Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]on 3/20/02 4:20 PM, B. D. Colen at bdcolen@earthlink.net wrote: > And, the issue/question isn't whether the average person thinks that HCB took ONLY those iconic images, but rather, whether they think that he produced those iconic images by producing only a frame or two of film. Of course we will never agree on this, but I believe that most people who are vaguely aware of HCB and his association with the "Decisive Moment" indeed believe that he saw it! Snapped it! and moved on. Interesting, isn't it, that he didn't coin the phrase "The Decisive MomentS," or "The Decisive Five Minutes," or the "Decisive Image." It's "THE decisive MOMENT." And it is a bit of a crock. B.D., Not to nit pick; however, each iconic image in the body of work produced by HCB is a ³Decisive moment², even if he spent hours capturing that image. I do not believe this is a semantic exercise but just the nature of the art form/communication media. The individual frame that expresses the concept envisioned by the photographer is a moment in time, different from the one before it and the following. If your point is that people viewing the work do not understand the selective nature of image capture and reproduction then I agree with you; however, if you are saying the marketing language created around HCB is inaccurate or misleading then I would differ. I do not think the puddle jumper repeated the leaps for HCB until the ³Decisive Moment² was achieved with the creation of an icon. But I do believe that HCB spent time around the puddle, the aftermath of rainstorm until he captured some form of image that satisfied some process. In other photographs I would expect to see several less successful attempts surrounding the iconic image we are familiar with. Still the single image that completes the visual expression is a ³Decisive Moment². Happy snaps, Steven Alexander - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html