Photojournalism in the seventies was harsh and brutal. As television took over the role of delivering fast news, newspapers and magazines had to reinvent themselves. Photojournalists opted for uncompromising realism and portrayed the world as it was – or what was wrong with the world. In black and white, because color was reserved for advertising and entertainment. The stark contrast, the coarse grain, and the use of the voyeuristic telephoto lens suggested that the images represented raw reality. Newspapers, magazines, and photo books were filled with dark, cold, and often brutal images of disasters, wars, and accidents.

Fires were a beloved topic in the seventies. They catered to our inherent, grim curiosity about danger and destruction, as long as we weren’t exposed to it ourselves. For photojournalists, it was a sport to be on the scene in time and to press the shutter at just the right moment – preferably when a victim took a leap for their life.

These photos are from Holland Persfoto ’70/’71, an exhibition and a book (which, interestingly enough, was published by a Dutch insurance company).

All photos are taken from the publication Holland Persfoto ’70/ ’71 (Amsterdam 1972). From top to bottom: Ab Koers (fire Swammerdamstraat, Amsterdam June 21, 1971); Cor Out and Wim L. Wolters (fire Amstelstraat, Amsterdam December 5, 1970) and Wim L. Wolters (fire Binnen-Oranjestraat, Amsterdam December 22, 1970).