The Decisive Moment

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Henri Cartier-Bresson

Simon & Schuster, New York, 1952, English

Nonfiction, Photography

Published in French as Images à la sauvette, the book includes a portfolio of 126 photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004)—widely considered the father of modern photojournalism—and a cover drawn by Henri Matisse. The term "the decisive moment," used in Cartier-Bresson's preface, is now synonymous with the photographer: “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.“ (1952 edition out of print; reprinted by Steidl, 2015.)

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George Tscherny

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Cartier-Bresson demonstrated the significance of the decisive moment—be it in photography, design, or communication. He taught us to walk softly and carry a little camera.

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