Cartier-Bresson Image Critique

 

The Language of Dance, 1954

    I am a huge fan of dancing. I love the movement and vivacity in this photo. These two people are enjoying dancing, and enjoying each other immensely. It is obvious that this photo is taken at a time where Lenin is in power. His reign was an extremely stressful time, but the slogan in the front of the photograph translates to 'We are the future of the party, however, the future belongs to the young'. I think this is very symbolic, since even during a hard time these young people are looking to the future and enjoying life and dancing. 

    The composition of this photograph is also very interesting. In the front of the photo, taking up the majority of the right side, is Lenin's face and his quote about the future. The open doors to the left side may symbolize a door to the future, and the perspective into the ballroom also gives depth in the photo, as well as the changing floor patterns giving texture. There is a light in the picture, coming from inside the ballroom, draws your eye from the dark wall on the right to the light coming from the door on the left. The people dancing, slightly blurry indicating a lowered shutter speed on the camera, create a sense of movement in the otherwise static photo. 

 Srinagar, Kashmir, 1948