Portrait of photographer James Jarche. (Photo by James Jarche/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)
Born in his father’s London photo studio, James Jarche (1891-1965) seemed destined for the trade—even though an apprenticeship with a successful Bond Street photographer lasted only one day. Having survived that initial misstep, Jarche became one of Britain’s first press photographers to make a name for himself back when it involved taking cameras where they had never been: to the tops of buildings or down the deepest mine shaft, to sporting events, political meetings or even trials. “At a dramatic moment,” he said, “my bowler hat—in which a small camera was concealed—would lift and click, the tell-tale sound covered by a well-timed cough.” With enough adventures to fill a book, Jarche wrote one. People I Have Shot became a British best-seller.
—Adapted from The Great LIFE Photographers
An Arabian showing off his head-dress while taking a drink of water. (Photo by James Jarche/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)
Armoured cars lining up, getting ready to move off to another front after capturing Fort Rutbah. (Photo by James Jarche/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)
