Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson died Tuesday at the age of 95. He was one of the foremost photographers of the 20th century.
"The Family of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the Foundation Henri Cartier-Bresson, the photographers and staff of Magnum Photos are sad to announce the death of Henri Cartier-Bresson the 3rd of August 2004 at 9.30 am, in his house in the department of Luberon. His funeral was held in the strictest of privacy. A commemoration will be held in honour of his memory at the beginning of September." - www.magnumphotos.com
(Hyères, France. 1932)
Henri Cartier-Bresson's remarkable eye captured wonderful moments in time which have often been dubbed "the decisive moment." One of the classic examples is a man running with his reflection captured in a pool of water.
(Paris, Behind the Gare Saint Lazare. 1932)
Cartier-Bresson's description of the moment: "There was a plank fence around some repairs behind the Gare Saint Lazare train station. I happened to be peeking through a gap in the fence with my camera at the moment the man jumped. The space between the planks was not entirely wide enough for my lens, which is the reason why the picture is cut off on the left."
(Madrid, Spain. 1933)
Some of his photos are icons of the photographic art. Cartier-Bresson was walking down the street and snapped a photo just as the man ahead of him turned and looked back. What is the man thinking? The photo is a classic.
(Allées du Prado, Marseilles. 1932)
Many of his photos evoke questions. Why is this girl running? The photo is so much the better for having the girl in it.
(Siphnos, Greece. 1961)
Many of my favorites involve just a one or two persons in a larger landscape.
(Salerno, Italy. 1933)
(Town of Briançon, France. 1951)
Some of his photos are a remarkable study in line, shape and form.
(Abruzze, Village of Aquila, Italy. 1951)
I have created a photographic restrospective of his work which you can view
here.
You can see a lot more of his wonderful photography in a multi-album retrospective at
Magnum, the picture agency he created back in the 1940s.
NPR has an article and a retrospective
here.
Henri CARTIER-BRESSON. USA. New York City. 1935.
Photo George HOYNINGEN-HUENE, D.R.
