Eugene Smith: the photo story 3/9

Eugene Smith was fanatically dedicated to his mission as a photographer. His passion for truth invariably placed the integrity of the picture far above such matters as monetary gain or personal safety. As a result of this dedication, Smith was a figure universally admired as an artist.

At the same time, he was often regarded by editors as "troublesome" because of his steadfast refusal to allow his pictures, their layout, and often the text that accompanies them to be molded by the policy of the magazine or anything else other than his personal vision. But if Smith endured personal hardships for the sake of his work, he always had the satisfaction of being true to himself and he has probably, more than any other individual, raised the art of the photographic essay to unequalled heights.