[photopress:PAR123079.jpg,full,centered]
© Collection Capa / Magnum Photos
Robert CAPA in a Paris café. 1952. Photo Courtesy @ Ruth ORKIN
He was one of the four founding members of Magnum Photos along with Henri Cartier-Bresson, David “Chim” Seymour, and George Rodger

You may have noticed an interesting animated ad on the right side of the site from “Magnum Photos“.

As we have been on the lookout for some of the best and most innovative new photographic “items”(?) on the web, this is ,by far, one we are most thrilled about bringing to your attention:

Magnum In Motion

In short, one of the finest photo agencies…ever.. has put together multimedia media programs with the work of their photographers, and have made them available to you, for free, in a form viewable on the computer and downloadable to your IPOD. The quality of these programs is in keeping with the heritage of Magnum Photos.

Along with narration,music, sounds of the scene, is a beautifully orchestrated visual presentation of the rich photography.

As you may be able to tell, we dig these. A LOT.

We are happy to offer you a preview on our MEDIA page of 2 programs.

The Magnum Photo Agency is perhaps the most prestigious photo agency of the last 100 years.

When you look at the list some of the past and present members, it is with awe.
Partial Listing:
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Robert Capa
Elliot Erwitt
Philippe Halsman
Josef Koudelka
Martin Parr
Eugene W. Smith
David Seymour
Steve McCurry
Bruce Davidson

A Short History of Magnum Photos from their website:

“Capa said to me: ‘Don’t keep the label of a surrealist photographer. Be a photojournalist. If not you will fall into mannerism. Keep surrealism in your little heart, my dear. Don’t fidget. Get moving!’ This advice enlarged my field of vision.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

“Two years after the apocalypse that was called the Second World War ended Magnum Photos was founded. The world’s most prestigious photographic agency was formed by four photographers – Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger, and David “Chim” Seymour – who had been very much scarred by that conflict and were motivated both by a sense of relief that the world had somehow survived and the curiosity to see what was still there. They created Magnum in 1947 to reflect their independent natures as people and photographers, the idiosyncratic mix of reporter and artist that continues to define Magnum, emphasizing not only what is seen but also the way one sees it.

“Back in France, I was completely lost,” legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson explained in an interview with Hervé Guibert in Le Monde.

“At the time of the liberation, the world having been disconnected, people had a new curiosity. I had a little bit of money from my family, which allowed me to avoid working in a bank. I had been engaged in looking for the photo for itself, a little like one does with a poem. With Magnum was born the necessity for telling a story. Capa said to me: ‘Don’t keep the label of a surrealist photographer. Be a photojournalist. If not you will fall into mannerism. Keep surrealism in your little heart, my dear. Don’t fidget. Get moving!’ This advice enlarged my field of vision.”

Visit this site and click around . I’m sure you’ll find it’s a cool place to visit.

And download a few to your IPOD. A refreshing alternative to the standard fare.

Cheers!
Damon Webster