Eisenstaedt << EYE zehn stat >>, Alfred (1898-1995), an American photographer, is regarded as a pioneer of informal, unposed news photography. He is known chiefly for his Life magazine photographs of famous people and world events. Eisenstaedt became one of the first staff photographers for Life in 1936. He continued to work for the magazine until 1972. The subjects of some of his memorable photographs include German dictator Adolf Hitler, United States President John F. Kennedy, American actress Marilyn Monroe, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and American artist Norman Rockwell.
Eisenstaedt was born on Dec. 6, 1898, in Dirschau, West Prussia (now Tczew, Poland). He first became interested in photography at the age of 14, after his uncle gave him a camera. After serving in the German army, Eisenstaedt took a job selling belts and buttons. He began selling his photographs in 1927. In 1929, he quit his sales job to work full-time as a free-lance photographer. Eisenstaedt moved to the United States in 1935 and became a U.S. citizen in 1942. He died on Aug. 23, 1995.
