What would HC Bresson Do?

What would HC Bresson Do?

  • I believe he would still use film. film has much more to offer, even now.

    Votes: 138 38.5%

  • He would go M9 for sure

    Votes: 165 46.1%

  • D700 after he nagged on forums about the M8 magenta problem

    Votes: 55 15.4%
  • Total voters
    358
Perhaps Leica would have given him an M8 or an M9 as a present, but since he was an old man, he would probably stick with what he was comfortable with... film.
 
bizarrius said:
Well, all we see around is "i use film because bla bla" and "i use digital because bla bla"
One of many reasons on why people use film is: "i like film because big photographers used it and they didn't need anything more"
yes but they never had digital :S

So...what do you think that HC Bresson would do if he was alive today?
Would he still use film or would he go M9? or even D700? :D
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In my opinion a pointless question.
How would I or anyone else possibly know what HCB would do?
If he was alive, and if he chose a Film camera, so what?
Or, if he was alive, and instead he chose a Digital camera, again, so what?
I think after pondering this question for the Unit of Planck Time that it so richly deserved, that one way or the other, I couldn't care less.
 
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It seems as if HCB shot from the hip and passed the film on -- perhaps he would have done the same and passed the SD card on for post processing?

I did read somewhere that there were times when he enjoyed shooting a roll or so with a P&S of some type or another, so I would surmise he had no residing prejudice against current technology.

Besides, I can hardly imagine any of the companies not sending him any sample to test to his liking--

The real question, perhaps, is would he chimp with every exposure or wait for his printer to deliver 11x14's ? ;-)

There is that feeling you get some days when you see and shoot well, knowing which images are really good- at the moment of exposure-- am thinking the better photographers have more of those days than I.

I feel fortunate when I find one of those days and I want equipment that helps me not muck it all up.

Regards, John
 
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Didn't HCB dislike using color film? I think he said it was "ridiculous."

If he never got into color film, I can't see him embracing digital.
 
There's no way to know, but we can still have fun discussing it. If he were a young man today, he would likely use digital as the speed of digital is now often required for photojournalism. He would likely use an M9, but might also have some other small camera.
 
IF he was still alive, IF he had not already given up photography all together. IF he wasn't already HCB and just starting out. Could go anyway you would like to argue it. Consider others who are at similar points in their careers. Lee Friedlander has not switched, why would he? He has a work flow that he has perfected over decades and serves him well. IF he were 25 and had to make a living the answer would be different. But then he would not yet be the master that we now know. I think HCB would scoff at this question.
 
varjag said:
Uh, he died in 2004, mind you. Digital cameras at this point were widely available, he could use one if he wanted.

Case closed.
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None of the above: He'd tell us to stop wasting so much time worrying about what he would do and just go out and take some F'n pictures. Or better yet learn how to paint.
 
HCB did not care about image quality? First time anyone has ever said that and it is incorrect.

How many times have I seen a video of Bresson making sure his prints were just so before he signed them? Maybe there is a difference in describing image quality here?
 
I couldn't choose one of the poll choices, as they simply don't offer enough breadth. There is no reason to assume that HCB wouldn't choose SLR's over RF's, another brand over Leica, some kinds of digital over some kinds of film. In his day, choices were more limited, and he choose tools from what was available to him. With today's much broader choices, who knows? If he were starting today he might choose a digital P&S. I don't get the impression that he credits the camera, per se, for his successes.

This obsession with hardware does us a disservice. If any one of us took thousands of pictures every year, for a decade or so, with nothing but a Brownie and Tri-X, we'd begin to produce some amazing results. There is something to be said for really, really knowing your tools, for all their strengths and flaws. The master woodcarver does not spend his days on the 'net lusting after better chisels. Choose good tools, know your tools, master your tools. It's a very old progression that gets one from apprentice to journeyman to master.
 
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