RE: [Leica] Staged Photographs: Iwo Jima

["Tim Atherton" <timphoto@nt.sympatico.ca>]

This discussions comes up on the National press Photographers Association
list about once a year. The result is always the same, after the various
books and sources are consulted - no it wasn't posed for the photographer -
yes, as Marc says - there were two flag raisings.

Now, are we going to re-hash and deconstruct the Capa/Dying Spanish Soldier
shot for the nth time? - save you the trouble - no, that wasn't posed
either.

Tim

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Marc James
> Small
> Sent: September 14, 1999 2:11 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Cc: Paul Schiemer
> Subject: [Leica] Staged Photographs: Iwo Jima
>
>
> At 03:35 PM 9/14/1999 -0400, Paul Schiemer wrote:
> >Or, as I remember, the staged photo of the flag raising on Iwo
> Jima (to end
> >up on the cover of Life, to become the model after which a
> famous sculpture
> >at Arlington is based. Didn't that win a Pulitzer too??
>
> I must protest this unwarranted attack on the brave Marines who hoisted
> that flag.  It was not a "staged" photograph, at all.  The original party
> only had a regular flag with them;  a much larger "battle flag"
> was sent up
> and they raised that so that all the US forces on the island
> could see that
> the peak had been captured.
>
> Both flag-raisings were photographed.
>
> My father's best friend in Alaska, after the War, was Ray Larsen, one of
> the party who raised the original flag.
>
> The flag-raising was NOT staged;  it was NOT a publicity event.  It was
> brave men doing what brave men do in battle.
>
> Marc
>
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>