life:

You know the cover well — the very first issue of LIFE Magazine. Shot by the one and only Margaret Bourke-White.  To state the obvious, no one could even begin to encompass Margaret Bourke-White’s achievements as a LIFE photographer and as a journalist.

Here, on Margaret Bourke-White’s birthday (she was born June 14, 1904, in the Bronx), LIFE.com presents a number of her most recognizable photos, all of which appeared in a wonderful article in the June 28, 1963, issue of LIFE titled, “Great Lady With a Camera” — a celebration of the photographer that the magazine published in conjunction with the release of Bourke-White’s autobiography, Portrait of Myself.

“Miss Bourke-White,” LIFE told its readers, “for 25 years a member of LIFE’s staff, has put her career into an autobiography…. The following pages include a sampling of her photographs along with her gay and moving story, taken from the book, of a tyro’s first steps to success.”

See the photos on LIFE.com here.

she was an amazing woman and a fantastic artist. it is so inspiring to see the work of a woman who fought through a very male-dominated field. she was even the first female war correspondent! and look at this photo of her photographing on top of the chrysler building. this blog by the way is pretty fantastic (you can learn so much about all the ‘cool chicks from history’) and you should all check it out. -tara

(via coolchicksfromhistory)