Louvre, Paris
To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It’s a way of life.
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
I made this picture in July 2003, back in my old-school days of film. R was attending yet another important science meeting, and I had most of a week in Paris to wander about to shoot and visit the sites. Thanks to some fortunate scheduling, I was able to see an incredible retrospective of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work at the national library.
One afternoon, we went together to the Louvre and found Paris in a summer shower when we exited the museum. As we waited to see if the rain would lighten, I made some photos. I didn’t have a tripod, but as I was working on lining up the architectural elements in the scene, my personal Cartier-Bresson moment happened. The thing I like most about this photo is how the curve of her umbrella echos the archway, and the postures of the loafing Frenchmen to the side. The colors on the film are uninteresting; I think it reads much better as a B&W.
I clearly remember seeing her step into the frame and open the umbrella, and timing my shutter as the composition elements came together. This particular image gave me a shot of courage to continue pursuing my passion for photography, and to make it a way of life.
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One Comment
I love the symmetry in the architecture. Nice shot!