Log notes
Cartier Bresson and ‘Just plain love’
For me Bresson is more than just an artist. He symbolises the sense of what perhaps an artist at his best should emulate. The idea that the artist should be radical or try to identify points of growth for society and demonstrate those through art is one that inspires me.
Bresson speaks mysteriously about his art form and in a way does not talk at all about technique beyond the basic mentioning of the geometry he abides by or ‘sees’ when making his compositions. His main discourse is about the intuitive element within the art form of photography. “You have to be receptive, that is all” states Bresson. “Just be receptive and it happens…”. This is a beautiful and noble idea, but one I think that many photographers are very far away from. Maybe this is due to lack of any really strong ideals or vision in their photography or poor visual skills.
Bresson clearly had this sensibility developed to a high pitch. Can we learn this sensibility or is it innate? This is one of the questions that comes up for me. In theory one can develop whatever one practices. But at the same time there needs to be some innate sensibility to develop and each has his/her own level of that. I believe that Bresson brings up an interesting point in this film. When he talks about most people not taking the time to look properly he is stating I believe something about our age and time. Whilst Bresson was of a particular age in photography and of a particular genre he speaks I think a universal truth that is timeless. That there is a tendency towards not paying attention to what’s in front of us or failing to look beyond the objects in themselves to see the meaning they portray.
This theme for me is one of the most interesting in photography and related to some extent to the discipline of semiotics and meaning within images.
Later in the film Bresson says “taking photographs demands enormous concentration”. Again this idea relates back to the ability to see. I also think that he is talking about taking a strong interest in what you are photographing. In other words, is Bresson’s statement an indictment to pay attention? I would say so. But perhaps he means not so much the forced concentration of someone trying to thread a needle or cross a bridge that is dangerous, but more a sort of spacious presence or a broad awareness of what is happening around us.
For me it is interesting to see that Bresson was influenced by Buddhist ideas and values. He traveled and spent three years in Asia during which time he would have clearly seen buddhism in different asian cultures. Directly or indirectly Bresson would have assimilated some of the ideas of that tradition of which are profoundly related to the visual arts. In particular the training of paying attention and mindfulness or seeing with clear vision are vital aspects to be developed for any serious photographer.
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Reference:
Source:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL707C8F898605E0BF [accessed October 2016]
OCA log level 1 Photography 
I wish I had been around at the time of HCB. What a star of the upcoming art.
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