The Occasional Odd Crop

The Occasional Odd Thought

There's street photography, and then there's street photography

Exhibits at two Bergamot Station galleries illustrate the differences between the street photography styles of an old master and some of his artistic descendants.

Over here, there's Henri Cartier-Bresson. Over there, we have Martin Parr, Chris Killip and Graham Smith.

All four are excellent photographers, but the contrast between Cartier-Bresson and the other three is striking. Most of the Cartier-Bressons at the Peter Fetterman Gallery are from the 1930s, '40s and '50s. The guy was a master at using light, angles and geometry and capturing the decisive moment to make a beautiful image.

This photo is a perfect example. If the woman had been anyplace else on the bridge, the image wouldn't have worked as well. What comes through is Cartier-Bresson's genius at composition, and also the distance he often kept between himself and his subjects.

Parr, Killip and Smith - three Brits whose works at the Rose Gallery are from the 1970s and '80s - don't keep that distance. They're great at catching just the right moment, as in this photo by Parr, who is acknowledged as a modern master of street photography. The expression on the boy's face and the woman's body language are eloquent.

And in some of the photos by Killip and Smith, you can imagine they're sweating right along with the dancers and drinkers.

With rare exceptions, though, the younger guys don't show the same flair for composition as Cartier-Bresson. I've always found something transcendant about Cartier-Bresson, and after seeing the Bergamot photos, I have a better idea of why.