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šŸ“ø Who Was Larry Burrows?

  • Writer: Ian Miller
    Ian Miller
  • 6 days ago
  • 2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Larry Burrows (born Henry Frank Leslie Burrows, 29 May 1926 – 10 February 1971) was a British photojournalistĀ widely regarded as one of the most impactful war photographers of the 20th century. šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§šŸ“·

He’s best known for his gripping color photographs from the Vietnam War, which he covered for Life magazineĀ from 1962 until his death.

⭐ Early Life & Career

  • Born in London, he began working in photography as a teenager in 1942.

  • He learned the craft in the darkrooms and studios before becoming a staff photographer.

  • Burrows shot everything from portraits of celebrities and world leadersĀ (like Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway) to frontline combat scenes.

šŸŖ– His Vietnam War Photography

Larry’s work in Vietnam is legendary because it humanised the conflict — showing soldiers and civilians not just as figures in a war, but as people with emotions, courage, and vulnerability. šŸ‡»šŸ‡³ā¤ļøšŸ“·


He often shot in color — a bold choice at the time — which gave his images a vivid sense of reality.

He created unforgettable photo essays like One Ride with Yankee Papa 13Ā and Reaching OutĀ that shaped how the world saw the war.


šŸ•Šļø His Death & Legacy

Tragically, Larry Burrows died in a helicopter crashĀ in Laos on 10 February 1971, while covering the war’s expansion there. He was with other journalists when their aircraft was shot down.

Today, his photographs continue to be shown in museums and publications around the world and are studied as powerful examples of photojournalismĀ and war documentation. šŸ“ššŸŒ


šŸ–¼ļø Images ByĀ Larry Burrows šŸ“·

Below are some iconic scenes from his work šŸ‘‡ — these are powerful images he actually took, showing scenes from the Vietnam War and other assignments:

šŸ“ Notes on the images above:

  • Many of these are from his Vietnam War photographyĀ series — showing soldiers, civilians, and frontline scenes.

  • One of his most famous shots — often referred to as ā€œReaching Outā€Ā ā€” captures wounded Marines in intense moments of struggle and compassion.

  • These photos helped bring the realities of the war into public view and changed how people saw the conflict.

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