W. EUGENE SMITH Photojournalist ( )

William Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas in At the age of 14, he was interested in aeronautical engineering and borrowed a camera from his mother (also an enthusiastic photographer) to take pictures of the planes at the local airport. Soon photography became his major interest and he spent his high-school years photographing for local newspapers in Wichita. William Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas in At the age of 14, he was interested in aeronautical engineering and borrowed a camera from his mother (also an enthusiastic photographer) to take pictures of the planes at the local airport. Soon photography became his major interest and he spent his high-school years photographing for local newspapers in Wichita. The subjects of most of these early pictures were sports, aviation, and significantly the Depression tragedy of the Dust Bowl. Later Smith destroyed most of the work of this period as too poor to preserve. The subjects of most of these early pictures were sports, aviation, and significantly the Depression tragedy of the Dust Bowl. Later Smith destroyed most of the work of this period as too poor to preserve. "I had an intuitive sense of timing, an impossibly poor technique, and excitement to the fact of the event rather than of interpretive insight. Although I often was deeply moved, I did not have the power to communicate it," he says. "I had an intuitive sense of timing, an impossibly poor technique, and excitement to the fact of the event rather than of interpretive insight. Although I often was deeply moved, I did not have the power to communicate it," he says.

In 1936, at age 18, Gene Smith entered Notre Dame University where his pictures so impressed the faculty and administration that a special photographic scholarship was created for him. In 1936, at age 18, Gene Smith entered Notre Dame University where his pictures so impressed the faculty and administration that a special photographic scholarship was created for him. A year later, Smith left the University because of "friendly but hackneyed" demands that were made on his work. The emergence at that time of an exciting new picture magazine, Life, turned young Smith’s eyes toward the challenge of New York. A year later, Smith left the University because of "friendly but hackneyed" demands that were made on his work. The emergence at that time of an exciting new picture magazine, Life, turned young Smith’s eyes toward the challenge of New York. Soon he joined the staff of Newsweek but within a year was fired for using "miniature" cameras (2¼ X 2¼) on assignment after he had been given specific orders not to. Smith’s reason for this was that he felt the smaller cameras gave him more freedom of seeing. Over the years to come Smith worked with any camera, from a Minox to a 4 X 5 press camera. In most of his work, however, he used 35 mm cameras, often having as many as six or seven around his neck and slung over his shoulders at once. Soon he joined the staff of Newsweek but within a year was fired for using "miniature" cameras (2¼ X 2¼) on assignment after he had been given specific orders not to. Smith’s reason for this was that he felt the smaller cameras gave him more freedom of seeing. Over the years to come Smith worked with any camera, from a Minox to a 4 X 5 press camera. In most of his work, however, he used 35 mm cameras, often having as many as six or seven around his neck and slung over his shoulders at once.

In the period from 1947 to 1954, Gene Smith was to produce the great photo-essays for Life that were to redefine the meaning of the term, photojournalism. In the period from 1947 to 1954, Gene Smith was to produce the great photo-essays for Life that were to redefine the meaning of the term, photojournalism. Among these essays were: Country Doctor, Hard Times on Broadway, Spanish Village, Southern Midwife, and Man of Mercy (about Dr. Schweitzer in Africa). Among these essays were: Country Doctor, Hard Times on Broadway, Spanish Village, Southern Midwife, and Man of Mercy (about Dr. Schweitzer in Africa).

Country doctor, 1948

Country Doctor Country Doctor Country Dr. Ernest Ceriani in a dazed state of exhaustion, having a cup of coffee in the hospital kitchen at 2 a.m. after performing a cesarean section where the baby & the mother died due to complications. Country Dr. Ernest Ceriani in a dazed state of exhaustion, having a cup of coffee in the hospital kitchen at 2 a.m. after performing a cesarean section where the baby & the mother died due to complications.

Then came the war. In 1942 Gene Smith became a war correspondent first for Ziff- Davis (Flying and Popular Photography) and later for Life. Then came the war. In 1942 Gene Smith became a war correspondent first for Ziff- Davis (Flying and Popular Photography) and later for Life. Smith photographed the war, briefly in the Atlantic but most of the time in the bloody island-to-island fighting in the Pacific. During that time he was involved in 26 carrier combat missions and 13 invasions. Smith photographed the war, briefly in the Atlantic but most of the time in the bloody island-to-island fighting in the Pacific. During that time he was involved in 26 carrier combat missions and 13 invasions. He was in Okinawa on D-Day and hitch- hiked twelve hundred miles to Guam to be sure that his pictures would get the fastest possible delivery back to Life. Then he returned to the invasion on the first plane on which a correspondent could arrive. He was in Okinawa on D-Day and hitch- hiked twelve hundred miles to Guam to be sure that his pictures would get the fastest possible delivery back to Life. Then he returned to the invasion on the first plane on which a correspondent could arrive.

SAIPAN, 1944

Johnny Popham was at the top of the incline. I had yelled up to him, and asked what the hell do we do with this baby? I didn’t see how they could possibly save its eyesight, but it was alive. Johnny, who was a devout Catholic, said, “I think we have to leave it up to God’. I don’t know if it survived.”—Paul White Johnny Popham was at the top of the incline. I had yelled up to him, and asked what the hell do we do with this baby? I didn’t see how they could possibly save its eyesight, but it was alive. Johnny, who was a devout Catholic, said, “I think we have to leave it up to God’. I don’t know if it survived.”—Paul White

Okinawa, 1945

Always known as a photographer who would take almost any chance if it meant getting the picture, Gene Smith’s good luck throughout the Pacific deserted him on May 23, Always known as a photographer who would take almost any chance if it meant getting the picture, Gene Smith’s good luck throughout the Pacific deserted him on May 23, While on the east coast of Okinawa photographing an essay titled "A Day in the Life of a Front Line Soldier," he was seriously wounded by a Japanese shell fragment. The missile hit him in the head cutting both cheeks, injuring his tongue and knocking out several teeth. While on the east coast of Okinawa photographing an essay titled "A Day in the Life of a Front Line Soldier," he was seriously wounded by a Japanese shell fragment. The missile hit him in the head cutting both cheeks, injuring his tongue and knocking out several teeth. Characteristically, he was taking pictures at the time and the fragment passed through his left hand before entering his cheek just below the eye and near the nose. His comment in the hospital later: "I forgot to duck but I got a wonderful shot of those who did... my policy of standing up when the others are down finally caught up with me." Characteristically, he was taking pictures at the time and the fragment passed through his left hand before entering his cheek just below the eye and near the nose. His comment in the hospital later: "I forgot to duck but I got a wonderful shot of those who did... my policy of standing up when the others are down finally caught up with me."

Smith’s war wounds cost him two painful years of hospitalization and plastic surgery. During these years he took no pictures and whether he would ever be able to return to photography was doubtful. Then one day, during his period of convalescence, Smith took a walk with his two children and even though it was still intensely painful for him to operate a camera, came back with one of the most famous photographs of all time: "A Walk to Paradise Garden." Smith’s war wounds cost him two painful years of hospitalization and plastic surgery. During these years he took no pictures and whether he would ever be able to return to photography was doubtful. Then one day, during his period of convalescence, Smith took a walk with his two children and even though it was still intensely painful for him to operate a camera, came back with one of the most famous photographs of all time: "A Walk to Paradise Garden."

A WALK TO PARADISE GARDEN, 1946

Spanish village, 1951

MINAMATA 1971 His final assignment, typical of his anguish and concern over man's inhumanity to man, was a series of pictures taken over three years on the effects of industrial waste on the life of a small fishing community of Japan. His final assignment, typical of his anguish and concern over man's inhumanity to man, was a series of pictures taken over three years on the effects of industrial waste on the life of a small fishing community of Japan. More than 100,000 people had eaten poisoned fish, and more than 10,000 people had gotten ill, a story still in the news 30 years later. The third year, 1974, he received support money from various sources, including doing TV commercials for Minolta Camera, Japan. More than 100,000 people had eaten poisoned fish, and more than 10,000 people had gotten ill, a story still in the news 30 years later. The third year, 1974, he received support money from various sources, including doing TV commercials for Minolta Camera, Japan. His involvement led to him being badly beaten up by men from the chemical company as the men attacked a group of demonstrators of which he was a participating photographer. He never fully recovered. After returning to America, be gave up photojournalism and devoted the rest of his life to photography through lecturing and exhibiting. His involvement led to him being badly beaten up by men from the chemical company as the men attacked a group of demonstrators of which he was a participating photographer. He never fully recovered. After returning to America, be gave up photojournalism and devoted the rest of his life to photography through lecturing and exhibiting.

Here, on the Japanese Island of Kyushu, we see an image of an outwardly healthy mother bathing her fetal-poisoned 16 year old daughter, Tomoko Uemura, grotesquely deformed, physically crippled and blind since birth due to environmental industrial mercury poisoning in the local Minamata, Japan, water supply. This may well be the first environmental pollution photojournalism. Here, on the Japanese Island of Kyushu, we see an image of an outwardly healthy mother bathing her fetal-poisoned 16 year old daughter, Tomoko Uemura, grotesquely deformed, physically crippled and blind since birth due to environmental industrial mercury poisoning in the local Minamata, Japan, water supply. This may well be the first environmental pollution photojournalism.

“Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes-just sometimes-one photograph or a group of them can lure our senses into awareness. Much depends on the viewer; in some, photographs can summon enough emotion to be a catalyst to thought”—W. Eugene Smith “Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes-just sometimes-one photograph or a group of them can lure our senses into awareness. Much depends on the viewer; in some, photographs can summon enough emotion to be a catalyst to thought”—W. Eugene Smith