It is impossible to discuss street photography without discussing Henri Cartier Bresson’s photographs and their legacy. This isn’t as exaggerated as it sounds. It’s an amazing testament to the way he has shaped and inspired generations of photographers.
The Fame and Achievements
It’s important to understand Cartier Bresson in order to appreciate his importance. He was born towards the end 19th century and took up photography after World War One. He was one of the world’s first 35mm film photographers to achieve international success. This choice of film was considered odd at the time. Many criticized the small, noisy, and blurry negatives as being not up to professional standards. Cartier Bresson, however, instinctively knew how to make 35mm work for him.
He mastered the art of capturing images without his subjects realizing. Cartier Bresson was a master of candid photography by developing and expanding techniques such as zone focus. Some people claim that he invented the concept of “the photographer as observer.”
The result was stunning street photographs with a signature style that nobody else has been able to imitate since.
Cartier Bresson Literature
Henri Cartier Bresson is a pioneer and innovator who has been praised for both his photography and his writings about artistic theory and creative techniques.
His books are full of historical significance. Originally published under the French title Images a la Sauvette in 1952, this book deals with Cartier Bresson’s thoughts on photojournalism technique. The French title is translated literally as ‘Images in the Rush.’ This fits the subject matter perfectly. The book is devoted to the challenge of taking great photos in the moment when there’s little time to prepare and frame moving subjects.
This is, without a doubt, the book that launched Henri Cartier Bresson into international stardom as a photographer. The English edition of the book would continue to sell more than most other photography titles for many years. The translated title?
The Decisive Moment is the answer. Henri Matisse’s famous front cover of the book is the first place where the problem begins with the meaning. Because the English edition was called ‘the Decisive Moment,’ generations of photographers and art critics have used it to describe Henri Cartier Bresson’s artistic and personal philosophy.
The waters have been muddied. Some people might think that Bresson’s notions of decisive moments are contradictory or unintentional.
To truly understand this term, it is important to read the original meaning.
Perfect timing or raw emotion?
The debate over decisive moments is best summarized as “timing against emotion.”
What makes a decisive moment? What makes a moment genuinely decisive? Is it a particular subject, an emotional expression, or their role in a scene once-in-a-lifetime that can be immortalized into a great photograph?
If the photographer has enough speed? Is it about getting a well-composed, perfectly timed shot of the subject matter, done with high precision, despite its fleeting nature? Are street photographers searching for decisive moments and hoping to capture one? Are they creating these moments by using techniques?
You might be surprised to learn that Henri Cartier Bresson was himself firmly in the second camp. He was unequivocal in his description of what he meant by the decisive moment. HTML0? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? This is another way to say don’t sit around waiting for the moment of decisiveness to arrive. He seems to suggest that you should learn how to make it.
Modern Interpretation: What to Choose
There’s no need to limit the definition of the decisive moments to Cartier Bresson. You will find a lot of different uses for ‘the decisive moments’ in contemporary photography theory. These ideas differ greatly from those of Henri Cartier Bresson, who raised them over 70 years ago.
The definition above is a popular one. The decisive moment, then, is a real and fleeting scene which requires sharp reflexes, situational awareness, and quick reactions to capture. Imagine it like an elusive creature.
Some people see the decisive moments as the moment when a situation in real life is transformed into a photograph that will last forever. The finishing touch, which transforms an unfinished painting into a finished masterpiece or a novel draft into a masterpiece, is also a crucial moment.
Every single one of us has experienced these moments countless times already!
Street photography: The importance of decisive moments
After defining the basic concepts, it is time to consider the true significance of the concept for today’s Street Photographers. Does the concept of the decisive instant still hold true, or is it so diluted and weathered that it has become dated?
Not quite. The decisive moment is a powerful element of any contemporary street photography, no matter what school of thought one subscribes to.
It’s simple to understand if we use the original idea as defined by Cartier-Bresson. Remember the original French title, Images on the Run. Modern street photographs have a genuine, authentic character. This is a raw, un-edited version of an everyday scene that reveals a greater truth.
This ‘raw,’ candid style is different from staged photography because it relies on the photographer’s ability to tell a story with their pictures without much planning. It’s more important to master the artful composition of the picture and visualize it before pressing the shutter. It doesn’t matter if you shoot on the streets in Paris, France, or Paris, Texas, if you have this skill.
Henri Cartier Bresson did not encourage his readers to develop a sixth sense to pick up on the unlikely and immortal moments that could be happening around them. It’s more important to take pictures that give a sense of composition to an ordinary moment. He argues that you can create something unique this way.
This perspective will stop you from waiting for the perfect shot. You can instead embrace the idea that there are great shots all around you, just waiting to be captured!
