.jpg/1280px-Bologna,_Le_Due_Torri_(06).jpg)
French, 1908 to 2004
Henri Cartier-Bresson
studied
the decisive momentgeometryhumanistMagnum
“To photograph is to hold one's breath when all faculties converge in the face of fleeting reality.”
The signature
Geometry and timing fused into the single perfect instant, shot on a 50mm Leica.
What to study
The founder of modern street photography and of Magnum. Study his geometry, his patience, and above all the decisive moment: the discipline of waiting for all elements to align. Note that he rarely cropped and almost never used flash. His eye is the baseline grammar of the form.
Why for Matias
His grammar is the foundation under everything in the curriculum. Master his patience and geometry first.
Iconic images
We do not host copyrighted photographs. Tap an image to read what to notice and to open a search or source.
Best books
The Decisive Moment (1952)
The book that named the idea.
The Mind's Eye (1999)
His collected writings on photography.