Arthur Fellig was born in Austria in 1899. He emigrated to the United States in 1910. He started out as an assistant to a commercial photographer and a dark room technician. In 1935 he began work as freelance photographer.
His claim to fame was stark back and white street photography, specifically of murders, collisions, and thefts throughout New York City.
Fellig earned the nickname Weegee because he was almost always the first person at the scene of crimes. He often even showed up before the police, and he was, in his own words, "Spellbound by the mystery of murder."
The real reason that Weegee was able to get to the scenes of crimes so quickly was because of the radio. He would listen to the radio to hear about crimes as they were happening, and then he would race to the scene.
The signature camera he was know for using is called a Speed Graphic. Many photographers at the time used these cameras, but they are no longer made.
One of the most unique aspects of Weegee's work was that he took photos with policemen digesting evidence and looking over crime scenes. Weegee worked with the police to get his photos, and based on how much they allowed him to photograph them, they clearly liked him.
My Favorite Photo:
This is my favorite photo because of how much information is provides about the scene of the crime. There's a man on the ground who appears to be injured or more likely dead. There's blood and a gun on the sidewalk and a policeman. It's just a really compelling image.
Sources
