Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) is considered to be the founder of the street photography genre. He was from a family of entrepreneurs. Due to the influence of his uncle, Cartier-Bresson got education in arts, which helped him a lot in the future.
His black and white photographs are history, atmosphere, breath and the rhythm of life of an entire era, hundreds of contemporary photographers study on his photographs nowadays.
In 1930, after course of painting and graphics, he went on a trip to Africa. Returning to France he decided to devote himself to photography. In 1932, the young Henri Cartier-Bresson, at the time an undirected photographer who catalogued his travels and his friends, saw the Munkácsi photograph “Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika”, taken on a beach in Liberia.
His black and white photographs are history, atmosphere, breath and the rhythm of life of an entire era, hundreds of contemporary photographers study on his photographs nowadays.
In 1930, after course of painting and graphics, he went on a trip to Africa. Returning to France he decided to devote himself to photography. In 1932, the young Henri Cartier-Bresson, at the time an undirected photographer who catalogued his travels and his friends, saw the Munkácsi photograph “Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika”, taken on a beach in Liberia.
Henri Cartier-Bresson
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«For me this photograph was the spark that ignited my enthusiasm. I suddenly realised that, by capturing the moment, photography was able to achieve eternity. It is the only photograph to have influenced me. This picture has such intensity, such joie de vivre, such a sense of wonder that it continues to fascinate me to this day».
In 1947, Cartier-Bresson with his colleagues Robert Capa, David Seymour, George Rodger, Maria Eisner, William Vandivert and Rita Andivert founded the association of photojournalists - Magnum Photos.
It was a response to the predatory policy towards photographers of many Western agencies and magazines. Magnum photographers divided the globe into "spheres of influence", and Cartier-Bresson got Asia. The reports made by him in countries that have received or were fighting for independence - India, China, Indonesia, made him a high class photojournalist.
It was a response to the predatory policy towards photographers of many Western agencies and magazines. Magnum photographers divided the globe into "spheres of influence", and Cartier-Bresson got Asia. The reports made by him in countries that have received or were fighting for independence - India, China, Indonesia, made him a high class photojournalist.
The concept of the “decisive moment” is associated specifically with Cartier-Bresson’s work. He often took dozens of photographs of a subject and with a keen eye selected the one where the moment reached the emotional peak, and you will definitely feel it watching his photographs.
Photography was for Henri Cartier-Bresson a tool for telling stories about life, to capture on film important, surprising and decisive moments. The key to photography for him was perfect and exact timing. The photographer had to be constantly on the alert. Cartier-Bresson’s ability to photograph while being virtually unseen is well known. He even hided the shiny metal parts of his camera with black tape.
Photography was for Henri Cartier-Bresson a tool for telling stories about life, to capture on film important, surprising and decisive moments. The key to photography for him was perfect and exact timing. The photographer had to be constantly on the alert. Cartier-Bresson’s ability to photograph while being virtually unseen is well known. He even hided the shiny metal parts of his camera with black tape.
«The composition should be the subject of our constant worries, but during photographing we can only feel it intuitively”, - the photographer was always reminding this».
Bresson lived a long and eventful life. He traveled to many countries, photographed famous people: politicians, writers, actresses. However, the main role in his photography has always been assigned to the lives of ordinary people.
Henri Cartier-Bresson died in 2004 at the age of 95. This ingenious photographer marked the beginning of a new era in the world of street photography.
Henri Cartier-Bresson died in 2004 at the age of 95. This ingenious photographer marked the beginning of a new era in the world of street photography.
Main rules of photography by Cartier-Bresson
Focus on geometry, always think about center and borders of the frame
One of the features of Bresson's photographs is the amazingly precise frame structure. He could combine the most diverse and even opposite to each other geometric shapes, lines and shadows into a single harmonious whole. Many of the images of the photographer are framed by the so-called "natural" objects. Such versatility is one of the signs of a strong photograph.
Be patient, work softly
His friends were telling that Henri Cartier-Bresson was always very consistent and calm. When shooting on the street, he could leisurely wait for a moment when one of the passers-by would be at that point in the frame that seemed to him ideally suited to the image. “Sometimes it happens that a person passing by makes a picture complete. You can wait very long, but you will never get the photo without this person.”
Use the same lens
Over the years of his collaboration with the agency "Magnum Photos" Henri Cartier-Bresson was using a variety of lenses. But for his personal projects, he preferred to work with the same Leica of 50mm lens. The camera was quite small, which allowed the photographer to move easily among people. He remained true to his choice for decades. He called the lens "a natural extension of the photographer’s eyes."
Make pictures of children
The genius of photography was very fond of shooting children who always looked naturally in his images. A photograph of a boy carrying bottles of wine with a solemn expression on his face became known throughout the world. It must be that each of us, looking at this photo, experiences the whole spectrum of emotions of captured children.
Travel, explore the world
The French photographer was an avid travel enthusiast. He visited many countries, photographed different places and their inhabitants. During his travels, he was meeting people, studied local traditions, trying to penetrate the atmosphere. He did not spare time for this: for example, to make a series of photographs of India, he spent a whole year in the country. Henri Cartier-Bresson was sure that acquaintance with new cultures and other people energises the photographer with creative inspiration and expands the boundaries of his worldview.
Do not crop photographs
Henri Cartier-Bresson was convinced that if the composition of the image is unbalanced, then it should be considered defective and unusable. The photographer did not recognise cropping of the photograph, being convinced that the composition can be built only once - during shooting:
The process of photographing is the process of instantly identifying an event and organizing all the forms that express this event.
Focus on geometry, always think about center and borders of the frame
One of the features of Bresson's photographs is the amazingly precise frame structure. He could combine the most diverse and even opposite to each other geometric shapes, lines and shadows into a single harmonious whole. Many of the images of the photographer are framed by the so-called "natural" objects. Such versatility is one of the signs of a strong photograph.
Be patient, work softly
His friends were telling that Henri Cartier-Bresson was always very consistent and calm. When shooting on the street, he could leisurely wait for a moment when one of the passers-by would be at that point in the frame that seemed to him ideally suited to the image. “Sometimes it happens that a person passing by makes a picture complete. You can wait very long, but you will never get the photo without this person.”
Use the same lens
Over the years of his collaboration with the agency "Magnum Photos" Henri Cartier-Bresson was using a variety of lenses. But for his personal projects, he preferred to work with the same Leica of 50mm lens. The camera was quite small, which allowed the photographer to move easily among people. He remained true to his choice for decades. He called the lens "a natural extension of the photographer’s eyes."
Make pictures of children
The genius of photography was very fond of shooting children who always looked naturally in his images. A photograph of a boy carrying bottles of wine with a solemn expression on his face became known throughout the world. It must be that each of us, looking at this photo, experiences the whole spectrum of emotions of captured children.
Travel, explore the world
The French photographer was an avid travel enthusiast. He visited many countries, photographed different places and their inhabitants. During his travels, he was meeting people, studied local traditions, trying to penetrate the atmosphere. He did not spare time for this: for example, to make a series of photographs of India, he spent a whole year in the country. Henri Cartier-Bresson was sure that acquaintance with new cultures and other people energises the photographer with creative inspiration and expands the boundaries of his worldview.
Do not crop photographs
Henri Cartier-Bresson was convinced that if the composition of the image is unbalanced, then it should be considered defective and unusable. The photographer did not recognise cropping of the photograph, being convinced that the composition can be built only once - during shooting:
The process of photographing is the process of instantly identifying an event and organizing all the forms that express this event.