The Decisive Moment . . . Redux
An hommage to Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson is not a name that is widely known by the general public; but to avid photographers, he is unquestionably among the greatest photographers of the 20th century.
He bought his first camera in 1932, and within 20 years, he had published one of the definitive photographic books in the very early 1950s. The book, ultimately published under the title “The Decisive Moment” and released in 1952, first came out in France under the name (roughly translated to) “Photos on the Run”. But the far more powerful “Decisive Moment” title was the name that captured the imagination of the art community and spoke to not only the philosophy of this master of the art but what every aspiring photographer knows “in their bones” represents one of the great truths of capturing the ultimate image.
Cartier-Bresson, considered a founder of Photojournalism - though the field had been slowly emerging since Brady began capturing images of the Civil War - Cartier-Bresson surely pioneered the art of street photography and traveled all over the world for “Magnum Photo” an early photo agency that he helped to found.
From his experience as a photojournalist, he developed a philosophy that the art of capturing memorable images was a dance of space and time - built on patience and cognition that allowed the photographer to capture the decisive moment, through observation and anticipation. That moment might be built around a simple experience or a much larger tableau, like a war or a return of the victors to their homeland.
In either case, the image produced captured the essence of the moment or the experience. With the exception of abstract and possibly surreal photographic images, this one rule separated the snapshot from preeminent photojournalism or art.
“It is illusion that great photos are made with the camera, they are made with the heart and the head.” ~ Cartier-Bresson
Here are a few of my images that I consider to have captured the decisive moment.
On the strees of Dakar, Senegal, I had the opportunity to photograph these three beautiful young people. I probably took 30 different photos of them.
The Decisive Moment The Windblown Skirt
At one point the wind picked up on the street and began to blow the lighter-weight blue skirt of one of the girls, producing this unique moment and image.
Windblown Skirt
20"x30"
Edition of 10
Printed on fine art rag paper with archival inks
Originals: This image is printed in a small limited edition of 10 images signed, dated and with a certificate of authenticity.
For a signed original of this image, click here.
For unsigned open-edition prints and merch, click here.
“Life is once forever.” Cartier-Bresson
The Decisive Moment Spring
On a foggy day in New Hampshire in 1977, my college roommate and I were going to an event when we saw this field. He agreed to be the subject of some photographs capturing the feeling of spring for a UNH class we were both taking. This was the image that captured my heart. The following week, I opened the UNH student newspaper to find a classified ad written to the “Boy running naked in the field” the writer said simply “It looked like fun!”
Spring
Hand-painted Monochrome
16x24
Edition of 10
7 Sold
For a signed original of this image, click here.
For an unsigned open-edition print of this image, click here.
The Decisive Moment The Conversation
At the annual Sandwich Fair in Sandwich, NH the Oxen Pull competition is among the most popular events. I usually wander the fairgrounds looking for decisive moments and found this in which it almost appears that the Ox was having a conversation with his handlers.
The Conversation
Printed on fine art rag paper with archival ink
16x24
Edition of 100 signed originals
Signed Originals
Unsigned Open-edition prints
The Decisive Moment Nara Umbrellas in Blue and Red
In the city of Nara, Japan, Sunday is a day when many families go for a walk in areas congregated by Nara’s sacred deer; protected and prolific in the city.
Nara Umbrellas in Blue and Red
Edition of 10 signed originals
16"x24"
Printed on fine art rag paper with archival inks
Originals available in two sizes
Signed Originals
16x24
22x40
Unsigned Open-Edition Prints
The Decisive Moment Our Time Comes
At the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian in Washinton, DC, Alice, Zach, and I were invited to the opening ceremony by Founding Director W. Richard West Jr., which included a grand march to the gathering on the Mall. I must have taken several hundred images during the course of the first day, including several that have won awards over the years, but to me, this was the decisive moment when I captured these three elders in their headdresses looking toward the Capital building. To me, it seemed a new beginning. After 500 years of pain, we were turning a corner. It was a sign of hope.
Our Time Comes
Edition of 10
Printed on fine art rag paper with archival inks
Originals available in two sizes
16x24
8.5 x 12
For an unsigned open-edition print of this image, click here.
The Decisive Moment The Monarch
At four-years-old, Zach and I placed a monarch caterpillar in a terrarium and watched together as it metamorphosed into a butterfly. On the day it emerged from its pupa, I gently removed it and placed it in his hand and he watched as it dried its wings in the air and moved slowly up his arm until it flew away. While I have the image taken as the butterfly flew away, this seemed the decisive moment in retrospect because it captured the gentle nature and wonder of the little boy.
The Monarch - Originals
13x20
Edition of 100 signed originals
Printed on fine art rag paper with archival inks
Signed Originals
Open-edition prints
The Decisive Moment Net Boys
In the city of Cape Coast, Ghana, much of the economy revolves around fishing, and often, every member of a family is engaged in some way. For several hours I followed this group of boys who were gathering up nets in need of cleaning or repair. Finally, toward the end of the day, came the moment when they were trudging along the road toward home with the city center in the background. The image is a bittersweet reminder of both the sadness of child labor and the sweet camaraderie that exists between children engaged in the work.
Often, I am reminded of a conversation that I had with the late (Dr.) Chidi Nwahchukwu, a part of my team who died too soon of Leukemia in the middle of our work in West Africa. Chidi corrected my cultural blind spot that cast judgement about these kinds of circumstances in the light of Western standards. Chidi would gently remind me that as poor as they were by western standards, his youth in a small village in Nigeria were the happiest days of his life. . .