Last night I took an hour to watch Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Impassioned Eye. It’s an interesting documentary about an amazing man.
The most amazing moment was a 15-second shot where Mr. Cartier-Bresson is beginning to sign a new edition of prints. He uncaps his pen, then decides where to make the signature. His hand shifts a little to the right, a little more to the right, now left. We can see that he’s as concerned about the composition of the signature as he is with the composition of his photographs. He shifts again, and then pauses. He starts to write in a confident, unhurried hand and we watch as that signature takes shape. I got goosebumps.
Such a simple thing, a masterwork.
Update: I found the signature clip online. (Web site is in French) It’s not as dramatic as watching the entire doc, but it’s still magic being able to watch his signature take shape.
