1908-2004
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 -2004) was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism.
He was an early adopter of the 35mm format, and helped develop street photography astyle that has influenced generations of photographers who followed.
He was very intellectually invested in his photographic oeuvre, coining the phrase 'the decisive moment' to define the precise point in time when the scene he was facing formed itself into the ideal form and composition for its own expression through his camera. In his own works, 'the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.
His pictures and picture essays have been published in most of the world's major magazines during three decades, and Cartier-Bresson prints have hung in the leading art museums of the United States and Europe. His monumental show, also titled 'The Decisive Moment' was the first photographic exhibition ever to be displayed in the Louvre in Paris. And alongside this strong exhibition history, the photographer also made his mark in the fledgling market for photography, becoming a co-founder of Magnum in 1947.
As a photojournalist, Henri Cartier-Bresson felt an intense need to communicate his emotional and vision connection to his environment. His photographs preserve the human dignity of his subjects and though subtle, they are rarely obscure.
James Hyman Photography is proud to offer work by this illustrious photographer.