Response to Brassaï's "Le Pont Neuf à Paris"

The first thing that I notice in this photograph is the framing of the bridge. The tree branches may be the portion of the image that is in focus, but the bridge is what catches my eye as the subject of the photo. The image is balanced, and the rule of thirds is followed here. The bridge, which is the main focus of the picture, is in the center, while the secondary objects are off to the sides. The center of the photo is directed to the audience because of both the strong lines of the frame as well as the more subtle lines of the top of the bridge.

The black and white aspect of this photo, along with the foreboding shadows and spooky fog leave the viewers of the image with an eerie feeling. It definitely has a provocative feel and captures my attention because of this. The lighting of this photograph is very different. The entire bottom right corner is essentially negative space, because it’s indecipherable to the audience; the photographer makes this effective though, by incorporating it in with the chilling theme.  His other photographs are similar to this as well. He likes to use very dim lighting at night and frequently uses streetlamps to add some unnatural light. In “The Pont Neuf in Paris,” Brassaï manages to show a familiar subject, the bridge, in an unusual way that works.