Henri-Cartier Bresson, thought to be the father of modern-day street photography, transformed the field through his concept of "the decisive moment." He defined it as "the simultaneous recognition in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as a precise organization of forms that give that event its proper expression." In other words, the dramatic climax of a picture where everything falls perfectly into place.
Bresson's photographs excel in the composition without cropping his negatives, as he had a
unique ability to capture the fleeting moment in which the subject's significance is revealed in
form, content, and expression. Cartier-Bresson utilizes a Leica 35 Midtown Mediation camera, in
fact, he popularized this small, portable camera. The general format that he incorporates is black
and white silver gelatin in 11" x 14" and 16" x 20" sizes.
The photograph, "Behind the Gare St. Lazare", 1932, a man jumping through a puddle,
shows the French photographer's ability to catch the moment in which an event is about to take
place. This picture is one of intensity and depth, it brings out his creativity and ability as a
photographer. The contrasts of light-to-dark and dark-to-light are brought about all throughout the
image. His ability of self-expression and compassion for his artwork is what makes this
photograph so full of life and passion. The style of the picture is smooth and soft, yet at some
angles, it looks harsh and full of shadows. It brings out the complexities and intricacies that a
photographer has to go through in order to achieve such a perfect picture. He also makes popular
the saying "being at the right place at the right time," because this is just what this photograph
demonstrates. It also catches the attention of any viewer, just in the simple way the man is
literally above the ground jumping over the puddle, it's an amazement to any eye. The sense...