Agreed.
Ok nit pick a bit, a fraction of second earlier or later will be even better
Agree but the 2nd bird was actually soaring during flight and if perhaps a bit later would be better
but at that instant I just pressed the shutter
Decisive Moment: How to anticipate?
- Thread starter aiest
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Agree but the 2nd bird was actually soaring during flight and if perhaps a bit later would be better
but at that instant I just pressed the shutter
sammy888
Senior Member
Here's to rubbing my two bits on the issue....
Luck has A LOT do with it but if you hesitant too much or over think it, you lose it.
What the masters don't tell you often enough is how many mis-shots or bad shots they have taken before and still do before they finally capture a fantastic one. At times, they re-crop the scene they shot of an average one and turn it into a great shot which they might have caught by luck. Just like your seagull shot. As you were looking at that bird in your viewfinder, were you actually noticing another seagull coming up from the back?
National Geographic photographers in general shoots 1000+ plus shots and choose great one to show the world. But because you saw that shot by so-and-so photographer, you thought "WOW he is so good to capture that shot so perfectly"
You want to improve your chances of getting better shots? That is simple but to capture successfully great shots even over your life time is very challenging. It is like fishing. Some days you come home with a bucket of fishes, another day an empty one and another a big Marlin. Look up famous photographers who shot for decades and you find most are famous for always the same few shots while the rest in their portfolio are great looking but not as stunning as those they are famous for. It happens to the best of us.
As I said, to improve is not hard. Firstly you have to know the fundamental of photography and your camera gear inside out. You should know it so fast that you can picture a shot as you walk and know if your camera is set to take that shot or not. Look at some of the old masters, they can use the same camera year in year out to shoot. Simply because the camera with the same buttons layout, predictable result and function are mastered and drilled into their mind and hands to act naturally.
For example if I am shooting street scene as I walk thru a busy few blocks full of people walking by. Your camera should be set to a shutter speed that can freezes life to some degree of stillness or slight blur to communicate motion. The right focal length to capture full length of top portion of subjects. The right F-stop in case subject is too far or near when you click to ensure subject is still in relative sharpness. Look closely at some of the great shots taken by people, examine it closely and sometimes it is not entirely sharp and might even be a little tiny motion blur. But the subject matter is so impactful that it trump lighting, focus and shutter speed right 'errors'
If i am shooting a scene sitting somewhere like the gentleman I shot in the above photo, I try to look for a relative area I will focus my camera on at all times. So it is easy for me to raise the camera to my eye and shoot or shoot fro my hip level or have the camera on the table or something and just click the shutter. I have adjusted everything and just wait. That means you have to know 'potential stories' that can happen in that area you focus. Yes not all good shots are spontaneous but you can sometime control the situation that increases your chance of capturing something special. Say a fire hydrant with a leak that spray out water spurts unsuspectingly every so often into the path of passing pedestrian. Already your mind's eye should tell you, just focus on that area will capturing you some interesting shots of people walking by and be surprised by a jet of water and how they would avoid it. So you set your camera all ready and wait. And that was what this gentleman in the photo was doing when I went over to talk to him. He is only working the zoom length but his shutter and aperture was all set on manual. He had been sitting there for about an hour shooting people along that narrow street of cafes.
Good photo opportunities are a lot of time about anticipation and/or luck. Which is why photography is such a great life observer and teacher. It teaches you to see things around you and you learn to understand and anticipate before you click. And in the process learn something about life.
But first thing is know your gear well like that back of your hand. And like fishing you have to be patience and quick to react or anticipate. You can only hit something if you don't stop firing. heh.
Luck has A LOT do with it but if you hesitant too much or over think it, you lose it.
What the masters don't tell you often enough is how many mis-shots or bad shots they have taken before and still do before they finally capture a fantastic one. At times, they re-crop the scene they shot of an average one and turn it into a great shot which they might have caught by luck. Just like your seagull shot. As you were looking at that bird in your viewfinder, were you actually noticing another seagull coming up from the back?
National Geographic photographers in general shoots 1000+ plus shots and choose great one to show the world. But because you saw that shot by so-and-so photographer, you thought "WOW he is so good to capture that shot so perfectly"
You want to improve your chances of getting better shots? That is simple but to capture successfully great shots even over your life time is very challenging. It is like fishing. Some days you come home with a bucket of fishes, another day an empty one and another a big Marlin. Look up famous photographers who shot for decades and you find most are famous for always the same few shots while the rest in their portfolio are great looking but not as stunning as those they are famous for. It happens to the best of us.
As I said, to improve is not hard. Firstly you have to know the fundamental of photography and your camera gear inside out. You should know it so fast that you can picture a shot as you walk and know if your camera is set to take that shot or not. Look at some of the old masters, they can use the same camera year in year out to shoot. Simply because the camera with the same buttons layout, predictable result and function are mastered and drilled into their mind and hands to act naturally.
For example if I am shooting street scene as I walk thru a busy few blocks full of people walking by. Your camera should be set to a shutter speed that can freezes life to some degree of stillness or slight blur to communicate motion. The right focal length to capture full length of top portion of subjects. The right F-stop in case subject is too far or near when you click to ensure subject is still in relative sharpness. Look closely at some of the great shots taken by people, examine it closely and sometimes it is not entirely sharp and might even be a little tiny motion blur. But the subject matter is so impactful that it trump lighting, focus and shutter speed right 'errors'
If i am shooting a scene sitting somewhere like the gentleman I shot in the above photo, I try to look for a relative area I will focus my camera on at all times. So it is easy for me to raise the camera to my eye and shoot or shoot fro my hip level or have the camera on the table or something and just click the shutter. I have adjusted everything and just wait. That means you have to know 'potential stories' that can happen in that area you focus. Yes not all good shots are spontaneous but you can sometime control the situation that increases your chance of capturing something special. Say a fire hydrant with a leak that spray out water spurts unsuspectingly every so often into the path of passing pedestrian. Already your mind's eye should tell you, just focus on that area will capturing you some interesting shots of people walking by and be surprised by a jet of water and how they would avoid it. So you set your camera all ready and wait. And that was what this gentleman in the photo was doing when I went over to talk to him. He is only working the zoom length but his shutter and aperture was all set on manual. He had been sitting there for about an hour shooting people along that narrow street of cafes.
Good photo opportunities are a lot of time about anticipation and/or luck. Which is why photography is such a great life observer and teacher. It teaches you to see things around you and you learn to understand and anticipate before you click. And in the process learn something about life.
But first thing is know your gear well like that back of your hand. And like fishing you have to be patience and quick to react or anticipate. You can only hit something if you don't stop firing. heh.
Last edited:
Ha Zu Ni Za
New Member
Here's one of my recent take. Abit of anticipation and manually focusing.
This kid was coming down the stairs on his bike like a boss. And to see so much control on his bike after all the bumps, I was blown away.
This kid was coming down the stairs on his bike like a boss. And to see so much control on his bike after all the bumps, I was blown away.
sammy888
Senior Member
aiest
New Member
Hey everyone, TS here
Thanks a lot for all the responses! Some of you have some really insightful opinions and experiences to share. I'm also very grateful for the wall of text (I read every word, don't worry). Thanks a lot, really!
If anyone has anymore responses, do keep them coming! I'm sure I'm not the only one who can benefit from this thread
Thanks a lot for all the responses! Some of you have some really insightful opinions and experiences to share. I'm also very grateful for the wall of text (I read every word, don't worry). Thanks a lot, really!
If anyone has anymore responses, do keep them coming! I'm sure I'm not the only one who can benefit from this thread
Just immerse in the joy of shooting. Walk the streets, be interested in people, care for people. Don't fall into the danger of overly concerned about finding the moment that you missed many other moments. Believe it or not, some moments are captured without you realising it. You only realised them when you review the photos you have taken. HCB said that he considered himself an amateur even though he shoot for so many years. That means that he continued to learn and never stop learning. Feel the situation, make many mistakes, take a hundred shots and live with only one good shot, its ok. Enjoy the journey of street photography. The journey is the reward.
how is the decisive moment coming along for you ?
Its been a year since you started this thread so curious
archcherub
New Member
I am not particularly good at it and only doing particular sub-category of street/people/candids, but here are my few cents.
1. Learn to observe. Often a certain situation, action happens more than once. Prepare for it.
2. Looking at more photo helps. They form a preset of images that you will be able to perform fast.
3. Think a bit as often its partly human psychology.
4. Wait at a spot works in combination with #1.
5. Take more photos and think over then a bit as to how you might have been able to do it better.
Good luck.
this is useful.
a lot of time, observing is the key...... experience will help
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