Behind the image: My birthday present from Henri
Martine Franck
Henri Cartier-Bresson. 1992. © Martine Franck/Magnum Photos
It was my birthday and Henri asked me what I would like as a present and I told him that I would be so happy if he would make an autoportrait of himself in drawing. He went straight to work. He sat on our bed with a mirror posed in front of himself, I was literally lying back watching him when all of a sudden I saw the triple image that ensued. I slipped away to grab my Leica M3 with a 35mm lens, he was so concentrated and focused on what he was doing that I don't think he even realised that I had photographed him.
I did not publish the photograph until his 90th birthday when Ferdinando Scianna persuaded him to allow me to publish a selection of "snapshots" I had made of him over the years.
Even I was wary of photographing Henri as I knew he did not really like it. Then one day he asked me to make a passport photograph of himself and from then on it was a joke between us: "Just a passport photo."
Links:
» Album Henri Cartier-Bresson by Martine Franck
» Book Martine Franck: Photo Poche by Actes Sud (Signed at the Magnum Store)
» Book Martine Franck by Phaidon (Signed at the Magnum Store)
» Book Martine Franck: One Day To The Next (Aperture Monograph) (From Amazon)
» Book More signed books by Martine Franck (From the Magnum Store)
» Martine Franck's Magnum Portfolio
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Authors:
Alec Soth, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Ann Tornkvist, Ben Shneiderman, Bjarke Myrthu, Bruce Davidson, Bruce Gilden, Chien-Chi Chang, Chris Steele-Perkins, Christopher Anderson, Claudia Guadarrama, Claudine Boeglin, Constantine Manos, Daniel Power, David Alan Harvey, Elliott Erwitt, Frank Smyth, Geert Van Kesteren, Gueorgui Pinkhassov, Inge Bondi, Jacob Aue Sobol, Jörg M. Colberg, Jessica Dimmock, John Vink, Jonas Bendiksen, Magnum Photographers, Magnum Photos, Malaria No More, Mark Power, Martin Fuchs, Martin Parr, Martine Franck, Matthew Murphy, Meagan Young, Mikhael Subotzky, Olivia Arthur, Pablo Inirio, Paolo Pellegrin, Patrick Zachmann, Peter Marlow, Peter van Agtmael, Pia Frankenberg, Reiner Holzemer, Sam Ottenhof, Simon Wheatley, Stephen Bulger, Stuart Franklin, Trent Parke, Artprice.com, |
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For more information on every author visit the Authors page. |
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Reader comments (16)
Superb! What a wonderful opportunity to capture his reflective energies. I'm so glad you were there to do so.
Thank you.
Love, joy, and deep appreciation,
Kim
Comment posted by Kim Stacey on November 6, 2007
... so henri did not like being photographed but did not mind martine as a photomaton ?
Comment posted by uullyysseess on November 6, 2007
good work ;)
Comment posted by ankara oto kiralama on November 6, 2007
The one within the other pictures, sentimental wind drags to old days...
Comment posted by Ridvan Yavuz on November 6, 2007
Martine, thanks for this wonderful and beautiful story! Besides the fact that we see the greatest photographer of all time on your photo, it is a true masterpiece of portraiture. So beautiful! Just a passport photo... Hihi...
Comment posted by Lea Kast on November 7, 2007
It's such a wonderful portrait, a triple portrait if you like. For ever stored in our memories.
Comment posted by Serge on November 8, 2007
When in summer 1999 I told Henri how great was that book he was tenderly moved. Thank you again Martine for your pictures.
Comment posted by Claudio Marcozzi on November 8, 2007
Good work ,the man she look your face in the glasse not look the paint...this is good very good...life
work not end ?
Comment posted by user10 on November 9, 2007
Henri Cartier-Bresson is my mentor; he becomes my teacher by looking every week his photos. I like this photo a lot Martine ! Henri in front of himself with a pen and the view on Paris. First time that I saw my teacher more like a human than my heroe of photography.
I hope you can write us more about him, and why not contact me to drink a coffee in Paris, i w'll be so interested to hear more about your visions of photography and some more of Henri Cartier-Bresson's visions.
Comment posted by Pascal Otlinghaus on November 9, 2007
Henri Cartier-Bresson! My favorite photographer! Last year I met his photos at pera museum in Istanbul. I couldn't describe how I feel. Great works! Thank you Martine for your pictures.
Comment posted by Mayfeng on November 10, 2007
Just lovely !
Comment posted by Thierry Rios on November 11, 2007
Really beautiful and gentle.
Comment posted by Photojournalist italy on November 11, 2007
... am I the only one who finds it ironic that the famous street photographer himself did not like being photographed?
Comment posted by Fabian Gonzales on February 11, 2008
Do you find it difficult to frame 35mm on an M3? Or did you use an accessory viewfinder, or a 35 with "eyes"?
Comment posted by Gary on May 12, 2008
I kept the joint drawing/photo catalogue by Henri-Cartier Bresson and Martine Franck which was issued by Taipei Art Museum, Taiwan in 90'. Henri showed his pencil painting, Martine showed her photographs in this catalogue.
Is it possible to re-print the Decisive Moment photo book in the future?
Comment posted by Taiwan on November 23, 2008
A wonderful portrait, A triple portrait
Comment posted by Nike Kobe IV on June 10, 2009