Alberto Korda Biography

Alberto Korda was the official photographer of Fidel Castro. His photographs are known for their endurance. His most recognizable image of Che Guevara, titled “Guerillero Heroico”, became a worldwide emblem of revolution and rebellion. After Che’s death as martyr, this photograph was used in T-shirts and album covers and advertisers started using this image of Che to draw the attention of youth. But Alberto never made a penny from this renowned photograph. As a photographer, he always preferred to take photos in natural light. He, for the first time, used Cuban models to show off Cuban clothes. Earlier, he was more interested towards fashion photography. On account of the Cuban Revolution, the condition of the people living in poverty made him to change the subject of his photography. His photo “La Nina” represents the stories of the poor. Korda’s photographs served as the documentary of the entire Cuban revolution under the reign of Fidel Castro. During a span of ten years, which he spent as Castro’s official photographer, he utilized his photography skills to add a humane touch to Castro’s image in off-duty scenes. In 1999, he appeared in Wim Wenders’s documentary “Buena Vista Social Club”.