For this picture story, I really like the contrast between the black and white image and the coloured image, I think this is a really effective and engaging layout. These are two formal portraits, showing you their profession as there in there uniforms, and their difference in expressions which could imply how they feel about their job. At first, you would assume the image was the same but only in colour, however you notice its a different image on the right, giving you a different story.
How does Henri Cartier-Bresson view the activity of photography?
“To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It’s a way of life.” “To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which gave that event its proper expression.”
Henri Cartier-Bresson described the “Decisive Moment” as the exact instance when a unique event is captured by the photographer – when something that may never happen again is frozen in the frame.
Biography
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French artist and humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as capturing a decisive moment.
Henri was educated in Paris and developed an early love for literature and the arts. His great-grandfather had been artist and an uncle was a noted printer. His father also dabbled in drawing.
In 1927 he began a two-year stint studying painting under noted early Cubist, André Lhote, then moved to Cambridge University to immerse himself further in art and literature courses. Sparked by the avant-garde scene enveloping Paris, and fresh from his release from the Army, which had stationed him just outside Paris, Cartier-Bresson travelled to Africa in 1931 to hunt antelope and boar. However, he eventually grew tired of the sport and gave it up. But Africa did fuel another interest in him: photography. He experimented with a simple Brownie he’d received as a gift, taking pictures of the new world around him. For Cartier-Bresson there were direct parallels between his old passion and his new one.
“I adore shooting photographs,” he’d later note. “It’s like being a hunter. But some hunters are vegetarians—which is my relationship to photography.” In short, as his frustrated editors would soon discover, Cartier-Bresson preferred taking shots rather than making prints and showing his work.
Upon returning to France later that year, Cartier-Bresson purchased his first 35mm Leica, a camera whose simple style and stunning results would help define the photographer’s work.
Throughout his life, he made clear his disdain for the augmented image, one that had been enhanced by artificial light, dark room effects, even cropping. The naturalist in Cartier-Bresson believed that all edits should be done when the image was made.
The decisive moment
Henri Cartier-Bresson described the decisive moment as the exact instance when a unique event is captured by the photographer – when something that may never happen again is frozen in the frame.
The concept of the decisive moment implies that in the constant flow of events, there are moments in which the arrangement of everything within the frame is perfect. These moments are always spontaneous, so a photographer must be ready to click right away. As part of capturing the decisive moment, Henri took photographs of people who weren’t aware they were being photographed in order to capture their real behaviour instead of them becoming aware of the camera and changing what they’re doing/ how they are posing.
For example, in this image the decisive moment is the two people looking at each other. You can clearly see that they aren’t aware that they are currently being taken a picture of and are solely focussed on one another, showing their real, natural behaviour. Therefore, this is a good example of the decisive moment as there is no manipulation or pre determined poses, he simply captured what he saw in the moment. I also like this image as there is a clear contrast between the people and the background as the background consists of lighter shades of grey whereas the two people are dark grey/ black.
Using photoshop, I thought it would be interesting to explore making the subject stand out as I had originally liked both black and white versions, so I made the subjects in colour whilst still having a black and white background. This overall created a unique contrasted background.
Immediately, I began by going through my images and rating them followed by rejecting and flagging each image. After I executed that, I then continued it by putting them in order of colour within the range of how much I prefer and like them. This makes it a lot more time efficient and manageable when it comes to editing as I now know what I am going to edit and what I am not.
My flagged and green imagesunedited
Editing these imagesin lightroom
I decided to keep this image in colour, rather than black and white because I think the two buildings in contrast of colour is an important factor within this image, essentially bright vs dark. The subject is the women and considering she is right in the centre rather than one or the other creates a creative factor. This photo had to be in colour as it could make every viewer individually have a different approach and perspective on it if it was looked into on a deeper level. Another factor is the red ball on the darker side which leaves a sense of curiosity on why it is there or whether the women was related to it and if she is walking towards it. Therefore, colour was needed to emphasize my thoughts on this image itself.
Within this image, I used the rule of thirds to make sure the subject aka the woman was in the very centre of the image and the buildings were equally on each side. I personally thought this image was eye catching due to the fact it gives off the effect of tunnel vision in-between the two buildings where the woman is standing. This draws you’re attention to the centre of the image as it shows far away. This demonstrates a factor of mystery. I decided to experiment by putting my photo in black and white to create a variety within my photographs and as it is in the historical Royal Square famous from WW2, therefore I decided to continue the vintage and old aesthetic due to context.
I experimenting this image in black and white and colour, but personally I preferred the in colour image. This is due to the fact there is a lot of contrasting factors. I think the vibrant royal blue chairs definitely add a lot to the image as it is contrasting with the tapestry and the black building. The interesting factor is that this image contains cool and warm tones that significantly contrast. Another big factor is that it contains every day scenes and scenarios. Such as the singular woman on her phone vs plural women talking with drinks. This is useful as I had to wait for the ‘ Decisive moment’ without asking them therefore the ‘ posing’ is not staged and is completely real. This is useful in this image as the people are not adjusting there behaviours as they are unaware of this image being taken. This is significant as people are definitely what make an image in street photography.
This image is definitely my personal favourite outcome within this photoshoot, I like it the most because it involves many people doing a variety of things. The man on the phone is definitely my favourite touch to this image which I had to wait for the right moment to include this. I edited this image to create more warm tones rather than cool to highlight the vintage aesthetic and just to make the image more appealing. The top bit of the images exposure is slightly too high, however this could be an advantage as it keeps the viewers eyes focused on the main subject; the restaurant and the people surrounding to make the image.
I again, experimented with black and white however I realised I actually preferred it in black and white. This photo is definitely the ‘ decisive moment’ due to the fact it is 5 people I assume accidently meeting. Because there is a variety of different people, you can see the different identity’s and personalities through their mannerisms and clothing. This image definitely would not be as significant without these factors. Another factor I thought added to this image is the geometry and lines surrounding the main subject; the people. Lastly, the reflection within the lining of the building behind them creates this image to be less dull and more eye catching. The reflection is so clear that you can see what the camera cannot. This highlights a sense of mystery with a slight peep. Where I am standing it is beneficial as you cannot see the back of the people instead you can see what the viewer would not guess to see or can see already. The Jersey flags with square shapes add significance to the image through conveying the heritage of Jersey. Also making sure the sky is not overly exposed because of the observance of the flags and shapes make the image less dull.
I like this image because it is very simple, I put it in a slower shutter speed to create variety and show the moment more. There isn’t much going on this image however that is personally what I like about it. There is nothing that draws the attention away of the main subject; the people. I believe people are definitely what makes ‘ street photography’. I think their behaviour and mannerisms look completely natural and realistic as I did not have to ask them to adjust their posing. This makes it completely natural and they show a sense of love and fun. This image I personally think has a very warm feeling to it which is the best feature as there is nothing in the surroundings to draw that away.
I love this image as there is a sense of love but also mystery, the mannerisms the viewers can see from the back tells us a lot about the image; the arm placements. The mysterious factor comes from the fact it is taken from behind the main subject, rather than in front. I increased the shadows to decrease the visibility inside the shops to make sure there was nothing too eye catching that drew the attention away from them. I originally put it in black and white and worked from there, however I thought it looked slightly dull so I experimented with a filter to see the difference and preferred it. The geometry and lines in the top of the image through the windows, creates different shapes and variety, specifically rectangles with visibility in the reflection. This slightly links to Bresson’s work as he often brings in surroundings especially reflections.
This image is by far my favourite out of the whole photoshoot, this is because it is showing 2 people sat down assumedly representing love, and separately it shows motherhood. This shows a variety of different types of love. I put it in a fast shutter speed which you can tell through her skirt as it is focused and very clear. The tree shows a sense of natural environment rather than man made features like my other photos. The filter I put on after I had already edited my image in black and white completely added to this image and made it 10 x more eye catching. I think it has a variety of elements which differentiates this image to others.
Instantly, it is clear my camera settings were in a slightly low shutter speed through the van, as it is moving we can see that through the fact it isn’t completely still and is slightly blurry. I decided to add warmer tones to differentiate it to the rest of my images, and slightly make a vintage aesthetic. The main feature that makes this image is the van and the people walking as it is definitely representing the ‘ decisive moment’.
Virtual Gallery-
I chose all these images specifically, due to the fact they all have one factor and meaning but in a variety of ways. Each photo shows a different relationship; yet every photo has an element of love. For example, a mother and child, wife and husband, acquaintances, and friendship. These are my favourite as you do not take notice of these things on an everyday basis. To take photos of these you really do have to find the ‘ right/decisive moment.’ I have chosen these images as my virtual gallery because of this element to it, and I believe people are a massive part in street photography which really brings it together.
To crop an image is to remove or adjust the outside edges of an image, usually a photo, to improve framing or composition, draw a viewer’s eye to the subject, or change the size or aspect ratio. In other words, photo cropping is the act of improving an image by removing unnecessary parts. It may seem illogical, but the most interesting and eye-catching photos rarely have their subject smack-bang in the middle of the image. In fact, it’s a fundamental rule of photography that your primary subject shouldn’t be in the centre.
The rule of thirds
The rule of thirds divides all images into three equal horizontal and vertical sections (or nine individual boxes) separated by grid lines. Normally, you want to place the points of interest near the spots where these grid lines intersect.
You need to take in to consideration:
The discovery of background elements you didn’t realize were there
Issues with the framing or composition
To better focus on your subject
Mood Board
This is a mood board of cropping. As you can see the pictures usually have a main focus, this is all down to cropping, where you narrow down the image to focus on one subject.
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer whose humane, spontaneous photographs helped establish photojournalism as an art form. He highly contributed to the formation of street photography and is most famous for capturing the ‘decisive moment‘. He first began with painting and art, especially Surrealism. However, his passion for photography grew in 1932. He then also went on to filmmaking. His style can be described as a ‘poetic documentary style’ and his photographs capture meaningful, mysterious and humorous moments which are hard to replicate but very inspirational for aspiring photographers.
The ‘decisive moment‘ results in the magical instant when the world falls into apparent order and meaning, this may be apprehended by a gifted photographer.
In the current day Henri Cartier Bresson’s work is held in multiple locations such as:
The Museum of Modern Art in New York
the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art
How does Henri Cartier-Bresson view the activity of photography?
Combine your head (intellectual abilities), your eye (vision), and heart (emotions) on the “same axis”
A photograph without emotion, meaning, or a message is a dead photograph
HE SAID TO ASK YOURSELF 3 QUESTIONS…
– What am I trying to say with this?
– What does this photograph mean to me?
– What emotions come forth in this image?
These three questions help to pre-plan and control the image you are going to take. By asking yourself what you are going to say and what emotions it is going to cause prevents it from being a ‘dead‘ photographs and provides it with meaning and depth, which is what Henri Cartier Bresson’s’ photos always consisted of.
My Favourite Quotes.
“For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously… It is by economy of means that one arrives at simplicity of expression.”
‘Street photography has helped me become more empathetic’
‘Street photography has helped me become more attuned to life’
‘Street photography forces me outside of my comfort zone’
‘Street photography has helped me appreciate the small things of everyday life’
These quotes help me to see Henri’s perspective of how he portrayed his work and how he truly felt when it came to street photography and how it helped him develop and eventually become a full-time career.
Photo Analysis.
Martine Frank-
This photo captures an unusual and interesting angle of Martine Frank. She was a Belgian photographer who was also a member of the Magnum Photos association alongside Cartier Bresson. Her work consisted of capturing the lives of children, women and elderly in their daily lives, and stayed clear of war photography and focused on the love and curiosity of the world and the people living in it. Bresson refused to crop or edit any of his photos as he believed his version was ‘enough‘. He said that photography was the question and also the answer, which is shown in the viewfinder of the camera. He also insisted that the camera is also just an extension of the photographers eye, hand and senses.
The photo consists of Cartier Bresson’s wife Martine poised on a smart couch whilst reading a book. This photo perfectly reflects the style of photography Martine specialised in as it romanticises the life of a woman in a glamourous and mysterious way.
In similarity..
These two images are highly similar and almost portray the relationship between Henri Cartier Bresson and Martine Franck. The two talented photographers were ‘keen observers of the world’. For example, Martine tended to photograph more community based portraits of people whereas Henri focused on vibrant and lively street photography.
In the first photo, Martine Franck is positioned elegantly whilst supposedly waiting for a train whilst majestically sipping a cup of tea and looking into the distance. In the second photo Cartier Bresson is positioned on a railing in Switzerland whilst dressed smartly and looking on into the distance. These two photos show similarities within each other and portray the different styles but equally talented approaches to photography and almost signify the pair as a couple through their work.
I like these images, because they show the day to day lives of the local St Malo. I captured all different people in St Malo and they were all doing different things. I took candid shots of all these people. I also like the composition of these images, as well as the lighting and editing.
How these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson
These images relate to Henri, because I observed people going through their day to day lives and waited for the decisive moment to take the shot. I took these candid images of people. I tried to take these photos in secret as well, which relates to Henri as he tried to do the same with his small discrete camera (Leica camera). Henri took candid images of people going about their day to day lives and also waited for the decisive moment, so he can take the shot.
I also tired to experiment with taking images that are similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson:
My ImageMy Inspiration
I also made my images black and white, so that they resembled Henri’s work even more.
Hip Shots
Analysis
I placed the camera down by my hip when taking these images, so that I was able to capture people living their day to day lives in a candid shot. I had the camera down by my hip, so that the people were unsuspected of my photos, so they did not pose or change their actions or what they were doing. I think this made my photos come out well, because I was able to secretly capture the decisive moment.
The composition was also good in some of these images, however, some of these images didn’t have the best composition, because of how low down the camera was. The editing on these images were also done quite well, and the lighting was good.
How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?
These images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson, because he too observed people going about their every day lives and waiting for the decisive moment, so he could capture it. Henri also wanted to capture these images secretly, so that they were true candid shots and people didn’t change their actions when they saw the camera. However, he did this in a different way. He used a small quiet camera (Leica rangefinder). This camera was small and quiet, so he was able to secretly capture his candid shots.
I also tried to take images that are similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work:
My ImageMy InspirationMy ImageMy Inspiration
I also made my images black and white, so that they resembled Henri’s work even more.
Experimenting with Windows and Reflections
Analysis
These images capture people’s day to day lives while shopping. I also tried to experiment with windows and window reflections while taking these images. The composition of these images were also good, as well as the lighting and editing. If I were to do this again, I would try to experiment with window reflections more.
How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?
These images relate to Henri Cartier-Bresson, because he also observed and sought out the decisive moment, so he could capture it in his candid shots. He observed people’s day to day lives during his street photography, just like I did in St Malo, so I could capture the life of St Malo in my street photography.
Henri however didn’t photograph people shopping as such, but I wanted to include these images, so I could dive deeper into the life of St Malo.
Blurry Images
Analysis
Some of these blurry images came out well, as it captured the motion of life and of St Malo. I also experimented with different shutter speeds to get different levels of blurriness, but if I was to do it again I would experiment with this more. I would want to experiment with slightly faster shutter speeds as well, so the images are not so blurry, like Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work. I would also experiment with different compositions and try experiment with different moving objects, like more cars for example.
How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?
These images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson, because he also experimented with different shutter speeds, so he could capture the decisive moment, but with motion. However, he did not do this in a lot of his images and he usually used a faster shutter speed, so his images were less blurry.
As you can see in this image the children’s feet are slightly blurry, so the shutter speed was slightly too slow to capture the moment still.
In the future, I would want to speed up my shutter speed, so my images are not as blurry and they look more similar to Henri Cartier-Bresson’s. However, I did find one picture of Henri Cartier-Bresson, which is much more similar to my images, as he has used a really slow shutter speed here, just like I did, so the image was much more blurry.
Then, I wanted to experiment with making my image black and white, so it resembles Henri’s work even more.
These images also relate to Henri’s work, because I have observed the people of St Malo’s day to day lives and captured candid images of them, just like Henri did in his street photography.
Black and White Images
Analysis
I really like these black and white images, because not only do I think most images always look better in black and white, but I also think it makes these images much more dramatic and they resemble Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work more. I also like the editing of these images, because they have very high contrast between the whites and blacks and grey tones.
How do these images relate to Henri Cartier Bresson?
These images relate to Henri Cartier- Bresson, because they not only capture the decisive moment in these people’s day to day lives, but they are also in black and white, which all of Henri’s images were too.
FRANCE. The Val de Marne ‘departement’. Joinville-le-Pont, near Paris. 1938.
“A newly-wed bride and groom at an outdoor café on the Marne. The couple were here for the entire afternoon with a full wedding party which included uncles, aunts and small children of the family.”
Bangladesh faced and still faces serious challenges related to refugees, mostly the Rohingya crisis. Since their arrival in the early 1990s and then again during periods of persecution in Myanmar in the 2012, 2016, and 2017, Rohingya refugees have progressively hunted safety in Bangladesh. The invasion has had severe demographic, socio-economic and environmental impacts.
In July 31st, in the year of 2017, Bangladesh officially secured 33,542 Rohingya refugees in cramped camps like Kutupalong and Nayapara, whilst over a million lived outside these factions. Despite numerous international efforts to banish the crisis, the situation remained and still remains complex.
The Rohingya, is a Muslim ethnic group with a unique language, have lived in Myanmar for many centuries but in 1982 were citizenship, labelling them stateless. This has refutation fuelled their persecution which led to forced migration.
The connection between Bangladesh and Myanmar is fatigued due to the Rohingya crisis, which has been dragged on since the late 1970s. Myanmar’s military government has labeled Rohingyas as illegal immigrants causing in the promption of violence and displacement. The military has operated many attacks against the Rohingya since 1948, accelerating the widespread of human rights abuses.
Visual examples:
Response:
The exhibition trail was all over St Helier where it showed a various of informative images. The images had a clear and serious message and it made me feel really upset that these innocent people are living these harsh, underserved lives. The images shows me this different perspective towards the whole situation and my attitude towards it has definitively changed from the first time I heard about it, especially with how informative it is. The format of the images show the organisation that sponsors the Rohingya people
My plan for this photoshoot is to go on a trip to St Malo and observe and photograph people in attempt to get images which present the decisive moment, inspired by Henri Cartier Bresson.
Contact Sheet/Image Selection
Contact Sheet
Image Selection
I started off selecting my images by colour labelling the ones yellow which I think have good potential.
Selecting Best Images
I then looked through the images I selected and selected the best ones.
