For various reasons beauty has received little attention in the arts and humanities in recent years yet for many people beauty remains an important quality of life, the arts, and education. This essay describes and critiques Kantian notions of beauty, widely acknowledged as the foundation of Western aesthetics, with a view to salvaging a more contemporary understanding. In light of these discussions and through reference to the work and aesthetic philosophy of photographer Cartier-Bresson, approaches to an aesthetic education in photography are proposed.