Robert Doisneau (1912–1994)

Robert Doisneau, one of the world's most popular and prolific photojournalists, is best known for his images of Parisian street life. In a 1983 essay, Jean-François Chevrier described Doisneau's ability to capture "the shining melancholy that separates an individual from the crowd." Doisneau was born into a working class family on the outskirts of Paris and began studying lithography at age 13 before graduating from the prestigious École Supérieure des Arts et Industries Graphiques (known as the École Estienne). In World War II, he joined the French Resistance -- which made good use of his skills to forge ID papers. During his career, Doisneau worked as a freelancer for many publications including Life Magazine, and traveled widely. Among his most famous works is "Le Baiser de l'Hôtel de Ville," a 1950 photo of a young couple kissing on the streets of Paris.