Henri Cartier-Bresson

How does Henri Cartier-Bresson view the act of photography?

  • He see is as a physical pleasure like hunting – a camera being almost like a gun, being able to roam the streets, having to crouch down to get an angle like hiding in hunting.
  • He also sees it as an extension of the eye – being able to capture it in more focus or zooming in and using different lenses to capture something the eye wouldn’t be able to.
  • Someone says that he takes pictures as if God took them – he’s able to capture movements as if he’s everywhere
Copyrightⓒ Calle Cuauhtemoctzin, Mexico, 1934. (c) Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos

Describe Cartier-Bresson’s theory of The Decisive Moment

  • when taking an image he want to perfect the position for it to come together
  • Cartier-Bresson’s style of images are candid photos in which the subject doesn’t know they are being taken a photo of – these could range from people in motion or a surprise picture because if they are to know theyre getting a picture taken people tend to get embarrassed.
  • He also thinks correction is impossible – if you take a bad picture or if the image doesn’t turn out its lost forever as you can’t recreate that moment
  • He prefers shapes and geometry in images as he gets intellectual pleasure from it.
  • He takes images by seeing, understanding and feeling – he captures the world
  • He also says taking a photograph is intimate getting between their skin and shirt

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