Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer whose work fundamentally shaped the development of modern documentary photography and photojournalism. Often regarded as one of the founders of street photography, Cartier-Bresson developed an approach centered on spontaneity, observation, and formal composition that revolutionized photographic practice throughout the twentieth century. By 1994, he had established an unparalleled international reputation as a photographer, co-founder of Magnum Photos, and influential theorist of the medium, leaving a legacy that continues to define documentary photography.