The Decisive Moment - Ideas please

[Nevermore1]

Oh and another issue I'm finding is when I see something I want to take a photo of, I have been told "don't take my picture" by a few people. I explain its for a photo class and I won't be posting it on Facebook or doing something really creepy with the picture but so many adults are so self conscious about having their picture taken.

Unfortunately most people are overly paranoid these days. Some of the individuals on here who do a lot of street photography can probably give advice on that issue. I think there may already be a thread about it somewhere as well.

 

[gsgary]

Oh and another issue I'm finding is when I see something I want to take a photo of, I have been told "don't take my picture" by a few people. I explain its for a photo class and I won't be posting it on Facebook or doing something really creepy with the picture but so many adults are so self conscious about having their picture taken.

Don't even say anything to the people in the photo if you do there is no dicisive moment

 

[gsgary]

HCB writes that a photograph for him 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

 

[limr31]

How many shots did you snap in order to capture that one?

If you're taking too much time playing with settings, focusing, composing, taking a lot of shots trying to get "the one"...well, the moment's already gone.

I would suggest finding a busy public area and just camping yourself for an hour or so to just people-watch. Don't worry about shots - just watch them. That's what you have to do when you are taking pictures. You're constantly watching for "the moment." It takes a while to not only recognize moments but also be able to capture what you see. So practicing the skill of observation might help with the pictures.

 

[gsgary]

When I'm shooting on the streets my camera is set if I set a moment I don't even have to focus because it is zone focused aperture will be about F8 focus at 10 feet and shutter speed for the available light

 

[limr31]

Remember, she's still learning. Don't throw zone focus at her, too!

 

[gsgary]

Remember, she's still learning. Don't throw zone focus at her, too!

Why it's not hard and makes it easier

 

[limr31]

Remember, she's still learning. Don't throw zone focus at her, too!

Why it's not hard and makes it easier

Not necessarily. You're looking at it from the perspective of someone who already knows how to shoot this way, but are forgetting what it was like to learn and how overwhelming it could be trying to keep everything straight.

 

[sm4him]

The idea of the decisive moment is widely misunderstood.

It means the moment when there's a photo. It has nothing to do with anything happening. However, like the phrase 'street photography' it's not clear that the original meaning is remotely relevant.

If that were true, then EVERY photo would qualify as fitting "the moment," and her instructor wouldn't ask her to pick 5 photos that SHOW "the moment."

 

[CameraClicker]

The idea of the decisive moment is widely misunderstood.

It means the moment when there's a photo. It has nothing to do with anything happening. However, like the phrase 'street photography' it's not clear that the original meaning is remotely relevant.

It was the English title of a French book. Usually something is lost in translation. Not so much having nothing to do with anything happening but having to do with the photographer being ready to, and taking the photo, when something, anything, happens. The subject walks to exactly the right place. There is a flicker of a smile, that disappears almost immediately. Like that. Not missing the moment that makes the photo. If you are photographing still life, there is no decisive moment.

 

[Gary A.]

Think of "Decisive Moment" as any photo which has a timing critical element. Genre isn't important as much as timing. Typically the height of the action best reflects a timing critical image.

Timing Critical from B&W Film:

#1

#2

#3

#4

 

[Vince.1551]

I've some simple ideas for you.
1. Shoot two chess players with one of them making the checkmate move. Make sure the focus is largely on the chessboard.
2. A person about to throw a basketball into the net from the penalty position.
3. A person about to run out of a phone booth on a rainy day. (You can easily create fake rain)

Have fun


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The_Traveler]

Oh and another issue I'm finding is when I see something I want to take a photo of, I have been told "don't take my picture" by a few people. I explain its for a photo class and I won't be posting it on Facebook or doing something really creepy with the picture but so many adults are so self conscious about having their picture taken.

Take the picture
.Don't ask permission.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Try finding a phone booth Vince! lol not a bad idea though. Gary you might be good at zone focusing, I can't guesstimate distance worth a nickel! (well I can if it involves an inch or a yard since I do needlework).

I agree with Leonore, do some watching. It doesn't have to be people, it could be birds, etc., I was shadow watching the other day, a pattern on a brick wall, and watched and waited as it moved til the 'lightbulb' goes on that tells you, that's it! - that's a moment to capture.

I've done sports, mostly hockey, and that involves some watching and waiting, getting set, waiting til they skate into my viewfinder then adjusting framing and focus and watching for something interesting to happen.

I think out and about with people if they ask not to have their picture taken it's better to respect that and move on, seems understandable that people have concerns about where their picture might end up or how it will be used. You could look at American Society of Media Photographers they have a 'pocket' release and an app depending on how you think you may want to use the photo someday.

 

[limr31]

Btw, I am in a black and white film class so I won't know if I captured the shot until I develop the film. (that's part of the challenge).

And yes, getting a decisive moment on film can be challenging because you can't chimp and try again right then and there, or 'spray and pray' and hope one of them comes out. Thus, timing is even more important, and so is learning how to observe and predict.

But it can be done.


Day 213 - A brief flirtation by limrodrigues, on Flickr


Day 220 - Hopping by limrodrigues, on Flickr

I wanted this guy looking down and expected him to move or look up at any second. As it happens, he wasn't moving at all, so I had a chance to try two more angles, but the first one was the best anyway:

Hamlet by limrodrigues, on Flickr