In 1971, the German government launched an anti-smoking campaign, which featured Will McBride's photographs. The campaign, titled "Zeig mal Will McBride" (Show me Will McBride), aimed to shock young people into realizing the dangers of smoking. The campaign used a series of provocative images, including a photograph of a man with a severe smoking-related illness.
He remains, decades later, the most dangerous photographer you have never heard of. And the most necessary.
(1999): A collection focusing on the transition from adolescence to adulthood. My Sixties zeig mal will mcbride
is a complex intersection of art, education, and law. To his supporters, McBride was a visionary who sought to protect children by arming them with knowledge and a healthy body image. They argue that the "sexualization" of the images is often in the eye of the beholder, influenced by a society that has become increasingly hyper-aware of predatory behavior.
McBride, an acclaimed photojournalist known for capturing the raw energy of post-war Germany, collaborated with psychologist Helga Fleischhauer-Hardt to create the project. The book features black-and-white photography of children and adolescents exploring their bodies, interacting with peers, and engaging with their parents. The accompanying text was designed to provide honest, age-appropriate answers to children’s questions about anatomy, reproduction, and physical development. In 1971, the German government launched an anti-smoking
Will looked at the boy. Then at his Leica. Then back at the boy.
(1992): Captures the counter-culture and social changes of the 1960s. (1979): A look at life in 1950s Berlin. Open Library How to Find or "Make" a Digital Version He remains, decades later, the most dangerous photographer
The 1974 photo-book (released in English as Show Me! ), created by American photographer Will McBride and German psychiatrist Helga Fleischhauer-Hardt , remains one of the most polarizing and heavily banned publications in the history of modern printing. Conceived during the height of the Western sexual liberation movement, the book sought to dismantle centuries of stigma, fear, and silence surrounding human anatomy and sexuality. By utilizing unfiltered, naturalistic documentary photography to educate children and parents, Zeig Mal! achieved historic acclaim, won awards from religious organizations, and subsequently became an illegal legal gray area in numerous countries.
[1960s: Sexual Revolution Begins] ──> [1971: The Sex Book Published] ──> [1974: Zeig Mal! Released]
Before diving into the controversy, it's essential to understand the artist. Will McBride was not a conventional family portrait photographer. He was a documentarian of a world in flux, with a unique, deeply immersive style that made him a bridge between two cultures.
