Bio of Lisa LARSEN
(1925 – 1959)
German born Lisa Larsen came to New York as an adolescent and after graduating from college when she was only 17 years old. Larsen then became a young apprentice photographer for Vogue magazine. Later, as a freelancer, she had assignments from New York Times Magazine, Parade, Glamour, Vogue, Charm and Holiday.
In 1950, LIFE magazine hired Larsen as a contract photographer through February, 1958. Working with a Leica camera in color and black and white, Larsen became known as the “glamour girl” of press photography for her way of endearing herself to people, particularly those in the news. Larsen had a way of bringing out the lovely and engaging side of the people she photographed. Larsen’s photographs reflected great emotional intensity, and she produced warm, realistic, sympathetic portraits. Larsen was a very attractive woman and liked people, and the people she photographed quickly grew to like her as well. Larsen also had a way of being front-row center where the news was.
During the 1950 congressional campaign, Larsen traveled with Vice President Barkley on a barnstorming trip where he began calling Larsen his Mona Lisa. In Russia in 1956, Khrushchev developed such an admiration for Larsen and her indefatigable work habits that he gave her a bouquet of peonies. Later she inspired an aside from Khrushchev during one of his anti-Western speeches. “Don’t misunderstand me,” he said, eying Larsen in his audience. “There is an American girl standing in front of me. Americans are good people.”
Larsen’s subjects ranged from political figures to fashion to landscapes and architecture. Fluent in French, English, German and some Danish and Russian, Lisa Larsen’s major interest was traveling to remote regions of the world. She survived a rigorous trip to the Himalayas and was the first American photographer to enter Outer Mongolia after a government-enforced ten year ban.
Larsen won numerous awards for her photographs while under contract with LIFE magazine. In 1953, Larsen was named Woman Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association, Encyclopedia Britannica and the Matthew Brady Award committee of the University of Missouri. In 1958, Larsen was the first woman in the 15-year history of the award to be named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association, Encyclopedia Britannica and the Matthew Brady Award committee of the University of Missouri. Also in 1958, the Overseas Press Club presented Larsen with a plaque for the best photographic overseas camera reporting for her work in Outer Mongolia and in Poland for her story of a determined, strong-willed people edging to the brink of disaster.
In 1957, Larsen was diagnosed with breast cancer and had undergone an operation, bounced back and everything looked fine. But it wasn’t. Larsen died in March of 1959 from cancer.
In 1963, five years after her death, the International Rescue Committee and the Overseas Press Club recognized Lisa Larsen for her photo-coverage of displaced Hungarians in refugee camps. As her husband Nils Rasmussen, a photographer, pointed out as he accepted her medallion, Larsen’s story (LIFE, November 25, 1957) was her last assignment for LIFE magazine before her death.
German born Lisa Larsen came to New York as an adolescent and after graduating from college when she was only 17 years old. Larsen then became a young apprentice photographer for Vogue magazine. Later, as a freelancer, she had assignments from New York Times Magazine, Parade, Glamour, Vogue, Charm and Holiday.
In 1950, LIFE magazine hired Larsen as a contract photographer through February, 1958. Working with a Leica camera in color and black and white, Larsen became known as the “glamour girl” of press photography for her way of endearing herself to people, particularly those in the news. Larsen had a way of bringing out the lovely and engaging side of the people she photographed. Larsen’s photographs reflected great emotional intensity, and she produced warm, realistic, sympathetic portraits. Larsen was a very attractive woman and liked people, and the people she photographed quickly grew to like her as well. Larsen also had a way of being front-row center where the news was.
During the 1950 congressional campaign, Larsen traveled with Vice President Barkley on a barnstorming trip where he began calling Larsen his Mona Lisa. In Russia in 1956, Khrushchev developed such an admiration for Larsen and her indefatigable work habits that he gave her a bouquet of peonies. Later she inspired an aside from Khrushchev during one of his anti-Western speeches. “Don’t misunderstand me,” he said, eying Larsen in his audience. “There is an American girl standing in front of me. Americans are good people.”
Larsen’s subjects ranged from political figures to fashion to landscapes and architecture. Fluent in French, English, German and some Danish and Russian, Lisa Larsen’s major interest was traveling to remote regions of the world. She survived a rigorous trip to the Himalayas and was the first American photographer to enter Outer Mongolia after a government-enforced ten year ban.
Larsen won numerous awards for her photographs while under contract with LIFE magazine. In 1953, Larsen was named Woman Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association, Encyclopedia Britannica and the Matthew Brady Award committee of the University of Missouri. In 1958, Larsen was the first woman in the 15-year history of the award to be named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association, Encyclopedia Britannica and the Matthew Brady Award committee of the University of Missouri. Also in 1958, the Overseas Press Club presented Larsen with a plaque for the best photographic overseas camera reporting for her work in Outer Mongolia and in Poland for her story of a determined, strong-willed people edging to the brink of disaster.
In 1957, Larsen was diagnosed with breast cancer and had undergone an operation, bounced back and everything looked fine. But it wasn’t. Larsen died in March of 1959 from cancer.
In 1963, five years after her death, the International Rescue Committee and the Overseas Press Club recognized Lisa Larsen for her photo-coverage of displaced Hungarians in refugee camps. As her husband Nils Rasmussen, a photographer, pointed out as he accepted her medallion, Larsen’s story (LIFE, November 25, 1957) was her last assignment for LIFE magazine before her death.