Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

(b. France 1908 - 2004)

Cartier-Bresson began his career in photography in 1931. Armed with his Leica camera, Cartier-Bresson was one of the first photographers to use the 35 mm format and helped to develop the style of the "street photographer." Cartier-Bresson covered the shiny silver of his camera with black tape which allowed him to blend in with the crowd and take photographs unnoticed. Cartier-Bresson did not consider his work to be "fine art," but rather documentary and journalistic in nature. After working as a staff photographer for various journals, Cartier-Bresson along with fellow photographers Robert Capa, David Seymour and others founded the photographic cooperative Magnum, which allowed them more freedom in their photographic projects. He continued to explore the medium until the early 1970's, when he retired permanently from photography to spend time working with his favored medium of drawing.

Henri Cartier-Bresson died on August 3rd, 2004 in Paris. He is survived by his wife and fellow photographer Martine Franck.