Improvised Menorah, Negev, Israel

1950

Irwin Shaw’s “Report on Israel” with Capa’s photographs

In 1950 Irwin Shaw’s book Report on Israel, with photographs by Capa, was published.

early 1950s

To Japan for a Magnum exhibition

In the early 1950s Capa travelled to Japan for an exhibition associated with Magnum Photos; while there, Life magazine asked him to go on assignment to Southeast Asia.

1951 or 1952

Becomes president of Magnum

Capa took over the leadership of Magnum, becoming the agency’s president (in 1951 by some accounts, in 1952 by others), and held the position until his death in 1954.

1953

Leaves for Europe to escape McCarthyism

In 1953 Capa was forced to move to Europe to escape McCarthyism.

1953

The photo-essay “Generation X”

In 1953 Picture Post in Britain and Holiday in the United States published Capa’s photo-essay on the young people reaching adulthood immediately after the Second World War; he is credited with coining the term Generation X.

1953

Photographing the making of “Beat the Devil” in Italy

In 1953 Capa joined the screenwriter Truman Capote and the director John Huston in Italy to photograph the making of the film Beat the Devil; in their off time they and the film’s star, Humphrey Bogart, enjoyed playing poker.