Alberto Korda

Alberto Korda - Cuban Men, Career and Family

Violet FieldHome › CubanAlberto KordaSeptember 14, 1928395 views

0 based on 0 rates
Alberto Korda Biography Stories 

Alberto Korda's Personal Details

Alberto Korda was a renowned Cuban photographer whose photo of Che Guhevara has become legendary

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 14, 1928
Died onMay 25, 2001
NationalityCuban
FamousPhotographers, Cuban Men
SpousesNatalia Menendez
Birth PlaceCuba
GenderMale
Sun SignVirgo
Born inCuba
Famous asPhotographer
Died at Age72

// Famous Cuban Men

William Levy

William Levy

William Levy is a Cuban-American actor and model. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Yoel Romero

Yoel Romero

Yoel Romero Palacio is a Cuban Mixed Martial Artist (MMA). This biography profiles his childhood, family, personal life, wrestling & MMA career, achievements and other facts.

José Fernández

José Fernández

José Delfin Fernández Gómez was a Cuban-American professional baseball player, who played for the ‘Miami Marlins’ in the ‘Major League Baseball’ (MLB). Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, career, death, etc.

Alberto Korda's photo

Who is Alberto Korda?

Alberto Korda was the official photographer of Fidel Castro. His photographs are known for their endurance. His most recognizable image of Che Guevara, titled “Guerillero Heroico”, became a worldwide emblem of revolution and rebellion. After Che’s death as martyr, this photograph was used in T-shirts and album covers and advertisers started using this image of Che to draw the attention of youth. But Alberto never made a penny from this renowned photograph. As a photographer, he always preferred to take photos in natural light. He, for the first time, used Cuban models to show off Cuban clothes. Earlier, he was more interested towards fashion photography. On account of the Cuban Revolution, the condition of the people living in poverty made him to change the subject of his photography. His photo “La Nina” represents the stories of the poor. Korda’s photographs served as the documentary of the entire Cuban revolution under the reign of Fidel Castro. During a span of ten years, which he spent as Castro’s official photographer, he utilized his photography skills to add a humane touch to Castro’s image in off-duty scenes. In 1999, he appeared in Wim Wenders’s documentary “Buena Vista Social Club”.

// Famous Photographers

Susan Mikula

Susan Mikula

Susan Mikula is an American artist and photographer. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun factsabout her life.

Bryan Randall

Bryan Randall

Bryan Randall is an American professional photographer. Check out this biography to know about his family, personal life, relationships, etc.

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams was a renowned American photographer and environmentalist. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about his life.

Childhood & Early Life

Alberto Korda’s real name was Alberto Diaz Gutierrez. Born in Havana, Cuba, he was the son of a railway porter.

From 1946 to 1950, he attended Candler College, Havana, to study business and trade. Later, he studied at Havana Business Academy.

Career

After completing his studies, he worked in a sweet factory. Later, he served as a market researcher for a soap company. He also sold typewriter ribbons and laboratory serum as part of his profession.

Starting his photography career as the assistant of a photographer, he used to shoot the pictures of banquets, weddings and baptisms. It was in 1953, that he opened Korda Studio, his first studio along with Luis Pierce, a photographer.

They took up varied jobs including fashion to advertisements. The unique feature of his photography style was that he used to look at a particular image from another angle.

He developed his expertise in black-and-white photography and for this purpose he worked hard for perfect composition and framing. He was against using artificial lighting in photography and applied only natural light in his studio.

The Cuban revolution and his relationship with Fidel Castro completely changed his career. He was his personal photographer for almost 10 years.

In 1959, in his photograph namely “El Quijote de la Farola”, he framed a peasant farmer who is surveying a crowd by climbing the top of a lamp post. The farmer’s looks reflects his aristocratic dignity.

In 1959, in a newly established newspaper, Korda and other photographers got a chance to exhibit their photographs, thus, making his photographs contribute for a national cause.

On March 5 of 1960, he took the photograph of 136 men killed in Havana when a Belgian ship that was carrying arms blew up in Havana harbor. He also managed to take a snap of Castro and Che together.

During the period 1968 to 1978, he focused more on underground photography and a Japanese exhibition, held in 1978, stimulated great international interest in his work.

In 2000, he sued Smirnoff owing to the use of his photograph of Che Guevara in its advertisement as he was against the exploitation of Che’s image for the promotion of alcoholic products.

Major Works

His one of the notable photographs titled “Guerrillero Heroico”, taken on March 5 1960, is the photograph of Marxist revolutionary leader Che Guevara. In this photo, Che’s face reflects combined expressions of anger and pain.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married three times. One of his wives was Natalia (Norka) Menendez, a popular Cuban model.

He suffered a heart attack during an exhibition of his work and passed away at the age of 72. He was survived by two sons and two daughters.

Trivia

Besides photography, he showed keen interest in beautiful women during the early period of his career. That was the reason behind his interest towards fashion photography.

This talented photographer shared a great relationship with Fidel Castro. More than his official photographer, he was more of a friend or a personal photographer of Castro.

When “Revolucion”, a newspaper for which he was working, turned down his photograph of Che Guevara, he hung a print of that photo in his bathroom and this remained there unseen for seven years.

// Famous Virgo Celebrities peoples

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is a well-known American writer, autistic activist and animal expert. This biography profiles her childhood, life, achievements, career and timeline

Alex Holtti

Alex Holtti

Check out all that you wanted to know about Alex Holtti, the famous Danish Viner & YouTuber; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson is the son of the world-renowned British actor and comedian, Rowan Atkinson. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, including his age, birthday, etc.

Alberto Korda biography timelines

  • // 14th Sep 1928
    Alberto Korda’s real name was Alberto Diaz Gutierrez. Born in Havana, Cuba, he was the son of a railway porter.
  • // 1946 To 1950
    From 1946 to 1950, he attended Candler College, Havana, to study business and trade. Later, he studied at Havana Business Academy.
  • // 1953
    Starting his photography career as the assistant of a photographer, he used to shoot the pictures of banquets, weddings and baptisms. It was in 1953, that he opened Korda Studio, his first studio along with Luis Pierce, a photographer.
  • // 1959
    In 1959, in his photograph namely “El Quijote de la Farola”, he framed a peasant farmer who is surveying a crowd by climbing the top of a lamp post. The farmer’s looks reflects his aristocratic dignity.
  • // 1959
    In 1959, in a newly established newspaper, Korda and other photographers got a chance to exhibit their photographs, thus, making his photographs contribute for a national cause.
  • // 1960
    On March 5 of 1960, he took the photograph of 136 men killed in Havana when a Belgian ship that was carrying arms blew up in Havana harbor. He also managed to take a snap of Castro and Che together.
  • // 1968 To 1978
    During the period 1968 to 1978, he focused more on underground photography and a Japanese exhibition, held in 1978, stimulated great international interest in his work.
  • // 2000
    In 2000, he sued Smirnoff owing to the use of his photograph of Che Guevara in its advertisement as he was against the exploitation of Che’s image for the promotion of alcoholic products.
  • // 25th May 2001
    He suffered a heart attack during an exhibition of his work and passed away at the age of 72. He was survived by two sons and two daughters.

// Famous Cuban peoples

Mirtha Jung

Mirtha Jung

Mirtha Jung is the ex-wife of former drug smuggler George Jung. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, crimes, etc.

Yvette Prieto

Yvette Prieto

Yvette Prieto the wife of legendary basketball player Michael Jordan. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Malu Trevejo

Malu Trevejo

Check out all that you wanted to know about Malu Trevejo, the famous American Musical.ly Star; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Nydia Stone

Nydia Stone

Nydia Stone is a Cuban-American photographer, former model, and the second wife of American political consultant and strategist, Roger Stone. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life and fun facts about her.

Andy Garcia

Andy Garcia

Andy Garcia is a Cuban-American actor and director, who can be regarded as one of the leading men of Hollywood. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to his life.

William Levy

William Levy

William Levy is a Cuban-American actor and model. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Alberto Korda's FAQ

  • What is Alberto Korda birthday?

    Alberto Korda was born at 1928-09-14

  • When was Alberto Korda died?

    Alberto Korda was died at 2001-05-25

  • Where was Alberto Korda died?

    Alberto Korda was died in Paris

  • Which age was Alberto Korda died?

    Alberto Korda was died at age 72

  • Where is Alberto Korda's birth place?

    Alberto Korda was born in Cuba

  • What is Alberto Korda nationalities?

    Alberto Korda's nationalities is Cuban

  • Who is Alberto Korda spouses?

    Alberto Korda's spouses is Natalia Menendez

  • What is Alberto Korda's sun sign?

    Alberto Korda is Virgo

  • How famous is Alberto Korda?

    Alberto Korda is famouse as Photographer