Ironic photographs by Elliott Erwitt

The famous photographer of the 20th century did not like staged shots and did not use retouching. In his works there is only genuine reality, through the eyes of an optimist.

Elliott Erwitt is a world photography legend. He gained fame in the middle of the last century, thanks to his black-and-white photographs taken in an ironic manner. His works: lively, emotional, with a sense of humor and deep meaning, conquered the public of many countries. It is interesting to note that, despite the status of an "American photographer", Elliott Erwitt has Russian roots. His parents, Boris and Evgenia, emigrated from Russia after the revolution. Erwitt was born in Paris and spent the first ten years of his life in Italy. And only in the late 1930s, "thanks to Benito Mussolini," he became an American. Here the future master began to study the art of photography.

In the 1950s, Elliot served as an assistant photographer in the army. It was in the army that he first picked up a camera and took a picture of soldiers waiting to be sent to Korea. This photo won an honorable second place in the competition of the magazine "Life". Success inspired Elliot: “I got an incentive to work on myself. And if you won, why move on?” he recalls.

(Total 32 photos)

Source: www.adme.ru

1.

Despite the fact that Erwitt had the opportunity to make portraits of a huge number of famous personalities of the second half of the last century, he always says that he does not care who to shoot. He equally applies to major politicians and to office workers. The most famous shots of the photographer were made by him simply while walking on the streets. Most of these black and white shots were taken spontaneously: “I never ask permission. Why should anyone ask permission? It will no longer be a photograph,” says the master.

Erwitt's outstanding work can now be seen in Rome, where an exhibition of his photographs is held until September 1, 2013.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

eleven.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

thirty.

31.

32. Elliott Erwitt. Photography by David Likes Keenan. Speaking of Erwitt, many recall the statement of the English novelist Wilfrid Sheed: "The very essence of Elliott's art is to be sensitive, but without crying, funny, but without laughter, intelligent, but without thinking." Perhaps this is the best characteristic of the works of the great master of photography.