[Henri] Cartier-Bresson would never nominate a favourite photograph of his own. But in a 2003 exhibition of his favourite works by others, pride of place went to a 1931 snap by the Hungarian Martin Munkacsi, portraying African boys playing in Lake Tanganyika.
"When I saw that photograph of Munkacsi, of the black kids running in a wave, I couldn't believe such a thing could be caught with the camera," he said. "I said damn it, I took my camera, and I went out into the street."
(Jon Henley, writing in The Guardian, 2004)
That shot reminds me of something I've though about before. I wonder how many of the great photos came from a single frame, rather than from series of the same subject?
Posted by: Martin Doonan | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 01:42 AM
I remember when I first saw the Cartier-Bresson photo below some 30 plus years ago. What kinda picture was that!?! Where's the subject, the composition? What's going on; what's it about? Light years ahead...
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=Mod_ViewBox.ViewBoxZoom_VPage&VBID=2K1HZO579S0U1&IT=ImageZoom01&PN=10&STM=T&DTTM=Image&SP=Album&IID=2S5RYDXS682&SAKL=T&SGBT=T&DT=Image
Posted by: Stan B. | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 01:42 AM
Speaking of quotes, I can’t help but like the oft cited “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” from the man himself. Somewhat apropos of a recent discussion here too.
Dean
Posted by: Dean Johnston | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 01:42 AM
These words Henri Cartier-Bresson (as words of Avedona about Munkacsi) had been opened big retrospective photo-exhibition of Munkacsi in Moscow..
Posted by: Alex | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 07:44 AM
Some photographers think that looking at other people's work is bad for their own. I've heard many reasons for it but I've never agreed with any of them. Others are discouraged when then see work that is superior to anything that they themselves have captured. Add jealousy, envy and feelings of inadequacy to the mix and you've got one frustrated photographer. That's a real shame as the feeling I get from looking at great photographs is hope and courage.
It's good to know that Bresson felt the same.
Posted by: Sean | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 07:44 AM
Born in 1922 in Daxi Township, Taoyuan County, Lee Ming-Tiao stands as one of the foremost figures in the history of Taiwan Photography, alongside Deng Nanguang and Chang Tsai. Coming into their primes at the height of the "new photography" movement, each of the three men excelled in his own unique style of realism during the 1940s and 1950s. After the three garnered top honors in the 1948 Taiwan Xinsheng Bao (Taiwan new life news) photo contest, they were adulated by Taiwan's photography community as "three musketeers of the shutter". (just at this time, the film "teh three musketeers" was showing in Taipei cinemas) During the post-World War II era. the three joined forces to promote and found several photographic exhibitions and photography associations, encouraging the burgeoning development of photography events. Frequently taking part in exhibitions and jury panels, they expanded great energy in guiding less accomplished photographers, and a far-raching and profound impact on the development of Taiwan Photography.
Taiwan Photographer Mr Lee Ming－tiao Photography Retrospective - photo book issued 500 books by Taipei art museum dated 2009.1.10-4.5
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/889/leemingtiaokk1.jpg
Tamshui River- Three childs with sheep in 1947
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8495/041fw9.jpg
Posted by: dolphin | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 07:44 AM
Glad you posted it. Few know that this was the very photograph that inspired Cartier-Bresson to take photography instead of painting
Posted by: yz | Monday, 12 January 2009 at 07:44 AM