In that first picture, he;s looking through the camera's viewfinder, not the external one. So what does that mean regarding how he composes a picture??
No, it's not that easy. Equipment is only an aid. You still need to spend a lifetime of dedication to achieve a realisation of the image.
So what does that mean regarding how he composes a picture??
In that instance, not much, since the lens is a 90mm and the accessory viewfinder is 50mm.
There's a clue is in the image. His left hand is focusing while he looks through the camera's viewfinder (where the rangefinder is). Then he can switch to the accessory viewfinder if he wishes.
It seems very confusing to be switching from right-side up to upside-down viewing and vice versa. Why would he do that?In that instance, not much, since the lens is a 90mm and the accessory viewfinder is 50mm.
It seems very confusing to be switching from right-side up to upside-down viewing and vice versa. Why would he do that?
As Clive has said numerous times, it can make you more aware of the spatial relation between the aspects of your composition. Looking from a normal viewfinder to one that is flipped in one way or another (or both) makes you lose your original view on a subject and notice the surroundings more. (You get a bit disoriented.)
The VIDOM finder was an early Leitz universal finder. The newer ones don't do what that one does.
@warden I often have a wider-angle viewfinder sitting in the accessory shoe while the 50 is mounted. I sometimes have a universal finder mounted and don't even have any lens with me other than the 50.
HCB is a street photographer. Upside down viewing doesn't help with that kind of photography. You're concentrating on people's interactions, expressions, and emotions not so much on geometry.
HCB is a street photographer. Upside down viewing doesn't help with that kind of photography. You're concentrating on people's interactions, expressions, and emotions not so much on geometry.
When I think of HCB I think of his compositions, not faces. It's often figures placed in a scene, rather than details and expressions. There are many kinds of street photography..
Did he really view things upside down or was the external viewfinder for a specific lens than the one normally used with the camera's internal viewfinder? His photography, whether called street or not, was not still life or landscape, where you have time to compose a shot. His were on the fly and looking upside down just makes things too difficult. Did he ever say he did that?I wouldn't class HCB as a street photographer. He was someone who was able to use photography to express his visual art.
Did he really view things upside down or was the external viewfinder for a specific lens than the one normally used with the camera's internal viewfinder? His photography, whether called street or not, was not still life or landscape, where you have time to compose a shot. His were on the fly and looking upside down just makes things too difficult. Did he ever say he did that?
HCB is a street photographer.
You're concentrating on people's interactions, expressions, and emotions not so much on geometry.
HCB is a street photographer.
It’s bugging me that in the first photo in my post #701 above, he is using his left eye. In every other photo I can find, he is using his right eye.
Most of HCB's photography is best described as photojournalism.
Now if this were a thread about, say, Garry Winogrand, this comment might spark an interesting conversation.
In a thread about Henri Cartier-Bresson, it's kind of funny.
But why do you feel HCB didn;t concentrate on people's interactions, expressions, and emotions and not so much on geometry? Many of his photos clearly show expressions and feelings and not form and shape.
OK Photojournalism sounds like a good pick over street photographer. But why do you feel HCB didn;t concentrate on people's interactions, expressions, and emotions and not so much on geometry? Many of his photos clearly show expressions and feelings and not form and shape.
I'm naive in terms of HCB, but when I think of him, these are the images that come to mind.
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In the first three the environment is , I would say, more important than the detail on any one figure. The last is certainly driven more by the figure.
For the first 3, an abstract image of the scene is enough to validate it as a worthy composition. The figure is the flourish. I present the last as an obvious exception. I'm not suggesting he wasn't capable of putting a figure at the forefront of a photo. But I do think he was predominantly interested in shape and light..
I'm naive in terms of HCB, but when I think of him, these are the images that come to mind.
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The next might be
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In the first three the environment is , I would say, more important than the detail on any one figure. The last is certainly driven more by the figure.
For the first 3, an abstract image of the scene is enough to validate it as a worthy composition. The figure is the flourish. I present the last as an obvious exception. I'm not suggesting he wasn't capable of putting a figure at the forefront of a photo. But I do think he was predominantly interested in shape and light..
Who cares about form
Well, evidently you do. Who cares about iron railings?Who cares about form
I'd add that #2 also has a lot of emotional appeal. Kids are having a grand time despite the ramshackle and dangerous environment. The kid on crutches is enjoying himself as much as the other healthier kids and the two kids playing grab-a$$. The other two, 1 and 3, , despite the common public appeal, are meh compared to 2 and 4. Who cares about form, although the hole framing in 4 does add a little interest. But the kids are what make the shot so great.
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