In a few short weeks, an event I’m planning will take place. It’s a “50mm Shoot-Out” in honor of the 101st birthday of Henri Cartier-Bresson, master street photographer and originator of the term “the decisive moment,” as it relates to photography.
HCB, who was born in 1908 and passed away in 2004, was supremely talented at what he did. HCB is most famous for “street photography”, where he was able to capture “the decisive moment”, that instant where all things are aligned in a perfect visual harmony. His style and manner of photography have been mimicked and copied for years. He existed in a particular milieu and was in the perfect place at the perfect time for street photography. His ability to see a scene and bring order to it with his Leica and 50mm lens was phenomenal.
To celebrate his photography, I am planning a “50mm Shootout” on August 22, 2009. Participants will be invited to photograph around Milwaukee over the course of a day with the cameras locked at a 50mm angle of view. Then, as evening falls, they will be invited to Cardinal Stritch University to download their digital images, select 6-8 choice images and watch a slideshow of the groups “decisive moments” from the day! It should be an excellent day and an excellent way to celebrate the tradition of street photography and the influence of Henri Cartier-Bresson on all photographers!
Cost to participate will be $7, to cover admin/planning costs and a portion going to a “Best of Slide-show” prize. For more information, email Troy at troyfreund@mac.com (Of course, film-only photographers are welcome to participate in the event! We just won’t be able to see their images as part of the evening slideshow.)
Here are a number of my own “decisive moments”!
UPDATE: 07-31-09
You do NOT need a 50mm lens to participate in this event. You DO need to lock your zoom lens at 50mm (if a FF-DSLR) or at a 50mm angle of view (if a “cropped-sensor” DSLR).
