[Leica] Re: world press winners 2006 - now HCB, lost in translation

[ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter)]

Phong--

Thanks for the different interpretation. It gives me a fresh way to  
look at HCB. That is a very different take than I have from "decisive  
moment."

A fresh perspective makes for fresh eyes. I'll have "first look" at  
photos already seen.

Thanks again.

Ric Carter
http://gallery.leica-users.org/Passing-Fancies

On Feb 11, 2006, at 11:04 AM, Phong wrote:

> B.D. wrote:
>>  Who coined the phrase ?the decisive moment??
>>      A. Susan Sontag
>>      B. Mathew Brady
>>      C. Henri Cartier-Bresson
>>      D. None of the above
>
> I might have flunked the test myself.  My guess
> is C., though I am not sure if it was HCB who
> actually coined the phrase, or it was his publisher/
> or translator / or publicist.
>
> By the way, I first read HCB's book "The Decisive Moment"
> in French, and the French title, "Images a la Sauvette", connotes
> something quite different and much more than the title
> in English.  It is much less about decisiveness, and rather
> about "snaps" (quick, even hasty, rushed, without any sense of
> carelessness or thoughtlessness), on the run, "get away" (from
> the scene of a crime), sneakiness, "under the table", "hot"
> (in the sense of stolen), a sense of do-it-quick-
> and-get-out-of-there, among others.
>
> The English translation, though a catchy phrase, along
> with the famous photo at Gare St Lazarre of the man
> jumping over the puddle, unfortunately, unduly and
> singularly redirects the public attention to only one of the
> many characteristics of Henri Cartier-Bresson's photography.
> These's so much more that define HCB's photography than
> the infamous "Decisive Moment".
>
> By the way, I also like the "Tete a tete" title of
> one of his other books, a phrase that suggests a sense
> of engaged intimacy in the portraits in the book.
>
> Sorry for this "couriel a la sauvette" :-) of a message
> as I haven't spent much time lately on the LUG, other
> than enjoying the photos from various people.
>
> - Phong
>
>
>
>
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