Alfred Eisenstaedt: "The Man Behind The Camera"

One of the first photojournalist to share his iconic photographs with LIFE Magazine, Alfred Eisenstaedt has been named one of the most renowned photojournalists of our time.  According to Gallery M, his 86 covers and over 2500 assignments for LIFE have portrayed the earth-shaking events and influential people of the twentieth century, from the dignity of royalty to the elegance of movie stars, from the passion of scholars to the determination of diplomats. 

Symbolic photographs of the 20th century are to be credited to Eisenstaedt and his dedication to achieving that precise, decisive moment. He was known as the man behind the camera.

Eisenstaedt had a way to communicate with the viewer in a visually appealing manor.  Charles Hagen wrote in his obituary, Mr. Eisenstaedt was almost invariably able to communicate the essence of a story in a single image. The photographer's job, he once wrote, is "to find and catch the storytelling moment."

Cornell Capa, founder of the International Center of Photography in New York City and a longtime photographer for Life, was a great supporter of Eisenstaedt . "He knew exactly what he was looking for in a story, and where to position himself" to get the most telling picture, he said yesterday. 

This video provides a brief over-view of many of Alfred Eisenstaedt's great successes. 

LIFE Magazine has a fantastic collection of his images that has been collected over the decades.