Photographing a "Decisive Moment"

[angryhampster]

My assignment this week in my photojournalism class is to capture a "decisive moment." I thought about heading down to the farmers' market and getting shots of people trying to decide if they want to spend money or not. ...Besides that, I am completely out of ideas.

Anyone got a suggestion for a theme?

[ducko]

Anywhere that you can go to "people watch" would be great. People are alway making decisions. :-)

[BillsBayou]

Give a child ONE quarter and send them over to the rack of bubble gum machines. Remind them they only get ONE quarter.

[ducko]

Give a child ONE quarter and send them over to the rack of bubble gum machines. Remind them they only get ONE quarter.

Hahahaha! That's a great idea! Take a kid to the super WalMart and watch him for several minutes while he tries to make the biggest decision of his life. :-)

[BillsBayou]

"Just one quarter, Mary. Those gumballs look good, but then again, you could have some skittles. Oooo! Look! Jewelery!"

[Mom27andblessed]

you people are sadistic!!! :)

[the_incubus]

no it would be sadistic if you give kid a quarter and tell him/her to go pick a candy and your gonna take a picture. Then when he/she comes running back saying "i know what i want, i know what i want!", you say "i just needed picture" and take back the quarter.

[BillsBayou]

no it would be sadistic if you give kid a quarter and tell him/her to go pick a candy and your gonna take a picture. Then when he/she comes running back saying "i know what i want, i know what i want!", you say "i just needed picture" and take back the quarter.

Unless your model has a TFBG* contract.













(*time for bubble gum :D )

[Seefutlung]

Go shoot some sports. Easy to find and every shot that is a "keeper" (I hate that word), will be a decisive moment. Otherwise, if you want the classic Cartier-Bresson defining moment, just follow a family member or friend around. Have them completely ignore the camera, all you have to do is capture the key moment in whatever task they are performing. So if they're making dinner ... one image that says "Hey, I'm making dinner." Or gardening ... one image which says "I am doing gardening." et al. It doesn't have to be dramatic as make as it need to communicate what that person is doing as fully as possible.

If a person is repairing a car, a close-up of dirty hands in the process of removing a bolt on an engine is much more decisive (tells a story) than the person starting the engine or buying an engine part.

Gary

[saravrose]

chess game, car dealership, train station, restaurant, cafe, coffee shop, food court malls, shoe stores, pet stores I think it would be cute to find a jewelry store.. cheesy couple picking out the 'ring'... there's tons of choices..

Sari

[Mark_Cohran]

I'd do a couple things to come up with a theme:

1. Google "Decisive Moment" and then review the image results that come up
2. Look through this website: http://www.e-photobooks.com/cartier-bresson/decisive-moment.html