wilonstott
Wil O.
Ha. Fair enough.
Cartier-Bresson - Surrealism and communism!
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Ha. Fair enough.
Rodchenko
Olympian
It seems some folk are so blinded by their political prejudices that they are desperate to decide that HCB wasn't a Communist. After all, how could such great photography be produced by a lefty? Better to go for something safe and unpolitical from Hine, or Lange, or Suschitsky, or Tudor-hart, or Brandt, or Hardy, or Kertesz etc etc etc...
1. HCB was a Communist. He said so, and he said it influenced his photography, and the formation of a co-operative agency.
2. HCB was a great photographer.
Get over it, and look at the work.
1. HCB was a Communist. He said so, and he said it influenced his photography, and the formation of a co-operative agency.
2. HCB was a great photographer.
Get over it, and look at the work.
Ansel
Well-known
This is a good intro article on CB and surrealism generally. Interestingly he spent 3 years as a POW in German labour camps.
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/blog/hen...sm-and-the-origins-of-photojournalism-120801/
I think you can see some of his political agenda in images such as when he joined the staff of Ce Soir, a Communist daily in 1937, where he covered the coronation of King George VI—turning his lens away from the pomp to the attending crowds.
http://shard1.1stdibs.us.com/archivesE/art/upload/14/1552/bresson_trafalgar_72_1.jpg
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/blog/hen...sm-and-the-origins-of-photojournalism-120801/
I think you can see some of his political agenda in images such as when he joined the staff of Ce Soir, a Communist daily in 1937, where he covered the coronation of King George VI—turning his lens away from the pomp to the attending crowds.
http://shard1.1stdibs.us.com/archivesE/art/upload/14/1552/bresson_trafalgar_72_1.jpg
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
600 frames a day; has anyone stopped to work out what that would cost? And how long it would take (a) to load the FILCA's with 5'.3" of film and (b) how long it would take to load them into the camera and (C) the problems it would raise just carrying them and developing them later on?
I reckon it might have happened once and then became part of the myth.
Regards, David
600 frames a day; has anyone stopped to work out what that would cost? And how long it would take (a) to load the FILCA's with 5'.3" of film and (b) how long it would take to load them into the camera and (C) the problems it would raise just carrying them and developing them later on?
I reckon it might have happened once and then became part of the myth.
Regards, David
Vics
Veteran
Someone posted here an english-language audio piece last week in which he said he was influenced by and loved the surrealists, but that his own work was not surrealist.
Ansel
Well-known
Yes, I have since done some reading about this. Seems he set out to be a surrealist painter and wasn't very good, then discovered photography and applied a lot of the surrealist visual elements but without the philosophical underpinning, almost like he was a failed surrealist, combined with classical composition.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I'm not from clique of tiny. I found his pictures to be only pictures I want see more then one time.
Thank for those names. Will check them.
eoeaa
Member
This commenter on the Gardian site says it well:
Adrian Hodge
21 February 2014 10:19am
Where does the author of this article get the idea that HCB was a Communist? The title splashes this view yet never elaborates. It's a well written piece that sums up much about HCB's life, though the title is off the mark. The artist described himself as an Anarchist in this fine interview. http://youtu.be/4ZSZLzGNPBQ
Adrian Hodge
21 February 2014 10:19am
Where does the author of this article get the idea that HCB was a Communist? The title splashes this view yet never elaborates. It's a well written piece that sums up much about HCB's life, though the title is off the mark. The artist described himself as an Anarchist in this fine interview. http://youtu.be/4ZSZLzGNPBQ
Rangefinderfreak
Well-known
Total BULL**** here ! What about David Douglas Duncan going to Kremlin to shoot the "Russia/ Kremlin Treasures inside", also a communist ? Some have a hard time make any difference in these matters...
Sejanus.Aelianus
Veteran
I agree, David. I imagine that he probably averaged one or two rolls a day, perhaps even less.
Monochrom
Well-known
Long live the RED dot!
Roger Hicks
Veteran
A lot of people are about equally weak in their understanding of both surrealism and communism.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Paiva! Mene olen Venayalainen. So, no bull here. I know what I'm talking about. 😉
Few years later, after Soviet collapse, I worked in Helsinki for several years, I knew what you talking about Obama and Suominen socialists. 😎
Lenigradski Cowboys - forever!
NY_Dan
Well-known
Oh no I have a iiif and an M -- comrades, I mean friends, patriots...
Rangefinderfreak
Well-known
Right ON!! A friend here ... Eli terve hyvä ystävä, Soviet collapse was the BEST THING to happen to us. Everyone thinks we Finns are barbarians, when we are just realists. We can deal with all these extremists guys.. The only thing we are sorry, was when Finnish nationalists smuggled Lenin to St Petersburg in 1917. World would have been a different place if we would have made a nice round hole in Lenin`s head...
Dektol Dan
Well-known
My Visit with HCB
My Visit with HCB
In 1970 (I think) back in my hippie days (!) I thumbed from Ellensburg, WA to Aspen CO where HCB was giving a seminar; little did I know that HCB was about to give up photography within a year, if he hadn't already. He seemed very distant, and he pretty much just showed up to collect his money. Basically his story is 'you either have it, or you don't'. At the time I thought the experience was a waste of $50 (a lot of money for a hippie).
Now that I am older and with much more experience, I agree with him 100%. The advantage he had over most of us was that he was born to money and traveled extensively, and don't forget, art was in a golden age during his prime. This shows what he is all about better than my $50:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/new...are-interview-with-henri-cartier-bresson-on-p
My Visit with HCB
In 1970 (I think) back in my hippie days (!) I thumbed from Ellensburg, WA to Aspen CO where HCB was giving a seminar; little did I know that HCB was about to give up photography within a year, if he hadn't already. He seemed very distant, and he pretty much just showed up to collect his money. Basically his story is 'you either have it, or you don't'. At the time I thought the experience was a waste of $50 (a lot of money for a hippie).
Now that I am older and with much more experience, I agree with him 100%. The advantage he had over most of us was that he was born to money and traveled extensively, and don't forget, art was in a golden age during his prime. This shows what he is all about better than my $50:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/new...are-interview-with-henri-cartier-bresson-on-p
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LesTele
Member
"When you take a shot, you're halfway between a pickpocket and a tightrope walker."
"It's a perpetual game underscored by incredible nervous tension."
From the Guardian article.
I get that and don't care about 95% of the above.
"It's a perpetual game underscored by incredible nervous tension."
From the Guardian article.
I get that and don't care about 95% of the above.
Finglas
Established
His political views are of his time and his country situation in the 1930's and WW2 and the developing world struggling for independence from the from the former European rulers.
This all finished up almost 40-50 years ago from where we are today. Such a post in the Guardian makes me shrug and say they of all people should know better.
His photos of the crowd and the ordinary people looking on a pomp and ceremony mark him out as going against the grain and rightly so. HCB simply was a humanist way ahead of his time. Great man, great photos, great mind.
This all finished up almost 40-50 years ago from where we are today. Such a post in the Guardian makes me shrug and say they of all people should know better.
His photos of the crowd and the ordinary people looking on a pomp and ceremony mark him out as going against the grain and rightly so. HCB simply was a humanist way ahead of his time. Great man, great photos, great mind.
Dektol Dan
Well-known
Drawing a Bead?
Drawing a Bead?
The HCB quote describes shooting skeet as well. And that's how I describe the craft of photography. But first, one must make a great effort to put himself in the right time and place and have a natural eye for drawing geometry within the frame of a viewfinder. A good photographer 'makes it come together over me' in an instant.
All the allusions to genius are editing skills.
Drawing a Bead?
The HCB quote describes shooting skeet as well. And that's how I describe the craft of photography. But first, one must make a great effort to put himself in the right time and place and have a natural eye for drawing geometry within the frame of a viewfinder. A good photographer 'makes it come together over me' in an instant.
All the allusions to genius are editing skills.
Bill Clark
Veteran
HCB seems to be an interesting gent. He got going when Leica started making 35mm film cameras. It's nice to have financial backing to help provide a living. I read on Ansel Adams web site how he struggled with this as do many artists.
I bought Bressons book off Ebay, "Tete a Tete" which contain many of his portraits and some of his drawings.
For my era, I was born in 1948 (babyboom) I identify more with the work of Annie Leibovitz. She has had the opportunity of photographing many well known folks. I haven't. She was born in 1949 and went to school in San Francisco. I did go to school in San Francisco but it was for the Navy located on Treasure Island. I have some nice slides I made when I was there and the Navy allowed me to bring my car, a VW Bug, that I used to travel around while there.
Interesting book titled, "Annie Leibovitz at Work." She kind of does a David Letterman starting on page 212, "Ten Most Asked Questions." If you get a chance read that as it tells a lot about her.
I bought Bressons book off Ebay, "Tete a Tete" which contain many of his portraits and some of his drawings.
For my era, I was born in 1948 (babyboom) I identify more with the work of Annie Leibovitz. She has had the opportunity of photographing many well known folks. I haven't. She was born in 1949 and went to school in San Francisco. I did go to school in San Francisco but it was for the Navy located on Treasure Island. I have some nice slides I made when I was there and the Navy allowed me to bring my car, a VW Bug, that I used to travel around while there.
Interesting book titled, "Annie Leibovitz at Work." She kind of does a David Letterman starting on page 212, "Ten Most Asked Questions." If you get a chance read that as it tells a lot about her.
