Famous+Photographer

Famous Photographer- **Henri Cartier-Bresson**
Quote: //"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It's a way of life."//

Henri Cartier-Bresson**,** born in August 22, 1908 – August 3, 2004, was a French photojournalistconsidered to be the father of modern photojournalism.After studying painting and being influenced by surrealism,he began a career in photography in 1931.Traveled to the United States in 1935 with an invitation to exhibit his work at New York's Julien Levy Gallery,Henri got an fashion assignment from Carmel Snow of Harper's Bazaar (American Fashion Magazine); But ,he fared poorly since he had no idea how to direct or interact with the models.He returned to France and applied for a job with renowned French film director Jean Renoir who made Henri act so he could understand how it felt to be on the other side of the camera. Cartier-Bresson's first photojournalist photos to be published came in 1937 and he is renowned for his countless memorable images of 20th-century individuals and events,for instance : He witnessed and photographed many of his era's most historic events, from the Spanish Civil War, to the partition of India, the Chinese revolution, and France's 1968 student rebellion. He also made numerous photographs of the German occupation of France and in 1944, after escaping from a Nazi prison camp, organized underground photography units. Any of his decision on photography requires a discussion of the importance of timeframing. Bresson’s own ideas of photography grew out of painting, and his link to fine art informed his photographic work. His own explanations of his work center around the concept of “The Decisive Moment” and an “impassioned eye.”
 * 1. Give some historical background on their life. /20**

Henri Cartier-Bresson reckoned to be the forefather of street and reportage photography and many of today's street photographers have copied style.Achieved with the simplest of techniques, his works are remarkable for their flawless composition, for their capture of what has been called "the decisive moment" in a situation, some of the most important faces and places of the 20th century. Henri 's 1930s pictures helped to define photographic Modernism. To make images seem mysterious, almost magical, he distorted or partially obscured forms and displaced familiar objects from their context, emphasizing bold graphics and geometric patterns. Furthermore,Henri is a master of capturing human expressions in his lens, whether men and women, whether young or old, all sparkle. United States Washington area art gallery in charge of the photography and media art Brookman said: "now all photos are taken of, directly or indirectly, under the influence of Cartier-Bresson.
 * 2. Describe their influences. /5**

His photographs, characteristically taken with a simple traditional Leica manual camera, standard lens , black and white film. Most of his perfect photo composition, line, curve , spatially separated, creating depth of field , there is a dynamic " sense of time".By catching people's facial expressions at every decisive moment, each picture has a very deep imagination;Also, his photographs are rich in spatial level , the picture is full of stories , every detail of their fair share of the pendulum in the right position. One of his special style: Henri-Cartier Bresson knew how to process and develop his own film, he never did it by himself. He would go out and shoot and send his photos to people he trusted, who would develop it for him. This gave him a huge advantage because it would allow how to spend less time in the darkroom, and more time out shooting.
 * 3. Describe their style and major genre (Documentary, Fashion etc.) /5**


 * 4. Upload a minumum of 5 Photos that represent their work. /25**

1. errière la gare Saint-Lazare, Paris, 1932 - Henri Cartier-Bresson The little boy hopping over the puddle gives us a sense of motion. This is a good representation of Henri because he stated that “To take a photograph means to recognize— simultaneously and within a fraction of a second — both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning” Light naturally comes from the back of those houses and by reflection of the water.
 * __**What design elements are aparent?**__
 * 1) Balance-Water reflects the image creates a balance in this photo.
 * __**Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?**__
 * __**Describe the use of light.**__

2 CHINA. Shanghai. December 1948-January 1949.

This photo is a good representation of Henri Cartier-Bresson because he likes to travel around the the world and capture a different slice of life and learn more about the local people he was with. This is a great shoot which he took it in China. The natural sunlight is distrubited equally in the picture.
 * __**What design elements are aparent?**__
 * 1) Element Relationship -Squeezing together and pulling each other clothes which give me a sense of relationship
 * 2) Direction -The messy line creates a stright direction.
 * __**Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?**__
 * __**Describe the use of light.**__

3 Several different elements are used in this photo ,for example This photo consists Henri's consistent style which used curve and children's facial expressions as the main subject. Decisive moment:Kids looking down from a staircase. The spiral staircase gives it a unique perspective and look. The brightest part is in the bottom while it gets darker when it gets closer the top .Light is all-around and is being reflected by the white stair.
 * __**What design elements are aparent?**__
 * 1) Dynamic “S” Arrangement,the shape of the stair.
 * 2) Depth- photographer took this photo from the lowest floor.
 * **__Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?__**
 * __**Describe the use of light**__

4 Hyeres,France, 1932 - Henri Cartier-Bresson His photographs have a rigorous composition rules .Everything is under static conditions, there's a dynamic character who is a "human" which brings street live up. Cartier-Bresson ‘prowled the streets’ in search of fleeting moments such as this boy on a bicycle photo. He said: "The shutter release is just the key points of the event, photos, content must be strictly in accordance with the rules of geometry , which is instantaneous on the spatial structure of equal importance in the observed movement occurred at the same time to complete the action composition and shutter release . " Light comes from all around but it seems that more light comes from the rider's direction.
 * **__What design elements are aparent?__**
 * 1) Direction-Undefine direction of the rider
 * 2) Simple and Single Point-A simple background with a curve stair and a rider on the left top corner.
 * __**Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?**__
 * __**Describe the use of light**__

5 Magnum Photos. Bélgica, 1958.


 * **__What design elements are aparent?__**
 * 1) Element Relationship-two little boy,main object in this photo,were discussing about the flight.
 * 2) Direction-The direction of the flights.

He witnessed and photographed many of his era's most historic events.A traveling exhibit of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s pioneering photojournalism includes images from historic events such as this one from the 1958 World’s Fair in Bruss.
 * __**Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?**__

Light mostly comes from the left handside of the photo and some soft light from all-around.
 * __**Describe the use of light**__

6 Rue Mouffetard, Paris, 1954 - Henri Cartier-Bresson Simple and Single Point-Main object in this photo-Little boy Element Relationship-A pretty little boy was walking on the street and holding two bottles of wine proudly.
 * **__What design elements are aparent?__**

Cartier-Bresson says he took this photo in the background story is that little boy very happy and proud to hold two wine bottles, swagger walk on market street on the left bank in Paris ;because he rushes to buy two expensive wines and completed this task offered by his mother .He feels satisfy of his sucess, holding his "t rophy" and back home proudly.
 * __**Why are they a good representation of this photographers work?**__

Light naturally comes from all around.
 * __**Describe the use of light**__

Background 20/20 Influences 5/5 Style/Genre 5/5 5 Photos and Description 25/25 Total 55/55