Pressing the shutter release at the right moment becomes a matter of instinct. Beaumont Newhall

 (About "The Decisive Moment")

Often you hear people saying that photography is all about light. In my opinion photography is more about the moment. Especially in photojournalism the right moment probably beats the right light in 9 out of 10 cases. Henri Cartier-Bresson (one of my heroes in photography :) was the one who celebrated the moment like no one else. "The Decisive Moment" is his legacy.
In sports photography the decisive moment is naturally paramount, but also in portrait photography, for example, the more subtle version of a decisive moment makes all the difference. You can set up your light, location and situation as perfect as possible, but the moment a true smile emerges or a smile turns sour, that is when you will win or loose the essence of your image. The smile is just an example for any expression we might try to bring out. Whatever mood we seek, the main thing is to be aware about its elusiveness and that it is actually a gift when it happens, and nothing we can make happen with a guarantee of achievement. These gifts can be received when we are in tune. In tune with what? In tune with the NOW of what is happening, in tune with the bigger picture beyond our efforts in the foreground, and in tune with your shutter release. To be in tune means to be responsive to the events in the NOW while at the same time knowing what we are doing and WHY we are doing it. If earning money is your number one reason or priority, this might not be easily accessible to you, but if the answer to the WHY is soaked with meaning, it will get you there almost automatically! Knowing, why you are doing what you are doing, is the key. Then allow your intuition to take the lead!
Hunting for the photographic expression of a meaningful message will lead you to decisive moments. You will know when you've got it, because you won't be in doubt anymore. The decisive moment is extremely satisfying. It has it all, it says everything (about the specific scene). The decisive moment is so rich that it makes you feel that nothing is missing to tell the story.
Light can have it's decisive moments as well, so does focus, and other aspects of photography. The more you explore it's magic, more dimensions of the decisive moments will reveal to you. If decisive moments keep being elusive on you, maybe it is time to redefine the Why and purpose of your photography, and how you are doing it. Once you know what you want, combined with alert patience, decisive moments will become more frequent.
Hunting for decisive moments driven by intuition, our senses or our instinct, as Beaumont Newhall puts it, will get you there.


Find out more about
Beaumont Newhall
Henri Cartier-Bresson

Read more about "The Decisive Moment"
Photography Challenges

View my images
Maja Moritz Photography / Sports Portfolio


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