I looked for a professional touch that I could comment on and decided that composition isn't what he was noted for. Unlike other photographers that have been covered in this series I didn't see any standout capabilities where visualisation, composition and positioning are concerned. And the fact that he was given access to some very famous people didn't impress me. Even there I thought he did a very average job of capturing the personalities of the people he shot.

However, the one area where I would say his undeniable talent lay was in his timing - not just where the timing of the shot was concerned but also in being in the right place at the right time. Weegee of "F/8 and be there" fame would have wholeheartedly approved. Beyond that, I felt a bit of cynicism creeping in. For example, the shot of the soldier sitting at his machine gun wasn't particularly evocative for me. No doubt it was supposed to convey the misery and possible despair of war, but all I saw was a tired and possibly bored soldier having a quick snooze.

I suspect that much of his fame is due to the fact that many of his subjects were famous, and his talent lay in being able to blend in in that kind of environment, which meant that he was likely to be recommended for that kind of assignment. That and the fact that he was given history-making conflict to cover. I'm willing to accept that my slightly cynical attitude is possibly due to an unenlightened lack of appreciation on my part, but I'm not seeing much that could change my mind.