Time: Activity 1

Henri Cartier-Bresson - The Decisive Moment

Catching the decisive moment has added to the picture's quality because it allows for a sense of reality and the gritty nature of everyday life. Cartier-Bresson's photographs portray a world of actuality and realism that does not idealize any specific aspect of the world. By capturing the decisive moment the quality of Cartier-Bresson's images have been enhanced in a manner uncommon to standard photography that creates an odd sense of calm amidst a scene that is often filled with calamity.

In the first image there is a contrast between the stationary, dismembered vehicle and the traveling, functional locomotive in the background. This contrast creates depth and adds thought to the photograph that would not have been present if it were not present.
Image by Henri Carter-Bresson; found on magnumphotos.com

The second image is where the sense of calamity is portrayed. The crowd is tightly linked and they are all looking towards a common point. This allows for a sense of curiosity on the audience's part and one of mystery that Cartier-Bresson created. In addition, the picture portrays a scene of reality and a rugged truth.
Image by Henri Carter-Bresson; found on magnumphotos.com