The Mind's Eye: Writings on Photography and Photographers
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- Create Date：2021-05-25 11:56:05
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Henri Cartier-Bresson
- ISBN：0893818755
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Summary
Henri Cartier-Bresson's writings on photography and photographers have been published sporadically over the past 45 years。 His essays--several of which have never before been translated into English--are collected here for the first time。 The Mind's Eye features Cartier-Bresson's famous text on "the decisive moment" as well as his observations on Moscow， Cuba and China during turbulent times。 These essays ring with the same immediacy and visual intensity that characterize his photography。
Reviews
E
，
Short。
Blair
，
HCB seems to write for social media - bite size chunks， easy digestible but not enough to make a whole meal of。 Part One （on photography） carries some deep insights， Part Two （on places） some keen observations but for me， Part Three （on photographers） mostly falls into banality or snobbishness。 A light volume that has very good moments but not enough to be a "must have"。 HCB seems to write for social media - bite size chunks， easy digestible but not enough to make a whole meal of。 Part One （on photography） carries some deep insights， Part Two （on places） some keen observations but for me， Part Three （on photographers） mostly falls into banality or snobbishness。 A light volume that has very good moments but not enough to be a "must have"。 。。。more
Iain
，
This is a small book and an easy read。 It's nice that HCB's writings are collected in such a convenient and accessible little volume， and it's reasonably interesting。 However， I keep wondering how many people who would pick up this book won't leave it a little disappointed？ Hence the three stars。 While I enjoy hearing his thoughts and anecdotes， especially the earlier sections that are more specifically photo-oriented， I'm not sure what I'll take from having read this。 Much of it is a collection This is a small book and an easy read。 It's nice that HCB's writings are collected in such a convenient and accessible little volume， and it's reasonably interesting。 However， I keep wondering how many people who would pick up this book won't leave it a little disappointed？ Hence the three stars。 While I enjoy hearing his thoughts and anecdotes， especially the earlier sections that are more specifically photo-oriented， I'm not sure what I'll take from having read this。 Much of it is a collection of brief descriptions of people he knew， and he shares the story of his trip to Russia and the process of getting permission for it， a description of his visit to Cuba and how he met Castro。If that sounds boring， well。。。 some of it might be， but he does write in a way that many will find charming， with some enjoyable or familiar phrases along the way:"Approach the subject on tiptoe—even if the subject is still-life。""A velvet hand， a hawk's eye。""Blurred backgrounds in color photographs are distinctively displeasing。""The camera is not the right instrument to provide the whys and wherefores of things。""It's marvelous， such a sense of economy， which is the measure of taste。""The eye as lighthouse in a storm。"I think if you watch the various interviews with him on youtube， you'll get a pretty good sense of what it's like to read his writings: enjoyable， but more for the wording and the interesting man he is than for the content。 Based on his interviews and writings about himself， I'm left with the impression that Cartier-Bresson spent his whole life trying to make himself small and inconspicuous， "in order to observe better，" in a world that wanted to enlarge him and shove him into the spotlight。 His writing can be flowery， with clear indulgence in the enjoyment of the written word， but there's a sense that he's embarrassed at the attention and doesn't really want to be listened to。 Fascinating man， but his writing isn't welcoming to the reader in the way that of some other photographers tends to be， and I can't say I'm left eager to seek out more of Henri's writing。 。。。more
Cory
，
Just over 100 pages。。。 I enjoyed the first half， which contained essays on art/photography。 The last half was a collection of snippets about other artists he knew。 Heartfelt I’m sure， but meh。 It was interesting to look up the work of those folks though。
Bob
，
Esto es una joya de un libro。 Es limpio， conciso y al grano。 De hecho， está inspirado en el trabajo del propio Cartier-Bresson。 El pequeño tamaño y volumen （sólo unas 160 páginas） pueden ser engañosos。 Pero sigue la vida y el trabajo del gran hombre de cerca， pesando más al lado técnico， y terminando por su breve escritura y entrevista。 Muchas fotos producidas son por el propio Cartier-Bresson o en algún punto relevante de su vida。 Ellos pueden ser pequeños， pero la calidad es muy alta。 En gener Esto es una joya de un libro。 Es limpio， conciso y al grano。 De hecho， está inspirado en el trabajo del propio Cartier-Bresson。 El pequeño tamaño y volumen （sólo unas 160 páginas） pueden ser engañosos。 Pero sigue la vida y el trabajo del gran hombre de cerca， pesando más al lado técnico， y terminando por su breve escritura y entrevista。 Muchas fotos producidas son por el propio Cartier-Bresson o en algún punto relevante de su vida。 Ellos pueden ser pequeños， pero la calidad es muy alta。 En general， excepcionalmente iluminador e inspirador。 Muy recomendable， especialmente para los aficionados a la fotografía de cualquier tipo。 。。。more
Johns
，
For anyone NOT familiar with this famous photographer's body of work， this little book won't mean a whole lot。 Equip yourself with some familiarity and you gain much from the work。 I particularly appreciated the wit and courtesy with which the author described some of his friends in Part III of the book。 For anyone NOT familiar with this famous photographer's body of work， this little book won't mean a whole lot。 Equip yourself with some familiarity and you gain much from the work。 I particularly appreciated the wit and courtesy with which the author described some of his friends in Part III of the book。 。。。more
Thaís Henriques Dias
，
Os textos sobre fotografia são ótimos， mas os textos sobre algumas viagens e os amigos do autor/fotógrafo não são tão bons assim。
Lydia
，
For someone wanting to “see” or to “learn the art of seeing” as I’ve made note that many admirable photographers frame this ability as an elemental key to the art of mastering photography and improving what images you capture with your cameras。 This book illuminated that path as a short， inspirational read with less technically ruled details and more advice for “putting one’s head， one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis。 It gives focus to the intangible personal aspects of what the camera ca For someone wanting to “see” or to “learn the art of seeing” as I’ve made note that many admirable photographers frame this ability as an elemental key to the art of mastering photography and improving what images you capture with your cameras。 This book illuminated that path as a short， inspirational read with less technically ruled details and more advice for “putting one’s head， one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis。 It gives focus to the intangible personal aspects of what the camera can create when the photographer is thinking more attentively and with purposeful intent。 I found it to be a gift of insight into how to develop more meaningful images and discover your own individual leitmotiv。 There is nothing in this world without a decisive moment as Henri Cartier-Bresson states。 。。。more
Thomas Becker
，
A marvelous read， like a good friend visiting you， engaging you with conversation to take your mind off of your troubles， whether it be COVID-19 or having your gallbladder removed。 HCB writes like he's taking you into his confidence， revealing wonderous things about photography and life。 This is the perfect little read for convalescence， just finishing a series and need a total change of subject， or as a gift to a photographers。 A marvelous read， like a good friend visiting you， engaging you with conversation to take your mind off of your troubles， whether it be COVID-19 or having your gallbladder removed。 HCB writes like he's taking you into his confidence， revealing wonderous things about photography and life。 This is the perfect little read for convalescence， just finishing a series and need a total change of subject， or as a gift to a photographers。 。。。more
Vikram Moghe
，
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time。 Not only will it make you think about and improve how you compose and frame a photograph， you’d be forgiven for thinking this guy is not just a legendary photographer but an accomplished writer too。 So much of it resonated with me that I was either awestruck or was shaking my head in both agreement and disbelief with what I was reading
Artguy
，
Cartier-Bresson is a must know for all photographers， despite the fact that he fairly shunned accolades and even left behind photography in the final third of his life。 He still celebrated great photographers and other artists， as printed in this book， which is a series of short writings he did about photography， art， artists， friends， and places。 Most people will read this to get insight into his view of street photography， but will probably come away remembering more how he described places li Cartier-Bresson is a must know for all photographers， despite the fact that he fairly shunned accolades and even left behind photography in the final third of his life。 He still celebrated great photographers and other artists， as printed in this book， which is a series of short writings he did about photography， art， artists， friends， and places。 Most people will read this to get insight into his view of street photography， but will probably come away remembering more how he described places like Cuba and China， and friends like Giacometti and Breton。 。。。more
Chelsey
，
I liked it！ I could relate to much of the writing angst and decisions about stepping away from the novel writing。 Not sure I’d recommend it for non-writers though。
Gokuloko
，
Amazing
René-Raphael
，
Der größte Dompteur des Augen-Blicks， der raffinierteste Komponist der Wirklichkeit， auf Abzüge bannend， was seiner legendären Leica-Kamera vor die Linse kam: Er konnte Echtes， Gelebtes hineinkomponieren， in behexend schöne Bilder， die es nur für diesen Hauch von Zeit so geben konnte， so aufzunehmen gab。 Cartier-Bresson， du verdammte Legende: Er hat einfach den Auslöser gedrückt， eine Heldentat！ Das fällt mir viel zu schwer， lächerlich schwer manchmal， und das gar mit meiner kecken blau-weißen， Der größte Dompteur des Augen-Blicks， der raffinierteste Komponist der Wirklichkeit， auf Abzüge bannend， was seiner legendären Leica-Kamera vor die Linse kam: Er konnte Echtes， Gelebtes hineinkomponieren， in behexend schöne Bilder， die es nur für diesen Hauch von Zeit so geben konnte， so aufzunehmen gab。 Cartier-Bresson， du verdammte Legende: Er hat einfach den Auslöser gedrückt， eine Heldentat！ Das fällt mir viel zu schwer， lächerlich schwer manchmal， und das gar mit meiner kecken blau-weißen， durchaus digitalen Canon， die sich doch theoretisch dutzende Male an so einem Moment， an dem alles richtig ist， versuchen könnte， ohne dass aus Dunkelkammer und den Dämpfen des Entwicklerbads Verwackeltes und Ungeratenes herauskäme。 Ich will die Welt nicht falsch aufnehmen， allzu oft， oder gar unnötig in Unordnung bringen， wenn sie sich doch von mir festhalten lassen muss， sie ist schon unordentlich genug。 Cartier-Bresson sieht in seinem Medium hinter jeder Unze Ästhetik， die wir an einem Foto bewundern， eine rasche， kühne Entscheidung als Begründung。 Nach diesem Ethos schreibt er auch: Elegant， knapp und eilend， bloß kein behäbiges Verweilen， mit Reflexionen jonglierend， blitzgescheite Einsichten formulierend， funkeln muss es。 Manchmal macht das Cartier-Bresson'sche aphoristische Tempo wehmütig nach mehr eingreifender Meditation， mehr Erkunden interessanter Gedanken。 Aber vielleicht verlören die dann auch an Strahlkraft， seine Prosa an Wendigkeit。 Cartier-Bressons aristokratisch-verschmitzte Stilkunde seines Meisterformats， der formvollendeten Fotoreportage， garniert der Mitgründer des legendären Magnum-Imperiums dann noch mit lakonischen Reiseberichten von Orten， an denen das Ablichten dessen， was wirklich ist， gelegentlich rechtschaffen ungemütlich werden konnte: China， Russland， Kuba。 Hier muss er sich stets und schnellstmöglich positionieren， auf der Straße， zu den ihm fremden Menschen， zur Macht im Land， mit seinem schicken， zwielichtigen Ewigkeits-Apparat in den Händen， rasch ans Auge gehoben， unter die hochgebogene Braue。 Cartier-Bressons schmaler Band an Schriften endet mit sanftmütigen， oft scharfsinnigen， sogar vereinzelt anrührenden Miniaturen über seine engsten künstlerischen Weggefährten， Vorbilder und persönlichen Freunde， die eher den Charakter einer Sammlung von liebevoll-schwermütigen Schwanengesängen haben und dem Buch zum Schluss den unnötigen Nachgeschmack eines staatstragend hergerichteten Dokuments aus dem Nachlass geben。 。。。more
Sofia
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Just as himself， the book is simple and short， but beautiful。 What I loved the most was how he recognized the were topics he could not talk about （for example color photography which at the time was still very new） and still managed to capture and define the true esence of being a photographer as an artist。 I wanted to read what he tought specially because of his drawing and peinture background， and also to know how he described his process of work。 He writes about what he likes to photograph （p Just as himself， the book is simple and short， but beautiful。 What I loved the most was how he recognized the were topics he could not talk about （for example color photography which at the time was still very new） and still managed to capture and define the true esence of being a photographer as an artist。 I wanted to read what he tought specially because of his drawing and peinture background， and also to know how he described his process of work。 He writes about what he likes to photograph （people， place， ordinary life） and also describes his relationship with other photographers and artists。 By the end the book he shares in a very few words certain travel experiences （for example Russia， China and Cuba） and how traveling affected （or not） is train of work。I leave you with a few amazing quotes from the book:"Photography implies the recognition of a rhythm in the world of real things。""To me， photography is the simultaneous recognition， in a fraction of a second， of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression。" 。。。more
Bruno Vinelli
，
Todo fotógrafo e estudante de fotografia deve ler algum livro do Cartier-Bresson。 Este livro é de leitura rápida e tem uma ideia de como ele pensa a fotografia e ainda fala dos seus amigos。
Nicolas Chinardet
，
This is an odd little volume。 The first section mostly expounds Cartier-Bresson's theories on photography。 This is followed by a few short pieces of travel writing and finishes with scraps of texts about artists， HCB has known。 A sprinkling of photographs， sketches and handwritten notes completes this heteroclite collection。 In a way this works like a photo album， gathering together disparate snapshots （visual and mostly written） without much context， and in the end little meaning。The theoretica This is an odd little volume。 The first section mostly expounds Cartier-Bresson's theories on photography。 This is followed by a few short pieces of travel writing and finishes with scraps of texts about artists， HCB has known。 A sprinkling of photographs， sketches and handwritten notes completes this heteroclite collection。 In a way this works like a photo album， gathering together disparate snapshots （visual and mostly written） without much context， and in the end little meaning。The theoretical writings at the beginning are couched in rather obtuse language （this may be due to the the translation） which doesn't help shining a little on HCB's thinking。 The rest is more explicit and more pleasant to read， particularly the travelogues。 。。。more
Jennifer
，
Enjoyed his thoughts on photography and his creative friends。
Rajiv Chopra
，
I like this book a lot。 There are some real nuggets of insight here。 The good thing about the book， is that it is short and concise。 There is no verbiage， if I may use the term。 There is， however， a small issue。 In a short book like this， you would expect that the insights would be more liberally scattered through the book。 A lot of space is devoted to his own impressions of friends etc。 This in itself， is not a bad thing。 The price for this， however， is a bit highThe insights， when you come acr I like this book a lot。 There are some real nuggets of insight here。 The good thing about the book， is that it is short and concise。 There is no verbiage， if I may use the term。 There is， however， a small issue。 In a short book like this， you would expect that the insights would be more liberally scattered through the book。 A lot of space is devoted to his own impressions of friends etc。 This in itself， is not a bad thing。 The price for this， however， is a bit highThe insights， when you come across them， are invaluable 。。。more
Patrick Hanlon
，
The photographic master sums up his craft， his approach and his ethic in so many ways。 My favorite quote: "people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing，" articulates much about photography。 A generous look behind the curtain。 The photographic master sums up his craft， his approach and his ethic in so many ways。 My favorite quote: "people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing，" articulates much about photography。 A generous look behind the curtain。 。。。more
Antonio Delgado
，
These subtle revelations on the photographic process illuminates artistic process of one of the greatest artists of 5e past century。 The artist uses instruments at his disposition while conjuring the mind and the body into the process。
Gayatri Vaidya
，
I really liked some of the stuff he has talked about- the similarities between sketching and photography and how one is similar yet different from the other。
Li Jia Li
，
A beautifully written book of what's photography is about and how's photographer's mind works。 I randomly bought it at random second-hand shop on the road and turn out to be a great book。 I will definitely read it again。 A beautifully written book of what's photography is about and how's photographer's mind works。 I randomly bought it at random second-hand shop on the road and turn out to be a great book。 I will definitely read it again。 。。。more
Angelo Merendino
，
Full of insight into the mind of one of the most known and influential photographers。
Aleksandra
，
Good quality， interesting stories。 But it could have more text and more photographs。
Owlseyes
，
Structure。。。d。。。 。。。。black umbrella for two。。。。 。。。flower power versus。。。。 。。。just different types of dresses。。。。 。。。convergence。。。。 。。。too much intimate？。。。。 。。。the great leap。 Structure。。。d。。。 。。。。black umbrella for two。。。。 。。。flower power versus。。。。 。。。just different types of dresses。。。。 。。。convergence。。。。 。。。too much intimate？。。。。 。。。the great leap。 。。。more
Riina Ojanen
，
Tämä pieni， vain satasivuinen， kirjanen tuli vastaan Ateneumin Cartier-Bresson-näyttelyssä， ja unohduin lukemaan sen paikan päällä kokonaan。 （Lukutila oli kiva idea museolta。） Kirja piirsi mielestäni hyvän kuvan itse valokuvaajan persoonasta， ja valaisi minulle myös valokuvataiteen erityispiirteitä。 “Photography is an immediate reaction， drawing is a meditation。” Tämä kirja voisi olla kiva saada omaksikin。
Barry Stoch
，
I just couldn't connect to this book。 It seemed to me that Mr Bresson's writing in this book reflects his shooting style of blending in， to not stand out， to not draw attention to or reveal himself。 I don't feel I am any closer to understanding the man after reading this。 I just couldn't connect to this book。 It seemed to me that Mr Bresson's writing in this book reflects his shooting style of blending in， to not stand out， to not draw attention to or reveal himself。 I don't feel I am any closer to understanding the man after reading this。 。。。more
Chris
，
Part one of the book offers the absolute minimal insight to his approach to photography （together with an awkward， out-of-place endorsement of Buddhism？！）。 It makes up for the only interesting material of the book。The other parts are an unfortunate display of the artist's unbearable "bourgeois-ness" and historic unawareness （part 2）， and random—and abysmally uninteresting—acknowledgements of his contemporary colleagues and friends （part 3）Better stick to the man's photos。 Part one of the book offers the absolute minimal insight to his approach to photography （together with an awkward， out-of-place endorsement of Buddhism？！）。 It makes up for the only interesting material of the book。The other parts are an unfortunate display of the artist's unbearable "bourgeois-ness" and historic unawareness （part 2）， and random—and abysmally uninteresting—acknowledgements of his contemporary colleagues and friends （part 3）Better stick to the man's photos。 。。。more
Ada
，