Capturing the decisive moment

A picture never recreates itself and I have learned many times that once a moment happens you need to capture it.

If not captured it is lost in time and will never be seen again. Being a professional photographer, I am often asked what makes a good photograph? The truth is there is more to taking a photo than just pushing the button. Although I do admit sometimes I get lucky shots.

In Journalism School, I was introduced to the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. He is one of the most renowned street photographers to have lived.

Cartier-Bresson was a French humanist photographer, an early user of 35 mm film and founded the genre of street photography.

Cartier-Bresson spoke about capturing the “decisive moment,” which refers to capturing an event that is spur of the moment and short lived.

 

In my time as a photographer and world traveler, I have missed many of those instants. I often say to myself when I see the “decisive moment,” what a beautiful picture. I spent last year in the NWT and the northern lights would change in a fraction of a second producing short lived pictures which produced many decisive moments. But the fact is I have seen lots of beautiful moments that I have not captured and they are now lost in time never to be seen again. They only remain a distant memory in my mind.

What makes a picture is an emotion that the image portrays to the audience and photography helps viewers to see the beauty in the world.

“You just have to live and life will give you pictures,” Cartier-Bresson said.

 

I truly believe this quote and it has stuck with me for many years on my travels. Sometimes life is what you make it. Therefore, great photographers surround themselves with beauty and create storylines within the pictures. Which is why I’m going to love working in the Lakeland Region. A storyline which is not captured is lost forever because as my idol once said, “Life is once forever.”

I live my life by that famous quote  “Life is once forever.” Those four words. 

For moments in time can not be turned back and we take each day as a new lesson of the beauty around us.