When I posted three beautiful photographs by the famous American photographer of outdoor landscapes and nature – Ansel Adams, I forgot to properly categorise them. I’ve done so now, under Photo of the week, see 1, 2, and 3.
The fourth in the series is Sunday on the Banks of the River Marne, 1938, by the father of photo-journalism, Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Cartier-Bresson aimed to capture the immediacy of the moment, which he called the Decisive Moment. This photo was to support a campaign, by French newspaper, for extra vacation time for workers. My view is that he must’ve been looking for picnicking group, and when he came upon this group persuaded them to hold the pose he wanted. Surprisingly this photo wasn’t used by the newspaper. It is a glorious composition, and has a magical air of stillness and relaxation. There’s more about this picture and Cartier-Bresson below,
- Magnum Photos archive of Cartier-Bresson
- Guardian book review of the life and work of Cartier-Bresson
- The Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation
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