University Assignment: The (In)decisive Moment

My Decisive Moment

This image encapsulates the essence of a decisive moment, a perfect intersection of time and composition. The unexpected alignment of two couples of possibly different eras, mirroring each other’s posture, creates a powerful and unexpected visual narrative.

Holding hands, a classic symbol of love, connects these two couples in a touching and evocative way. Captured spontaneously, this photo is a timeless reminder of human connection, bridging the gap between generations. It makes you think about love’s enduring power and how precious life’s fleeting moments truly are.

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Moment Décisif

What is a ‘decisive moment‘? Does anyone actually know? I have spent hours researching and reading different articles, asking people for advice in forums, on discord, on facebook pages… everytime, I get a different answer.

Created by the legendary Henri Cartier-Bresson, the term often evokes images of perfectly timed, spontaneous captures, Cartier-Bresson’s vision is more sophisticated. He emphasized the concept of ‘rhythm’ in photography, suggesting that a decisive moment is not merely a frozen instant but a harmonious arrangement of elements within a fleeting second. This interplay of motion and stillness, he argued, is ”what transforms an ordinary scene into a powerful and meaningful photograph.”

In whatever picture-story we try to do, we are bound to arrive as intruders. It is essential, therefore, to approach the subject on tiptoe — even if the subject is still-life. A velvet hand, a hawk’s eye — these we should all have.Henri cartier – bresson

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Double Exposure

Ariadne Xenou’s article offered a fascinating perspective on the ‘indecisive moment.’ Their image, ‘Bison Grazing Outside my Window,’ challenges the conventional notion of a decisive moment, as Xenou was drawn to the scene’s overall dynamism rather than a specific, fleeting instance.

The two indecisive moments, when superimposed on the same photographic plane created the third instance; one which communicated my message, my story, but which did not unfold in the real world and could not be perceived with the naked eye. The entire thought and decision making process for this image, everything I describe above, took seconds. So, indecisive moments can create one decisive and cohesive whole, provided they are executed both instinctively but also consciously.

Ariadne Xenou

Xenou’s work really inspired me. A few days ago, I was in Great Yarmouth. Nothing much was going on, just a typical busy street scene. I was drawn to the chaos, as was he, so I started snapping away without really thinking about it. I hadn’t planned to do anything with these photos, but after reading Xenou’s article, I took another look at them and saw something new.

To get the double exposure look, I had to teach myself how to layer photos in Photoshop. My camera can’t do multiple exposures, so this was the only way. I followed a great tutorial by Photos on the Bay on YouTube.

These are a few other photos that I composed in photoshop whilst I was learning!

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Exploring the Decisive Moment

Given the many interpretations of the Decisive Moment, I found it challenging to determine which of my photos fit this criteria.

These two photos were captured in different cities—London and Belgium—yet they share a similar atmosphere. Fig. 8, taken on the London Underground, captures the essence of a decisive moment: The busyness of the station, the soft interior light, and the man’s expectant expression as the train prepares to depart create a compelling narrative. Fig. 9, shot in a train station in Brussels, echoes this mood with its use of light and the solitary figure as the focal point.

I remembered one of my favorite photos that I captured spontaneously while I was focusing on a building door. A biker unexpectedly passed by, and I managed to capture that fleeting moment.

A fellow student offered a fresh perspective, suggesting this image, Fig.4., beautifully portays a decisive moment capturing a moment of profound reflection. I hadn’t considered this interpretation until examining the photo more closely. The man’s solitary pose, juxtaposed with worn boots against the serene ocean, creates a powerful contrast that adds depth and emotion to the image.

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Final Reflection

After much deliberation about the perfect ‘decisive moment,’ I’ve come to realize that photography is highly subjective. What captivates one person might leave another indifferent. Ultimately, it’s about personal interpretation and imagination. A photograph is a blank canvas that each viewer fills with their own meaning.

The “decisive moment” is less about perfectly timed captures and more about a connection between photographer and subject. It’s about seeing something special in the ordinary and capturing it. Being able to capture the magic in everyday life is a skill worth having.

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References:

• Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment Resource written by Dr. Ariadne Xenou December 2020
• www.holdenluntz.com
• www.arthurchandler.com
• Youtube: @photosonthebay9341