Henri Cartier-Bresson at MOMA NYC
I just came back from seeing an amazing exhibit by the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson at the Musem of Modern Art. I was lucky enough to get to accompany a few of my friends at Leica Camera and have a walk-through during closed hours.
The one thing that struck me after seeing hundreds of his photos is that not a single one of them features a shallow depth of field. With faster lenses being made, it’s easier than ever to feature the subject of the shot in focus while leaving everything behind it a blur, and while it’s immediately satisfying to look at, it definitely lacks impact from a storytelling perspective. I’m guilty of taking pictures that way, and I think I’m going to try moving away from it. (Interesting that Cartier-Bresson was also a painter, which would explain why every detail in the photo was in focus - you can’t paint a blurred background.)
this post may come off a bit highfalutin, but if you’re a fan of photography you should definitely check this exhibit out.
