Find a good viewpoint, perhaps fairly high up (an upstairs window might do) where you can see a wide view or panorama. Start by looking at the things closest to you in the foreground. Then pay attention to the details in the middle distance and then the things towards the horizon. Now try and see the whole view together, from the foreground to horizon (you can move your eyes). Include the sky in your observation and try to see the whole visual field together, all in movement. When you’ve got it, raise your camera and release the shutter. Add the picture and a description of the process to your learning log.
Approach
While stuck in isolation, due to covid-19, I sat upstairs in my house looking out of the window for the inspiration for this task. The view from the back of my house isn’t that great, so I chose a front window.
Originally when thinking about this task, I had planned to take my camera to our nearest shopping centre, using the top of the multi-storey car park to take advantage of the view. Unfortunately, due to the current pandemic, that isn’t an option at the moment. I didn’t want to put off the task as we don’t really know when we will be aloud out of our houses at the moment, so it could be weeks before getting to do what I’d planned. So I chose to use the view I have.
To take the shots I first used a 50mm lens. I thought I may be able to get a better frame with a wider lens, so I swapped to a 10-18mm lens. After taking one photo with it, there was too much in the frame compared to what I wanted to see. So I moved to my kit lens, 18-55mm
My Work
1/200 – f8.0 – ISO 100
Reflection
Whilst looking out, I saw across peoples houses, their gardens, past all the windows, through the trees and into the landscape in the distance. When trying to see my shot, I wanted something in the foreground, to give the viewer a sense of the depth within the frame. I thought the fence would work. Having reviewed the shots, the bush probably works better as the colour draws you to it.
I wanted to include the tree on the left as it adds some height to the frame. I wanted to avoid the cable in the top left but couldn’t find a position which would cut it out without loosing the tree. I like the curve of the wall in the foreground, and the zig zag of the different fences leading you through the middle of the frame. I also like that the green is mirrored in the foreground and background across the frame where you’re also led by the garden greenery up the middle.
I would have liked to do this task from a different viewpoint, somewhere with some movement of people or vehicles. I think that would have added something interesting to the frame.
This task was enjoyable to take the time to sit and take in a view before taking a photo. Especially whilst in isolation. It was good to sit and appreciate a view I see everyday, and really look at it instead of just glancing past it.
“Write up your research on the decisive moment in your learning log taking care to give a proper account of the three differing views offered above, and any further research you’ve undertaken independently. What do you feel personally about the decisive moment as a visual strategy, or just as a way to take pictures? Conclude your post with your own perspective on the debate at this point in time.”.
Colin Pantall
When reviewing Paul Grahams photobook, ‘The Present’, Pantall talks of how it seems there are no connections between the photographer and the people or places within the frames, and there seems no connection between the people who are in the photograph together. I find this an interesting way of photographing everyday life. We see so often in portraits / weddings/ events photography that the subject of the image is the real focus and there are relationships shown within those frames. Whether that be the people within the frame or the subject and the photographer. However, do these images show the opposite. Pantall describes how the people in the images look “hurried, harassed and distant” and that “These people could be anywhere”. I think that is a great way of capturing the truth in the scene. [1]
Pantall describes a rhythm whilst looking through the book. Also, of how everyone seems to view it in the same way. I wonder if that would be what Graham intended when creating it. Is the purpose to make you look and then look back. To do that over and over. To get you to look in to the photographs in more detail to ‘spot the difference’. It shows how things move on in a matter of seconds, how a frame can be completely different, even though taken in exactly the same place.
Zouhair Ghazzal
Ghazzals article describes how the decisive moment for Henri Cartier-Bresson involves the gestures of people. How no two gestures are the same and that is what creates the frame. He describes how “The decisive moment is therefore that infinitely small and unique moment in time which cannot be repeated, and that only the photographic lens can capture”. This to me is a great way of thinking of the decisive moment – a brief moment captured, which, without a camera shutter at the correct time, would have been missed. He also says “the decisive moment works best when the sudden cut in time and space that the photograph operates through the release of the shutter is meaningful”. Again implying the camera is essential in capturing these small gestures.
In contrast, Ghazzal describes the work of Walker Evans. How he “mapped the American landscape at a time when all kinds of new technologies were being introduced, and most of them look static—as if inviting the viewer to keep looking on for ever—with no bodily gestures to distract”. Perhaps showing the decisive moment takes away from the frame. If there are no gestures, there is nothing to distract your attention from the landscape or anything else in the frame. [2]
However, when looking through the book, American photographs, there are many photographs which would not be the same without the gestures of the people within them. As an example, image 41 “couple at Coney Island, New York, 1928” shown below. This image shows the simple gesture of an arm around each other, the romance of looking over the water together, a couples love for each other.
[3] COUPLE AT CONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK, 1928.
Henri Cartier-Bresson
August 22nd 1908 – August 3rd 2004
I learned a lot about Cartier-Bresson from the documentary, H. Cartier-Bresson: L’amour tout court. The main thing being his genuine love for photography. Which can be seen throughout this short film. [4]
Before watching this I had come across his name a few times. I was surprised to learn he had been in prison. But that explains his involvement with the photography workshop in Fleury-Merogis youth unit. Whilst in Khoni prison, Georgia, Klavdig Sluban seems to have difficulty to get the inmates to take part at first. With someone else explaining “it’s for your own pleasure”. When talking to the group, Sluban tells them “what’s interesting in photography is the composition, not just pressing a button”. Painter Avigdor Arikha also spoke of the importance of composition. I found this to be quite relevant to previous tasks, as composition has been a lot of the focus, for example the tasks around leading lines & perspective.
Yves Bonnefoy reminisces over a photo taken by HCB, of a square where children were sitting/playing. He recalls not seeing HCB even raising his camera, slowing down or even dropping conversation to take the shot, and how he himself never even noticed there were children there, even though the square was usually empty. He talks of how that lets us better understand Cartier-Bressons relationship to photography, and how “others are always distracted and unobservant”. Saying that HCB is “on the lookout” and “ready to react”.
When talking of photography, one of the things HCB said really stood out to me. “You have to feel it intuitively. Sensitivity, intuition… A sense of geometry. That’s all there is to it”. I particularly liked this quite as I’ve always thought of photography as something you need to have an “eye” for, rather than something which can be completely learnt.
Later in the documentary, HCB told of how he doesn’t like to travel. Although he had been to many places, he liked to just go and live. He said “I like being in a country and looking around”. That he “lived and recorded things on camera”. Even to the point that he took the photos, then sent them off to other countries to be developed without even looking at them. How confident he must be in his conviction of the frame, to not even review to check he got what he wanted.
Also towards the end, when speaking of the need to be invisible at things such as funerals, it was said how HCB “never wanted the people he photographed to realise what he was doing” because once they do “they pose, they put on masks”. This is something we see every day. Whether through our own photography or through social media. Also, ourselves. When someone points a camera towards us, we automatically smile, as that’s what we’ve always seen, it’s just a natural response. To capture truth within a frame, it is important to try to be invisible to get a true representation of what is in front of us. Perhaps that’s how HCB caught the photo of the man jumping over a puddle, because he could not see him to take the photo, so he could not see HCB either and carried on as if nobody was looking.
Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, Pont de l’Europe, Paris, 1932 [6]
One of the things said within this film, I believe, was a real compliment to HCB. “For we know that this tool is, as much as his hand, a part of his body, or, even better, a part of his soul”. I think that is a massive compliment to how Henri Cartier-Bresson thought about his camera and his profession. There was a real love there for it and a genuine talent for seeing the frame he wanted to take, in a split second, and capturing it.
My view at this point
As a way of photographing, I like the idea of the decisive moment. I like the idea of capturing a moment in time which was not forced or posed. I have always liked the truth of street photography and how natural the people within a frame look. Instead of looking at the camera and faking a smile / expression, you capture someone’s true emotion. For me, that’s what photography is about.
I do appreciate a more structured photo and there are definitely times where that is needed too. Depending on circumstances and the kind of thing you are trying to capture. Even so, when photographing people, there are still gestures which make the moment special. A genuine laugh, a kiss, a grab of a hand. After watching Cartier-Bresson, I feel the decisive moment has been romanticised for me. In a way of capturing perfection, little moments, a loving touch, a ‘snapshot’ in someone’s life.
However, when reading Pantall’s review he has an almost opposite opinion. That the decisive moment in some ways shows the distancing between people in the real world. A lack of connection, perhaps a reflection of the fast paced world we live in. Too busy to enjoy what’s around us? Too stressed to take a minute to slow down and look around?
I’m writing this whilst sat in my house, in isolation, due to the covid-19 pandemic. It seems to have given people a chance to slow down. Most people have been told to stay home. To only take one essential trip per day. I’ve noticed so many more people walking past my house. Now people finally have the time to take that walk, and appreciate what we actually have rather than focusing on work and other stresses of every day life. I wonder how this would change street photography now? Although there would be less/no people around if you took a camera to a high street or shopping centre, there are more people taking the time to walk. To look around. To talk to their loved ones. We live just down the road from a little village, so the food shops there are still open and therefore people are still using them. Watching people cross the road to avoid walking past strangers is odd, although necessary, and I wonder how these people would translate in a photo now in comparison to when the shops were busy. Unfortunately, due to my asthma, I really am limiting how often I go out, so like many others, I haven’t seen the ‘real world’ for a while.
I want to take this opportunity to look back through my photographs and find what I could now consider a decisive moment. Although, if they weren’t taken for the decisive moment, were they in fact just reality caught in a photograph? Would this be considered as candid photography rather than a decisive moment. Does a title change how you view the image and what meaning it takes on? These are things to be considered going forward in my photography journey.
Let’s Go!They’re Coming!OK, Just a Little…This wasn’t to share…One more?Photo SpottingYou’re Embarrassing MeA Walk Up TownWho Did It BetterA New Found Love
[3] Evans, W (1928) Couple at Coney Island, New York [photograph] In: Evans, W. American photographs (2012) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Part 1, image 41.
Start by doing some of your own research into the photographers discussed above. Then, using fast shutter speeds, try to isolate a frozen moment of time in a moving subject. Depending on the available light you may have to select a high ISO to avoid visible blur in the photograph. Add a selection of shots, together with relevant shooting data and a description of process (how you captured the images), to your learning log.
Tonight, my parents puppy became the subject of my practice shots for part 3. As a playful, 13 week old Jack Russell, I knew it was going to be a challenge. So I just took it as a little fun with a new family member, rather than trying to use it as a serious way of capturing movement – and if I got a good shot from it, bonus!
Jack brought his own difficulties, as he’s still shy around people he doesn’t live with, myself included! So when trying to photograph him first time round, he ran away. Second time round I took some while he was saying hello to my Dad, who’d just got home. Then I took some still frames whilst he was lying on the sofa, which actually came out quite nice! After that, I sat on the floor while he was in and out of the room. During this part, he ran straight to me and licked the camera, maybe he likes his photo taken after all! A little later, he was playing fetch with my mom. I used this time to try to get the “movement” shots.
Perhaps photographing a quick little puppy isn’t the easiest of challenges to start with, but it was fun. I think I needed it to be fun so I wouldn’t be so worried about the shots not being ‘good enough’.
contact sheet for photos taken during this task. I took some stills of Jack to try to get him used to me being close to him, and me having a camera!
My Work
1/200 – f1.8 i think this is the best shot from this set. Jack seem S to be in focus rather than something in the background and he’s pretty central in the frame.1/200 – f1.8 I like that jacks paws are off the ground in this shot. You can see the pads of both of his back paws. The focus isn’t exactly right, as the dish seems to be in focus, not the dog. Also, the framing would need to be cropped to better show that the photo was of the dog, as it’s not very obvious when first looking at it. 1/200 – f1.8 Again, this shot would need cropping, but it wouldn’t really work as he’s so high in the frame. Again the still things within the shot are in better focus than Jack.
Reflection
From all the shots of Jack, there are a couple that came out quite well, with his paws in the air whilst running. But, mostly they came out a little blurry. I’m quite happy with this for a first try though. Although I love long exposure photos, shutter speed is one part I’ve never really played with as I’ve always thought it is quite difficult. So it was good to have a go and see what does & doesn’t work. This is definitely something I need to continue practicing.
Difficulties: He’s really fast. He ran out of the frame a few times. Shutter speed wasn’t set quite right so he looks a little blurry. Room was fairly well lit (nighttime but lights on), but to get a slower shutter speed, I had to use the flash. Flash distracted him at first. This 39 weeks pregnant belly stopped me getting down low on the floor to get better angles! I only had my 50mm lens with me, so I could not zoom. So either he was a little too far or a little too close to get the right focus.
I plan to continue practising with the ‘freeze’ exercise, and will add to this post when I do.
Start by doing your own research into some of the artists discussed above. Then, using slow shutter speeds, the multiple exposure function, or another technique inspired by the examples above, try to record the trace of movement within the frame. You can be as experimental as you like. Add a selection of shots together with relevant shooting data and a description of process (how you captured the shots) to your learning log.
Research
Robert Capa As the course guide recommended, I had a look in to Robert Capa, reading the article around his Normandy landings portfolio [1]. I found the article really fascinating. The photos are so recognisable and well known, it was good to finally read the story alongside them. As much as you can see in the photos that the photographer was there, it’s hard to visualise how he had to work to get the shots. The article really gave a sense of how close to the ‘action’ he was and how brave he must have been to face what he did, in a life threatening situation, to tell the story of that day.
I found the article reminded me of a project I did in secondary school, looking at the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’. We looked in to how the cameras were used to give that realism and closeness to enable you to envision it like you were actually there. I got the same from Capa’s portfoio.
“Waist-deep, with rifles ready to shoot, with the invasion obstacles and the smoking beach in the background – this was good enough for the photographer.”
“Exhausted from the water and the fear, we lay flat on a small strip of wet sand between the sea and the barbed wire. The slant of the beach gave us some protection, so long as we lay flat, from the machine-gun and rifle bullets, but the tide pushed us against the barbed wire, where the guns were enjoying open season.”
“I took out my second Contax camera and began to shoot without raising my head.”
The above quotes from the article really described a desperate situation for me. Knowing the danger surrounding where he was, I found it completely understandable that Capa didn’t dare to raise his head to take more photos. Unfortunately, not all of the images actually made it to print, due to a heating error. But the photos that did, all have that same raw, rushed, almost scared feel. The movement with the frames gives an emotional edge to them and allows you to connect.
Hiroshi Sugimoto When watching the YouTube video suggested within the course guide, I found it interesting to hear the theatre described as an empty space. In general, when you think of a screening at the theatre, you imagine full seats, full of life and movement and a show on the screen. The images created in this series seem to show the opposite, and therefore create the opposite feel. An empty room, a big white screen, and yes, an emptiness. I wonder if this was what Sugimoto expected when first producing this kind of long exposure shot. [2]
Michael Wesely I found the long exposure shots from Michael Wesely quite haunting. With such a long time captured within a frame, usually 2-3 years, there is so much detail. There’s more and more to see the deeper you look it to the frame. [3] In the 1990’s, Wesely used this method to capture building projects over a period of a few years. He also thinks this method could be used over a much longer timescale, perhaps even up to 40 years. [4]
‘Start by doing some of your own research into the photographers discussed above. Then, using fast shutter speeds, try to isolate a frozen moment of time in a moving subject. Depending on the available light you may have to select a high ISO to avoid visible blur in the photograph. Add a selection of shots, together with relevant shooting data and a description of process (how you captured the images), to your learning log’.
Research.
Eadweard muybridge
1830-1904. Eadweard Muybridge was an English photographer, whos developments were instrumental in moving photography forward and capturing things which, before, were impossible. He was a Landscape photographer before becoming a war and official government photographer. [1]. After being asked to prove that horses gallop with all 4 legs off the ground, Muybridge found his equipment didn’t allow him to do so with the shutter speeds available. So, after being acquitted of murder, he made his own high speed electronic shutter, giving him the ability to capture a photograph (using up to 24 cameras) with a shutter speed of 2/1000. [2]
These photographs were criticised, with people not being convinced a horses legs could really move in this way. Muybridge went on to create a zoopraxiscope – a lantern showing his images almost as motion – and used this to give lectures. Muybridge’s developments had a big influence on future photography.
Harold edgerton 1903-1990. Harold edgerton, also known as “papa flash”, was an electrical engineer. He started taking photos for his experiments, rather than as a photographer. As with muybridge, Edgerton created something to help capture what he wanted – a stroboscope – to produce short bursts of light. He became known for strobe lighting, using it to catch images such as balloons bursting. He went on to use this technology for scientific purposes under the sea. Hence the nickname “papa flash”.
Philip-Lorca DiCorcia Born 1951. Philip-Lorca DiCorcia is an American photographer. In his earlier work, photos were made to look like they weren’t staged, but they were. He them moved on to taking photographs of strangers. Adding in things like strobe lighting to capture individuals. [5]
- Sarah Gough OCA Blog - 
