Henri Cartier – Bresson – “The Decisive Moment”

Henri Cartier-Bresson was born on August 22, 1908 in Chanteloup, France.His theory that photography can capture the meaning beneath outward appearance in instants of extraordinary clarity is perhaps best expressed in his book (The Decisive Moment). Cartier-Bresson’s rise as a photographer was rapid. By the mid 1930’s he’d shown his work in major exhibits in Mexico, New York, and Madrid. His images revealed the early possibilities of street photography.

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment examines Cartier-Bresson’s influential publication, widely considered to be one of the most important photobooks of the 20th century. It was to develop its emphasis on the photograph itself as a unique narrative form. The exhibition details how the decisions made by the collaborators in this major project have shaped our understanding of Cartier-Bresson’s photographs.

Bruce Gilden, an American street photographer best known for his candid close-up photographs of people on the streets of New York City. Gilden and Cartier-Bresson both have very similar photography techniques and outcomes.