Cartier Bresson was arguably, the first person to develop the technique of ‘The decisive moment’. The premise being that you find a location or situation that is ‘primed’ or waiting for the final constituent to make the perfect picture. Two good examples of this are; Derriere la Gare Saint-Lazare, & Hyères, France 1932.
I can’t help but feel that all too many of these images were staged. In one particular interview he talks openly about ‘just happening to stick his camera through a hole in a fence and pressing the shutter’, not knowing what he was going to get! This resulted in ‘Derriere la Gare Saint-Lazare’. Highly unlikely! There is so much about this image that is obviously staged, and to suggest that the image was taken ‘blind’ as it were, beggars belief.
His body of work is vast and in black and white. Browsing through his work it is clear to see that he is a master of composition and second to none.
I have employed his ‘Decisive moment’ technique, with great effect, in Assignment 2.
I see! 