Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5   Go Down

Author Topic: Re: Cartier-Bresson article  (Read 24815 times)

Isaac

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3123
Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« on: February 29, 2016, 08:09:52 pm »

Interesting historical perspective … without a relevant knowledge of the times and circumstances …

Beware.

Was Cartier-Bresson an émigré?

Was Cartier-Bresson of Jewish descent?

Was anything there actually about Cartier-Bresson?
Logged

Slobodan Blagojevic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 18090
  • When everyone thinks the same, nobody thinks
    • My website
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #1 on: February 29, 2016, 08:31:28 pm »

Beware.

Was Cartier-Bresson an émigré?

Was Cartier-Bresson of Jewish descent?

Was anything there actually about Cartier-Bresson?

No, but nobody said that, nor it can be concluded from the post (if one is reading it carefully). It was, however, about historic circumstances in which many photographers were collaborating with the Communist press, and why. One view, at least. It does give a context to HCB's own collaboration.

James Clark

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2347
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #2 on: February 29, 2016, 09:30:45 pm »

Beware.

Was Cartier-Bresson an émigré?

Was Cartier-Bresson of Jewish descent?

Was anything there actually about Cartier-Bresson?

My comment was more of a general rumination on the importance of context in the appreciation of art.  Rob's specific comments on the times clearly were not exhaustive, but nevertheless are a(nother) piece of information that helps toward a greater understanding of HCB's production, nor does HCB necessarily need to conform to any of the groups mentioned to be influenced by the era's various social and political happenings.
« Last Edit: February 29, 2016, 09:40:51 pm by James Clark »
Logged

Isaac

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3123
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #3 on: February 29, 2016, 10:32:27 pm »

Rob's specific comments on the times clearly were not exhaustive …

They were not true of Cartier-Bresson.
Logged

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2016, 03:59:01 am »

They were not true of Cartier-Bresson.


Nobody said that they were: HC-B came from a wealthy family, thanks largely to whose financial security blanket he was able to swan around much of the world indulging himself in art - in one form or another. And I think we are all the better for it. The references are all there in the many books - as I'm sure you well know, which makes me wonder why you thought it necessary to raise the matter, if not simply because you find yourself in a continuing state of open warfare.

Rob C

Paulo Bizarro

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7393
    • http://www.paulobizarro.com
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2016, 04:28:10 am »

I find it a good article, and gives some pointers on how to look and analyse photos, from HCB, or anybody else.

A good example on how to learn from the works of the masters.

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2016, 05:01:28 am »

gives some pointers on how to look and analyse photos

I think it does exactly the opposite, but everyone has a right to an opinion.
Logged

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2016, 07:20:02 am »

Does anyone honestly think that looking at his images will improve their photography? Nobody can hope to replicate them mostly because they were taken in a bygone era. The "decisive moment" is simply plain common sense and luck is probably more important. Personally speaking most of my "best" images were luck and the planned ones never really came to fruition. It is simply all about looking and seeing.  :-\

JohnBrew

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 868
    • http://www.johnbrewton.zenfolio.com
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2016, 07:30:28 am »

For me, it's not a question of whether he deserves another 'poetic elegy' or whether there is consensus as to how good he was.  It's the problem of yet another article/thread reducing his body of work to the 'decisive moment' mantra.  (To be clear, I'm not specifically criticizing this author or this article, just that nearly all writings/ discussions are solely focused on the 'decisive moment' theme.) As though his photography was all about waiting on the streets for someone to jump or ride by on a bicycle or make some motion that he captured at precisely the right time.

What about the rest of his work? Where are the articles discussing his strong Surrealist influences, without which the 'decisive moment' would have had much less visual impact? What about his photojournalism work or his environmental portraiture?  Or even his film work?

There is so much more to Cartier-Bresson.  And even if limited to the 'decisive moment', so much more to his photographs than the, well, decisive moment.  I'd love to read an informed article about the difference between the millions of photos of people caught yawning on a bus or sleeping on a park bench or walking under a funny poster, etc. and the visual art captured within Cartier-Bresson's photos.

If you would like to know another side of HCB, try Sextet by John Malcolm Brinnin.

Slobodan Blagojevic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 18090
  • When everyone thinks the same, nobody thinks
    • My website
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2016, 08:33:45 am »

Does anyone honestly think that looking at his images will improve their photography? ...

Russ does, rightly.

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2016, 08:34:08 am »

Does anyone honestly think that looking at his images will improve their photography?

Yes. Not enormously, and not through going searching for magic moments... but in the general sense of being inspired by some wonderfully poetic images, to imagine what can make a powerful photograph. Along the lines of the comment made by Katrin Eismann, on the importance of being vulnerable by trying things: to stop worrying about whether this or that is worthy of a photograph.

Personally, I don't think Derrière la Gare St Lazarre is particularly outstanding, it just happens to have lots of elements that are easy for critics to point out and make a fuss of. I don't get very excited about the Armenian photo either... but the Mexican one yes (even without caring about the Vacado sign), and so many others. And of course other people will by inspired by different things, which is good, since we are able to be inspired to follow our own directions.

The world has indeed moved on, it's too late to become HCB, but inspiration is more subtle than that.
Logged

Etrsi_645

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 52
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2016, 08:36:10 am »

Logged
Pentax K-5 with lenses: DA* 16-50 f/2.8,

Rob C

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 24074
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2016, 09:05:31 am »

Does anyone honestly think that looking at his images will improve their photography? Nobody can hope to replicate them mostly because they were taken in a bygone era. The "decisive moment" is simply plain common sense and luck is probably more important. Personally speaking most of my "best" images were luck and the planned ones never really came to fruition. It is simply all about looking and seeing.  :-\


What I think these images will do, is this: as with other genres, looking at what's possibly/probably up there amongst the best of whichever genres, will open the viewer's eyes to what's been/being done in the various photographic spheres. Then, from much looking, it becomes possible to discover the things that mean something to you, the individual.

Once you have overcome that quite large hurdle - you can't really love everything, any more than you can love everyone - you are then in a mental position to think seriously about where you really want your own efforts to be directed.

Today, with the Internet, opportunity to explore and discover is incredibly wide. I began in a time when all that could be accessed was magazines, and they cost a lot when you only had a half-crown per week pocket money to live on... ;-)

I'm not, of course, aiming this post directly at stamper - he's been around long enough to know all this - I'm just pointing out to fresher, less experienced minds that the world of photography is huge, that you can't hope to excell at everything, and that time is always too short even if you are dealt the best hand of cards on the planet.

Please, discover what turns you on and pursue it!

Rob C

« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 02:33:39 pm by Rob C »
Logged

Paulo Bizarro

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7393
    • http://www.paulobizarro.com
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2016, 11:33:24 am »

I think it does exactly the opposite, but everyone has a right to an opinion.

Thanks for letting me have an opinion :)

To me, analysing photos, and learning how to do it, is an important part of the learning process for photography. Therefore, for example looking at complementing figures, geometries, colours, motifs, etc, can be a good exercise in understanding why some photos work, and others not.

In this regard, I can highly recommend this book:

http://www.rockynook.com/shop/photography/why-photographs-work/

Isaac

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3123
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2016, 11:39:05 am »

The "decisive moment" is simply plain common sense …

Perhaps there was more -- "An Investigation into the Concept of the 'Decisive Moment' (Augenblick) as Found in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Western Philosophy".


… luck is probably more important.

« … (par hasard, direz-vous peut-être, mais souvenez-vous que dans les champs de l’observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés) … »
Logged

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2016, 04:00:11 am »

Isaac, what influence has it had over your photographic education? Some examples would be helpful in understanding how you have progressed. I don't have a problem with looking at images and learning but to me modern examples would be better than ones taken decades ago because photography has moved on. Digital has been a game changer?

GrahamBy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1813
    • Some of my photos
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #16 on: March 02, 2016, 04:38:14 am »

To me, analysing photos, and learning how to do it, is an important part of the learning process for photography. Therefore, for example looking at complementing figures, geometries, colours, motifs, etc, can be a good exercise in understanding why some photos work, and others not.

I agree with that without hesitation. It's just this particular case, where the analysis seemed to me more about hagiography than illumination. But possibly just that's me  8)
Logged

AreBee

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 638
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #17 on: March 02, 2016, 04:43:45 am »

stamper,

Quote
...photography has moved on.

'How pictures work' has not.
Logged

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2016, 04:55:39 am »

stamper,

'How pictures work' has not.

Yes they have. Looking at modern contemporary images - that I have a chance of shooting - is better than looking at old images of France and Paris. Regarding cities then seeing images of Glasgow and Edinburgh in a present day setting will mean that I can learn better than Paris pre war? I don't get this fascination with a dead Frenchman. :(

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Re: Cartier-Bresson article
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2016, 06:08:41 am »

The problem with looking at images of photographers from years of yore is that they saw the world with a set of "rules" in mind, some of which was derived from painters. In the modern world the "rules" have less relevance - if any at all - and if the "rules" are adhered to then your mind is set in a photographic straightjacket. Did HCB cut the heads off in portraits? David Bailey did so and initially got castigated for it. In modern times it is now acceptable. Thinking has moved on and the present day risk takers in photographic terms are the ones to study.
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5   Go Up