Couple – © John Neel
It seems to me that there are two distinctly different “Decisive Moments” in photography.
The first, is that instant of time when the image is realized – when It is captured as a unique representation of the artists vision.
It happens at the height of seeing. It is when everything comes together within the subject scene and the photographer responds with the camera.
That so-called moment is not necessarily an instant in time. It may take hours or even days to actually capture what the photographer is attempting to capture or to create.
But there is another moment that is also decisive (critical). There is the moment of realization with the reading of the image. It is what I call the second and perhaps even more decisive moment. It is a clear moment during the time when the image is seen by the viewer. It is the moment of realization when the image is understood for what it conveys and what it might reveal.
That moment is just as important as the first. One does not fully work without the other. In theory, they work in tandem to communicate the underlying content, the message or the idea.
When done right, the “Decisive Moment” is one that produces what is called – a “heightened awareness”. This happens during the process of making an image and at the time of connecting with the viewer. It is when the concept comes full-circle between the maker and the viewer.
It is a moment of clarity that happens during the shooting of an image as well as a comparable moment of clarity when the subject connects with what is shown.
The two “Decisive Moments” are ultimately experienced as two “Heightened Realities”.
That heightened experience is ultimately understood according to the degree of understanding of the participants.
In that regard, it is essential that both parties are looking for the image to speak to them with a deep and expressive voice. It is important that the image be allowed to work its magic – to express the vision of that unique encounter with time.
To me, they are both significant moments. They are both critical events. Even if the second requires more than a single encounter. Even if the only viewers are the photographers themselves.
NOTICE of Copyright: THIS POSTING AS WELL AS ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, GALLERY IMAGES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE COPYRIGHT © JOHN NEEL AND ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE WRITER, THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR lensgarden.com. THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE AUTHOR.
