Henri Cartier-Bresson: 'Nuff Said

Everyone who currently owns a DSLR or is thinking about pursuing photography as a hobby or profession should already know who Henri Cartier-Bresson is. This post won't be a 1,500 essay on the early life of HCB as there are plenty of those elsewhere. This is merely a reminder for those who may have forgotten about the man and his legacy...

...It also makes a fitting first post on a photography blog.

While you may not list Cartier-Bresson as your favorite photographer, there's no denying his talent.  Here are three good reasons why you should peruse some of Cartier-Bresson's works every now and then:

1. He followed the rules of photography.

He once said that it was about the geometry of his pictures that made them such a big deal. You don't immediately see it, but it somehow makes the most mundane expressions and postures of the people in his pictures seem deliberate and purposeful. He was also against cropping and editing in post production (although his most famous photograph, Behind the Gare St. Lazare was cropped) which is something to aspire to in this digital age.

The rule of thirds, exposure, etc. If you want to see all of those applied well in a photograph, look no further that any one of his works.

2. His photographs draw you in.

 They don't scream, "Look at me!" Rather, they whisper to you, invite you in for a few moments, and let you go with a smile on your face. 

There really must be something to that Decisive Moment he always talked about.

3. He's Henri Cartier-Bresson.

'Nuff Said.