IDENTIFY STRIKING SHOTS
Develop a photographic ‘eye’ for finding and then shooting that brief decisive moment
Street photography can feel overwhelming when you don’t know what subject matter or visual prompts to look out for. Our goal is to capture that decisive moment, that instantaneous second when all the elements of an image are expertly rolled into one fantastic shot, creating magic – the kind of magic we want to view again and again. Not the easiest skill to master, but it is possible.
The best way to start developing your eyes is to learn to narrow down your vision. Choose a theme, for example the colour yellow or strong characters. Working on projects lets you see and think more clearly. You are more vigilant while looking for certain subjects. This attention to detail will really make a difference in your photographs. Next, focus on the little details, like interesting hands and gestures, facial expressions or even a specific feeling like ‘loneliness’ or ‘happiness’. The point of focusing on one or two projects at a time is to start training your eyes to see everyday moments in a visually, creative way. This, in turn, will make you much more alert and vigilant to start seeing potential decisive moments developing around you.
Henri Cartier-Bresson wrote: “Photography is not like painting. There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative… Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.” Of course, you shouldn’t get the idea that HCB only pressed the shutter once and, like magic, was able to capture the decisive moment. He took a series of photos for most of his master images that illustrate the decisive moment. But he advises against using the camera like a machine gun. Once you have control over your camera it’s all about seeing. Street photography takes patience. Perhaps you can’t always capture photos with a decisive moment. There is a certain synchronicity that happens when you do. Many different parts need to come together to capture it. When you can slow yourself down enough and be patient, that’s the time to try and capture the decisive moment.