Fort Peck Dam making the cover of the first issue of Life Magazine
When the second world war unfolded she became the first female photographer to be allowed in combat zones.
She was torpedoed in the Mediterranean, strafed by the Luftwaffe, stranded on an Arctic island, bombarded in Moscow. She was disliked by General Dwight D Eisenhower but was friendly with his chauffeur/secretary, Irishwoman Kay Summersby, with whom she once shared the lifeboat.
Like most people involved in the war she bore witness to some horrific and life changing scenes.
Post WW2 she gained further credit for her work on the India Pakistan partition vilence
In later life she developed Parkinson disease which forced her to slow down her career and eventually forced her to stop photography
To read about her work
A good film is available detailing her life and work
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