A photojournalism legend dies
A legend in the field of photojournalism died Thursday.
Charles Tasnadi, who escaped communist Hungary in 1951, came to America and then spent decades covering U.S. politics for the Associated Press, capturing a number of images that have become icons over the years:
President Lyndon B. Johnson shows his
cholecystectomy scar to reporters in 1965.ÂÂ
President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. 
Nixon greets an adoring public in Brussels, 1974.ÂÂ
President Gerald Ford romping with members of
the U.S. Olympic ski team in Vail, Colo., in 1975.ÂÂ
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
Gerald Ford, Robert Bork and Bob Dole
John Hinckley, the man who
shot Ronald Reagan in 1981.
One of the more famous photos taken of
Cuban leader Fidel Castro. March, 1985.
George and Barbara Bush.
—
The AP’s Randolph E. Schmid reports:
Among the famous photographs Tasnadi made was one of President Johnson displaying his scar to the media following surgery. Others included Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, President Nixon, Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev and candid shots of Presidents Clinton and Reagan.
Retired AP photo editor Frank Russell recalled that Tasnadi would never go on assignment unless he had a coat and tie, but would always lose umbrellas.
“He must have owned 50 umbrellas,” Russell commented, remembering that Tasnadi would leave them wherever he had been working.
Photo by Kevin Wolf
—He went above and beyond the call of duty, Russell said, remembering Tasnadi leaving for Cuba loaded down with boxes of film and equipment to share with officials there. “He always got in when others couldn’t.”
“He had thousands of friends all over the world,” Russell said. “Anywhere there were AP photographers, Charlie knew them.”
Check out Tasnadi’s White House News Photographer’s Association gallery.
A public service is planned Tuesday in Washington. Find details in the release from the National Press Photographers Association.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:47 am
I have known Chralie Tasnadi my entire photographic career, from my earliest days covering the White House for the U.S. Army way back in 1974. He was always the conssumate professional. Always helpful, smiling, and would clean your clock if you didn’t watch it, he’d beat you to a photo. I remember during the long hours of waiting in the Reagan White House press room, There would be Charlie, sitting back and reading. Reading the encyclopedia of all things. he had a thirst for knowledge that never ended and he shared it with everyone. He will be sadly missed and marks another passing of an age of photography that has surely passed.