David Douglas Duncan

Photography Appreciation

David Douglas Duncan, born on January 23, 1916, in Kansas City, Missouri, embarked on a journey that would lead him to become one of the most influential photojournalists of the 20th century. He initially pursued archaeology at the University of Arizona, but a serendipitous encounter with a hotel fire in Tucson shifted his trajectory. 

Armed with a simple Bakelite camera, Duncan captured images of a man desperately retrieving a suitcase from the blaze—a man later identified as the notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Although the photographs were unfortunately lost, this experience ignited Duncan's passion for photography, prompting him to change his academic focus.

Duncan's career as a photojournalist was marked by his profound ability to capture the human condition amidst conflict. During World War II, he served as a combat photographer with the U.S. Marine Corps, documenting pivotal moments such as the Battle of Okinawa and the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri. His compelling images from the Korean War, many of which were published in his book This Is War!, provided an unflinching portrayal of the realities faced by soldiers, earning him recognition as one of the most prominent combat photographers of that era.

Beyond the battlefield, Duncan developed a close friendship with artist Pablo Picasso, capturing intimate and candid photographs of the artist and his wife, Jacqueline Roque. These images offered a rare glimpse into Picasso's private life and creative process.

American Marines raced past a dead enemy 

soldier in Korea, September 1950.

Marine Capt. Francis “Ike” Fenton pondered his fate and the fate 

of his men after being told that his company was nearly out of 

ammunition, Korea, 1950

The fight for Seoul, Korea, 1950

The Holy Land Jewish refugees and survivors 

of Holocaust. Haifa, Palestine, July 1946

Pablo Picasso taking a bath at his Riviera villa, 1956

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Douglas-Duncan

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-44412575

https://www.life.com/history/david-douglas-duncan-korean-war-classic-photo/

https://www.moma.org/artists/1651

https://www.wral.com/story/david-douglas-duncan-who-photographed-the-reality-of-war-dies-at-102/17612658/

https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/david-douglas-duncan

https://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/findingAid.cfm?eadid=00485

https://vva.org/arts-of-war/david-douglas-duncan-1916-2018/

https://www.life.com/photographer/david-douglas-duncan/

https://sites.utexas.edu/ransomcentermagazine/2018/06/07/ddd1916-2018/

https://www.life.com/history/korean-war-photos-david-douglas-duncan/

https://www.life.com/history/korean-war-photos-david-douglas-duncan/

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https://time.com/4189160/photographer-david-douglas-duncan-100/

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https://aboutphotography.blog/photographer/david-douglas-duncan#google_vignette