"THE DECISIVE MOMENT"

The title quote by Henri Cartier Bresson pretty much sums up one element of good photography--knowing when to press the shutter button.

Bresson was a French street photographer famous for knowing when to catch the perfect expression, gesture, or action related to a scene that produced photographs that now hang in national art museums. He was limited in this task by the boundaries of a manual focus, fixed-lens camera and the finite amount of exposures on a roll of black and white film.

The task would seem to be easier today, given the auto focus lens revolution and the seemingly endless amount of frames produced by a good DSLR and a large capacity digital card.

Easier; sure--but the selection of the final product is still in the hands of the photographer. Being in the right place, knowing what to look for, and effective post production are skills that can be learned, but knowing when to press the shutter is an instinctual skill that needs to be developed through practice and good timing.

The difference between a mediocre photo and a great one usually happens in a fraction of a second, so it is important to make all necessary adjustments to camera controls before you begin. If you have to worry about exposure or focus on a photo trip, then you will not be giving full attention to the "decisive moment." Photographers that continuously fool with settings on their cameras usually miss a lot of great shots.

I have been guilty of this and continue to be so. I am trying to get better by sticking to a particular Iso, shutter speed and aperture instead of constantly changing settings in midstream. I find I have a better ratio of "keepers" that way.

Remember everybody can learn. I'm sure Henri Bresson had his share of mentors as well. Be well.