In Transmitting the Messages and Stories
Fundamental Principles of Photography in Transmitting the Messages and Stories
With the publication of Henri Cartier-Bresson's “Images à la Sauvette” in 1952, which are literally translated as “stolen images” or “images on the run”, the philosophy and psychology of so-called “decisive moment” in photography were introduced and encourages the photographers to view the act of taking photos as “capturing the moment”.
It is extremely important in the art of photography to put a special emphasis on the meaning as not only the message which is transmitted, but also the emotions which it wants to evoke. The message is vital in the photography, and Cartier-Bresson founded some fundamental principals in his idea of “decisive moment” photos, which can be explained as the following: one-chance shot capturing an unrepeatable, “unique, fleeting, and meaningful moment” involving an unobtrusive, candid people in daily situations, “a dynamic interplay of objective fact with subjective interpretation that arouses meaning and emotion about the human condition” (Cartier-Bresson, 1952). The key characteristics of such photo include a sophisticated composition and visual coalescence which lie in balance, harmony, simplicity, and unity, a meaningful background contributing to the general message of the photo, anticipation of completion and closure creating a certain ambiguity and suspense as those “almost completed” actions attracts a particular attention to the photo and story it tells (Suler, n.d.).
According to Henri Cartier-Bresson, the photographers constantly work with is “things that are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth that can make them come back again.” (Cartier-Bresson, 1952). In such way the photography is the best way to capture the moment, make it possible to rise again in one's memory, and evoke certain emotions from the past. This principle reflects a lot the way I view the world and life itself: as a constant flow of moments which appear and disappear instantly, the memories that whiten and become obliterated, and the stories which are told. I consider photography as another way of storytelling, an approach to show the stories of different people and the tales of community as a whole. These are the stories which contain deep emotions, strong feelings and, what is the most important, the stories which are real. Representing candid people, life situations, and true emotions is what makes an art of photography so valuable and unique.
There was a phrase of Henri Cartier-Bresson which made a great impression on me: “In order to “give a meaning” to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what one frames through the viewfinder.” (Cartier-Bresson, 1952) Therefore during the course I actually realized that the perception of photography is deeply philosophical. The perfection of photo lies far beyond good camera qualities and its settings, and even further than just a good balance and composition of the photo. There is a great complexity in any good, valuable photo, and it is vital to consider a million small and even unnoticeable details in order to be a true professional. The course has also enabled me to look at the art of photography from a different perception. A photo, just like a book, or the lyrics, should tell a story. The story, however, is not expressed by verbal signs, as in the provided examples, but rather through the composition itself, the colors, the lines, the symbols, the motion and situation depicted on the photo. What also came to me as revelation is that grasping this great complexity is at the same time innate and developed: it comes both from intuition, and with a practice, and within some time “becomes second nature”.
According to Cartier-Bresson, decisive moment photos is “a product of a unique set of technical, cognitive, and emotional skills” (Cartier-Bresson, 1952) which can be improved by intense practice and experience. John Suler states that there are several necessary skills which are needed in order to capture the decisive moment, which are the following: firstly, camera handling proficiency as the ability to adjust camera settings promptly and successfully, secondly, physical adeptness such as eye-hand coordination, as well as using appropriate for creating good composition body postures, then, well-developed intuition and instincts, people knowledge and mindfulness and, finally, the capacity to be invisible observer. Basing on this list of skills, I would definitely say that there is a way to go, and a way to develop. At the same time, I understood that thanks to the course I became much more aware of my own skills and capacities as a photographer. The course has largely boosted my skills development: first of all, it concerns the skill of unconstructiveness and people knowledge, as I have trained myself and learnt to observe and reinterpret the world around me and the situations which happen. It also enabled me to reconsider my perception of composition and balance and to “look at things differently” (Garrisson, n.d). I also developed my camera handling proficiency and strived to feel the voice of my intuition while taking the photos. I believe that keeping in mind and following all the principles would make me succeed in my future photography projects and ideas.
References
Garrison, Tedar A. (n.d.) Visual Balance – Means Taking Another Look. Retrieved from
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/visual-balance-in-photography/
Suler, J. (n.d.). The Psychology of the “Decisive Movement”. Retrieved from
http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm
