New Doubts Raised Over Famous War Photo

[johnastovall]

"After nearly three-quarters of a century Robert Capa’s “Falling Soldier” picture from the Spanish Civil War remains one of the most famous images of combat ever. It is also one of the most debated, with a long string of critics claiming that the photo, of a soldier seemingly at the moment of death, was faked. Now, a new book by a Spanish researcher asserts that the picture could not have been made where, when or how Capa’s admirers and heirs have claimed...."

Full story.....

[MicWayWal]

You would think that suspicions would have arisen before now. In the past I have only seen the image "Falling Solider" by itself. I assumed most of its magnificence was due to the scarcity of capturing such a rare moment on film, and that any other shots that were taken at the same time paled in comparison to the famous image. But the article shows three different images taken at the same location and close in time. It looks very staged to me but I am only an amateur detective.

Now upon seeing TWO images, of two different people, at the moment they are getting shot, at the same location, with the same type of fall, seems suspect on its own merit. Now I assume this could be captured by a photographer who stands at the same place and just waits for a person to come in the open and then gets shot. Kinda like the videographers who stand at the bottom of a icy hill knowing that cars are going to come crashing at the bottom. But where are all of the other dead? It is an empty hill. No other bodies are around. Either you are at the edge of the battlefield or you are not on a battlefield at all.
The images reveal a bare treeless hill and it appears that Capa is standing when he takes the images. Which begs the question; why isn't the photographer diving for cover when the shot rings out? Not once but twice. If it was an active battlefield, standing up is a sure way to assure yourself you are taking the last few images of your life. His comments about the image said it was from a machine gun. Standing up when a machine gun fires. Doubts abound.
In the last image of the man lying dead on the ground, reveals to me a flaw. Why is the dead man still holding his gun? When you die you lose the ability to keep you hands on top of your body unless it is being propped up. His hand is free to fall to the ground and it will when you are dead. Maybe he is not dead or never was dead.

[johnastovall]

This rather like the cannonballs in the Valley of the Shadow of Death and the Light Brigade a few years ago and did Fenton add the cannonballs...

Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?