Billboard

André Kertész was a street photographer, photojournalist, and member of the Parisian avant-garde, best known for his candid and spontaneous images. His photographs were both a commercial and artistic success, and he influenced many later photographers, prompting Henri Cartier-Bresson to say, “Everything we know, we learned from André.” Kertész used a wide range of modernist techniques, including reflections, close-ups, and unusual vantage points. Here, the high view-point, looking down from above a billboard, transforms the otherwise ordinary scene of two men on a city street into an interesting image. The utter simplicity of the scene reflects Kertész’s joy in capturing fleeting, but resonant moments of life.