Henri Cartier-Bresson: "Hyères, 1932" WEEKLY DISCUSSION #10

<p>When I was asked to put forward a picture for discussion, many images went through my mind, but within 30 seconds I had decided on this one:<br>

<a href="http://www.afterimagegallery.com/bressonhyeres.htm">http://www.afterimagegallery.com/bressonhyeres.htm</a><br>

HCB was a very important factor in my wanting to become a photographer. "The World Of Cartier-Bresson" was the first photo book I bought, and of all the photographers whose work I own in book form, HCB is the one I come back to most often for inspiration.<br>

HCB was highly fortunate (and enviable) in that the family fortune made it unnecessary for him to work. He never was a conventional photojournalist, more of an art photographer who did feature assignments, and clearly had no desire to head for the sound of gunfire in search of hard news - there are a few examples in his work of his stumbling on a hard news story, for example French Nazi collaborators getting roughed up at the end of the war, but he spares us the grisly details. His interests seem to have been geometrical composition and surrealism, with a generous measure of humanism stirred in.<br>

This particular image has been cited as a good example of the "decisive moment", which I think it is - I have also frequently explained this concept as a "1, 2, 3" process, where a photographer (1) sees a subject of interest, (2) decides on viewpoint and framing but then (3) waits for a movable (e.g. a person) or variable (e.g. a lighting effect) element to come just right before taking the picture. Anticipation is an important part of being at the right place at the right time.<br>

I hope to read some interesting comments, both from those who may not know HCB's work all that well and also from those who do but may care to compare their feelings about his work with those when they experienced it for the first time (nearly 50 years ago in my case).<br>

I don't want to go on too long, so I won't! Over to you!</p>

<p>I was first introduced to HCB's work in 1965, and I immediately wanted to become the world's greatest "street photographer" capturing "the decisive moment" time after time.<br>

Several years later, after junior college, college, art school, and a year trying to "be a photographer" I realized that only a select few have the vision and feel that is required to capture the decisive moment, so I concentrated on becoming the best craftsman photographer possible.<br>

But, HCB's work still raises the hair on the back of my neck. When I visited an exhibition of his works a few years ago I was almost in tears throughout. Whether from the emotional impact of his work or of my lost dreams.<br>

<Chas><br /><br /></p>

The steps and street look as though they have been scrubbed clean. Interesting geometric lines. It would be interesting to see how it

looks now. What is it about Mr. Cartier ( was he related) Bresson that has irritated me from the moment he was lauded and held up as a

superior street photographer?

<p>Charles, I think you have formulated very well what many others have experienced when discovering the works of Bresson and his eye for the decisive moment and the geometrical wonders of composition. Personally, I don't think that any of my shots are untouched by the inspiration of Bresson - together with a small handful of others. He is surely the great reference. </p>

<p>And yet, when having seen and admired his many masterpieces on walls of museums and galleries, I also find his style, which he masters to perfection in many of his best, has a somewhat static and foreseeable sensation to them. We are surely in the comfort zone quietly contemplating the beauty of it all. The choice of David, "Hyères, 1932", might be one of his best, but clearly with no hints of what happens around Bresson, the year Hitler and the Nazi Party won 230 seats in German parliamentary elections - and two years later he became "Führer". <br>

<br>

"Hyères, 1932" together with <a href="http://www.momat.go.jp/english/artmuseum/Henri_Cartier-Bresson/images/exhb_87.jpg">"Behind Saint-Lazare station"</a> are maybe his most well-known and maybe even his best examples of the "decisive moment", a moment where geometrical composition is complemented by the almost elusive human element presented in blur and on its way out of the frame in a split of a second later. One thing I have always wondered when looking these prints, is what would have been the difference, if Bresson in both cases had asked his assistant, if he had such one at hand, to pass by numerous times so that the shot was just right. Would it have made a difference to the scene and to our appreciation of its wonders ? I'm not sure. But it might have made a difference to photography as a visual art ever since.</p>

<p>Thanks to all 3 of you for your comments!<br>

@ Charles - you obviously feel the same way as me!<br>

@ Robert: Does it make you feel any better to know (if you didn't already) that when asked how he felt about having the title of "World's Greatest Photographer" thrust on him, HCB replied (literally): "B******t!"?<br>

@ Anders: It is indeed the case that HCB stands at arm's length from the human condition - there is no suggestion of politics with him, certainly no suggestion that Hitler is about to seize power in Germany the next year and ultimately start a process that will cost over 50 million lives. If I recall, the same criticism was made of Edward Weston (by Ansel Adams?).<br>

One further point - I have read a suggestion (by someone who has seen HCB's contact sheet which includes this pic) that he shot 20 or more frames from this viewpoint. No reason why he shouldn't of course, but this does not chime with the mythology that HCB whipped out his camera instantly und unnoticed and nailed every shot in one!</p>

<p>David when Bresson is said to have shouted ""<em>B******t!"?</em>"" he did probably say : "<em>conneries</em>", which is better translated into "fools talk" - something less vulgar at least, knowing his background. <br /></p>

<p><em>David when Bresson is said to have shouted ""</em><em>B******t!"?</em><em>"" he did probably say : "</em><em>conneries</em><em>", which is better translated into "fools talk" - something less vulgar at least, knowing his background. </em><br /> He did actually say "BS"(not shouting but laughing) - he was being interviewed in English by the BBC. I've got the interview on DVD as a BBC "Omnibus" program somewhere. The classic English/French disconnect is of course his first book, which in French is called ”Images à la sauvette” (literally “Images on the fly” or “Images on the hoof”), but in English “The Decisive Moment”.<br>

PS: God bless the Internet :-)<br>

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/cartierbresson-whats-the-story-1186412.html</p>

<p>There's something about a bicycle that can be very photogenic. Bresson captures that well here. A bicycle has a certain geometry as well as potential (or, in this case, actual) movement that Bresson also presents beautifully here. The geometry of the composition as well as the almost statuesque and, indeed, architectural quality of the spiral staircase, the texture of the stone, the again photogenic and effective high angle of the shot all conspire to make for a photo that draws me in. There's kind of a classic feel to it and it stands out to me as an iconic photo of Bresson's.</p>

<p>When I recently saw an exhibition of Bresson's work, I was less moved by it as a body of work than I am by some of the more compelling individual images. I did feel the constriction of the geometry overall and there did seem to be a static quality throughout the rooms of the exhibit. Even this photo, considering the motion blur and obvious movement, feels very contained to me. One can look and see a "decisive moment" and be impressed by the timing, the placement of the bike in the frame, etc. One can also feel it's just a little too perfect. And so it can actually seem lacking in spontaneity because the bike is so perfectly placed in the frame.</p>

<p>____________________________________</p>

<p>My understanding is that it was actually Bresson, himself, who said <em>“The world is going to pieces and people like Adams and Weston are photographing rocks!”</em></p>

<p>So it's ironic that such a criticism might also be leveled at Bresson.</p>

<p>Here's Weston's response to Bresson: <em>“It seems so utterly naïve that landscape is not considered of ‘social significance’ when it has a far more important bearing on the human race of any locale than excrescences called cities."</em></p>

<p>In fact, history may have already proven Adams and Weston quite socially significant in terms of their impact on how we view the environment.</p>

<p>Regardless of Weston's defense (which seems a bit understandably angry even though I don't fault anyone for taking pics of cities), I find the "not political enough" critique wholly without merit. Not every photographer and not any photographer is charged with providing political commentary or insight. Art, even if it is the appreciation of the beautiful, even at its most abstract and least message-oriented, is an emotional outlet, something to be contemplated, and that serves both a personal and a social function, even as lots of great art has no utilitarian function. I certainly appreciate (and love) some of the more political and socially-minded work of people like Lange and Evans, etc. But the world is big enough and I am broad enough to give attention to and appreciate so many different kinds of photography that deal with so many important and different aspects of humanity and the world around me. I don't need a social or political message from every photographer, even in the most political of times (and what times aren't political).</p>

<p>In my opinion, the OP's "I have also frequently explained this concept as a "1, 2, 3" process ..." is a very common and persistent misconception of what HCB advocated. In my opinion, his "decisive moment" was meant to describe the culmination of perfect internalization that obviates any awareness of "1, 2, 3." He loved/advocated the concepts from <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_in_the_Art_of_Archery">Zen and the Art of Archery</a></em>, where, "<em>The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconscious is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, ... "</em><em><br /></em></p>

<p>He was conservative, not liberal; his work is not the root of Winogrand's approach, but rather a perfection or evolution of Minor White. Like the Chinese calligrapher who spends a lifetime internalizing and preparing himself so that he can perfectly apply his brush in the blink of an eye. There is no "1, 2, 3" in how a Chinese calligrapher works. There is, rather, a lifetime of preparation to remove all "1,2,3."</p>

<p>The "decisive moment" is not a shooting gallery, a glorification of speed, self-justifying by the "hit"; it is, rather, the culmination or indication of the discipline of long, disciplined slowing to perfect stillness.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Zen emphasizes the attainment of <a title="Enlightenment in Buddhism" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism">enlightenment</a> and the personal expression of <a title="Wisdom in Buddhism" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism">direct insight</a> in the Buddhist teachings.<br>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm not a Buddhist. I don't consider myself "enlightened", nor have I ever been described as such. So I settle for "1, 2, 3".</p>

<p>Can those who are Buddhists and/or are "enlightened" tell us how that have affected their photography?</p>

 

<p>""<em>tell us how that have affected their photography?</em>""<br>

<br /> That's a long story, Robert. Another time ! :)</p>

<p>I have no idea what HCB might have been thinking when he composed this photo, but its immediate impact on me is "freedom!" The contorted steps twist and wind, leading down into a dark hole, and then around the corner comes a bicyclist, shooting off into the light. It's an interesting photo, to be sure.</p>

<p>At the risk of being called a heretic or worse, I'm not a big fan of his. After looking at much of his work in book form there are some superb images but many of them leave me puzzled. Photo journalism is my favorite thing to do with a camera and I understand the concept of the decisive moment, something I am looking for constantly even if I'm not using a camera. Someone else here said that much of his work wandered off into surrealism and humanism and I guess it did. Neither of those schools of thought intrigue me though. I must be too workaday.</p>

<p>Rick H.</p>

<p>The <em>'1-2-3 decisive moment'</em> is by far the technique most widely used by photographers all around the world:<br>

1- see a subject of interest (what about the Colosseum, but any famous place/building works too)<br>

2- decide on viewpoint and framing (oops! I mean zooming)<br>

3- wait for your girlfriend/boyfriend to come just right before taking the picture</p>

<p>I also agree with HCB that you need patience. Some places may be really crowded.<br>

:-)</p>

 

<p>Rick Helmke wrote: "At the risk of being called a heretic or worse, I'm not a big fan of his." Me neither. However, there he is, one of the undeniably major influences on modern photography (and on many photographers for whom I have much more admiration). Therefore he's worth studying, I think.</p>

<p>He may have waited for the "decisive moment" when the bicyclist went by to include him in the picture. But he waited. How many of us wait?</p>

<p>His work is poetry for me. If I had to tell the very reason why I like taking photographs, I'll say because I saw the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson.</p>

The bicyclist is blurred as the result of using too slow a shutter speed, an amateurish mistake.

 

Whenever I goof up like that I improvise and claim that I did it on purpose. "I deliberately blurred the bicyclist to reflect the transient aspect of human life. Human life is short but the rocks live forever." Then I slap a $1,200 price tag on it.

<p>He may have inadvertantly used too slow of a shutter. But the bicycle movement works regardless. Adds to it. Luck is a component of many photos, especially on the street and even when anticipated or planned. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>He may have waited for the "decisive moment" when the bicyclist went by to include him in the picture.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Or he may have taken many shots with the same composition, and picked this one. Would the waiting (with purpose) and the multiple shots (NOT in the "<em>state of unconscious"</em>) disqualify this shot as a "decisive moment"? I think not. <em><br /></em></p>

<p>Or perhaps the blur depicts motion. The motion blur in this photo of mine was very deliberate...</p>

<p>http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phspringrompsm.jpg</p>

<p>I tried a number of different shutter speeds, and this one worked the best for what I was trying to achieve. Not all photographs attempt to freeze motion.</p>

<p>The motion blur is not a problem. The problem is the total lack of bokeh.</p>

<p>Sorry. This is, in fact, an image I've long admired, in part <em>because</em> of the blurred cyclist. The geometry of the stairs, the circular patterns and all of that come together perfectly. </p>

<p>Sarah: I like your horsey picture. Here's mine. I took 10 or 15 shots until I got the movement and subjects I wanted. It was all auto exposure too with a P&S. Is this luck, planning, decisive moment? Maybe we overrate pros genius and "knock" our own abilities. There's a certain amount of putting famous people on pedestals.</p>

<p>Sorry-here's the link.<br>

<a href="

<p>Interesting comments – I hope they keep coming! <br /> Blur – if the bike bugs anyone, try this :-) :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Photograph_of_Alberto_Giacometti_by_Cartier_Bresson.jpg<br />1, 2, 3 versus Zen archer: I would agree that any artist (photographer, musician, sculptor, …) working at HCB’s level would be doing so in the reflexive and intuitive way of the Zen archer. With beginners, on the other hand, standard teaching technique, at least as far as I am concerned, is to break tasks down into manageable pieces and practise each one separately, slowly and (at first) with conscious mental effort until the student can progress to the higher level of a single seamless action.<br /> “ … the "not political enough" critique …”: the words "enough" and “critique” are not mine! I don’t have any problem with an artist who has no overt political agenda, I simply feel this is a true statement regarding HCB. Not sure about “conservative” – HCB has perhaps the natural conservatism of someone of his social class, he was certainly not going to knock the capitalist system that gave him his artistic freedom, but at the same time I feel it appropriate to call him a humanist. I feel this is evidenced above all by his work and also, for example, by the fact that he opposed the election of Martin Parr to Magnum, on the grounds that MP’s work was driven by superficial snobbery.<br /> Just one thing bugs me about HCB’s politics, and it is this:<br /> <a href="http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/how-to/icons-of-photography/534672/dessau-1945-informer-henri-cartier-bresson-iconic-photograph">http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/how-to/icons-of-photography/534672/dessau-1945-informer-henri-cartier-bresson-iconic-photograph</a><br /> This was taken at Dessau, a displaced person’s camp after the end of WWII – HCB was working as a stills man on an Allied propaganda film intended to have the message “Look – we’re civilised – even with Nazi collaborators, we give them a fair shake!” The whole area of collaborators is a very muddy one in French history, it is fairly well known that female collaborators were frequently head-shaved, tarred and feathered and beaten – male collaborators were not treated so “mercifully”, being simply taken out and shot. A true news reporter, I feel, would have gone after this story, notwithstanding that it was one no-one at the time wanted to hear – HCB for whatever reason was content to turn in pix like the above and move on.</p>