The Decisive Moment

[MaximusM3]

Always fascinating, by Master Bresson

http://vimeo.com/20047490

[CGW]

Always fascinating, by Master Bresson

http://vimeo.com/20047490

But over-exposed.

Try reading Geoff Dyer's "The Ongoing Moment."

[bwrules]

Also consider the indecisive moment.

[Michael W]

I'm currently working on the procrastinated moment.
My method - find your own.

[Matt Brown]

I agree on the over-exposed bit. HCB was great inspiration when I was taking my first B&W photography classes in high school. The images that have always stuck with me are from when he defined himself as a surrealist photographer, but his later photojournalistic work always struck me as repetitive and much less personal. The High Museum's current exhibition on HCB is gigantic and absolutely exhausting to go through, but worth the time and expense if you're in Atlanta, GA one sweltering afternoon.

[MaximusM3]

I do find his surrealistic work to be much more inspiring and he always thought of himself as that, not a photojournalist. As far as over-exposed, from a technical standpoint, I could care less. Being technically correct rarely, if ever, translates to artistic success. It's vision that matters.

[Matt Brown]

Haha, I wasn't referring to Cartier-Bresson's print quality. I meant overexposed in the societal sense. His stuff is out there, everywhere, and many people who were doing extremely good work at the same time do not get as much credit or exposure. He was great at many things, and perhaps I should just be thankful that people are looking at photography in a museum setting, but...I may choke if I see certain pictures of his on a wall again!

[MaximusM3]

Haha, I wasn't referring to Cartier-Bresson's print quality. I meant overexposed in the societal sense. His stuff is out there, everywhere, and many people who were doing extremely good work at the same time do not get as much credit or exposure. He was great at many things, and perhaps I should just be thankful that people are looking at photography in a museum setting, but...I may choke if I see certain pictures of his on a wall again!

For a moment, I thought that's what you meant but wasn't sure. I have always heard all sorts of complaints about HCB's images, from poor focus to exposures, etc. As far as a societal over-exposure, well, you can't blame the artist. It is those who elevate him to a higher ground that are to blame. Maybe he marketed himself well or because he was different but, at the end of the day, the work speaks for itself. If others have done as well as he did at the same time, I am sure that are various reasons for the public's indifference. It could be the body of work, consistency, raw talent, marketing, time, place, attitude, camera gear (Leica always did well by association), etc.

[holmburgers]

I think of Henri as the philosopher of photography. His foreword in The Decisive Moment is such a pure distillation of his approach to making images and each line reads like a proverb.

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of it through interlibrary loan, and would be glad to share it if anyone's interested.

A while back this excellent account by a man who assisted & traveled with Mssr. Cartier-Bresson was posted on APUG.

[CGW]

I think of Henri as the philosopher of photography. His foreword in The Decisive Moment is such a pure distillation of his approach to making images and each line reads like a proverb.

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of it through interlibrary loan, and would be glad to share it if anyone's interested.

A while back this excellent account by a man who assisted & traveled with Mssr. Cartier-Bresson was posted on APUG.

Artistic merit aside, HCB's work is subject to a great deal of celebrity worship, something not renowned for its critical edge. Don't find his post hoc analysis of his own work all that revealing. Didn't find much of value in Patel's fawning reminiscence.