Henri Cartier-Bresson

Available for over a year

Art historian Martin Gayford is a veteran interviewer. He tells the stories of five encounters he's had with world renowned artists - probing them, drinking a glass or two and trying to understand what made them tick. Henri Cartier Bresson's reputation as a photographer was matched by his famously prickly nature. Martin recalls a disconcerting visit to the great man in his apartment in Paris. After a very bumpy start, the 93-year-old Cartier Bresson revealed some of the founding ideas of his art - especially the notion of the 'decisive moment' that allowed his photographs to be both completely informal yet beautifully composed. Gayford learns about photography but also how to be a better interviewer.