| Cartier-Bresson's two photographs 200903992 Yooran Kim  
Even though you are on the street where there is a crowd of people, you can feel lonely. Even though you are on a bench watching a bird in the park where there is no one else, you may not feel lonely. But no one knows that you are lonely in the crowd, and everyone thinks you are lonely if you are alone at the park. The photographs, however, show viewers the essence they can easily miss, and the essence becomes visible when a photographer creates the composition that helps viewers read the mood in the photographs. I'd like to share two best-known photographs of Cartier-Bresson who is famous for capturing "a decisive moment" of subjects' actions or facial expressions after observing the subjects.
The first photograph portrays the world-famous writer and philosopher "Jean-Paul Sartre" with a pipe in his mouth, talking with literature critic Jean Paul Han. Sartre is wearing a heavy overcoat against cold and wearing black thick glasses. Lost in thought, he is standing on a bridge, and gazing beyond the camera. The silence between them makes us feel the weight of their thoughts. The grey background that looks moist absorbs him into environment. The angle is focused only on a main subject, and the foggy background that become much vague going farther, makes us concentrate on a subject and feel how deep and abstruse their thoughts are. The second photograph portrays the world-famous actress "Marilyn Monroe." She is often cited as a pop and cultural icon as well as eminent American sex symbol with dumb blonde. However, Marilyn Monroe in this photo looks dignified without her luxurious lifestyle. She is sitting on a chair wearing a black dress, and staring to the direction where the camera is on the foreground. There is a crowd of people behind a partition, and they all look like her fans. Although Marilyn was on the focus in the center with soft light, the photograph is very clear overall. The up-and-down divided composition of this photograph separates people to up and to down, therefore, Monroe and other people look separate even though they are in the same area. The photograph of "Jean-Paul Sartre" gives its full focus on a main subject in the center that leads viewers' eyes stay on him getting helped by the vague background. On the other hand, the photograph of "Marilyn Monroe" captures everything in the room but viewers are able to focus on a main subject by distinct color disposition getting helped by soft light that makes her glow. Even though Marilyn Monroe was made to sex symbol for a commercial purpose, viewers can find Marilyn Monroe in this picture as a normal beautiful woman who was photographed from warm-hearted point of view. The photograph of "Jean-Paul Sartre" gives us impression of cold background but the heat that comes from the intellectuals' passion. That's why viewers don't think Sartre looks lonely in this picture even with silence. On the other hand, in the photograph of "Marilyn Monroe," Marilyn is surrounded with people who give their interest on her, but she turns her eyes beyond the camera staring nothing. Her mysterious look with subtle facial expression makes viewers feel that she is lonely even with a crowd around her.
Cartier-Bresson did amazing work capturing a "decisive moment" from two subjects in his photographs. The one with "Sartre" has very quiet mood in the background that makes Sartre more active, while Monroe in the photograph of "Marilyn Monroe" is very still on the contrary to noisy-look like background. These two photographs are the perfect examples of that show viewers the essence of a subject that they can miss. The compositions of two photographs are slightly different, and the contrast between a subject and background did a wonderful job in extracting the "real truth" of decisive moment. |
You main idea is the comparison of the two pictures photographed by Cartier-Bresson
ReplyDelete.
What I liked about your writing is that...
1. The first two sentences atracted me a lot. This introduction is so great that readers make impressed only after reading the very first of your essay. In addition, although this is somewhat poetical expression, it also makes readers agree to that.
2. I like the way you depicted the pictures very much. It is so specific that I do not have to see the pictures that are presented in your essay.
3. The way you closed the essay, conclusion was also really good. The reason is that the general statement about photographer was really good and it made me feel professional and at the same time, interesting. I only thought to restate the picture explanations in the conclusion, but this I think is the really good and fresh try.
To talk about the thing that can make a progress...
It would be great if you explain more about the difference you mentioned in the conclusion between the two pictures.
Wow, what a nice writing you have here!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you are a... professional writer! This is very good. Though sometimes it's a little bit hard to catch the main point, but anyhow!.
I just found very small thing in your essay.
Although Marilyn was on the focus in the center with soft light, the photograph is very clear overall. The up-and-down divided composition of this photograph separates people to up and to down, therefore, Monroe and other people look separate even though they are in the same area.
-> You used once Marilyn and next one Monroe. I thought it's a little bit wierd to say someone's name. ^^ Please check it to improve your essay!
Thank you two ladies for the comment!
ReplyDelete2nd draft of Cartier-Bresson's two photographs
ReplyDeleteEven though you are on the street where there is a crowd of people, you can feel lonely. Even though you are on a bench watching a bird in the park where there is no one else, you may not feel lonely. But no one knows that you are lonely in the crowd, and everyone thinks you are lonely if you are alone at the park. The photographs, however, show viewers the essence they can easily miss, and the essence becomes visible when a photographer creates the composition that helps viewers read the mood in the photographs. I’d like to share two best-known photographs of Cartier-Bresson who is famous for capturing “a decisive moment” of subjects’ actions or facial expressions after observing the subjects.
The first photograph portrays the world-famous writer and philosopher “Jean-Paul Sartre” with a pipe in his mouth, talking with literature critic Jean Paul Han. Sartre is wearing a heavy overcoat against cold and wearing black thick glasses. Lost in thought, he is standing on a bridge, and gazing beyond the camera. The silence between them makes us feel the weight of their thoughts. The grey background that looks moist absorbs him into environment. The angle is focused only on a main subject, and the foggy background that become much vague going farther, makes us concentrate on a subject and feel how deep and abstruse their thoughts are.
The second photograph portrays the world-famous actress “Marilyn Monroe.” She is often cited as a pop and cultural icon as well as eminent American sex symbol with dumb blonde. However, Marilyn Monroe in this photo looks dignified without her luxurious lifestyle. She is sitting on a chair wearing a black dress, and staring to the direction where the camera is on the foreground. There is a crowd of people behind a partition, and they all look like her fans. Although Marilyn was on the focus in the center with soft light, the photograph is very clear overall. The up-and-down divided composition of this photograph separates people to up and to down, therefore, Monroe and other people look separate even though they are in the same area.
2nd draft of Cartier-Bresson's two photographs:part 2
ReplyDeleteThe photograph of “Jean-Paul Sartre” gives its full focus on a main subject in the center that leads viewers’ eyes stay on him getting helped by the vague background. On the other hand, the photograph of “Marilyn Monroe” captures everything in the room but viewers are able to focus on a main subject by distinct color disposition getting helped by soft light that makes her glow. Even though Marilyn Monroe was made to sex symbol for a commercial purpose, viewers can find Marilyn Monroe in this picture as a normal beautiful woman who was photographed from warm-hearted point of view. The photograph of “Jean-Paul Sartre” gives us impression of cold background but the heat that comes from the intellectuals’ passion. That’s why viewers don’t think Sartre looks lonely in this picture even with silence. On the other hand, in the photograph of “Marilyn Monroe,” Marilyn is surrounded with people who give their interest on her, but she turns her eyes beyond the camera staring nothing. Her mysterious look with subtle facial expression makes viewers feel that she is lonely even with a crowd around her.
Cartier-Bresson did amazing work capturing a “decisive moment” from two subjects in his photographs. The one with “Sartre” has very quiet mood in the background that makes Sartre more active, while Monroe in the photograph of “Marilyn Monroe” is very still on the contrary to noisy-look like background. These two photographs are the perfect examples of that show viewers the essence of a subject that they can miss. The compositions of two photographs are slightly different, and the contrast between a subject and background did a wonderful job in extracting the “real truth” of decisive moment.