Customer Reviews

Robert Doisneau: Three Seconds of Eternity

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With the immediate glimpse of the two lovers kissing in photographer Robert Doisneau's most identifiable picture, "The kiss in front of the Hôtel de Ville" (1950), one can see the immediacy of capturing the moment. This is one out of the one hundred and one black and white photographs, which are included in this beautifully displayed book, THREE SECONDS OF ETERNITY. Most of images were taken during different intervals in Doisneau's career, which spans from the 1930s to the 1970s that range from the absurd and eccentric, "The collector Gilbert Frugier" and "Fishing with a dry fly" to subtle moments, "Little kids with the milk" and "The brothers."

In addition, Doisneau reflects on how his time looking through a "magnifying glass" in a somewhat conversational style essay. Within his musings he comments on how he approaches a subjects when he takes a photograph, and how it has affected how he has viewed ordinary and everyday occurrences within the French landscape. Thus Doisneau photographs have a unique quality, be it with lovers in the city or street performers who key their accordion to the distinct sound that many distinguish with Paris, that will sure to make eyes look closely or breathe a laugh.

Overall, the photographs in the book will delight and enchant. Many of the photographs resonate scenes of everyday life with a dab of artistry added in to ponder or amuse. And may conjure life's simple pleasures.

Robert Doisneau is one of my favorite storytelling black and white photographers. He wanders around Paris snapping shots of everyday people doing everyday things and his attempts to capture humanity and eternity in one photo are amazing. Before this book, I didn't know his writing could capture humanity as well as his camera!

Robert Doisneau is and will be one of my favorite storytelling black and white photographers. His photos always seem to evoke feelings and emotions that are hard to do from a two dimensional static image but it does. His attempts at capturing the human spirit and humanity itself through his camera lens is remarkable and this book has an excellent collection in itself. What most people don't know is that he can write as well as he takes photographs.

Doisneau spent his entire life attempting to capture eternity in a single image. He paid little heed to verbalized communication and yet his writing style vibrates with the same laughter, empathy, and wonder that his photographs do.