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Alberto Korda's photograph of Che Guevara

Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez, better known as Alberto Korda (September 14, 1928 – May 25, 2001) was a Cuban photographer, famous for his photo of Che Guevara.

Korda was born in Havana, the son of a railway worker, and took many jobs before beginning as a photographer's assistant for unusual reasons. "My main aim was to meet women", he once confessed. He did succeed in his aim. His first wife, Natalia Menendez, became the first Cuban fashion model.

He was a photographer for the Cuban newspaper Revolución in 1960 when he took the famous image. He never received any royalties for the image, although in 2000 he sued Smirnoff over the use of the image in advertisement. Commenting on the illicit use of his photograph, the artist said, "As a supporter of the ideals for which Che Guevara died, I am not averse to its reproduction by those who wish to propagate his memory and the cause of social justice throughout the world, but I am categorically against the exploitation of Che's image for the promotion of products such as alcohol, or for any purpose that denigrates the reputation of Che". His out-of-court settlement of US $50,000 was donated to the Cuban healthcare system. He said, "If Che were still alive, he would have done the same."

After the revolution, Korda became Fidel Castro's personal photographer for 10 years. From 1968 to 1978 he concentrated on underwater photography until a Japanese exhibition in 1978 stimulated international interest in his work. He appeared briefly in the pre-title sequence of Wim Wenders' film Buena Vista Social Club in 1999, although he was uncredited. In 2005, four years after his death, Alberto Korda starred as the protagonist in a full feature documentary entitled, Kordavision, directed by Hector Cruz Sandoval.

Korda suffered a fatal heart attack in Paris in 2001 while presenting an exhibition of his work. He is buried in the Colon Cemetery, Havana.

Cuba Portal

• Biography at Netssa.com
• BBC News report on his death
• La página de Alberto Korda (interview conducted by Ciro Bianchi Ross)
• The story of the Korda's image of Che Guevara
• Frontline - On Alberto Korda, the photographic chronicler of the Cuban revolution.