Henri Cartier-Bresson : A Propos de Paris
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| Henri Cartier-Bresson : A Propos de Paris | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Photography is nothing, it's life that interests me." With his ever-present Leica camera, Henri Cartier-Bresson captured the raw and the sweet, the comic and the profound moments of lives that were lost in the grind or relegated to someone else's memory--the coincidental moment at which a reflection in a puddle of water mimics a poster on a nearby wall or when lovers kiss, oblivious to the not-so-pristine world around them. It is the familiar beauty and cruelty of the day-to-day that is so engaging in his photographs: two cosmopolitan woman chat nonchalantly while surrounded by empty lettuce crates; mourners at a funeral stare directly into the camera; postwar Paris awakens in the fog. Cartier-Bresson was the master of the "decisive moment," that fleeting instant for which a picture really is worth a thousand words, which is the essence of photojournalism. In no place is this more exemplified than in his images of Paris.Cartier-Bresson personally selected the more than 130 black-and-white photographs of Paris for this publication. With photographs taken over a period of 50 years, the work is beautifully and generously printed in duotone. The accompanying essays, both short and unobtrusive, are also familiar and personal. One essayist captures the essence of Cartier-Bresson's camera work: "When life calls, he is always there, to assist, or to admire; to rebel, or to say no to exploiters and imposters, and to all those who demean its value." --Manine Golden
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"Photography is nothing, it's life that interests me." With his ever-present Leica camera, Henri Cartier-Bresson captured the raw and the sweet, the comic and the profound moments of lives that were lost in the grind or relegated to someone else's memory--the coincidental moment at which a reflection in a puddle of water mimics a poster on a nearby wall or when lovers kiss, oblivious to the not-so-pristine world around them. It is the familiar beauty and cruelty of the day-to-day that is so engaging in his photographs: two cosmopolitan woman chat nonchalantly while surrounded by empty lettuce crates; mourners at a funeral stare directly into the camera; postwar Paris awakens in the fog. Cartier-Bresson was the master of the "decisive moment," that fleeting instant for which a picture really is worth a thousand words, which is the essence of photojournalism. In no place is this more exemplified than in his images of Paris.
Cartier-Bresson personally selected the more than 130 black-and-white photographs of Paris for this publication. With photographs taken over a period of 50 years, the work is beautifully and generously printed in duotone. The accompanying essays, both short and unobtrusive, are also familiar and personal. One essayist captures the essence of Cartier-Bresson's camera work: "When life calls, he is always there, to assist, or to admire; to rebel, or to say no to exploiters and imposters, and to all those who demean its value." --Manine Golden |
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| Reader Reviews 1 - 11 of 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Reader Reviews Below Sorted by Newest First | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 04-17-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have many of Cartier-Bresson's books, but this is the one I find myself drawn to.
Time and again I thumb its pages and find something in the photographs that I never before noticed. This isn't some book full of "pretty" pictures in the conventional sense. One has to look at each picture to understand what inspired HCB to capture it. I have a few favorites photos from this book, but those that stand out in my mind are of the picnic by the Marne and of the little boy carrying two large bottles of wine. The Marne photo is so well layed out that, if one didn't know better, it would seem staged. That simply wasn't Cartier-Bresson's way. Although their faces are not seen, I "know" what each of the people look like. The opposite is true of the little boy. His face is there for all to see and interpret. What is he thinking? Is he happy? Is he proud to be showing off for the little girls in the background? Many of HCB's photos force us to read his mind and the minds of his subjects. These seemingly impromptu snapshots not only depict what HCB saw, but also depict it geometrically. To someone like myself who has dabbled in "street photography", HCB epitomizes the genre. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-16 04:15:05 EST)
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| 04-17-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have many of Cartier-Bresson's books, but this is the one I find myself drawn to.
Time and again I thumb its pages and find something in the photographs that I never before noticed. This isn't some book full of "pretty" pictures in the conventional sense. One has to look at each picture to understand what inspired HCB to capture it. I have a few favorites photos from this book, but those that stand out in my mind are of the picnic by the Marne and of the little boy carrying two large bottles of wine. The Marne photo is so well layed out that, if one didn't know better, it would seem staged. That simply wasn't Cartier-Bresson's way. Although their faces are not seen, I "know" what each of the people look like. The opposite is true of the little boy. His face is there for all to see and interpret. What is he thinking? Is he happy? Is he proud to be showing off for the little girls in the background? Many of HCB's photos force us to read his mind and the minds of his subjects. These seemingly impromptu snapshots not only depict what HCB saw, but also depict it geometrically. To someone like myself who has dabbled in "street photography", HCB epitomizes the genre. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-09-07 04:17:05 EST)
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| 04-17-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have many of Cartier-Bresson's books, but this is the one I find myself drawn to.
Time and again I thumb its pages and find something in the photographs that I never before noticed. This isn't some book full of "pretty" pictures in the conventional sense. One has to look at each picture to understand what inspired HCB to capture it. I have a few favorites photos from this book, but those that stand out in my mind are of the picnic by the Marne and of the little boy carrying two large bottles of wine. The Marne photo is so well layed out that, if one didn't know better, it would seem staged. That simply wasn't Cartier-Bresson's way. Although their faces are not seen, I "know" what each of the people look like. The opposite is true of the little boy. His face is there for all to see and interpret. What is he thinking? Is he happy? Is he proud to be showing off for the little girls in the background? Many of HCB's photos force us to read his mind and the minds of his subjects. These seemingly impromptu snapshots not only depict what HCB saw, but also depict it geometrically. To someone like myself who has dabbled in "street photography", HCB epitomizes the genre. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-01 04:16:26 EST)
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| 04-16-07 | 5 | 2\2 |
| Reviewer | Permalink | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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I have many of Cartier-Bresson's books, but this is the one I find myself drawn to.
Time and again I thumb its pages and find something in the photographs that I never before noticed. This isn't some book full of "pretty" pictures in the conventional sense. One has to look at each picture to understand what inspired HCB to capture it. I have a few favorites photos from this book, but those that stand out in my mind are of the picnic by the Marne and of the little boy carrying two large bottles of wine. The Marne photo is so well layed out that, if one didn't know better, it would seem staged. That simply wasn't Cartier-Bresson's way. Although their faces are not seen, I "know" what each of the people look like. The opposite is true of the little boy. His face is there for all to see and interpret. What is he thinking? Is he happy? Is he proud to be showing off for the little girls in the background? Many of HCB's photos force us to read his mind and the minds of his subjects. These seemingly impromptu snapshots not only depict what HCB saw, but also depict it geometrically. To someone like myself who has dabbled in "street photography", HCB epitomizes the genre. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-11-14 04:09:04 EST)
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| 03-21-05 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This book is one of two Henri's books I have and the best one. The book to go through again and again. Then go shoot some pictures and go through it again. You'll be surprized how many fresh impressions you'll get every time. Very inspiring book. Highly recommended for practicing fotographers.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-09 15:03:13 EST)
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| 01-24-03 | 5 | 1\4 |
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As my favourite photographer, Cartier-Bresson has some kind of impayable discernment. His gallery of Paris is his magnum opus. His Leica, his 50mm lens, his mysterious face... all made him a monumental legend. I bought this gallery (hardcover) in 1995 for the price of $US 50 in Hong Kong. What are you waiting for? Just click it and buy it immediately, you will never regret buying this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-09 15:03:13 EST)
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| 11-16-02 | 5 | 9\9 |
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Anyone who is a serious student of photography should have this book. Anyone who is curious as to what "great" photographs should look like, look inside and be enlightened. The public at large tends to regard black and white photographs as inferior to color work. The truth is, a black and white photograph will stand the test of time, while a color photograph starts fading the moment it comes out of the dryer. The truth is, any good black and white photograph will make you overlook the fact that it's not in color. The mind's eye makes you see the "color." Cartier-Bresson is a true master. His work that's shown in this book is every superlative that's ever been coined, including the vulgarities. Viewing the photographs within is worth a dozen books on compositional theory. Each is a benchmark of what a quality photograph should look like. A Propos de Paris truly is a must see, must have.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-09 15:03:13 EST)
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| 06-30-02 | 5 | 4\7 |
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this book should get five stars for the photo of two dogs behind the church alone. Perhaps it says a bit more about this reviewer than it should, but that photo is one of my favorites - I just could not stop laughing! The photo essay ranges over about three decades and the pictures are not your typical pictures of the Eiffel Tower or of the Arc de Triomphe but rather people and places and neighborhoods of Paris. One gets the feeling of sneaking a peek into these people's lives. Cartier-Bresson is a master behind the lens and this is his city, so you can't expect less than the best - and he doesn't disappoint. (check out the two dogs...)
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-26 03:24:40 EST)
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| 04-21-00 | 5 | 12\12 |
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Henri is a genius in composition. This book records over and over how Henri is able to not just break the rules on composing a photgraph, but re-write them. That unique ability is amazing. Especially when viewed in conjunction with his ability to capture people in the precise moment he needs to -- in order to communicate the image he must anticipate with a great sense of intuition. The photographs in this book are just a delight to visit over and over again.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-26 03:24:40 EST)
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| 04-15-00 | 5 | 5\5 |
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The epitome of the snapshot. HCB has such an eye for composition; counterpoint, balance, symmetry, symbolism and just plain humour. I find myself shaking my head, often in disbelief at how he manages time and again to catch that 'decisive moment'. This book has his Paris prints beautifully reproduced and the one-line descriptions mirror the mood of the entire collection - glimpses of life, love, conflict, smells, textures in that colourful city. Colour rendered in black and white!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-26 03:24:40 EST)
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| 06-11-98 | 5 | 21\23 |
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Henri Cartier-Bresson, master of (creator indeed of the phrase) 'the decisive moment,' here celebrates over 50 years of observation and humour from his home base of Paris, France. Everything from gunfights (against the Nazis) to dogfights (well, they're actually making love not war) is here, captured by the fastest shutter finger in the business.
Cartier-Bresson is 90 this year, and has gathered together a beautifully rendered set of 131 plates, any one of which is good enough for over the mantelpiece. As a coffee-table book, A Propos de Paris will entertain you and flatter your tastes as far as your guests are concerned. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-26 03:24:40 EST)
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