Man Jumping a Puddle - Henri Cartier-Bresson (1932)This famouse image captures the very essence of the "decisive moment", and it's a skill that documentary photographers / photojournalists absolutely need to develop. I practice at local ice hockey matches - though I could only dream of having the skill that Cartier-Bresson possessed. His feats of capturing such moments are all the more remarkable considering that not only was he working with film, he even pre-dated the motor drive by over 40 years. In the shot above, Cartier-Bresson had no other choice but to time the click of his shutter to absolute perfection. Journalistic shots cannot be retaken - if the moment is missed, it is missed forever.
The "decisive moment" isn't just about action shots, however. To Cartier-Bresson, the moment also relates to balance, emotional impact - in other words, the moment a great shot comes together. It is the photographer's job to "see" this moment.
Cartier-Bresson, of all the photographic masters, is one I perhaps admire the most. He spent most of his life working with only a Leica Rangefinder camera and a 50mm lens. His sheer experience with this simple setup allowed him to instinctively know what he would see when he pointed his camera at a subject. I find this approach remarkable, and try to keep my own camera setup simple for the same reason. However, there are other far better guides to his life and work than anything I could post here. See the following suggested links:
Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation
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