Henri Cartier-Bresson (New Horizons)

Having subsequently ordered the much larger 'The Man, The Image & the World - a Retrospective', it was my original intention to keep one and return the other, not because I thought one may be poor and the other good but because I did not know either or their approach, content etc. Regardless of physical size, this is quite small and definitely pocket-sized and the other a challenge to a briefcase, they take very different approaches to a similar subject. The retrospective is very comprehensive and includes as wide a variety of images as is likely to seen. This is more selective and there are rather fewer images, but few are common to both volumes. The larger contains some of his artworks, as does this, but also included here are miniaturised reprints from 'Life' and a variety of other images of various types, not necessarily of HCB's making, but of probable relevance. It isn't about photography, but the photographer. There is more textual content in this volume than in the larger one and the whole may be viewed as a heavily illustrated biography rather than simply a book of photographs. I knew a little about HCB before purchasing this and had been familiar with a limited number of his images. Between the two, they provide a very complete picture of the man, his life and certainly his work. There may be some who will criticise this because some of the images are little larger than a postage stamp, and had it not been for the very nature of the book, I could have been another. However, seen in context, the size of the images is not important - their inclusion simply broadens the reader experience. An excellent little book and of a style that I would like to see used for other photographers, and perhaps generally.

Smaller than expected but nonetheless a very useful and informative resource.

Cute little book showing some of Cartier-Bresson's greatest photos and giving a good all round look at his life and works. This book does not give a detailed and comprehensive history but does give a decent overview.

Book layout; Chapter 1 - The Formative Years Chapter 2 - Henri Cartier, Photographer Chapter 3 - Henri Cartier-Bresson, The Great Reporter Chapter 4 - The Aesthetics Behind The Work Chapter 5 - HCB: Fame and Posterity Documents Bibliography List of Illustrations Index Photo Credits & Acknowledgements After the books Chapters there are interviews with HCB, his views on photography, how he works, selected quotes, words from other photographers on HCB and so on. Other users have complained about the size of the pictures in this book. I can only assume that they didn't check the Product Dimensions above which clearly show that this is far from being a coffee table sized book. This fact is also reflected in the price. Paper quality? Well the copy I possess is the 2008 Thames & Hudson edition that has glossy pages which do the job well. I bought this book in order to get me quickly up to speed on a photographer who is widely acknowledged as being one of the worlds best. It achieves that goal and I feel that this is an excellent Cartier-Bresson primer. Once viewed and introduced to the work of HCB the reader can then decide whether or not to invest money in a larger, more expensive book. Oh, and for the record, I think he really is a truly great photographer.

Compared to other photography books on Amazon, this is expensive. Therefore if money is tight and /or you want better value, look around. Edward Weston at £8.99 is such an example. This book would make a decent and informative read on a journey perhaps or somewhere boring where you could take your mind off of the present. It's more about telling his life story of course, and because of his wealthy background where he was able to pick and choose his chosen career, he was provided with the golden key to the many opportunities and introductions that awaited him. For now tho, I've bought and read it and will no doubt refer to it again but, you can do better elsewhere.

For the price this is a very readable book containing some lesser known facts about H C-B and his upbringing. Recommended for an introduction to the man and his work.

Very informative book with some interesting illustrations. A small format but I felt would have benefited from being larger especially for the photographs. I would certainly say a it’s a value for money item.

Yes the photos are small but the book is really about documenting the life and work of the man and it does this very well.

Me encanta

This is a nice little paperback to have if you’re interested in Cartier-Bressons story. Just be aware that many of the images are spread across the double-fold. It’s really hard to appreciate these photos given the layout - especially because the book barely bigger than A5 size. Definitely buy a different book if you predominantly concerned with seeing reproductions of his works. For a more general overview, this is a light an almost pocketable paperback.

Enjoyed very much. Good to have on the coffee Table. Will refer to time time and again. Fast response, as described.

Il libro mi piace molto, ci sono tante foto.

Henri Cartier Bresson is no doubt the greatest street photographer of the 20th Century. This book tells about his life and his shift from drawing to Photography, and how he established Photography as an art medium. It follows his life and also enlists his principles, philosophies and ethics regarding Photography. A purist, he was. Excellent starting point. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to take up street photography.