| 1937 |
Born in Kolozsvár, (Cluj, Transylvania, Romania) |
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| 1949 |
His family moves to Budapest |
| 1955 |
Studies law at the ELTE University, Budapest |
| 1956 |
Expelled from university for political reasons |
| 1956 - 1958 |
Takes on various jobs as unskilled labourer |
| 1958 - 1961 |
Works as unskilled labourer at the Budapest Photo Cooperative |
| 1961 |
Passed examination in photography |
| 1961 - 1991 |
Photojournalist on the staff of the popular women's weekly Nők Lapja, later becoming picture editor. |
| 1962 |
Begins folkdance photography with the Bihari Dance Group |
| 1967 |
First trip in Transylvania, where he returns over the next decades to record the disappearing traditional peasant life and culture. |
| 1974 |
First exhibition in the Kunsthalle (Műcsarnok), Budapest |
| 1974 |
Publishes his first album "Heaven's Bridegroom - Hungarian Folk Customs" |
| 1974 |
Awarded the national Balázs Béla Prize |
| 1975 |
Starts working for the Honvéd Ensemble. He has been taking photos for the Honvéd Dance Theatre ever since. |
| 1977 |
Member of the international jury of World Press Photo exhibition(Amsterdam) for three years |
| 1981 |
Photographer for the International Danstheater (Amsterdam), a work he continues until 2000. |
| 1983 |
Member of the International Advisory Committee of the W. Eugene Smith Grant (USA) |
| 1983 |
Selected for "Artist of Merit" award |
| 1984 |
Member of the International Advisory Board of the World Press Photo Foundation (Amsterdam) |
| 1988 |
Publishes photo album "The Guest Worker" - on the life of a commuting labourer he photographed over a ten year period. These pictures were also exhibited in the Kunsthalle (Műcsarnok), Budapest |
| 1991 - 1999 |
Picture editor of theatre magazine Színház |
| 1995 |
Awarded the "pro Hungarian Art" prize |
| 1996 |
Awarded with the Cross of the Order of Hungarian Republic |
| 1998 |
Selection of thirty years of pictures taken in Transylvania exhibited in the Kunsthalle (Műcsarnok), Budapest. Also published, under the title "Inventory - Transylvanian Pictures 1967-1988)" |
| 1999 |
Awarded the national Kossuth Prize |
| 2004 |
Awarded the Pulitzer Memorial Prize |
| 2004 |
Awarded the Prima Primissima, Prima - Prize |
| 2010 |
Awarded the Hungarian Heritage Prize |
| 2012 |
Exhibition of 45 year work in the Várfok Gallery, Budapest |
| 2012 |
Becomes member of the artist group of Várfok Gallery |
| 2013 |
Awarded with the Kölcsey Memorial Medal |
| 2014 |
Awarded the Artist of the Nation |
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Awarded for his oeuvre by Czech Press Photo in Prague |
| 2018 |
Awarded the Prima Primissima Prize |
| 2022 |
Awarded for his ouvre by the Hungarian Academy of Arts |