Photography 101 – Lesson 4 – The Decisive Moment
The Decisive Moment! What is it? How can it give your images IMPACT?
Caveat: Like with all other theories in photography, The Decisive Moment is just a theory. Not everyone agrees with using The Decisive Moment, and many think it stifles creativity. However, as with all other theories, it is important to understand them and to know when to use or not use the rules of thumb in your own photography.
In the preface to the English edition of his book, The Decisive Moment, (the original French version is entitled Images à la Sauvette, ) Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 – 2004) quoted Cardinal de Retz (1613 – 1679) :
“There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.”
Over the years, what Cartier-Bresson meant by The Decisive Moment in his own work has been somewhat misunderstood. Photographers use the term when they simply capture a person at the right moment, with the right expression. This is not what Cartier-Bresson had in mind at all when he used the term The Decisive Moment.
This quote byCartier-Bresson gives a clue to what he really meant by the term:
Photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.
So, first there is a composition that is just waiting for something else to appear in it in order to make the composition complete. Cartier-Bresson would look through the camera lens at a scene, and when someone stepped into the scene, he would just sense just the right moment to click the shutter. It was the The Decisive Moment - the moment when the composition became complete. Therefore, there is usually some kind of motion involved with The Decisive Moment.
I was taking a photograph of the beach with my iPhone in this shot, when a senior man on a bike entered the scene, and I clicked the shutter! I believe that without the beach bike and man entering the scene, this would have been just another beach shot! Instead, I added something of interest to the scene and it all came together at The Decisive Moment. Do you agree?
Image © Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
Image © Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
So, grab your camera or your cellphone and see what you can capture by waiting for The Decisive Moment when everything comes together to create something special in your scene!
In Lesson 1 of Photography 101, I covered the different ways an image can have IMPACT and in Lesson 2, I covered how using The Rule Of Thirds can create IMPACT.
In Lesson3, I covered how using one predominant color in an image can create IMPACT.
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LESSON 4 ASSIGNMENT – AN IMAGE SHOWING CAPTURE AT THE DECISIVE MOMENT
Remember to add #photography101 as a tag, so that others can find and critique your work! Let's see what happens when you click the shutter at The Decisive Moment!
For a better chance for your work to be found by others, please post a link in this post.
The Decisive Moment challenge will finish next Sunday, November 5. I look forward to seeing your work!
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Other posts in this series:
[Introductory Post With Rules](https://steemit.com/photography/@dmcamera/new-tutorial-blog-photography-101-basic-photography-for-beginners)
[Lesson 1 Challenge](https://steemit.com/photography/@dmcamera/photography-101-photography-tutorials-new-weekly-challenge)
[Lesson 2](https://steemit.com/photography101/@dmcamera/photography-101-lesson-2-composition-assignment-2-rule-of-thirds-challenge)
[Lesson 3](https://steemit.com/photography101/@dmcamera/photography-101-lesson-3-using-one-predominant-color-for-impact)
Thanks for taking the time to read this! I appreciate it.
To check out my art prints and stock images online, please visit my website.
So, context is important to the photo story. A beach scene is nice, always, but with something added it tells a different story.
Good lesson.
Or rather than saying "tells a different story" it could be that it "tells a more complete story"
Sure....you could look at it that way too :)
I agree with both of you. The beach itself is beautiful and the man on the bike completes that scene and makes the composition much more interesting. . But I do think it also tells a different story - a story about actively living out the senior years.
Yes, it does doesn't it?
Yes, it did make the photo so much more interesting when you waited for the decisive moment. I'm going to have to try that and I need to go back and read your lesson 2 and 3 posts also. I read the first lesson 1 when you first posted it. I'm trying to do too many things at present. I work part time and then have all kinds of projects/interests I want to get to during each day.
I hear you. There is just so much to do on here, and we can't keep up with everything. I'm trying to stay active with my business too, so I need to take a step back to reorganize my priorities again!
I submitted a photo of a seagull flying towards the sunset. Another beach shot, of course :-)
Thanks! I am always happy to see you @pixresteemer!
Thanks again, friend!
I agree! I have thousands of shots and a few a wow moment.
Hehe. Henro Cartier-Bresson said that, "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." LOL!
Ha! I believe him!!!!
We become more critical of ourselves too over a period of time!
Great lesson @dmcamera! Thanks for writing this helpful piece of art
You are welcome! Great getting to know you!!