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Henri Cartier-Bresson’s photo masterpiece

   The photograph I have chosen to evaluate of Cartier-Bresson is a 1964 portrait of Coco Chanel, from the  collection. I was particularly drawn to this photograph not only because of the fact it was Coco Chanel, but the way in which she is photographed.

   As I know from some background information on Coco Chanel, her life due to the popularity of her clothes range and other cosmetic brands she was a much photographed woman. Looking at photographs in archives from newspapers and information channels she always looks positioned and 'set' for the photograph to be taken. But in this photograph by Cartier-Bresson she looks natural and happy in her surroundings. The theme of the photograph shows the richness of her life, with the bookshelves filled, the extravagant mirror, leather seats and the whole setting of the scene. But it also shows a part of Coco Chanel that was very rarely seen. Dressed in fine clothes and wearing pearls with a beaming smile shows that she is comfortable with where she is. It is a caught moment, it looks like she is laughing at a joke or someone's comedy and Cartier-Bresson has caught that moment without her realizing.

The focus in this picture is not perfect, if you look to the back right of the picture you can see that the bookshelf is not sharp and the details of the books and very blurred. The focus is mainly on Chanel and the objects closest to her, such as the mirror and the bookshelf behind her. I think Cartier-Bresson may have meant to do this to show how elaborate, but modest Chanel is. As an older woman in this picture she still contains a youthful and elegant look, which Cartier-Bresson has shown through the picture. This is a perfect example of the 'decisive moment' - Cartier-Bresson has made sure that the lighting and theme of this picture is all very natural. He has captured a natural photograph of a very perfect woman and had managed to make it a successful picture even without false lighting, a posed 'model', and its works brilliantly.

   The photograph is in black and white and I think this is a better choice than colour. I think that black and white works best as it does not add any falseness of having colour enhance the beauty of the photograph. It also adds elegance rather than having rich colours take the focus away from the main subject of the picture.  The picture is very crowded but doesn't look untidy. Cartier-Bresson, I think has had inspiration for this photograph from Coco Chanel’s life. It is very busy and cluttered but has not taken out the elegance and youthfulness.

   In this picture it looks like Cartier-Bresson has not had time to focus the camera, check the sharpness or any other quality that makes a good photograph according to the 'photographers guidebook!' But even without all of the guidelines checked, Cartier-Bresson has the gift of being able to capture a perfect photograph showing the true character behind what he photographs. Cartier-Bresson said: "To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression." This is his understanding of photography explained in one simple sentence. I think it shows how he looks at what he is taking. He shows a methodological way of how things should go -step by step.

   When printing his photographs he didn't crop his work to give us a perfect picture, he let them stand as he saw them. He lets us make up our own mind to the meaning of the picture.  "A balance must be established between these two worlds, the one inside us and the one outside us. As the result of a constant reciprocal process, both these worlds come to form a single one. And it is this world that we must communicate," he said. Cartier-Bresson liked to remain anonymous in his work. His pictures never showed anyone looking at the camera, and in this picture of Coco Chanel you can see exactly what I mean. She looks oblivious to Cartier-Bresson taking the photograph and I think this helps to keep a more natural photograph and gives a better quality of picture. Cartier-Bresson had the qualities to take photographs that intrigued a great deal of people. He mesmerised them with the effortlessness he managed to use and take such dignified and precise pictures.
Henri Cartier-Bresson was and is still thought of as one of the greatest photographers of his time.

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