Cartier-Bresson Image Critique "FRANCE.1968. Bire." and "CHINA. 1948. Shanghai." from Magnum Photo Agency

 

FRANCE.1968. Bire.

Image borrowed from Magnum Photo Agency.

CHINA. 1948. Shanghai.

Image borrowed from Magnum Photo Agency

I was attracted by this quite crowded but seems orderly crowd at the first look. And on a second look, I found their facial, emotion, and arms holding one another are so interesting. Another reason I choose this photo is it's a recode of the history of my country. I knew about that history but never look through the lens of a foreigner to appreciate the story behind the photo. It stimulates my curiosity to analyze how the photographer added a point to its story. 

At the end of 1948, when the Kuomintang regime collapsed, the currency became the most circulated but the least valuable thing in Shanghai, and citizens crowded in front of banks hoping to exchange gold for protection, which occurred in the scene in the photo. According to history, it's meaningful that the blurry and dynamic effect of the photo enhances the agitation of the crowd. Those people are the main objects and take up most of the photo with uncertain background building and environment, the space at the top and bottom of the photo reduced tension from the crowd. And a few men who stood on a car or something and taller than others strengthen the compactness of people. Also, in the direction of the heads on the far sides of the photo, we can see people lining up against the building with no end in sight. The composition appropriately passes the atmosphere at the moment. If you look closely at the people looking in the same direction -- the front of the line -- you can see the longing in their eyes, the anticipation, and the anxiety of not knowing when their turn will be. Grasping the arm or shoulder of the person in front of them, in addition to standing firm, is probably also a behavior people take to avoid falling behind or being cut in line. Besides, the confusion was revealed by the bending of the knees and the way people stood. The photographer captured this crowded moment, which fully reflected the political turmoil and fickle public sentiment in China at that time, giving the photos a deeper meaning to be worth thinking about.