Slava Veder

Slava "Sal" Veder (August 30, 1926 – August 22, 2026) was an American photojournalist who worked for the Associated Press (AP).

Early life Veder was born in Berkeley, California, on August 30, 1926. In a 2015 interview, he described himself as largely self-taught and said he began his reporting career in local journalism before moving into photography.

Career Veder worked as a staff photographer for the Associated Press and covered a wide range of assignments during the 1960s and 1970s, including major disasters and national events.

Iconic photographs

Burst of Joy (1973)

On March 17, 1973, Veder photographed U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm reuniting with his family after Stirm’s release as a POW from North Vietnam; Stirm’s daughter Lorrie Stirm is pictured running toward him with her arms outstretched, which became the central visual motif of the image later titled Burst of Joy. World Press Photo’s contest archive records the photograph’s date, AP affiliation, and the POW return context (including Operation Homecoming timelines).

Later life, death and legacy A 1998 report on Bay Area winners in the World Press Photo annual show described Veder as a retired Associated Press photographer living in the Sierra foothills near Placerville, California, and quoted him expressing uncertainty about why his image prevailed among many photographers present at Travis Air Force Base in 1973. The NCSU Libraries exhibit text states that Veder, after retiring, volunteered with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Veder died at his home in El Dorado County on August 22, 2026, at the age of 99, eight days short of his 100th birthday.

Awards and recognition Veder received the 1974 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his POW homecoming image (commonly known as Burst of Joy). The photograph is also listed in the World Press Photo contest archive as a 1st prize winner in the Humor category of the 1974 Photo Contest.