Fred Stein (1909, Dresden – 1967, New York) is considered a pioneer of 35mm photography. When Fred and Lilo Stein emigrated to Paris in 1933, they brought along a Leica I under the pretense of a honeymoon gift to each other. The camera became an indispensable tool for the trained lawyer: “The Leica taught me photography.”

As a keen observer, Fred Stein explored his new surroundings in Paris from 1933 onward, capturing the diverse facets of society on the streets in his photo reportages—honest, unsparing, and humorous.
After fleeing once again in 1941, Stein made a name for himself in New York as a portrait photographer of his social and intellectual circle. His most famous photograph is a widely published portrait of Albert Einstein from 1946. He also photographed the city of New York through the lens of “New Vision” principles, creating social reportages of urban life there as well.