Inspirational Photographers: Werner Bischof

Werner Bischof was a Swiss photographer and photojournalist who was born on 26th April 1916 and died on May 16th 1954 when his car fell off a cliff road in the Andes, killing him and his passengers.

From the age of 19 he worked as an independent  photographer on a variety of magazines including the magazine 'Du' based in Zurich.

He travelled extensively throughout Europe from  1945 −1949 and his post war images of devastion in Europe established him as one of the foremost photo journalists of his time.

In 1949 he joined magnum photos alongside Robert Capa, Henri Cartier - Bresson, George Rodger, David Seymour and Ernst Haas.

Budapest, Hungary

Much of his work was focused on post war poverty, but he travelled extensively and some of his war images are extremely graphic..

Luxembourg, 1945

Indochina 1952

In 1951 whilst working for Life Magazine he travelled to India, Japan and Korea, and also worked as a war reporter in Vietnam for Paris Match.

His Son Marco Bischof went on some 50 years after his death to publish a book of his previously unseen images called 'Questions to My Father' which is still available in print.

Images courtesy of Google Images/Magnum Photos
Information gathered from Wikipedia

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