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Margaret Bourke-WhiteAmerican photographer
Date of Birth: 14.06.1904
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Margaret Bourke-White
Margaret Bourke-White was an American photographer who achieved several notable firsts in her career. She was the first foreign photographer to be granted permission to photograph Soviet industrial plants and the first female war correspondent for Henry Luce's magazine 'Life'.
Early Life and Education
Margaret White was born in the Bronx, New York, to Joseph White, a Polish Jew, and Minnie Bourke, an Irish Catholic. She inherited her father's unwavering perfectionism and her mother's desire for constant self-improvement. Margaret developed an interest in photography at a relatively young age, influenced by her father. However, she did not initially consider pursuing photography professionally. In 1922, she enrolled at Columbia University to study herpetology, but her interest in the subject was not particularly strong. It was her acquaintance with Clarence White, unrelated but sharing the same surname, that sparked her deeper interest in photography. Margaret left the university after one semester due to her father's death. She went on to study at the University of Michigan, Purdue University, and Case Western Reserve University before receiving her bachelor's degree from Cornell University in 1927.
Photography Career
In 1928, Margaret moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she opened a commercial photography studio specializing in architectural and industrial photography. One of her regular clients during that time was the company 'Otis'. Working with this company benefited Bourke-White greatly, although initially, the company's security department was reluctant to allow a seemingly fragile woman into their most hazardous factories. After convincing everyone of her professional competence, Margaret faced technical challenges in capturing molten steel on black-and-white film. She eventually invented a new type of flash that allowed her to fully capture the beauty of the company's workshops.
In 1929, Margaret became an assistant editor and staff photographer for 'Fortune' magazine. In 1930, she was entrusted with capturing photographs of Soviet factories, a unique opportunity that no foreign photographer had previously received. During her time in Russia, Bourke-White had the extraordinary opportunity to photograph Joseph Stalin with a smile. During World War II, she became the first female war correspondent and covered events in Moscow, North Africa, Italy, and Germany. After the war, Margaret worked in India and Pakistan, where she was considered one of the most outstanding chroniclers of the events happening at that time.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1953, Margaret was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which led her to temporarily put her career on hold. She underwent several surgeries in 1959 and 1961 to improve her motor skills, although it affected her speech. Unfortunately, the overall progression of the disease was not significantly impacted, and Margaret Bourke-White passed away in 1971. She left behind a legacy as one of the most remarkable chroniclers of her time, capturing the horrors and realities of various historical events with striking photography.
