I've been thinking a lot about Henri Cartier Bresson. I took a large book of his photos out of the library and have been paging through it. More accurately, I've been looking at about forty or so images before putting it down in disgust. I'm familiar with a lot of his work, but this is a modern book (last 20 years or so) and contains a wide array of his photos, so I thought I'd refresh my memory and maybe gain a new insight.

Photography has definitely come on a long way since HCB was in his prime (which I would argue was in the 1930s.) HCB almost entirely worked off single prints of significant pictures; the decisive moment. Nowadays there's very few photographers looking for a definitive single photograph, most art and documentary professionals are looking to make significant bodies of work. Bodies of work that often contain an artistic, sociological, or even a very simple human message.

While I understand times are different, and things have changed, looking at HCB after all that has happened in the past eighty years leaves me feeling disappointed by his work.

I'm used to, and I prefer photographers who have a message or authorial intent behind their work. Whether this is a documentary photographer going into Palestine to show life in a troubled region, like James Nachtwey, or an artist holding a mirror up to the transient identities pushed by a post-modern world, like Cindy Sherman.

I find a lot of HCB's work is purely about composition and form. If there's a greater message or commentary to be found in a photograph, that seems ancillary to what HCB was focused on when he pressed the shutter button.

I don't think this is any way surprising when you look at what motivated HCB. His initial focus, and I would say it was always his focus was on painting and drawing. He returned to both when he was in his seventies and to some degree retired. His focus was on form, and striking compositions far more than it was on developing a body of work, or saying something with his work beyond, "This looks good," even if his photos are some of the most striking ever exhibited.

While photography has changed towards photographers showcasing a message with their work, it certainly wasn't alien to photographers at the time. The Farm Security Administration used documentary photography as a major force of the state. Lange, Wolcott, Delano and Parks all formed a significant body of work, even if directed to do so. Work that changed the course of modern American history (at least to some degree.) Even if you argue that they were directed to do so, and were simply collecting a paycheque then you only have to look at Walker Evans whose work often ignored the instructions he was given and developed his own style, and sent his own message with his FSA directed photography.

If you go further than the FSA you have the likes of Weston, and Man Ray who developed distinct bodies of work, with significant artistic merit and message as a whole, rather than solely investing in an individual image.

Whether we leave HCB to time, and as a product of his time (although I would argue there were far more progressive photographers at work during his time.) Or whether we look at him in light of his intent; a single significant, and striking image, I still find HCB a rather lacklustre artist, even if he was a great photographer.

I have no issue with photographers producing appealing images, or photographs whose intent is purely to look good, that people will look at and say, "That's pretty," or striking, or well formed. I think a lot of amateur photography is concentrated on such concerns, and it's a valid approach for anyone who chooses it. However, for me photography is about communication, and I find HCB as an artist devoid of any communication, and someone who had very little to say.

When I call and place a order I do not like it when I have to press a # to talk to so and so, I do not know my parties extension so why do they ask?

I do not like it when I have to press this number and this number and this number just to be put on hold for over 15 min. and find that I need to talk to someone else and put on hold for another 15 min.

I will reach a point to where I will say FORGET IT and order it from some one else or just drive to my local Best Buy.

And then I don't like it when I ask when will it go out? and they can't tell me, let me connect you to someone else, OMG Not Again!!!

I am old in my ways and don't like to stand in line for anything, when you call my company a real human will answer the phone.

It's there company, they may conduct it anyway they wish, it's my money I will spend it anyway I wish.

I know times have change but dam.

and to top it off I had a problem with some software, called customer service and was talking to some guy in Bermuda, it was like trying to understand a 3 year old, Ya know it's going to be bad when his voice sounds like he in the bottom of a well, HELLLLLLLOOOOOO, HOOOOOOOW MAAAAAAY IIIIIIII HELLLLLLLLP YOOOOOOOOU.

But, But, But after 45 minutes he fixed my problem in 2 minutes, the other 43 minutes we spent trying to understand each other, Huh?, What?, Say What? Say that again, What? repeat that!!! Now what, press any key, I don't have any key, How bout the space bar, What?

The other day I was shopping on line and Best Buy had it on sale, check your local store, So I called my local store, of course you know what answered the phone, another freaking machine, press 1 for this crap, press 2 for this crap, press 4 for this or stay on the line and some one will be with you shortly, HOW long is Shortly? is that 2 minuets? 5, 10, one hour?, How may I help you, I want to see if you have this in stock, oh, well let me connect you to that department, OMG, I now don't even want what ever it was I wanted to buy, it was so long ago I forgot what it was I wanted to start with.

No, we don't carry that in the store, but I can order it for you, will take about two weeks to get it here, No thank you, I will order it myself, it will take about three days to get here. Hello, Good By Best Buy.

Is it just me?