Friday, 2 November 2012

The moment

In un-posed photography with subjects unaware the people in front of the camera present a fluid situation.  They move about and interact without any input from you the photographer.

The difference between and average image and a compelling one is capturing a certain moment - a moment that is more interesting, dynamic, unusual or graphic than the ordinary.

Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the phrase 'the decisive moment' to describe this key quality.  He defined it as 'the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organisation of forms which gives that event its proper expression'.

The moment hinges on what your subject is doing - their most striking expression, or action or gesture.  IN some cases in might depend on how you choose to frame the shot.


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