Well… I’ve often wondered myself. I read Capa’s biography Blood and Champagne: which refrained from making that judgment. Neither of the two “proofs” strike me as particularly compelling as they both leave our, ignore, or misstate certain aspects of the case.

What we do know is this: At that point in his early career, Capa was NOT particularly honest in many of his dealings. He made up the name “Robert Capa” itself in order to sell photos. Some of the early photos bearing that name were actually taken by his GF Gerda Taro. This photo certainly could have been real, or it could have been faked. I do not think either case can be PROVED beyond rational doubt at this point. He clearly was not above that sort of thing at the time. So, I don’t think the answer is very important one way or the other. Neither answer would change anything about the man. If it was faked, so what. He certainly suffered enough later in life that it karma would have been served. And, he certainly took enough real photos later in his career when he was a completely different man that this one does not make or break him.

After Taro herself was killed in action, Capa seemed to get much more serious, and his work after that point — at least for me — holds slightly more resonance.

He is still inspirational to me.