FREE ESSAY ON CARTIER-BRESSON

CARTIER-BRESSON

One of this century's icons in photography Henri-Cartier Bresson, thought to be the Father
of
modern day Street Photography, transformed the field through his concept of "the
decisive
moment." He defined it as "the simultaneous recognition in a fraction of a second, of
the
significance of an event as well as a precise organization of forms that give that event
its proper
expression." In other words, the dramatic climax of a picture where everything falls
perfectly into
place. Bresson's photographs excel in composition without cropping his negatives, he had
a
unique ability to capture the fleeting moment in which the subject's significance is
revealed in
form, content, and expression. Cartier-Bresson utilizes a Leica 35 Midtown Mediation
camera, in
fact, he popularized this small, portable camera. The general format that he incorporates
is black
and white silver gelatin in 11" x 14" and 16" x 20" sizes. 
The photograph, "Behind the Gare St. Lazare", 1932, a man jumping through a puddle,
shows the French photographer's ability to catch the moment in which an event is about to
take
place. This picture is one of intensity and depth, it brings out his creativity and
ability as a
photographer. The contrasts of light-to-dark and dark-to-light is brought about all
throughout the
image. His ability of self-expression and compassion for his artwork, is what makes this
photograph so full of life and passion. The style of the picture is smooth, and soft, yet
at some
angles it looks harsh and full of shadows. It brings out the complexities and intricacies
that a
photographer has to go through in order to achieve such a perfect picture. He also makes
popular
the saying "being at the right place at the right time," because this is just what this
photograph
demonstrates. It also catches the attention of any viewer, just in the simple way the man
is
literally above the ground jumping over the puddle, it's an amazement to any eye. The
sense of
shadowing that pertrude throughout the image, is in itself a great accomplishment.
Bresson
captivated his audiences through his marvelous works, he captured the essential quality
and
fineness of an object and multiplied it by 3. Cartier-Bresson was, and is an incredible
photographer that still fascinates and enchants his audiences with such great works.
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