Kurland Photo

Leica Celebrates 99 Years With New Book

The picture above is one of the most famous and iconic photographs of all time. It is Che Guevara standing and staring in stoic repose in Havana Cuba in 1960.  It is fair to say that the revolutionary’s legacy is tied to this photograph.  It has been cropped, artistically rendered and put on countless hats, t-shirts, posters, walls, etc. It has been copied, spoofed, and studied without seeming to ever go away.  Perhaps the popularity of this photograph is why Che is a symbol for social movements while others like his Cuban rebel contemporaries have been vilified or forgotten.  It is a testament to the power of photography.

The photo, Guerrillero Heroico (heroic guerrilla fighter) was taken by AP photographer Alberto Korda on March 5th, 1960.  The photo, taken with a Leica M2, wasn’t initially seen as it is today.  It’s evolution as one of the most recognized photographs is a great tale. This story and 98 others make up the new and incredible coffee table book “99 Years Leica”.  There is is still time to buy it as a holiday gift!

Allendale, NJ (December 6, 2012) – For nearly a century, Leica cameras have captured fleeting moments and transformed them into stories brimming with the lifeblood of true human experience. The iconic image of the end of WWII as displayed by the sailor and nurse in Times Square embodies the excitement and relief felt in the U.S. on V-J Day, an immortal message not of love, but of spontaneous joie de vivre. As a stark contrast, yet just as intense, the palpable fear on Napalm Girl’s face reaches beyond the picture as she runs screaming from the wreckage that was formerly her home, announcing to the world that war also, and above all, affects the most innocent people: children. Now, the story of passion and inspiration synonymous with Leica Camera comes to life in “Ninety Nine Years Leica,” a 300-page tribute to the intensely emotive and legendary images that have become a part of our lives. It sheds an emotional spotlight on 99 years of enthusiasm for a small camera developed by Oskar Barnack in 1913.

Part history lesson, part compilation of personal anecdotes, part pop culture retrospective, “Ninety Nine Years Leica,” ushers readers into an undiscovered “Leica Universe.” A unique, fun and enlightening combination of compelling images and expressive texts tells the story behind a brand well on the way to becoming a living legend. Throughout the book, it becomes evident that not only has Leica played an active role in the world’s celebrations, sadness, relief and hope but also in the lives of its camera owners. The result of a close collaboration between Leica and the multiple-award-winning publisher 99pages – under the creative direction of Ansgar Pudenz, Rainer Schillings and Till Schaffarczyk – “Ninety Nine Years Leica” takes readers on a trail of photographic discovery blazed by legendary Leica photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa and Elliott Erwitt.

“Ninety Nine Years Leica” debuted at the photokina 2012 trade show to rave reviews. In North America, fewer than 1,500 English copies are now available exclusively through the Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers.