The war correspondent has his stake – his life – in his own hands, and he can put it on this horse or that horse, or he can put it back in his pocket at the very last minute.
Meaning of the quote
The quote is saying that a war reporter has to make tough choices that can affect their life. They can bet their life on a certain story or event, like "putting it on this horse or that horse." Or they can choose to not take the risk and keep their life safe "in their pocket." War reporters have to decide how much they're willing to risk to get the important stories.
About Robert Capa
Robert Capa, a Hungarian-American war photographer and photojournalist, is considered by some to be the greatest combat and adventure photographer in history. He covered five major wars, including the Spanish Civil War, World War II, and the First Indochina War, and was awarded the Medal of Freedom for his work documenting World War II. Capa co-founded the influential Magnum Photos cooperative agency in Paris.
More quotes from Robert Capa
The war correspondent has his stake – his life – in his own hands, and he can put it on this horse or that horse, or he can put it back in his pocket at the very last minute.
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The truth is the best picture, the best propaganda.
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It’s not always easy to stand aside and be unable to do anything except record the sufferings around one.
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I hope to stay unemployed as a war photographer till the end of my life.
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This war is like an actress who is getting old. It is less and less photogenic and more and more dangerous.
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If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.
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For a war correspondent to miss an invasion is like refusing a date with Lana Turner.
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I would say that the war correspondent gets more drinks, more girls, better pay, and greater freedom than the soldier, but at this stage of the game, having the freedom to choose his spot and being allowed to be a coward and not be executed for it is his torture.
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In a war, you must hate somebody or love somebody; you must have a position or you cannot stand what goes on.
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It’s not enough to have talent, you also have to be Hungarian.
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The pictures are there, and you just take them.
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I am a gambler. I decided to go in with Company E in the first wave.
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