Great Compositions
— For Craig Semetko
Henri Cartier-Bresson started in
photography like many of us.
He took cute pictures of his
friends and surroundings, until
he decided to make a change.
“It was time to get serious.”
Over the next five decades, he
combined his curiosity for culture
with his artistic background to
create one of the most influential
bodies of work in the twentieth
century.
“The pleasantest of all diversions is to sit alone
under the lamp, a book spread out before you,
and to make friends with people of a distant
past you have never known.”
— The Tsurezuregusa of Kenko
(ESSAYS in IDLENESS)
Understanding Henri
“Do you see it?” This question is a photographic mantra. Myron Barnstone, my mentor, repeats this question every day with the hopes that we do “see it.” This obvious question reminds me that even though I have seen Cartier-Bresson’s prints and read his books, there are major parts of his work which remain hidden from public view. Beneath the surface of perfectly timed snap shots is a design sensibility that is rarely challenged by contemporary photographers.
Henri Cartier-Bresson. © Martine Franck
Photography is a Verb
Why is Henri Cartier-Bresson such a good photographer? In order to answer this question, we need to understand what his pictures are doing. If you ever hear someone say “I like the work of Cartier-Bresson…. because its ____________.”
JAPAN. Tokyo. A farewell service for the late actor Danjuro held on November 13th 1965 at the Aoyama Funeral Hall (according to Shinto rites). 1965. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
This piece could be titled "The Rotation of a box in Space." Cartier-Bresson is really flexing his design muscles in this masterpiece. The design is focused on taking a solid form and rotating it 360 degrees in one frame.
If the blank in that statement starts with an adjective, simply smile. Its all you can really do. If someone really wants to impart on you the reasons why an artist is significant, they need to explain what the work is doing, not what the work looks like. The description of a photograph’s brilliance, magic, intangible quality or decisive moment can only explain that someone feels strongly about a image. But if, like most photographers, you are looking to understand an image, these compliments are nice, but utterly worthless. This is not to say the person does not have real emotion behind their feelings for Cartier-Bresson, the feelings are real. But in order to expand our own practice, we need to de-code the clues Cartier-Bresson left behind.
There are a number of resources we can study to better our understanding of Cartier-Bresson. He wrote a handful of books. He fielded a few interviews, but the largest view into his working methods are his images. It is no mistake that during interviews Cartier-Bresson says “BANG” instead of click, when he talks about the moment he takes a picture. The magnitude of a wild scene which gels for a fraction of a second, into a coherent form, will explode on paper.
An excellent figure to ground relationship in this image. More on that below. Belgian photographer Martine FRANCK. Photography taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson. 1975. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
Charlie Rose went to Paris to interview Cartier-Bresson and asked, “What makes a great composition?” Cartier-Bresson replied, “Geometry.” Just like a Zen Master, whose answers are so simple a child could understand them, Cartier-Bresson reveals the fundamental secret behind his practice, Geometry. In this article we will look at five ways in which Cartier-Bresson used geometry to distill life in the twentieth on to a 35mm negative. The goal of clearly communicating a visual moment can be found in the following categories:
- Establishing a Strong Figure To Ground Relationship
- Finding A Likeness in Disconnected Objects
- Shadow Play
- The Art of Waiting, not Hunting
- Understanding Diagonals
This article is designed to be a primer for understanding Cartier-Bresson as a photographer, not a historical figure. Much of what I have read on Cartier-Bresson never mentions how he worked or why he made certain decisions. I wanted to share a number of ideas, some of which are my own conclusions, but most of which I owe to teachers like Myron Barnstone, about how we can use the lessons of Cartier-Bresson to improve our ability to see. Once we develop a comfort level with this idea, our images will look noticeably different. (hopefully for the better, haha)
In order to understand the figure to ground relationship, squint your eyes. If you can see the subject with blurry vision, there is a good chance the relationship is good. MEXICO. Mexico City. Calle Cuauhtemoctzin. 1934. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Cartier-Bresson alternates between light figure, dark ground throughout the woman's body and then the door and the jamb.
① Figure To Ground Relationship
The first time we pick up a camera we have an advantage. We know, without being told, that in order for a picture to be successful, our subject must be clear. This is why high school students take silhouettes of trees, people, and buildings. The pictures are usually very boring, but they are clear.
If you cant see the subject with your eyes squinted, the picture will have no carrying power and it will not work. India. Delhi. Government House. 1948. Left to right: Lord MOUNTBATTEN, last Viceroy of India, Jawaharlal NEHRU, Prime Minister and Edwina MOUNTBATTEN. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
Light figures on a dark ground insures your subjects will be clearly understood.
The early work of Cartier-Bresson does not hint at the great master he would become in later years. Simple portraits or clothing hung on a line to dry represent much of his early images. The difference between his work and the rest of us, was that as he matured he never forgot the fundamental figure to ground relationships. Why?
When you put a light figure on a dark ground, the subject pops out. SOVIET UNION. Moscow. Gorky Park of Culture and Rest. 1954. Henri Cartier-Bresson
A well lit subject will allow your street images to have pop. Otherwise your subjects will get lost in the background.
Cartier-Bresson came from a wealthy background and was educated as an artist from a very young age. Under the guidance of teachers like Andre Lhote, Cartier-Bresson was educated as a painter.
Artists used to be taught that for an image communicate clearly, the viewer needs to be able to answer:
- Who is the subject?
- What is the background?
If these two questions get confused the picture will be a mess. This is called a Figure to Ground Relationship.
Is the figure to ground relationship becoming easier to identify? FRANCE. Alpes-Maritimes. Vence. February 1944. French painter Henri MATISSE at his home, villa "Le Rêve". Henri Cartier-Bresson
There are subtle distinctions that can be made within this tool, but the basic premise is as follows:
You need to have a light figure on a dark ground,
or a dark figure on a light ground.
USA. New York City. 1959. George BALANCHINE, Georgian ballet choreographer, directing the American School of Ballet. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Here Cartier-Bresson ups the ante. He puts the light part of Balanchine against a dark background and his dark pants against the lighter floor. Notice how he places the head right along the break in value along the back wall.
It does not matter if your subject is a kitten or a battleship, it needs to stand out from the background, otherwise we have no idea what to look at. As you study Cartier-Bresson images and compare them to your own work, try the following experiment. Look at a one of his images, say his picture of French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre and squint your eyes. Even with the details removed we can see there is a clear subject (a dark figure) on a bridge (light ground). This may sound very simple. But you will be surprised as you look through the work of people who make street work (a term I use reluctantly) butcher this principle. In almost every single one of Cartier-Bresson’s images he establishes a strong figure to ground relationship. If we can do this, we are one step closer to advancing the quality of our work.
FRANCE. Paris. Pont des Arts. French writer and philosopher, Jean-Paul SARTRE. 1946. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
When we squint our eyes, it becomes clear whether we have a picture or not.
I am not sure he could fit any more lances in this painting. The Battle of San Romano. Paolo Uccello
Uccello takes the lance and repeats it to remind us this IS a battle scene.
② Finding A Likeness
The Italian painter Paolo Uccello made a series of works depicting the battles around Florence. The pictures contain knights, swords, lances and angular objects of every shape and size. When using a visual language, repetition is useful. By repeating a visual form, like a pointed shape, we are constantly bombarded with a theme. Cartier-Bresson understood how paintings function. If he needed to make a point, he looked for background objects to support his idea.
GREECE. Athens. 1953. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
The vertical is repeated to emphasize the subjects, which are the two women.
Notice there is a similar geometry that dominates the shape direction of the horses head and the line running through the man. IRELAND. Dublin. 1952. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
Its a simple game of finding repeating patterns which are set on the 1.5 armature.
Photographers, especially in their formative years, focus only on their subject. They forget all about the background. Since we cannot paint in supporting ideas, we need to watch for shapes in the background to echo our subject. Cartier-Bresson framed the image to include the spokes of a wagon wheel that mimic the ribs of a starving child and then he pairs it with the bony fingers of their malnourished mother.
SOVIET UNION. Moscow. 1954. Red Square. People in line to visit Lenin's Mausoleum. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
Dots and lines in the foreground, dots and lines in the background. HCB is really working out geometry problems in his head.
NETHERLANDS. Gelderland. Kampen. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
All of the diagonals run almost parallel to the baroque diagonal of the image.
Why would he cut the mother out of the frame? Because the picture is all about bones. Everything in the picture speaks of skin and bones. The essential visual cues for that image do not need the expression on the face of the mother. Now most of us (myself included) would have been caught by the mother and child relationship. It was probably heart wrenching. But successful images convey a scene with total clarity.
INDIA. Tamil Nadu. Madura. 1950. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
There is a clockwise design of bony features in the image which moves our eye around the frame.
The spokes on the wagon wheel, which may have rolled away a few seconds later, take the picture from being a pitiful UNICEF portrait to being a master-crafted photograph. So how can we avoid getting caught in the facial expressions of a scene? Squint your eyes. It will always bring us back to the geometry that Cartier-Bresson used to create every image. Without our eyes squinted the decision to use the wagon wheel stands out immediately. We look at the picture and now see “same/same.” The disconnected hand, child, and wagon wheel exist as one idea. The result is a picture which emphasizes the pain of starvation. (notice the picture can be explained without adjectives)
ITALY. Salerno. 1933. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
③ Shadow Play
A photographer has the luxury of using light as a physical object. In reality a shadow has no weight, you cannot pick it up, and the faster you chase it, the faster it runs away. The dark shapes that elude us in real life take on real substance in a photograph. Simple uses include funny outlines like hand puppets or optical illusions like the camels photographed from a helicopter. But in true Bressonian style Henri shows us there are other tricks we can play with shadows which will make our pictures pop. While other photographers work around shadows, Cartier-Bresson uses them as little jokes, surrealist tools, and moveable backdrops to transform ordinary street scenes into photographs that make us wonder “How come I did not see that?”
The contrast of a dark figure/light ground and light figure/dark ground might be easier said than done. ITALY. Sardinia. Cagliari. 1962. Henri Cartier-Bresson
As we discussed earlier “Figure to Ground Relationships” are one of the most important aspects of a successful image. We are constantly looking to place a light figure on a dark ground or a dark figure on a light ground. But what if we could find both inside of one frame? Cartier-Bresson found them all the time. Instead of running from the harsh shadows of broad day light, he like to play games with the archways he found in Europe. He uses shadows as defining visual elements in a scene which shows the power of a well lit subject. When the unnecessary elements fall into darkness or over exposure, all that is left is the visual pleasure of focusing on a subject. Our eye bounces back and forth between the light and dark relationships. Its very much like looking at an M.C. Escher drawing. We cannot tell if the stair case is going up or down. In order to achieve this image all we need to do is keep a careful eye out for light and dark shapes. Then, if we can compose the image on a major diagonal we stand a chance of creating a optical effect that will engage our viewer.
Are the stairs going up or down? M.C. Escher
FRANCE. St Tropez. 1959. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
As a young man Cartier-Bresson was influenced by the Surrealists. These jokesters of the early 20th century loved to combine two things that could never exist together. Painters like Magritte became famous for giving us a glimpse into a world of contradictions. Cartier-Bresson found his surrealist release by using the shadow as an object. He stands subjects on the edge of shadows as if they were leaning out over a ledge. By positioning his camera to create the illusion that his figure is standing on a shadow, he gives substance to the weightless shadow. Is this a serious commentary on life?
This would have been a painting Cartier-Bresson would have known very well and it certainly influenced the image below. Dominion of Light by Surrealist Renè Magritte.
It seems like Cartier-Bresson is playing off of Magritte's "Dominion of Light" where day and night happen together. SOVIET UNION. Russia. Leningrad. 1954. The Admiralty and the monument to Peter the Great. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Possibly — Cartier-Bresson was a life long anarchist. It seems that he is making a scherzo (little joke) about the instability of our everyday world. This scherzo also fits nicely into his Buddhists studies on the nature of the universe. The Buddhists believe that nothing is permanent. Everything is in a state of constant flux and the only reason we are blind to this idea (on a regular basis) is because of our limited perception. A boy standing on a shadow, seems to be a way to explore this philosophical dilemma. The shadow and the boy are a riddle which questions the ground we walk on and also a reminder that if things are impermanent, maybe all we can do is laugh to ourselves.
This is the classic shadow "viewed from above." Its a quaint trick, one that Cartier-Bresson mastered and moved beyond. INDIA. 1986. Henri Cartier-Bresson
The admirable thing about Cartier-Bresson, which separates him from many contemporary photographers, is his clarity. His images do not need an explanation. We could meditate on this image long enough and its nature would reveal itself. Unlike many of the index cards that flank photography exhibitions, we do not need to know very much about Cartier-Bresson to understand that we are looking at a photographer who has a deep rooted philosophical approach to looking at the world.
Is it a joke or is Cartier-Bresson granting this fulfilling this man's dreams. INDIA. Gujarat. Ahmedabad. 1966. In the old town. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
The last way Cartier-Bresson uses shadows is to combine two worlds which are normally disconnected. The later part of Cartier-Bresson’s professional career was spent traveling in India. For centuries India has practiced a social division, where certain classes never mix. This exists elsewhere in the world, but the caste system in India has secured its own infamy within world history.
Paris. 7th arrondissement. Hôtel des Invalides. Henri Cartier-Bresson
If your figure does not land exactly on one of the diagonals, an alternative design used by artists, is to locate the subject on the vertical division at the intersection of the diagonals. Don't worry if this sounds a bit complicated, I will explain if in greater depth with future articles.
While Cartier-Bresson was traveling, he mixed with the very top (Nehru and Gandhi) and the very bottom of India’s caste system. The anarchist in him probably found great joy in using his Leica to undermine societies artificial divisions. In the “Ahmadabad Tower” he shows us a man asleep on a cart. The man sleeps in total peace on a cart in the street. We will never know what dreams occupied this nap. He could, like many of us, be dreaming of a better life. Meanwhile, as he dreams away, Cartier-Bresson elevates his status from a man on the street, and places him in a tower. Only the very wealthy can sleep in the guarded luxury of a hand carved tower.
Is this a possible comment on the history of religions as the pyramid is overlaid on a gothic church? WEST GERMANY. Bavaria. Aschaffenburg. 1962. Henri Cartier-Bresson
This is a great example which illustrates how a simple coincides of lines can create an effective design.
As I study Cartier-Bresson’s work more and more, his compassion for strangers becomes crystal clear. He likes to find moments where he adds dignity to the under privileged or adds a sense of grace to the working man on a break. I can’t say for certain if he rebelled against his wealthy upbringing and fought for the underdog. It is possible. But more likely, he developed a compassion for people as he travelled the world. Nothing will connect you more deeply to humanity as a whole, than the experience of traveling. Outside of our native countries, our skin softens and our hearts warm as we see people, more and less fortunate than us, interact with their surroundings. Cartier-Bresson traveled relentlessly for almost forty years. No matter where you go, or how you get there, every traveler seems to agree on one thing — “Humans all over the world are basically the same.” Cartier-Bresson reminds us that our place in society is a matter of perception.
JAPAN. Uji. MANPUKU-JI Buddhist temple of the Obaku Zen school. At dawn, monks perform zazen, meditation, in the unheated dormitory set in a temple hall. Abbas
④ Waiting, Not Hunting
One of the most puzzling aspects of Zen Buddhism, is the practice of Zazen. Zazen is the word for seated meditation, during which students sit in total silence and absolute stillness. From an outside view it would appear that nothing is happening. But what can a room full of motionless monks teach Cartier-Bresson about photography? Unlike the “attack mode” of street photography where people hunt for pictures, Cartier-Bresson’s pictures reveal a different approach.
The bottom left hand corner makes the entire picture. FRANCE. Paris. The Palais Royal Gardens. 1959. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
A few years ago, I noticed a certain type of landscape image Cartier-Bresson always finds. The pictures are usually taken with a 35mm or 50mm lens of cityscapes or country side. They are classical landscape images. There is a foreground, middle ground and background. The strange thing is there are people in the image, but they are tiny. How is he able to arrange a balanced landscape shot with the cooperation of a person who is hundreds of feet away?
INDONESIA. Sumatra. Rice fields in the Minangkabau country. 1950. Henri Cartier-Bresson
A perfectly placed subject on the axis of the sinister diagonal and its reciprocal. It connects the woman in the foreground with the rice paddy and the group in the background.
Cartier-Bresson falls back on his training as a painter. When he finds an ideal view “I wait, like an insect waits” — Igor Stravinsky. There were certainly many days where no one came down the path, up the stairs or emerged from the trees. These are not pictures for the impatient photographer. They are created in two parts. First Cartier-Bresson takes out an dynamic view from above. He looks for a view that has tremendous distance, a slightly elevated angle, and multiple levels. So how does he place his subject? He waits from someone to land on the major diagonal. Once this happens the entire scene comes alive.
INDIA. Rajasthan. Purana Ghat Palace. 1947. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Once you get the hang of spotting the diagonals and their reciprocals, it becomes clear when to "BANG" the shutter.
Myron recounted a story to me one time about the Italian painter Giorgio Morandi. He promised a painting to an art critic friend who wanted to pick up the finished painting. The picture was almost complete, but Morandi insisted it was not finished yet. The critic said, “Fine, I will sit here as you finish it.” Morandi sat in front of his easel. On the edge of the easel was a ledge piled with paint. The great mound of mixed colors were the discarded globs from his palate knife. He sat motionless in front of the painting. Watching and waiting, he finally mixed three colors. Then with a flick of the palate knife he added a few final touches. The critic exclaimed, “AH thats it! Its done.” Morandi turned and nodded. The painting was complete. The critic recounted that it was as if someone flipped a light switch and the whole painting came alive. Myron then reminded me that “This Art thing is such a delicate game, thats really all it takes, just a few touches between dead and alive.”
There is no chance of re-shooting this photo. Its a one shot deal, which he was able to capture because he knows what he is looking for. INDIA. Rajasthan. Udaipur. 1966. Henri Cartier-Bresson
This figure is set on the reciprocal of the sinister diagonal. HCB shows us there is plenty of flexibility within the design of the 1.5 rectangle.
INDIA. Delhi. GANDHI's funeral. 1948. Crowds gathered between Birla House and the cremation ground. Henri Cartier-Bresson
The lone figure is not floating in space, but perfectly arranged on the sinister diagonal.
The famous Robert Capa mantra “If your pictures are not good enough, you are not close enough” does not always apply. Cartier-Bresson shows us that photography is a finesse game. It requires careful observation, patience, and a trained eye that recognizes when something is missing. Without the final character the photograph is dead. The photograph is a pointless landscape, devoid of significance. Once the distant figure comes into place, the light switch flicks on for a second and the whole moment is permanently alive within the frame.
The major vertical of the image is set on the square. This is how the 1/3 should be employed. The Rule of Thirds is an watered down compositional average between the 1.5 and the Root 4. INDIA. Maharashtra. Bombay. 1947. An astrologer's shop in the mill workers' quarter of Parel. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
The rebated square is created by running a 45 degree angle from one of the corners. The photographic negative has a 1:1.5 proportion which is equal to (2) overlapped square.
⑤ Diagonals
The final clue Cartier-Bresson leaves for us is to compose an image along the diagonal of the frame. Forget everything you have ever read in photography magazines about “”The Rule of Thirds.” Cartier-Bresson never talked about this idea. He used the vertical third in his images, but in his mind it was the rebated square not a third. The rebated square is an entirely different design tool than thirds.
INDIA. Delhi. 1966. Drying saris at the Red Fort. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
If there is one things that you can apply immediately to your images, it would be the idea of composing on the diagonal. FRANCE. Paris. The Quai St Bernard, near the Gare d'Austerlitz train station. 1932. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
The next time you pick up a Cartier-Bresson book or browse his images online, look at the corner to corner relationship in his images. What you will find is shocking. An overwhelming number of his images rely on the major diagonal. In this article I will not get into the more technical terms of the Barque and Sinister Diagonals and their reciprocals. We will just focus on the powerful compositions which result from a strong corner to corner relationship.
Here the sinister diagonal is effectively used to intensify the emotion of the woman. GERMANY. Dessau. April 1945. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
How can you start practicing this yourself? As I recommend to the photographers I tutor, go out on find long diagonals in real life. They can be broken street lamps, tree branches, or cracks in the sidewalk. It does not matter. All you are looking for is a line that runs from one corner to the opposite corner. After a small amount of practice it becomes easier to visualize diagonal compositions.
As you look at HCB's images more and more the diagonals will begin to leap out at you. INDIA. Gujarat. Ahmedabad. 1966. Women spreading out their saris before the sun. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
The second step is to connect dots the on a diagonal. We have been connecting dots since we were children. We connect the dots in coloring books or by tracing stars in the sky. Its really very easy. Go out into a crowd and start connecting heads along a diagonal line. At this point you will start to see how Cartier-Bresson uses the diagonal to animate an image. The diagonal is the longest possible line in a rectangle, thus making it the most dominant, if it is used properly. He imagines a line running across his view finder and once he sees two subjects in alignment, BANG! He’s got the image. It is a very basic idea that many people never incorporate into their work. It is also the basis for forming more complex shapes like spirals and swirls. But first you need to understand how to use a diagonal. How important is the diagonal to a composition?
USA. Massachusetts. Boston. 1947. Henri Cartier-Bresson
“If people knew how hard I had to work to
gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all”
-Michelangelo
A regular street scene transformed because he waited for the diagonals to come into place and found a good figure to ground relationship. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
When Charlie Rose asked Cartier-Bresson “What makes a great composition?” The answer was simple “Geometry.” Then Charlie goes on to ask “Are you born with it?” Cartier-Bresson replies, “It has to be cultivated.” As students of Cartier-Bresson, we must start at the beginning with a single diagonal. Once we are comfortable with the point to point relationship of the major diagonals we will start to understand his entire body of work in a whole new light. The wordy descriptions, that clutter the exhibition walls of an HCB show, will begin to have real meaning to you as a photographer. It will be as if someone opened the Master’s tool box and allowed us to peak inside. Underneath the surface of his images exists a “subterranean geometry” that is accessible to everyone. And once we employ the techniques, which lay hidden in his pictures, we can develop a body of work that people “like, but cant explain why.”
If you can't find any good diagonals at home, see if there are any laying around the house. Martine's Legs. 1967. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
A coherent geometry will bring unity to an image regardless of the subject. FRANCE. Region of Rhône-Alpes. The Ardèche 'department'. Near Aubenas. People listening to French president, Charles DE GAULLE. 1961. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
— Conclusion
A study of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work could occupy a lifetime. But as photographers, we would like a quick set of guidelines to improve our images. All of the advice we need is contained in his pictures. Fortunately for us, we do not need to wait a lifetime to apply his techniques to our images. His books are easily obtained and there are thousands of images online. A student of Cartier-Bresson must move beyond open mouth drooling of the museum goer to understand why his images work so well. A clear understanding of design will allow you to see into the DNA of his images. Once the dots are connected it becomes clear why he is considered one of the greatest photographers of all time.
As students of Henri, we will struggle, contort ourselves, all in the attempt to improve the way we see. INDIA. Kerala. Village near Shoranur. 1950. Katakali school. © Henri Cartier-Bresson
UPDATED: Ok, proofreading completed, thank you for reading through the typos.
I spent the afternoon with Danny Lyon, and we had a fantastic time chatting about writing, history, and film. We ended up going to a private screening of a film he made of artist Mark Di Suvero.
Words To Know
There are a few terms we need to understand before starting the analysis. This we everyone will be speaking the same language.
- 1:1.5 Ratio: The 35mm negative measures 36mm x 24mm. Mathematically it can be reduced to a 3:2 ratio. Reduced even further it will be referred to as the 1:1.5 Ratio or the 1.5 Rectangle.
- Eyes: The frame of an image is created by two vertical lines and two horizontal lines. The intersections of these lines is called an eye. The four corners of a negative can be called the “eyes.” This are extremely important because the diagonals connecting these lines will form the breakdown of an image.
- Armature: When we use specific rectangles there is a system of connecting and interesting lines that create a grid, or armature, which will form the composition. They are created by finding specific diagonal lines and their reciprocals.
- Gamut: As we will see there are 360° in the image circle of a lens. This creates more lines in any armature than we would like to use. The limited number of directions we use in a composition is called the Gamut. Good artists rarely use more than 5 or 6 in any one image. As Myron Barnstone taught me, if you use all the lines of the grid your picture will look like the bottom of a bird cage.
- Intervals: These are lines that are repeated throughout that create a rhythm in a picture.
- The Horizontal, Vertical, & Diagonal Lines: Artists have a very limited alphabet. At their disposal they have a point, a vertical, horizontal, diagonal line, and a curve or arabesque. In order to successfully design compositions all good artists and photographers organize schemes with straight lines.
- Baroque Diagonal: Is a diagonal line which runs from the bottom left to the upper right hand corner of an image, when the picture is in landscape format.
- Sinister Diagonal: Is a diagonal line which runs from the bottom right to the upper left hand corner of an image, when the picture is in landscape.
- Major Lines: In an image we are creating a hierarchy. If there is no hierarchy it is very difficult for the viewer to understand what is important in an image. There are usually a single vertical, horizontal and diagonal line that dominate a composition.
- Reciprocal: This is a line that intersects a diagonal at a 90 degree angle. Introducing the reciprocal will strengthen an image by reinforcing the diagonal. But careful, it should support not compete with the diagonal.
- 1.5 Armature: There are two ways to break down a 1.5 rectangle. The most basic is the 1.5 Armature. Its is created by drawing two diagonals from each corner of a negative. Then draw their reciprocals from opposing corners, which intersect the diagonals at 90°. Through the Eyes of the Diagonal and their reciprocals, draw vertical and horizontal lines through their intersections. The 1.5 Armature was a very popular method used by Cartier Bresson early in his career.
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Thank you for the lesson. I’m going to go back to the pictures I’ve seen that I liked, without really knowing why, and see if this is behind it.
Hey Carol,
Let me know how you find HCB’s images after the article. If there is anything confusing let me know.
Best-Adam
Adam, many many thanks for writing this and providing this.
Carol, again, thanks for letting me know about this!
Hey Tobias,
Welcome to the site, happy to hear you enjoyed the article.
And thank you to Carol for sharing the link!
Best-Adam
great.
Thanks Thorpe.
Very good article, Adam. I like it a lot. I learned a lot.
It is a bit difficult, though, when you dive into it. What, for instance, is a sinister diagonal? And what is a reciprocal to a sinister diagonal? I had to guesswork my way ahead. Did you ever consider making a short list explaining all these specialist terms. Many would benefit from such a list, I think.
There is also the whole question about “likability” based on classical composition. Do you think that one of the reasons why HCB’s images are so highly appreciated is the compositional parts of it? Would you say that his art is very conservative (nothing wrong with that, btw)?
If I remember correct you talk about an early, and thereby implying a later, HCB. If this is so, what would you say are the characteristics of the two periods?
A last thing, what is in your opinion the best way for photographers to learn these techniques so that they can use them in their own photography? Do you think anyone can pick them up, or are they reserved for a few people that have a special talent?
I realize that these are many questions. Sorry about that, but what your write about is interesting
.
Have a good weekend.
Best
Knut
Hey Knut,
Happy to generate so many questions. Its good to see you thinking about so many different aspects of HCB’s work.
1. I added a list of terms which should clarify some of the questions. Maybe I will work on one with some pictures to make it easier to understand. When I offer my private classes, I go through the terms with images, because as photographers we understand images more easily than words.
2. “Likeability” hmmm this is a difficult one to answer. His work is conservative in many ways. There is no graphic violence, drug use, or sex. The images are rate PG at worst. Many photographers are drawn to extremes. If the content is graphic the design of the image is usually less profound. This is not always the case, but true often.
The Likeability of a HCB image for me lies in its ability to capture history, philosophy, design, and reveal an awareness of art history in his own voice. They are not like one line jokes, which tire easily. They have a real depth.
3. This is probably the most important question in my mind and something I encourage photographers to confront. The best way to start applying design to images is through basic practice. One of the exercises I give people is to go out and find 30 images. Find 10 composed entirely on the vertical theme, 10 composed on the horizontal theme, and 10 composed on the diagonal theme. It sounds like a simple task, but believe me, people struggle. Just like a child learning to speak, we build the visual vocabulary one word at a time.
There will be plenty mistakes along the way, but it is completely accessible to anyone who dedicates time to their practice. That is the great thing about photography. It is not an elitist practice. The camera does not care if you are rich, poor, educated, or have never set foot inside of a school.
As far as special talent or a “gift” I will refer to HCB. Charlie Rose asked him if HCB thought he was “…born with it (talent)?”
HCB responded, with a slight shake of the head, “It must be cultivated.” Look at the Michelangelo quote too. We need to work with this. The whole concept of being born with talent may be true (though in most cases it is misattributed to people who have gained success but are clueless to how this happened) but is not worth paying attention to.
If you want to improve your photography, work at it. Work at it with a mentor, someone you like. If your work does not improve, find a different mentor. In the end you will get better.
Feel free to keep the questions coming. It took me a long time to find any decent teachers, so I am happy to save you some time looking for answers.
best-Adam
Thank you for your well thought out and informative blog article. It was awesome to see how HCB used angles to create interest.
Thanks Gordon, I remember the first time I was shown the “subterranean geometry” it blew my mind. I was familiar with the concept from experience in architecture, but had never seen it applied to a photographer. Good fun.
Nice analysis!
I learned to look at a scene in 2 dimensions. So close one eye (best done in your brain) and then think of harmony in geometry and shapes.
I’m confused about the difference between B&W and Color, our natural predisposed perception and the reduction of complexity by using B&W.
You helped me a lot,
Thanks,
Paul
Hey Paul,
Yes, closing one eye can be a big help. Squinting that eye will help even further. Just do it for a second though, it could become a hazard if you are walking. : )
The difference between BW and color means that some understanding of color must be applied. I have not written any articles on it yet, but probably will in the coming months.
I think its a good idea for people to get their BW skills down first because they only need to concern themselves with value. Its why artists start with a pencil and then move to a painting. We build the skills one at a time. Starting in color can be confusing. I did it and it was a mess. Eventually I reset everything, went to BW and started from scratch. This was a huge help.
Any specific questions you have about color?
A very fine, knowledgeable essay, but sadly, one which is overly difficult to read.
You introduce technical terms (sinister diagonal, reciprocal) without explaining them. Then when we reach the very end, we find an unexpected glossary. If you feel that the glossary is out of place at the beginning, perhaps as part of the introduction, then you should at least indicate early on that the glossary will be available at the end of the article.
In this glossary are terms (eyes, gamut) which are not used in the essay. This is even more confusing as it made me wonder if I had missed some part of the discussion.
That said, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us and I thank you for making this essay available. I look forward to more in the future.
Regards,
Jim
Jim,
All those ‘technical’ terms has been discussed thoroughly in previous post.
: ) Thanks Izwan
Hey Jim,
Glad you enjoyed the read, in spite of it being a bit confusing.
What terms were confusing for you? Maybe I can clear things up.
The articles have been a running conversation. When I did the first one on Alfred Eisenstaedt, the terms were explained in greater depth. The goal was to keep the articles shorter than 10 pages, so I decided to leave the glossary out of every article. But you are right, if you come into the conversation mid-stream it could be confusing, especially if you had not seen the earlier articles. Here is the first article in the Great Composition series.
http://www.adammarelliphoto.com/2011/05/alfred-eisenstaedt/
Its got me thinking I should do separate little entries on each term with a visual illustration. Do you think that would make the terms easier to understand?
Normally, when I tutor photographers privately we are able to review the terms in conversation. Its the best way to teach these techniques. Skype “screen share” works really well for me to teach these ideas if we cant meet in person.
Hope that was helpful : )
There’s more? Marvellous! I did jump into the middle, being attracted by a retweet containing the magic HCB name. I withdraw my complaints and will go and start at the beginning.
Thanks for taking the time to clear up my confusion. Thanks also to Izwan.
Good Light,
Jim
Hey Jim,
Happy to hear it was just a matter of sequencing. Please take your time in the earlier articles and feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
I am around to clear up any confusion and listen to your feedback. Its helpful to hear from everyone.
Best Adam
Thanks for the lesson! In being a self-taught photographer this little tips and insights are very helpful
Hey Flavio,
Nice! Glad the tips are coming in handy.
Best-Adam
Adam,
Thank you for these thoughtful and informative analyses! You do a great service in helping us to understand what makes photographs resonate. I’ve just started a blog to help myself learn the art of storytelling through words and pictures, but you’ve made me realize I need to start looking at pics intellectually and not just emotionally.
Best regards,
Linda
Hey Linda,
Thank you for the kind words. The balance between writing and shooting is one that I am still learning. Last week I had a chance to spend some time with photographer Danny Lyon. Have a look at his blog. He is a fantastic writer and has written for all of his publications. There is always a long way to go, but its nice to meet people who encourage you along the way.
Here is Danny’s site: http://dektol.wordpress.com/
And good pictures contain intellectual and emotional aspects. Its best to understand both.
Best-Adam
Hi Adam,
A wonderful post again. These are valuable insights. So nice to understand more about the compositions and the decisions HCB made. I’m on a learning curve
. Thank you for sharing.
All the best,
Bas
Hey Bas,
We are all on a learning curve, thats the fun part. Happy to have you along for the ride.
Best-Adam
Adman,
Firstly congratulations on this insightful essay on HCB. Having seen his videos and heard him talk it is clear he is a master of geometry. What was greatly insightful was what really he meant by that. This essay would require many readings for it to sink in.
Your interpretation and HCB words would now have a special meaning for me. Thanks for sharing.
PS: I am a street photographer from Mumbai and would appreciate your feedback too. Meanwhile, I am happy to subscribe to your blog and connect on flickr with you.
Great read- thanks for sharing! Now time to review my photos!
Best of luck Adam!
Reviewing your own work, next to the work of HCB will open up a new realm of possibilities.
A step by step approach to evaluation, will make analyzing your own work much easier. Any questions feel free to let me know.
-Adam
Thank you. It was very enlightening. I think we somehow have images that instinctively contain the categories mentioned but without us knowing about it or using it as a practical habit. Now we know. And as we know, we review our own photos and study them. And go out to practice. I’ll apply your own assignments you give your studes to shoot 30 images. Thank you thank you thank you for a very good, practical, and readable article without the pretentious intellectual BS that only talks to the very few.
Hey Alan,
Its is great to hear the article is helpful to you. These simple assignments are like a musician learning to play the scales or as Myron says “This is twinkle, twinkle little star.”
There is a touch of instinct which kicks in as we look at an image. The trouble is that when it comes to taking pictures the instinct leaves us. Its best to rely on a learned skill set.
Hopefully the reason the article comes off without any pretension, is that I believe anyone can use these lessons. They were given to me and I am passing them on. With a small amount of dedication any photographer can improve their work and uncover the myths of why images work well.
Good luck with the 30 images. Keep me posted on your progress.
Best-Adam
As another amateur photog, I want to also thank you for the well written and very educational article! There are numerous points I can make practical use of in my photographic adventures. You teach well. Give kudos to PetaPixel for bringing me here.
As for HCB, I would add that imho his photos at its simplest are about story telling, describing the human condition with the stylistic elegance of his artistry that you daftly summarized: well contrasted subjects arranged in geometric harmony in their surroundings.
On a final and admittedly sour note, I really dislike Charlie Rose and his HCB interview in particular. He seems to never listen, just keeps rambling on and on..
Hey Karoy,
From one writer to another, thank you. Writing is an on going challenge, so I am happy to hear it is clear and effective. Thanks PetaPixel for the referral.
The thing that I think most people miss, especially with HCB, is that a good photographer can make an apple interesting. Design comes first, content second. If you have a really good handle on design, it can only improve your dexterity with the subject. Otherwise we are all slaves to our subjects. It also explains why HCB can create master works in any part of the world while avoiding some of the 20th centuries major wars. War photography is quite different. It relies almost entirely on content for its punch. But the best war photogs are great designers too.
Charlie Rose has certainly done better interviews. I think the major problem is that Rose does not know much about art. He is probably well versed in art history, but design is a foreign concept. So he cant seem to formulate an intelligent question to HCB. It might be like a food critic who has never cooked an egg.
Thanks again!
Best-Adam
Adam,
Just wanted to say well done on a great article. I’ll be sending this round all the members in my camera club. Diagonals never looked so good
All the best,
Donal
Belfast
Hey Donal,
Thanks a bunch for the kind words and for passing it along to your camera club. Where are you guys based?
Best of luck with the article, I hope it comes in handy.
-Adam
Hey Adam,
I’ll keep an eye on your blog for any more posts.
We’re a photography club based in Belfast. Your article was sent to me through another member so it seems to be circulating well
d
Great to hear, I will keep them coming. Give my best to your club : )
Adam
Thank you. Your article lucidly described the methods used by Cartier-Bresson and a light bulb went off for me. I am going to take these lessons to heart. Once again, thanks for the teaching.
Best regards
Rao
Adam,
Thanks for a great analysis. For so many years I just didn’t get what was special about HCB’s photos. OK he had travelled the world, but come on… Because my own photographic vocabulary was limited I couldn’t find anything that looked like what I was looking for.
Then I had the good fortune to be in NY during the big exhibition at MOMA last year and somehow it clicked. I still didn’t completely understand why, but the photos just plain worked. They communicated so clearly and vividly their stories. That was a revelation, and a great exhibition.
Since then, and not least because of your articles, I have started appreciating that there is more to life than the rule of thirds. Through a closer study of more complex compositions I got a better appreciation of many photographs. And this article closes the loop for me. I think I get it now. Next: Apply it to my own photos more consistently
Hey Per,
You are absolutely correct. So many people have travelled the world with a camera, but so few have come back with HBC quality images. The visual vocabulary is hard to come by because most critics simply write about history and content. They dont know anything about design, so they just skip over it.
The MoMA exhibition was excellent. A surprising thing to note was that HCB’s travel kit for years was a 50mm, 90mm, and a 135mm. Wide angle work is very trendy these days, which is ok, but HCB used a 50mm until he had it mastered. Then he made the move to 35mm.
And the rule of thirds is really just an average of more complex design. Some people act as if it would be impossible to use anything more than thirds, which is absurd. Our ability to assess a visual situation can be lighting fast. But in most cases its better if we know what we are looking for and can anticipate the photograph, like HCB.
With training we can hone our visual skills to spot, lighting, composition, and timing in an instant. HCB, being a practical man, started with subjects that moved slowly. Then as he got older he increased the speed.
It also did not hurt that HCB had a classical arts education. From his writings its so clear that the art influence was critical to his development.
Happy to hear you are enjoying all of this. Let me know if you have any questions.
Best-Adam
I’ll reiterate the many thanks, for pointing toward the doorway,
and the first few steps, to my next level of photography.
Hey Roger,
Glad you enjoyed it. We work in baby steps at first. Little by little the process is internalized and then the “great leaps forward” are possible.
This should at least give you a running start.
Best-Adam
Adam! Wow. Thank you for posting this. I’ve read it twice so far, and it’s staying on my iPad. Cheers man. -Joe Glynn, Boulder, Colo.
Hi Joe,
Thank you for reading the article. I am glad it will have a new home on your iPad.
Based on the considerable popularity of the post, I will be expanding my articles on Cartier-Bresson. There are many aspects of his work, which I rarely find in print. They should be accessible to a broader audience.
Best-Adam
Amazing article. Wonderful insights. My question is this: how do you move from seeing these elements in images and using those tools when you shoot?
Hey Chris,
Very happy to hear you enjoyed the article.
I find that it takes students about 3-5 classes with me before they can start thinking with these principles in mind. The concepts are easy enough to grasp conceptually, but it takes some practice before they become a part of your vision.
In general we start by taking simplified compositions before working into more complex arrangements. The most important lesson is establishing a strong figure to ground relationship, squint, squint, squint. As they begin to squint regularly, their images take a new direction.
There will be a workshop again in April here in NYC, if you are in the area or there are private classes available too. I wish there was a place or link where I could send you, but there is so little, reliable information on this material. Myron Barnstone is the only person I could recommend.
If you would like additional information and any of it let me know.
Best-Adam
Hi,
I have a technical doubt, how do you build (geometrically) a root-4 into a 1.5 armature ?? As you taught us it seems the base of the Bresson’s composition and I want to analyze by myself some pictures.
Thank you so much.
Hey Oscar,
I can explain it with some visuals over a skype call more simply. But a 1.5 rectangle is a square and a half. Lay two overlapping 1:2 rectangles over the 1.5 and you will get the major subdivisions. If you end up dividing the image into quarters vertically then you are on the right path.
The Craig Semetko shows the breakdowns of the Root 4 into the 1.5 on a few different photos.
It takes me about one private class to explain it fully with examples that my students can use and test for themselves. If you are interested shoot me an email and I can send you the information on private sessions.
Afterwards you will be able to make your own tracings and analyze HCB on your own. It will give yo a new found appreciation for his work and make you wish that publishers stuck to a three or four images sizes for a book. The recent MoMA book of HCB is a mess. There are a dozen different image sizes and you need to make a trace for each on.
Let me know if that works for you.
Best-Adam
I got it, thank you very much !!!
I wish I could attend to some of your workshops in NY but….I live in Spain
)
Hey Oscar,
If you can get a group of at least five photographers together, I will come do a workshop for your guys in Spain.
I have not been in Spain for almost ten years now. Its time for a return trip.
Best-Adam
And then there is the ineffable… “I have a *passion* for geometry. My greatest *joy* is the surprise of facing a beautiful organization of forms.” —Henri Cartier-Bresson
Hey David,
Welcome to the site, I believe this is the first time we are crossing paths. Happy to hear you are enjoying the articles. Is this type of information new to you? I am curious to see where people are coming from in terms of HCB. There is an undeniable appreciation for HCB, but I rarely find essays on the nuts and bolts of his work. So I did the only logical thing and decided to write a few myself. I will keep them coming, you keep reading…I look forward to seeing your work progress.
Best-Adam
Just to see another point of view (although I’m pleased with your lessons), here you have a non-believer in this kind of composition (geometrical arrangement), and he has made a deep analysis…what do you think ??
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/tech11.html
Hey Oscar,
I need to give a longer answer here, but just wanted to let you know I saw the comment.
I am familiar with Bruce’s writing and he is actually advocating exactly what we are doing here. The armatures are Proportional Analysis, by his definition because they are each derived from the shape of the negative. The strange thing is that Bruce never uses the diagonal. The bridge between Bruce and Bouleau’s work is the “real” answer. Bruce seems to think that Bouleaus analysis is arbitrary, its not. I agree that it is terribly confusing the I get the sense from Bouleau’s book that he is more interested in letting you know that he understands the material, rather than teaching you how to use it properly. He leaves out the Root forms of many of the armatures, so without an overlay gauge it would be very challenging to follow his work.
But Bruce and Bouleau are very capable thinkers, but if you read many of the pages on handprint, you will probably agree that they read like IKEA instructions.
The difficulty with terms like proportional analysis or geometrical arrangements is that they are made up compound words used to define a visual language. There, unfortunately, is no widely accepted arbiter of terms. Why is this a problem? Because Bruce talking about proportional divisions and me speaking about 1.5 or Root 4 schemes are talking about the same thing with different terms.
Underlying the entire conversation is that the rectangle is as important as the subject. For a painter there are more options. They can pick from a number of rectangles, where as photographers 35mm is a set dimension. Now we can also use a 2-1/4, or a 6×7, 8×10 and the list goes on. But for simplicity sake HCB and anyone walking around with a Leica are dealing with the 1.5.
Its good to read Bruce’s article. He may be math heavy for some folks, but he is a knowledgable fella. It would be fun to show him how to go through Bouleau’s analysis, but that will be for another day.
Good find, its nice to see you looking for more information. As you will find, all useful answers point in the same direction.
To give you a full explanation we would need a few books, some tracing paper, an hour or so and a good bottle of wine because after all, its good fun.
Best-Adam
Thanks for the answer, Adam. I know this is not easy to explain in a simple reply.
I see there is no such contradiction between root rectangles and proportional analysis, and my first impulse for checking the Bruce’s analysis was to follow the diagonal
In any case, thanks to you I discovered Jay Hambidge, Charles Bouleaus and other “secrets”…
Thank you !! And of course, this is much more fun than IKEA !!
Hey Oscar,
I think you are on the right track. Its good to be able to reconcile different approaches and find something that works for you. I hope, thought I am not sure its always possible that my website and workshops offer people a chance to learn the material, but more importantly to USE it and apply it to their own work. I find that many people say, “oh yes, I know the golden ratio,” but if you ask them how to use the principles to make a picture they go blank. I want to fill in the blank so everyone can enjoy making images.
Hambidge will set you up good and proper and if you understand his writing it makes Bouleau more digestible.
When I was practicing Zazen (zen meditation) a few years back, one of the monks gave me a quote from the Buddha.
He says “Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
We are all trying to live up to the lessons which came before us. : )
Best-Adam
It was 1964 when I saw the first the first exhibition of HCB in Ankara. Since then I have been a fan of his photography and can claim that I have seen probably 90% of his pictures if not more. Through the years, I used to maintain an investigative eye for each new photograph of him I came to encounter with and have driven my own conclusions regarding -especially- of the elements of form with respect to timing. With the same inquiries, I used to screen the works of some other photographers who were known to employ form & timing as masterfully, like Salgado, Raghubir Singh, Alex Webb, etc.
This essay, however, has shed a light on an important aspect of what puts HCB apart from the rest; the skill of seeing form in certain geometrical rules that eye perceives pleasantly however falls short of reasoning of why… an order arranged in a meticulous way and with patience… a hidden harmony making us wonder “why it looks so faultless?” however to be revealed as the eye keeps concentrated on.
I think the points in this article are the answers to inquries concerning some brilliant works of others; especially of what they lack or why they look some sort of chaos when we compare them to the ones of HCB although they too were successful in turning insignificant into significant.
My gratitude for your efforts.
Bob,
My kindest thank you’s for your comment. Under the surface of HCB lies a rich geometry which he mentioned often in interview, but with most interviewers, not trained in drafting they hardly knew which questions to have asked. As a result, the world has a profound appreciation for HCB, but mix up the “accomplishments” of other photographers on the same level as Henri. His work stands heads and shoulders above the figures he influenced. While I have never met Salgado, I can say with certainty that Alex Webb only touches on HCB’s designs with a passing blow. Alex was educated in literature, not art. And while I enjoy some of his pictures immensely and find him to be a nice enough photographer…we must remember the letters HCB wrote leaving Magnum. He disapproved of the direction the agency and its photographers were taking.
HCB selections are available for everyone to see. I was taught how to see them and I consider it the Artist’s Cultural Obligation to pass on lessons. The great things is that once you start to “See it” his entire library opens up as an incredible resource.
Happy to oblige.
Best-Adam
Adam,
you’ve written the best piece on HCB images I’ve ever read. Thank you so much!
You have provided what I’ve been looking for in photography books and almost never found: You explained (part of) the invisible grammar of successful photographs.
I’m precisely interested in how to construct images that “one likes without knowing why” and you have written the best account on this subject I’ve ever read.
Thanks so much again. I’ll be looking for further articles from you.
This is the best blog entry I’ve read anywhere. I’ve probably re-read it a half dozen times. Outstanding.
Hey Rob,
Thank you my good man. Just to type of comment I like to see before going to bed.
Dream of diagonals. : )
Best-Adam
Just thinking, while shooting on the street, did HCB encounter problems with people who didn’t want their picture taken?
Hey Warren,
I imagine he ran into problems just like the rest of us. There are cranky people and aggressive policemen all over the world. But when you “deal” with strangers on a regular basis, you get good at sniffing out trouble and working very lightly.
Its all a touch game.
best-Adam
Hello Adam,
First of all, sorry that my name is kinda weird here. I’m from Thailand
you can call me “Boom” instead, it’s my nickname.
I really wanna say thanks for what you’ve post here
this is so amazing knowledge to me, I really love photography
but never have a chance to take course about it, i learn by myself all the time
by try to watch as many photo from many master photographers as i can,
sometimes the interview or some documentary of them.
I always want to know about composition of works by masters, try to find book about it.
But never find anywhere like your article. You teach me a lot.
Ahh i can’t describes how much this help me and how grateful I am now, many many thanks again.
(Sorry for my bad English)
Respectfully yours
Boom
Hey Boom,
No need to apologize for the name. Boom is a very cool name. If everyone was named Adam, Tom or Bill it would be a boring world.
I am very happy to hear that you are enjoying the website and that the articles are proving useful to you. Hopefully now, when you look
at Master Photographers you can see more of the design games they are playing under the surface of their pictures.
Keep reading, shooting and reviewing you images and things will begin to fall into place. If you find yourself stuck drop me an email and we
can sort you out.
Best-Adam
Hi, Adam
Ahhh Really thx for your comment.
The “Great Compositions” series are very very amazing articles.
Do you plan to do some of “Robert Frank” or may be “William Eggleston” ?
(anyway this is as good as i can get from internet now)
I guess I’ll have to try to photograph and practice by using these knowledge,
kinda reset almost all of my old thinking before click the shutter.
OK that’s all now.
Wish you have a happy time and a happy life, you really teach me a lot.
Many thanks again
Boom
Hi Boom,
Maybe I can work up an article on Robert Frank. The truth is, I dont think much of Eggleston even though he is a Leica photographer.
But Frank made some great work.
Best-Adam