When I began this degree course my photographic ambition was to take nice pictures. I had spent a great deal of time looking at the website 1X.com which is a global curated photography site. It contains thousands of aesthetically beautiful, technically perfect images. That is what I wanted to emulate.
As an inexperienced new photography student the phrase ‘the decisive moment’ seems to frequently reoccur. So it’s hard not be drawn to the initial impression that an important photograph must feature a decisive moment. After all, everybody talks about it!
Now, from my point of view, photographs containing a decisive moment can be captivating. There is an immediate visual attraction. But perhaps, in some cases, they are mere visual pop songs. Visual chart hits. They certainly make popular wall art.
As I’ve progressed (?!) over the last four months I’ve been exposed to photographers such as Walker Evans, Robert Frank and Paul Graham. Few of their photographs could be said to contain a decisive moment. But perhaps these photographs encourage the viewer to dwell longer, taking in the details without a distracting decisive moment.
That seems to be the way I feel about the decisive moment right now (31 March 2018). Let’s see how it develops…
