Two masters of candid photography

Explore the captivating dialogue between two iconic photographers: Henri Cartier-Bresson and Eddy Verloes. Discover how the timeless concept of the "decisive moment" connects their work, despite their stylistic differences, and how Verloes captures the essence of human expression in a modern context.

Eddy Verloes and Henri Cartier-Bresson share several stylistic and philosophical similarities, rooted in their common focus on the "decisive moment" and their background in the humanities. Verloes openly acknowledges Cartier-Bresson as a major influence. 

** Key Similarities

  • The Decisive Moment: Both photographers emphasize capturing a fleeting, non-repeatable instant where visual and psychological elements perfectly align. Verloes specifically identifies with Cartier-Bresson’s definition: recognizing the significance of an event and its formal organization in a fraction of a second.
  • Spontaneity and Realism: Each prioritizes a candid, spontaneous approach to street photography, seeking "happy coincidences" of form and human emotion without staging or directing the subjects.
  • Black and White Aesthetic: Both are renowned for their evocative monochrome imagery, which they use to highlight geometry, lines, and textures rather than the distraction of color.
  • Geometric Composition: Their work frequently features strong geometric shapes and architectural lines to create balance and order within the frame.
  • Humanist Storytelling: Both use their lenses to explore the "human condition," focusing on everyday people and ordinary scenes to tell universal, poetic stories.
  • Artistic and Academic Backgrounds: Both transitioned from other fields—Cartier-Bresson from painting and Verloes from a deep academic background in linguistics, literature, and philosophy—infusing their visual work with symbolic and literary depth. 

** Specific Shared Interests

  • Museum Settings: Verloes’ series People Matching Artworks mirrors Cartier-Bresson’s tendency to photograph people observing their environment, capturing the relationship between modern life and art through patient waiting for a "predicted constellation" to appear.
  • Thematic Mystery:  Both photographers are focused on the "surprising character" of ordinary situations, Verloes also blends realism with surrealism to evoke a sense of "wonder and mystery".

The decisive moment: timing en spontaneity

The profound bond between Belgian photographer Eddy Verloes and French master Henri Cartier-Bresson is best exemplified by their shared dedication to the "decisive moment." Like Cartier-Bresson, Verloes strives to capture those fleeting seconds where composition and action perfectly intertwine. His acclaimed series "Losing Our Minds" attests to this, where he captures the ecstasy and chaos of Hasidic Jews on the Belgian coast with a keen eye for the unexpected, in the tradition of humanist street photography.

Composition without cropping: the purity of the frame

Another crucial point of convergence is their approach to composition. Cartier-Bresson adhered to the strict rule of perfectly framing images during shooting and not cropping them afterward. Verloes fully embraces this discipline, meticulously capturing every detail of geometry and balance in his images at the moment of capture. This philosophy ensures that each of his photographs is a complete and unedited expression, faithful to the original visual moment.

Humanity in images: the soul of public life

Both photographers share a profound humanistic bent, focusing on the human condition and emotions in public spaces. While Cartier-Bresson is called the "father of photojournalism," Verloes draws on this rich tradition to create images that often possess a poetic, sometimes almost surreal, quality. Critics frequently praise Verloes for his ability to translate Cartier-Bresson's "spirit" into a contemporary context, using black-and-white photography to emphasize the timeless essence of the human story.