Bert Hardy (1913–1995) is considered an important photographer because he combined technical skill, strong storytelling, and a deep empathy for his subjects at a time when photojournalism was becoming a powerful tool for shaping public opinion. His work mattered for several reasons:
1. He was self-taught and broke class barriers
Hardy grew up in a working-class area of London and left school at 14, which made his rise remarkable in a field then dominated by middle-class and well-connected photographers. His success showed that talent and perseverance could open doors in the professional photography world.
2. He defined the visual style of Picture Post
From 1941 to 1957, Hardy was a star photographer for Picture Post, the leading British photojournalism magazine of its day. His photo essays combined candid moments, strong compositions, and narrative flow, helping shape how British audiences saw the world — from everyday life at home to major international events.
3. He captured both war and peace with humanity
During World War II, Hardy photographed in Europe, Burma, and the Far East. His war images — like the liberation of Bergen-Belsen — are noted for their unflinching honesty but also for a human warmth that avoided sensationalism.
4. He excelled in street and social documentary photography
Hardy’s images of post-war Britain — children playing in bombed-out streets, everyday working-class life, and seaside holidays — are now treasured as historical records. His famous Gorbals Boys photograph (1955), showing three Glasgow lads swaggering down a street, has become an icon of British social photography.
5. He championed “real people” over posed glamour
While other magazines featured mostly staged or elite subjects, Hardy often worked in real communities, photographing ordinary people with dignity and personality. This gave his work authenticity and emotional power.
6. His technical ingenuity matched his storytelling
He often used small-format Leica cameras rather than bulky press cameras, which let him work unobtrusively — an early embrace of the techniques that would later define modern photojournalism.
In short, Hardy is important not only for the pictures he took, but also for how he took them: empathetically, accessibly, and with a strong sense of narrative. His images helped define mid-20th-century British identity and remain a touchstone for documentary photographers today.
Bert Hardy’s photographs of Betty Burden were part of his Picture Post feature “Millions Like Her” (January 27, 1951), a photo essay intended to represent the life of an ordinary working-class young woman in post-war Britain.
Here’s what he captured of her:
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1. The Window Scene (Birmingham)
One of the most famous frames shows Betty leaning casually on the sill of an upstairs window, looking down with a mildly indifferent expression, while a young man leans against the wall below. Critics have likened it to a gritty, urban Romeo and Juliet — except, as one reviewer noted, “a more uninterested Juliet it would be hard to find.” The composition is both playful and observational, revealing Hardy’s knack for catching unposed, human moments.
2. Walking with a Friend
Another well-known photograph from the set shows Betty and a friend strolling along a Birmingham street, both dressed fashionably for the time. Hardy frames them so they’re set against the city’s brick backdrops, subtly contrasting their youthful energy with the more worn-down environment.
3. At Work and Around Town
Hardy also photographed Betty in her role as a hairdresser, capturing her at work, chatting, and engaging with customers. These scenes were meant to show her daily routine — the small, relatable details of life that most magazine features ignored in favor of glamour or celebrity.
4. Leisure Moments
Some shots show Betty enjoying simple pastimes, such as window-shopping or standing outside shops, reinforcing the idea that she was “one of millions” of young women living modest, everyday lives in Britain.
These photographs stand out for how Hardy captures both the ordinary and the quietly expressive moments of Betty’s life—highlighting her personality, her work, her youth, and her surroundings with sensitivity.
Bert Hardy was a master at blurring the line between posed and candid, and the “Millions Like Her” photos of Betty Burden are a textbook example of how he worked.
From what we know of his process — and from how Picture Post operated — here’s how he likely got those images:
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1. The assignment was planned in advance
The Picture Post editors wanted a story about an “ordinary” working-class young woman to represent post-war Britain’s millions of shopgirls, factory workers, and clerks. Hardy (and often a writer) would have been sent to Birmingham with instructions to find a suitable subject to follow for a few days.
2. Betty was chosen and agreed to take part
Hardy almost certainly approached Betty (probably through her workplace or local contacts) and explained the project. She would have consented to be photographed, knowing she’d appear in a national magazine. That meant he could follow her to work, at home, and around the city without it being “press intrusion.”
3. Naturalistic direction rather than rigid posing
Hardy was famous for saying to subjects: “Just do what you normally do — pretend I’m not here.” He would sometimes suggest a location or activity (e.g., “Why don’t you stand at the window for a moment?” or “Walk down the street with your friend like you usually would”), but then let the scene play out. This is why the pictures feel unforced even though they were set up.
4. Compact camera = relaxed atmosphere
He used a Leica, small enough to avoid the intimidating presence of the large press cameras of the time. That let him work close-up, chatting while shooting, and helped subjects forget about the camera.
5. Editorial storytelling shaped the “candid” feel
Hardy didn’t just shoot random moments — he thought in sequences, looking for scenes that would make a coherent visual story: at home, at work, on the street, with friends. Even if each frame had some direction, the layout in Picture Post made it seem like a slice-of-life documentary.
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So while these images look candid, they were in fact part of a semi-staged, collaborative process:
• Hardy selected Betty as the face of “millions like her”
• He directed her in natural settings she was comfortable in
• The combination of trust, light direction, and his unobtrusive camera work created that lifelike spontaneity
There is a preserved contact sheet from this assignment showing the window scene, cut into two strips, suggesting several posed variations were staged before selecting the final image .
How the Sequence Likely Appeared in Magazine
Though the full layout isn’t publicly accessible, based on how Picture Post typically structured its photo essays:
• It likely began with a strong opening image—perhaps the iconic window shot—to anchor the viewer immediately.
• This was probably followed by supporting photographs showing Betty in other contexts (at work, walking, interacting with peers), helping to build a fuller character portrait.
• The narrative arrangement aimed to feel slice-of-life, even if each shot was guided or directed.
Hardy’s Working Method—Visual Storytelling, Not Just Snapshots
• The preserved contact sheet implies multiple takes and selection, not chance moments .
• Hardy would often prompt his subject: “Do what you naturally do,” yet the framing and composition were carefully considered.
• His compact Leica camera allowed for that unique blend: appearing spontaneous while being deliberately composed.
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In summary:
While the photos feel candid, they were the result of a structured photographic process—multiple shots, visual planning, and intuitive direction—crafted into a narrative through Picture Post’s magazine layout.
The visual story telling in the Birmingham photos was less urgent and breaking news compared with other assignments that were important issues of the day. A good example of how Bert Hardy’s approach to photojounalism and the way he broke new ground was the coverage of the Korean war.
1. Inchon Landing
Hardy was the only photographer in the first amphibious wave during the Inchon invasion, thanks to his small Leica camera (allowing 1/15 sec exposures at f/5 in low-light conditions) while most press used bulky Speed Graphic cameras. These images of U.S. Marines landing under fire represent a rare visual narrative of the operation’s human experience—not just its strategy.
2. Pusan Political Prisoners
Hardy and reporter James Cameron documented the abuse of political detainees—men aged 14 to 70—who were stripped, beaten, and forced to squat in filth by South Korean guards just outside the train station. These images were likened to the horrors Hardy witnessed at Bergen-Belsen during WWII .
3. Editorial Fallout
This coverage sparked major controversy. Tom Hopkinson, Picture Post’s editor, considered Hardy’s Korean dispatch “the best photo-story” he’d ever received—but the unflinching portrayal of atrocities by an ally government led to internal and external tensions. The resulting political backlash contributed to Hopkinson’s dismissal in 1950  .
4. Legacy and Influence
Hardy’s work went beyond wartime reporting—it pushed journalistic boundaries. His pictures weren’t just records of events; they carried emotional weight and moral questioning. His use of the Leica 35mm made him uniquely versatile, capturing dynamic and intimate moments that most press photographers couldn’t.  
1. The Story Itself
• Hardy’s photographs and James Cameron’s accompanying article on the Pusan political prisoners were submitted to Picture Post in late 1950.
• The images showed men and boys, some naked, squatting in rows, guarded by South Korean soldiers—clear evidence of abuse and degrading treatment.
• Cameron’s text was uncompromising, comparing the conditions to those he and Hardy had seen in Nazi concentration camps.
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2. Tom Hopkinson’s Editorial Choice
• Tom Hopkinson, the magazine’s editor, believed journalism’s first duty was truth-telling, even if it embarrassed allied governments.
• He decided to publish the story in full, with Hardy’s photographs unaltered, and Cameron’s text intact.
• The piece appeared in Picture Post on 7 October 1950 under headlines that emphasised the shocking treatment of detainees.
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3. The Political Backlash
• Britain was fighting alongside U.S. and South Korean forces.
• The British government and the United Nations Command viewed the article as damaging to the war effort and to the “unity of the Allies.”
• The South Korean government lodged strong protests.
• Hopkinson was accused of being “unpatriotic” and giving propaganda ammunition to communist forces.
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4. The Crisis at Picture Post
• Owner Sir Edward Hulton was uneasy about running material critical of an ally.
• After heated discussions, Hulton ordered Hopkinson to soften the story or drop it. Hopkinson refused.
• In October 1950, Hopkinson was dismissed—officially for “editorial differences,” but in reality because he refused to censor Hardy’s and Cameron’s work.
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5. Aftermath
• The issue became one of the most talked-about Picture Post editions of the year.
• Hardy’s images became an early post-WWII example of photojournalism confronting uncomfortable truths, even at the cost of careers.
• The episode cemented Hardy’s reputation as a fearless photographer and Hopkinson’s as a principled editor.
• It also marked a turning point—Picture Post became more cautious afterwards, and its circulation began to decline over the next few years.
Bert Hardy