The Decisive Moment

Made in 1973 as part of a series organized by Cornell Capa, this audiovisual presentation provides a rare instance of the photographer, speaking fluently in English, offering succinct yet widely ranging observations on the nature of the photographic medium. His remarks are paired with many of his best-known photographs. Comparing photography in turn to a sketchbook, a psychoanalytical couch, a warm kiss, and a machine gun, Cartier-Bresson vividly conveys the medium's boundless possibilities and constant challenges, as well as its unique satisfactions.