War-cross’d lovers

Prompted by the West's ongoing involvement in the Middle East, the Barbican is currently taking a look at the representation of war in the media. Their exhibitions focus largely on Robert Capa (1913-54) and Gerda Taro (1910-37): a fascinating pair from the early days of photojournalism who were lovers, professional partners, and two of the most acclaimed war photographers of their time. Their images of combat, death, displacement - and occasionally the lighter moments in between - were intrepid, controversial and ground-breaking. Both Taro and Capa (above, photographed by Fred Stein in 1935) paid the ultimate price, however; both died in action, camera in hand.

Holly Kyte