Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/05/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]No flame from me, Howard... First off, the phrase "decisive moment" is grossly overused. Decisive in what way? And why is one moment decisive above all? Life is made up of millions of decisive moments. I do most of my "candid" photography in and of situations where people have either granted me permission to shoot, or paid me to be there shooting. But being granted permission to shoot - or being paid to do so - - doesn't have to mean asking 'may I take your photo?' to then have the subject turn and grin into the lens, or return to what they were doing waiting for you to capture them at their best. When, for instance, I spend a day with a family, the people I am photographing very quickly get passed the fact that I am there and return to living their lives - and then I start shooting. Does my presence effect their behavior? I know there are those who will tell you it does - but I would suggest the resulting images would suggest it does not. As you note, Aaron really 'got it.' If any of his photos had been posted by a LUG member saying 'look what I got by shooting through a hole in my briefcase when I was in Stbcks,' no one would have challenged the assertion that the photos were taken that way - except for the fact that they are too well focused and too many are well framed to have been shot with a truly 'hidden camera.' I would suggest that if we are to talk about 'decisive moments' what we are really talking about is capturing visually significant moments, moments when the personal and the visually worthwhile are combined. Sure, some may capture these moments without asking the permission of the subject - without the subject even realizing their is a camera present, but others may be paid by someone to capture them - the subject, an editor, etc. I realize that not everyone is going to agree with this view, but it's mine...and I'm sticking to it. ;-) B. D. Howard Sanner wrote: > > This is something I've thought about for a while. B.D. Colen's and Ted Grant's exchange about taking pictures at Starbucks just > pushed me over the edge. <g> (BTW, I agree that Aaron really "got it.") > > As I understand it, photographing the decisive moment is an attempt to make a snapshot art by capturing people at a telling in > their daily or life's activities. (This is not meant as a criticism of anyone or any style photography. It is just the best way > I've come up with to express my understanding of what constitutes "traditional Leica photography." I will be happy for > correction, either of fact or phrasing.) > > This leads to a philosophical question. If you ask permission to photograph someone, how does that affect the "decisive > moment"? Doesn't the photograph then become, at least to some degree, posed and studied, and, in equal measure, no longer a > "slice of life" (a "less-than-decisive moment")? > > Though I'm breaking out the Nomex underwear because I suspect this'll push plenty of people's buttons, it isn't a troll or > flame bait. It is, just what I said, a philosophical point I've pondered for a while now. I know that like other philosophical > questions it has no real answer; however, I'd be very interested to read the opinions of those who practice this sort of > photography. I also admit that whatever talent I have for photography most assuredly doesn't lie in this area. > > Thanks. > > Howard Sanner > flagstad@mindspring.com > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html