Tony Vaccaro at Monroe Gallery

The guideposts on Tony Vaccaro’s path to photojournalism were unmistakable. First came the enthusiasm that Vaccaro felt after spending childhood hours in a barbershop in Bonefro, Italy, listening to the stories of World War I veterans. Then there was the high-school chemistry teacher who told him he was “a born photographer.” As a kid, he liked reading newspapers more than books, and aspired to be a foreign correspondent.

He was soon shooting up a storm. On Friday, Nov. 23, Monroe Gallery of Photography opens an exhibition of more than 50 of his best images. We view pictures of war, of fashion and travel, as well as candid shots of movie stars and artists and writers. We see his way with rhythm, expression, and composition.

We also witness the results of a particular skill. When he was still a boy, Vaccaro bought himself a secondhand camera, a 35mm Argus C3 rangefinder. For some reason, he had the idea of developing a quickshooting technique. “Most photographers are interested in [photography] as a means to reproduce shapes,” he told in 2007. “I wanted to reproduce emotions, feelings, so I sort of invented a way to take pictures so fast, never giving people a chance to make themselves more flattering.”

Vaccaro, born in Pennsylvania in 1922, spent his childhood in Italy. He was an orphan by age four. In 1939, as fascism rose in Italy, he returned to the States. He was drafted after graduating high school and fought on the front lines of World War II in Europe. He also took more than 8,000 photos, processing the film in helmets when he found time. After the war, he photographed the reconstruction of Germany, then had a long career freelancing for Look, Life, Harper’s Bazaar, Newsweek, and other publications.

An artist reception for the exhibition is held at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Monroe Gallery (112 Don Gaspar Ave., 505-992-0800). The gallery sponsors a free screening of the documentary film Under Fire: The Untold Story of Private First Class Tony Vaccaro at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail. Seating is limited; RSVP to 505-982-1338.

— Paul Weideman