Notes_on_Henry_Cartier_Bresson

"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 that give that event its proper expression.” Technique Used exclusively Leica 35mm rangefinder cameras w/ 50mm lenses Occasionally used wide angle for landscapes Significance: the new, small Leica allowed C-B to be discrete, capture moments as they unfold Did not believe in using a darkroom Has said that he does not like photography – likes the “art of instant drawing” Worked in B&W Photographed people – warmth, curiosity, empathy, sometimes humor Impacted photojournalism Never used artificial light (flash, flashlight) "And no photographs taken with the aid of flashlight either, if only out of respect for the actual light.... Unless a photographer observes such conditions as these, he may become an intolerably aggressive character." Unobtrusive approach let him keep photographs of assassinated Gandhi. Margaret Bourke-White of Life was unable to keep her photographs b/c her actions (flash, large camera) were considered disrespectful. Anonymity of small camera Essential b/c he could overcome unnatural behavior of people who are aware of being photographed History Born in Chanteloup-en-Brie, Seine-et-Marne, France Family lived in rich neighborhood in Paris Significance: financial support was readily available As young boy, owned Box Brownie, took holiday snapshots Unsuccessfully tried to learn music Started learning painting from his Uncle Louis Began socializing with Surrealists at Cafe Cyrano while studying art, drawn to surrealism Made the switch from painting to photography b/c of Munkacsi photogragh Three Boys at lake Tanganyika His idea of decisive moments has become the gold standard for photojournalists Main influence of C-B on modern photojournalism