There’s a fantastic street photography show on now at Somerset House. Cartier-Bresson: A Question of Colour features ten Henri Cartier-Bresson photographs never before exhibited in the UK alongside more than 75 works by 15 international contemporary photographers.
I’ve got a proper review of the exhibition coming up shortly. But before that hits the internet, I thought I’d take a sec to share some awesome tips presented by curator William Ewing during the press preview last week. Ewing was citing Cartier-Bresson through the tour he led through the exhibition and generally spouting all sorts of wisdom about street photography. Looking back over my notes from that day, they read more like I’d attended a seminar on seizing what Cartier-Bresson referred to as the “decisive moment” than actually viewing an exhibition.
Here are some of the finer nuggets of Cartier-Bresson inspired advice from the day. I thought about writing my own little personal account about each point, then decided they might resonate more if I just let them sit there on their own for you to ponder.
- Wear a cloak of invisibility;
- Make the subject part of the environment;
- See right to the edges/get it in the frame;
- Awkwardness gives dynamism;
- Don’t think;
- Street photography is an acutely personal thing;
- Put yourself in situations where accidents will happen;
- Let the art take of itself/create your own style.
Cartier-Bresson: A Question of Colour runs until the 27th of January 2012 at Somerset House, located at The Strand, WC2R 1LA. Admission is free. Visit somersethouse.org.uk for more information.
