Great video Ted! Love to see more video's on Cartier-Bresson. However the image at 6:27 Is not two men looking through a canvas but an arrest. The man with his face against the wall is under arrest. The "hole in the wall" is actually the shadow from his face and the cap.
For those who may want to know, the photograph of the man kissing the ring of a cardinal shows the back of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli who later became Pope Pius XII (1939-1958).
Thank you so much for this video Ted. I think this is the hardest part of photography to learn and you explain it an easy to understand manner. This is the part of photography that I struggle with the most and thanks again! Also I have heard of Bresson work but never really saw it before. His work is good!
Very nice video, Ted. I'm working my way through your series. As a beginner, it's very nice to take a break from the technical details and focus on what makes really great shots great. Thank you for walking us through one of your favorite masters.
FWIW, I'm reading a book in which he is quoted heavily. Seems he was quite attached to being a photographer, but saw it as an intuitive, spontaneous form of art, grounded in present moment awareness. He was classically influenced and it evidenced itself in his photography... at least that's the point the book makes...
How interesting that I see different triangles than you see. Not a bad thing at all but observation how we can all look at the same thing & have a different view of it. He spoke about geometry in his photos & man can I see that here. Great vid. Eye opening.
at one time Bresson used a leica which gave an upside down image in the viewfinder, supposed to allow disengagement from the subject matter and focus on form.
???? He may have (visoflex) but I have never seen him with one; not exactly useful for a traveling photojournalist. And definitely never advocated that.
Very informative video. Great idea to draw a parallel between jazz and photography, at least this type of photography. HCB was a JS Bach guy, but truly jazz is a better analogy. I could have thought of different photographs to illustrate your point (the one of the guy sleeping on the grass-very Bill Brandt in inspiration) and the one taken in Russia may not clearly illustrate your point ; great work anyway. Now, a few historical facts: as a painter, HCB was not exactly trained in the "Renaissance" tradition but by André Lhôte, who had rather a cubist slant. Never a member of the surrealist group he did use to hang out with them as they had the same political, philosophical and esthetic preoccupation (in the 1930s HCB often worked for the communist press and many surrealists were either members or sympathizers of the party then, which, before the horrors of Stalinism were exposed, carried the idea of human (social) progress, modernity, and fraternity along with an art avant-garde that was inspiring (Eisenstein, Rodchenko...). Peter Galassi in his 1981 exhibition and catalogue (HCB, The Early Work) brilliantly illustrated the fact of the surrealist influence in HCB's work in the 1930s, in contrast with his post-WW II work when, as a co-founder of a photojournalism coop, Magnum (1947), he was advised by his friend and co-founder Robert Capa to drop the "artist" label if he wanted to get work and to sustain their new venture. As for the expression "Decisive Moment", the title in the USA of his 1952 book, "Images à la sauvette" (Images on the go), HCB never used it himself, in fact he made a point in not using it (info confirmed to me by his own wife, Martine Franck). As for the shutter-speed in "Hyères", taken in the 1930s, film speed at the time was around 10-20 ISO, not exactly much leeway to freeze action (especially on what seems to be a gray day or a shot taken in the shade), HCB probably did with what he had rather than having a lot of choices to pick from ;o). I hope these elements will incite readers to dive a little deeper in HCB's lifework and the history of photography. Both are great sources of information, providing ground for further creativity and improvisation. Thanks again for a great video series.
The Decisive Moment is not when Cartier-Bresson hit the shutter, big misconception, its actually when he selected the image from his contact sheet. If you actually look at his contacts he tended to photograph the same scene over and over again until something 'worthy' happened. Read a book.
Actually you're both right. The Decisive Moment is still when he hit the shutter but it's also continued when reviewing his contact sheets. Sure, he'd take a few shots of the one scene which is evident in his contact sheets - but they are usually all shots where something is happening. Why? Because he'd usually wait for something to happen. So every picture he is taking is a "decisive moment" which he'd then pick out the best of these 'moments' from the contact sheet. He wouldn't take a photo of this man lifting the hand of the pope to kiss, he'd take it as he kissed it. He wouldn't take the photo as a bike is entering frame but wait for it to hit the exact point of interest then snap the shot. I read lots of books. :)
Read his 1952 text, confirmed by later ones and you will actually read that the decisive moment happens behind the camera when the photographer puts "on the same axis eye, heart, and mind. Which does not mean that a contact sheet is not useful, but no disinformation please, stick to the source.
Actually you should read books instead playing the smart head. Also, you should know that Ted Forbes here speaking has been studying in Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the University of North Texas. I think that during his studies he read a lot more books about arts than you did if you didn't take classes in arts. And also, he used to be a teacher in a college, and also head of a department at Dallas Museum of Arts, which implies that he may know what he's speaking about. It doesn't mean you can't disagree with him. But it means you cannot speak like that to people. Also, Cartier-Bresson himself expressed the decisive moment as the moment he hits the shutter. The whole contact sheet story comes afterwards.
HCB was a kranky old git who thought that photography was only second rate after "Art". he neither developed his own film nor printed his own images. He stated quite firmly that you should never crop your images but his famous out of focus image "The Puddle Hopper" is heavily cropped. It was o.k. from him to do it but not you. Phillip Jones Griffith said that this shot was the best photograph ever taken, rubbish. Erwitt, Cappa,Salgado, McCullen, Frank, Maier are way ahead. Loved the video,MGB
His views about photography came in the mid-1970s when he sort of retired from MAGNUM. Obviously not the opinion of the author of "Images à la sauvette" (The Decisive Moment), in 1952. Quoting an obvious exception (Derrière la gare St Lazare) to justify your disrespect can fire back. The planks of the fence on each side of the action in that photograph (and eliminated in most if not all known prints of the photograph) do not obliterate the fact that the man jumping was caught in the air, that the composition is not only balanced but adds to the dynamism of the photograph, that the background (poster) eerily mimics the jumping man and the curved piece of wood/metal in the water in the foreground. Yes, indeed, a great picture acknowledge by a multitude of knowledgeable photographers. Not your taste, well that happens, but HCB is definitely not to be blamed for that.
The Decisive Moment is not when Cartier-Bresson hit the shutter, big misconception, its actually when he selected the image from his contact sheet. If you actually look at his contacts he tended to photograph the same scene over and over again until something 'worthy' happened. Read a book.
Read his 1952 text, confirmed by later ones and you will actually read that the decisive moment happens behind the camera when the photographer puts "on the same axis eye, heart, and mind. Which does not mean that a contact sheet is not useful, but no disinformation please, stick to the source.
This is fantastic. It’s been 13 years since this video was posted and the content is timeless! 👏
I have to say, this channel is by far the best I've seen about photography. One can really learn a tremendous amount from Steve.
I love this video because explains composition more easier to see how to compositions are made. Excellent job
Great video Ted! Love to see more video's on Cartier-Bresson.
However the image at 6:27
Is not two men looking through a canvas but an arrest. The man with his face against the wall is under arrest. The "hole in the wall" is actually the shadow from his face and the cap.
For those who may want to know, the photograph of the man kissing the ring of a cardinal shows the back of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli who later became Pope Pius XII (1939-1958).
UFGator1972 thank you.
Thank you so much for this video Ted. I think this is the hardest part of photography to learn and you explain it an easy to understand manner. This is the part of photography that I struggle with the most and thanks again! Also I have heard of Bresson work but never really saw it before. His work is good!
You never did the episode on the 80 20 rule.
Great video! Your analysis really pinpoints what the photo make so great! Very informative, thank you!
Very nice video, Ted. I'm working my way through your series. As a beginner, it's very nice to take a break from the technical details and focus on what makes really great shots great. Thank you for walking us through one of your favorite masters.
James Watts 😀
Seriously, what is wrong with you people?! This is a fantastic video as are the others in this series. Ted you're brilliant!
The last photograph is also perfectly fits to Fibonacci Spiral composition.
FWIW, I'm reading a book in which he is quoted heavily. Seems he was quite attached to being a photographer, but saw it as an intuitive, spontaneous form of art, grounded in present moment awareness. He was classically influenced and it evidenced itself in his photography... at least that's the point the book makes...
How interesting that I see different triangles than you see. Not a bad thing at all but observation how we can all look at the same thing & have a different view of it. He spoke about geometry in his photos & man can I see that here. Great vid. Eye opening.
Who can dislike this? Thanks for the commentary and introducing me to a lot of new concepts :)
it's amazing how you can almost see the implied lines
Love this video. It was very helpful to hear you analyze the photographs and see the lines drawn in.
Very informative. Thank you for all these videos.
Great attention grabber with the Jazz analogy, Great video!
Amazing video! Thank you so much, I learnt a lot in just under 15 minutes. Great examples too :)
at one time Bresson used a leica which gave an upside down image in the viewfinder, supposed to allow disengagement from the subject matter and focus on form.
???? He may have (visoflex) but I have never seen him with one; not exactly useful for a traveling photojournalist. And definitely never advocated that.
Great video again - I would say he was definitely surrealistic in many ways though...!
"you know and you know..also you know but you know "
Great video Ted.
Very informative video. Great idea to draw a parallel between jazz and photography, at least this type of photography. HCB was a JS Bach guy, but truly jazz is a better analogy. I could have thought of different photographs to illustrate your point (the one of the guy sleeping on the grass-very Bill Brandt in inspiration) and the one taken in Russia may not clearly illustrate your point ; great work anyway. Now, a few historical facts: as a painter, HCB was not exactly trained in the "Renaissance" tradition but by André Lhôte, who had rather a cubist slant. Never a member of the surrealist group he did use to hang out with them as they had the same political, philosophical and esthetic preoccupation (in the 1930s HCB often worked for the communist press and many surrealists were either members or sympathizers of the party then, which, before the horrors of Stalinism were exposed, carried the idea of human (social) progress, modernity, and fraternity along with an art avant-garde that was inspiring (Eisenstein, Rodchenko...). Peter Galassi in his 1981 exhibition and catalogue (HCB, The Early Work) brilliantly illustrated the fact of the surrealist influence in HCB's work in the 1930s, in contrast with his post-WW II work when, as a co-founder of a photojournalism coop, Magnum (1947), he was advised by his friend and co-founder Robert Capa to drop the "artist" label if he wanted to get work and to sustain their new venture. As for the expression "Decisive Moment", the title in the USA of his 1952 book, "Images à la sauvette" (Images on the go), HCB never used it himself, in fact he made a point in not using it (info confirmed to me by his own wife, Martine Franck). As for the shutter-speed in "Hyères", taken in the 1930s, film speed at the time was around 10-20 ISO, not exactly much leeway to freeze action (especially on what seems to be a gray day or a shot taken in the shade), HCB probably did with what he had rather than having a lot of choices to pick from ;o). I hope these elements will incite readers to dive a little deeper in HCB's lifework and the history of photography. Both are great sources of information, providing ground for further creativity and improvisation. Thanks again for a great video series.
Wow 9 years has gone by.............
Thank you for teaching us. I have learned a lot. Even rule of odds.
oh oh, what happened to the rule of odds???
Good job.
Fantastic video very detail
great one!
Great topic
Loved this video.. Thanks so much.
I like these videos
Very informative... a great help!
LOVE IT!!
The Decisive Moment is not when Cartier-Bresson hit the shutter, big misconception, its actually when he selected the image from his contact sheet. If you actually look at his contacts he tended to photograph the same scene over and over again until something 'worthy' happened. Read a book.
You are playing the smart guy. Give us a little compassion, please. What he says doesn't contradict your point.
Actually you're both right. The Decisive Moment is still when he hit the shutter but it's also continued when reviewing his contact sheets. Sure, he'd take a few shots of the one scene which is evident in his contact sheets - but they are usually all shots where something is happening. Why? Because he'd usually wait for something to happen. So every picture he is taking is a "decisive moment" which he'd then pick out the best of these 'moments' from the contact sheet. He wouldn't take a photo of this man lifting the hand of the pope to kiss, he'd take it as he kissed it. He wouldn't take the photo as a bike is entering frame but wait for it to hit the exact point of interest then snap the shot.
I read lots of books. :)
Read his 1952 text, confirmed by later ones and you will actually read that the decisive moment happens behind the camera when the photographer puts "on the same axis eye, heart, and mind. Which does not mean that a contact sheet is not useful, but no disinformation please, stick to the source.
Actually you should read books instead playing the smart head.
Also, you should know that Ted Forbes here speaking has been studying in Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the University of North Texas.
I think that during his studies he read a lot more books about arts than you did if you didn't take classes in arts. And also, he used to be a teacher in a college, and also head of a department at Dallas Museum of Arts, which implies that he may know what he's speaking about.
It doesn't mean you can't disagree with him. But it means you cannot speak like that to people. Also, Cartier-Bresson himself expressed the decisive moment as the moment he hits the shutter. The whole contact sheet story comes afterwards.
HCB was a kranky old git who thought that photography was only second rate after "Art". he neither developed his own film nor printed his own images. He stated quite firmly that you should never crop your images but his famous out of focus image "The Puddle Hopper" is heavily cropped. It was o.k. from him to do it but not you. Phillip Jones Griffith said that this shot was the best photograph ever taken, rubbish. Erwitt, Cappa,Salgado, McCullen, Frank, Maier are way ahead. Loved the video,MGB
His views about photography came in the mid-1970s when he sort of retired from MAGNUM. Obviously not the opinion of the author of "Images à la sauvette" (The Decisive Moment), in 1952. Quoting an obvious exception (Derrière la gare St Lazare) to justify your disrespect can fire back. The planks of the fence on each side of the action in that photograph (and eliminated in most if not all known prints of the photograph) do not obliterate the fact that the man jumping was caught in the air, that the composition is not only balanced but adds to the dynamism of the photograph, that the background (poster) eerily mimics the jumping man and the curved piece of wood/metal in the water in the foreground. Yes, indeed, a great picture acknowledge by a multitude of knowledgeable photographers. Not your taste, well that happens, but HCB is definitely not to be blamed for that.
Ted, I love your channel... But my god man! Keep the darned mouse still! lol
Hey numpty! The video is eight years old!! What a noob...
your face is out of focus, while background is in focus
Watch this on the end of 2017 😂
Why do people smack their lips when they wants. It’s like they suddenly out out of saliva
The Decisive Moment is not when Cartier-Bresson hit the shutter, big misconception, its actually when he selected the image from his contact sheet. If you actually look at his contacts he tended to photograph the same scene over and over again until something 'worthy' happened. Read a book.
Read his 1952 text, confirmed by later ones and you will actually read that the decisive moment happens behind the camera when the photographer puts "on the same axis eye, heart, and mind. Which does not mean that a contact sheet is not useful, but no disinformation please, stick to the source.
Who hurt you man?