Making It Happen - Rober Capa

7/21/2019 Making It Happen - Rober Capa

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Making It Happen[ GREAT COMPOSITIONS]

Painting of Robert Capa's "Paratroopers near Wesel Germany." This was a painting I made a few years

ago of from a Capa photograph.
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IntroductionThis analysis of Robert Capa was at the request of photographer Darell Miller hailing from the UK.

The biography of Robert Capa is as captivating as his portfolio. After a short encounter with a

communist leader in Hungary got him imprisoned, his new life on the road would be anythingbut ordinary. Fortunately for Capa, his mother was a seamstress for the head of polices wife in

Budapest. When she learned about her eldest son being arrested for communist associations

she was able to negotiate his release. This would be the first of many sticky situations that Capa

danced through during his life. The terms of his release were that he had to leave Hungary and

never return.

Robert Capa was famous for using his charm to talk his way into and out of every situation under the sun.

Understandably upset Capa went to Germany to complete his education until Hitlers role forcedhim to move on. Finally settling in Paris, Capa met the love of his live Gerda Taro, who was
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working as a photo assistant. The combination of her creative marketing and Capas

photographs soon solidified his role as a serious photographer. The two of them created the

identity of Robert Capa. Its had a good ring to it and Taro spread his images all over town,

talking up his genius to the photography editors. Even after they were confronted for fraud, it

was too late. The not so famous Endre Friedmann had successfully established himself as a

prominent photographer of the Spanish Civil War. This is one of my favorite stories of positive

thinking. He wanted to be a photographer, so he declared himself one.

In a 1947 interview Capa explained why he changed his name:

Ihad a name which was a little bit different from Bob Capa. The real name of mine was not too

good. I was just as foolish as I am now, but younger. I couldntget any assignment. I needed a

new namebadlyAndthen I invented that Bob Capa was a famous American photographer

who came over to Europe and did not want to bore French editors because they did not pay

enoughSoI just moved in with my little Leica, took some pictures and wrote Bob Capa on it

which sold for double prices.

Radio Interview WNBC, October 20th, 1947.

Bloodand Champagnep. 29, Alex Kershaw

The stories of Capas life are incredible. If you have not read a book on Capa I would absolutely

recommend it. My favorites areSlightlyOut of Focus,Bloodand ChampagneandA

RussianJournal.To give you a sense of Capas sense of humor here is a letter he wrote to Ingrid Bergman, asking

her out to dinner.

Subject: Dinner. 6.6.45. Paris. France

TO: Miss Ingrid Bergman

Part I. This is a community effort. The community consists of Bob Capa and Irwin Shaw.

Part II. We were planning on sending you flowers with this note inviting you to dinner this

evening- but after consultation we discovered it was possible to pay for the flowers or the

dinner, or the dinner or the flowers, not both. We took a vote and dinner won by a close

margin.

Part III. It was suggested that if you did not care for dinner, flowers might be sent. No

decision has been reached on this so far.

Part IV. Besides the flowers we have lots of doubtful qualities.

Part V. If we write much more we will have no conversation left as out supply of charm is

limited.

Part VI. We will call you at 6:15.

Part VII. We do not sleep.

You have to give the man credit for asking out one of the worlds most famous movie starletswith a letter. How did it turn out? He got the date and maintained a long relationship with
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Bergman. The common belief is that Capa never fully recovered from his previous girlfriend

Gerda Taros death in the Spanish Civil War. While riding on the side of a truck she was side

swiped by a tank. People said after this, Capa was never the same. His distance from intimate

relationships most likely accounts for why he never married and continued to put himself in the

most absurd war scenes imaginable until his death in Indochina.

Pablo Picasso. Robert Capa.
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Capas StrengthsHow can we use the images of a world class war photographer to take better pictures? What

simple lessons lie between the frame lines of Capas pictures that we can study, replicate, and

combine into our personal styles?

When we look at the corners of our view finder our brain naturally draws lines connecting the four points.

Simple Diagonals:Capa worked in both 35mm and square medium formats. Unlike Cartier-

Bresson, who was educated formally in art, Capaswork is less complex. The basic design of

90% of Capasimages were conceived on a single diagonal. While some of the pictures fit

into the 1.5 and Root 4 grids, they were not a part of Capasworking language. But as we

will see, sometimes a successful picture works simply because no one else was there to take

the shot. If only one line is used in a composition, we will see how Capa organized off of the

diagonal to move our eyes through the scene.
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We can connect the lines vertically and horizontally or...

Figure To Ground Relationship:What is this you ask? Figure to ground relationship is the

term used to talk about how your subject relates in value of the scene or ground. Its like

making a black dot on a white background or a white dot on a black background. This is a

primary design tool used throughout human history. If you would like an example think of

the design of a Greek vase. The terra-cotta figures on a vase are light in value against a black

glazed background. If we want our pictures to have carrying power they need to be clear.

Artists put a light figure on a dark ground or a dark figure on a light ground. Sound simple

enough, right?

Or we can connect the lines diagonally. The second we do this, the world of dynamic composition willopen up for you.
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Highest Contrast in the Subject:Working in film, without the aid of Photoshop, Capa knew

from countless successes and mistakes, that the area of highest contrast needs to be in the

subject. As objects receded in the distance they become less contrasty. We want our subject to

have the lightest light and the darkest dark because that is what our eyes notice. Even

though Capascompositions are not complex, he knew to look for a well lit subject.

Our brains are prepared to handle much more abstract relationships between points in space. We have

been connecting dots in the sky since we were children. What are these dots?

Finding the Unbelievable:When John Morris of Life Magazine first looked at the work of

Robert Capa, he remembers not being too impressed. But thirty years later and about one

thousand arguments later with Capa, he realized the strength of Capaswork was the simple

fact that Capa was there to take the picture that no one else took. We will see some incredible

scenes that have more in common with the Surrealist painters than our expectations of

reality. Many of the scenes Capa made during war time were too shocking to imagine. But

when cities collapsed and people made life from the ruins Capa was there with a bottle of

wine for their wounds and a camera for the us remember their hardships.
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You GOT it, its the Little Dipper. See how easy it is to connect points in space. All Master

photographers worked their entire careers to refine the art of connecting points in space to create

dynamic compositions. Some made more complex arrangements than other, but everyone uses it at

some level. It is the simplest way to arrange figures in space. Give it a try next time you are out

shooting.

Dark Landscapes:The rolling hills of Tuscany or the scenic view of a beach make for nice

post card, but boring photography. In one of Capasfunniest efforts, we will look at how the

landscape of Western Europe were turned upside down during World War II. The hills

which should have been used for growing grapes and watching sunsets turned dark as

scores of Axis and Allied troops fought it out on the road to Berlin.The Diagonal

When we compose a picture we have four types of lines to choose: horizontal, vertical, diagonal,

and curve. For the better part of his life, Capa was following battles across Europe and Asia. The

feeling of action is best expressed through the diagonal. Its is an explosive force that moves our

eye across the longest line in a negative. It creates a sense of movement and activity that allows

the image to express the motion of a scene. When we look in our view finders the tendency,

especially for beginners, is to find compositions that relate vertically or horizontally. This is not

because of some mysterious subconscious brain pattern. The reason is very simple. Looking
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through a view finder we immediately see two parallel vertical and two parallel horizontal lines.

When a scene enters the frame that repeats either the vertical or horizontal, the shape of our

negative registers mentally. We see these coinciding relationships and press the shutter.

China. Robert Capa.

We have been connecting dots with lines since we were children. We connect starts in the night

sky and the flashing dots on a runway to form lines in our head. Instead of connecting the

negative vertically and horizontally, we can connect an X diagonally. Once this happens, its

like someone flipped a switch. We start to see relationships of people in space that a normal

person does not need to see. Imagine we are looking at a street scene with two men. One man is

standing near an intersection, another laying on the ground and a street light in the background.

Now a regular person does not need to see the diagonal line that connects the street light, the

head of the man standing, and the head of the man on the ground. But as a photographer itsgood to start making these types of observations.


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Major diagonals of the Root 4. Robert Capa.

Does that mean photographers see differently that regular people? You bet they do.

Photographers like Capa need to be able to view scenes with the imaginary diagonal lines

connecting the corners of an image. This will allow the photograph to contain action. Its is the

first step to understanding Dynamic Symmetry and as we will see a major tool that Capa used

throughout his life.
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Chinese Pilot. Robert Capa.
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Major diagonals. Robert Capa.

We can see in the body of images from China taken in the later 1930s that Capa uses the

diagonal to connect figures in space. By composing on the diagonal he brings two people into a

visual dialogue with each other. It encourages our eye to move across the entire frame of the

image. We will notice that the corners of the image are dark, while there is a band of light along

the diagonal. This is simple tool that we can use to quietly move the viewers eye to the most

important parts of a picture.
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Mexico. Robert Capa.

Major diagonals. Robert Capa.
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Golfe-Juan, France, August 1948. Pablo Picasso and Francoise Gilot. The man in the background isPicasso's nephew, Javier Vilato. Robert Capa.


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The image is designed on a single diagonal to emphasize the action of Francoise moving towardsus. Robert Capa.

Figure To Ground RelationshipHow do we use the figure to ground relationship to our advantage on the street? Here is a

simple tip that will greatly improve your images. When you look at a scene, squint. When you

squint, what do you see? A good picture will be clear even if your vision is blurry. This is why

photographers always say, Study the contacts. If the picture is tiny as a thumbnail, its the same

as squinting. You wont be able to see any of the details. But as the details fade away, the light

and dark relationships will scream out. If you squint while looking at any of Capas portraits youwill see it. There is a dark figure against a light ground or a light figure against a dark ground. If
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you want to test this theory further have a look at any of the posting sites. If you squint your

eyes and look at a picture what do you see? If the the figure to ground relationship is bad, you

wont see anything. Too many photographers rely on the distinction between sharp and soft

sections of an image and completely forget to look at the figure to ground relationship.

Here we have a light figure on a dark ground. Outside of Palermo, July 1943. Robert Capa.

The major advantage of black and white film is that it trains you to only see in value. Working in

B/W, color is not as important because the end product only exists in a gray scale. Personally I

learned photography backwards and started with color. Over the years, through many mistakes,

I realized that my eyes were too preoccupied with color and sharpness and failed to register the

gray scale value of a scene. Reverting to black and white for a time was very helpful because it

allowed me to re-learn figure to ground relationships and search for light backgrounds for dark

subjects and vice versa.


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Dark figures on a light ground. Refugees near Wesel Germany. March 24th 1945. Robert Capa.

I figured I would help you squint. Even with the picture blurry we still have a very good sense of the figure

to ground relationship. Robert Capa.
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As Capa moves around a scene we often see him shoot up looking at figures. Aside from this

angle making them look heroic, it also allows him to play his figures against light skies (like the

Chinese pilot pictured above). It is like using a gray sky like a huge backdrop. Photographing in

the real world Capa always needed to improvise. The only way for him to get certain shots was

to move his feet. If we know what we are looking for, it makes taking pictures easier. Walking

into a scene with a figure dressed in white, we now know immediately, we need a dark

background otherwise they will get lost in a light ground. Its a totally simple idea that gets

messed up all the time.

Maiori, Sorrento Penninsula, Italy. Septmeber 19th 1943. Robert Capa.


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Again, even with the picture completely out of focus we can see the greatest contrast exists in the

subject. Robert Capa.

Highest Contrast In The SubjectWhile I have your eyes squinted allow me to show you something else. This is a technique that is

slightly adopted from Ansel Adams, passed through Myron Barnstone. For 35mm photography

we can break the transition from white to black into about 9 zones. Technically we can break it

down further, but for all practical purposes 9 zones will work just fine. If the lightest like is 1 and

black is 9, there are seven shades of gray in the middle. Stay with me here, its not as complicated

as it sounds.
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9 Step Value Step Scales.

Cover the top of this image with your hand. Look at it for 10-15 seconds. Get used to the tones of the

children's faces. Now remove your hand. See how the glowing light jumps out at you. Its too strong of a

value shift in a part of the picture that has no importance. Indiana, 1949. Robert Capa.
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When we squint the problem becomes apparent in an instant. Squinting for a second, while lookingthrough the viewfinder, will greatly improve your ability to judge a scene. Robert Capa.

We want the our subject to be maybe zones 1-6, so its highlights are pure white and its shadows

are a medium dark. Then we would like any other figures to be maybe a zone 2-7 and the

background to be a zone 4-9. If there is an area of intense contrast outside of the main subject its

too distracting. The easiest way to sort out the zone system while working is just squint. If you

can still see your subject when you squint, you may have a picture. But if the subject disappears

and you notice another, completely unimportant shape then there is no shot.
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I think every town wishes they could have put up this sign. Mont St. Michel, France, August

1944. Robert Capa.

Finding The UnbelievableIn Capas travels he walked through the ruins of Europe. In the rubble of Warsaw or the bombed

out churches of England, he found scenes where the apocalypse had touched down. In the wake

of these collapsed buildings, he found moments where people tried to return to life before the

war. In the Church of Father Huchinson, Capa took the everyday scene of Catholic mass and

turned it on its head. The roof of the church was destroyed by Nazi bombing raids. By shooting

the scene from a distance we see the normal looking mass down below contrasted with the

open roof of the church. At first glance it seems totally normal, in fact the lighting is quite nice

for a church interior, until we realize, Wait, wheres the roof?
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St. John's Church, London, England. Robert Capa.

After working his way through North Africa, Capa lost his war credentials, they expired.

Without credentials he was not allowed to work. He was ordered to leave the front and return to

London. But staying one step ahead of the offices back in London, he managed to board a shipset to invade southern Italy.


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Troina, Sicily, August 1943. Robert Capa.

Covering the siege of a small town called Triona, in Sicily, Capa once again found an

unbelievable picture. The two soldiers sitting on the ledge relaxing. It looks ask if the entire

world was collapsing beneath their feet. Capa had a knack for finding moments of calm in the

chaos. It was probably a survival mechanism to cope with the war. One can only imagine whatlife is like after living along side the Allied troops as they advanced to Germany. During the war,

the US Army determined that an average soldier could last 144 days in active combat before they

were shell-shocked. But when they discovered that 8 out of 10 infantry men were dying in the

European campaign, the Army decided it did not matter, since most men were not going to be

alive long enough to be shell shocked. Capa, was in and out of the war from the beginning of

1943 to the middle of 1945. He would work for months at a time and then head back to London.

Even with the intermittent rests, it must have eventually gotten to him.


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Near Troina Sicily, August 4-5 1943. Robert Capa.

Dark LandscapesFor anyone who has lives or has traveled through Europe, you know there are some beautiful

vistas. In the years between 1943 and 1945 those picturesque scenes were often scattered with

tanks and infantry. The thing that stands out most about Capas landscape work, if we can call it

that, is how a perfectly tranquil scene is shifted by the little dots of men walking along the road.Some of Capas photos look like they could adorn wine bottles and travel brochures seducing is

into Sicilian vacations. But all is not was not well on the western front. The sprinkling of soldiers

takes a beautiful landscape and reminds us, this was war. The images are a disturbing reminder

of the collaborative effort required to stabilize Europe in the wake of the Nazis.


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Robert Capa (left) & George Rodger (right) sporting a parachute silk ascot.
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ConclusionCapa shows incredible range in his work, a type we might all aspire towards. While he was

never trained as an artist, he discovered a handful of working techniques which captivated the

world. And he added one critical element to the world of photography, If y our photos are notgood enough, you are not close enough. These words ring true for all of us. The invite and

challenge us to confront our subjects and fears as close as possible so that we like Ernst

Hemingway will try,to write one true sentence.

Wars are disturbing events that unfold for decades after the guns are laid down. We are lucky to

have pioneers like Capa who put themselves along side the troops to give us a first person

account. Unfortunately its does not seem that humanity as a whole is learning from the lessons

of the past.

Thank You Myron

Understanding composition is not an artistic gift. It is a tradition that is taught. I do not know

anyone better at this formidable task than my mentor Myron Barnstone. He runs a one man

drawing school called the Barnstone Studios. Located in Coplay Pennsylvania Myron has taught

the principles of design for over forty years. His efforts opened my eyes to aspects of design that

I have never seen anywhere else.

I would like to thank him for his teachings, on going consulting, and resources which are the best

lessons on composition I have every seen. Whether you can study with Myron in person, watch

hisDVD series, or learn through my articles, studying composition is essential for all

photographers. And I aim to continue passing along this great tradition.

To order Myrons Introduction to Drawing Systems click the link below. Your photography

will never be the same.
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Making It Happen - Rober Capa