information on the hugarian photographer Brassai, and the pastiche image

 Brassai was a Hungarian photographer born in 1899. In 1924 Brassai moved to Paris and took a job as a journalist. He admired the city and often wandered the streets at night. In combination with his job and new found friends, this concept led Brassai to photography. In 1933 Brassai published his first book "Paris de nuit", which made him become famous worldwide.
Brassai has been called "the eyes of Paris", and has also been said that he used photography "in order to capture the beauty of the streets and gardens in the rain and fog, and to capture Paris by night". In this image, "Paris After Dark No 27", we can see these elements. We find ourselves in a narrow alley, late at night , and we can see from the reflections in the cobblestone that its been raining. The Hotel signs, establish the difference between the bright highlights and the deep blacks and shadow of the man further down the alley, these are all important elements in setting the mood and creating the mysterious atmosphere. I think the photo leaves the viewer with mixed feelings and an open imagination. The image is a pleasure to admire but at the same time uneasy. This is because of the use of camera position, large depth of field and camera angle. Brassai creates the feeling that you are actually in the scene, rather than outside of the photo .