See shapes

In yesterday’s post about the Rule of Thirds, we looked at the classic work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Bresson’s style is very rooted in a classical compositional tradition balanced by a sense of time, place and wonder which makes his work amazing.

Another key element of Bresson’s compositional style is the use of geometry. Just like using the rule of thirds requires placing key elements of your composition on points which emphasize them on the image, geometry also creates emphasized points by establishing a relationship between them. Implied geometric shapes create this relationship.

Also worth noting is how the direction of the lines in these shapes is often implied by the direction of faces and eyes in Bresson’s subjects, lines of perspective and light contrast. The most recognizable of these manifest themselves in triangles and are often represented in a compound fashion colliding with one another.

Studying this geometric implication in Cartier-Bresson’s work can create interest in your own compositions.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson