Is the “decisive moment” still alive today?

I’ll take a chance and blow my own horn with this image: http://archive.felixfeatures.com/image/I0000gtSwO8npBLc Israeli soldiers in armoured vehicles share a cup of coffee in the midst of clashes with Palestinian youths. Less than ten minutes later the soldiers found themselves in a gun battle with militants.

Here is a decisive moment shot in Coney Island.

This was shot this year at a maritime festival and just makes me smile. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aperkins/5061819725/in/set-72157625260559790/

I captured this shot of japanese students going home for lunch in Tokyo just after a rainstorm. Just as I tripped the shutter, the lead student turned around and peaked, pure luck… http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcarmich/4471248566/in/set-72157623722344664/

At the Denver Art Museum, a group of colorfully-clad girls turned a corner to see a painting that spoke to them. http://www.chriscasephoto.com/img-show/I0000d3RbHBqfCTQ

I’m a long time fan too! http://william-alan-photo.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Black-and-White/G0000EWmTjdP1imY/I0000lMZZlqtSz.Q http://william-alan-photo.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Black-and-White/G0000EWmTjdP1imY/I0000I_ijZKn07Jw http://william-alan-photo.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Black-and-White/G0000EWmTjdP1imY/I0000zzdRZbVj68c

a few of my favorite from the phillies 2008 world series parade http://archive.twistedmindcreations.com/image/I0000zksbyMP2yH8 http://archive.twistedmindcreations.com/image/I00000aQ.ArzTgXo

from my series. http://www.grasfotografie.nl/?portfolio=woonbeurs-2010 http://www.flickr.com/photos/86609049@N00/4951599149/in/set-72157624859470478/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/86609049@N00/4951680995/in/set-72157624859470478/

http://valerioberdini.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Kumbh-Mela-Haridwar-India/G00005wY7nrFqjUQ/I0000h6cXjjXmtMw http://valerioberdini.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Islam-Srinagar-Kashmir/G0000EidnulPM_s4/I0000QdGUubfkF8w Just a couple, got plenty

Thanks for featuring one of my NY images. Back in the day when a photo editor (of a big Manila newspaper which could potentially hire me) asked who my photography teacher was, I mentioned HCB. At first he was startled with my claim that I studied directly under the man — I’m self-taught, btw — but quickly realized that what I really meant was that I pored over HCB’s pictures over and over again so that the decisive moment principle seeped to my marrow and out to my left eye and right index finger. You’d evidence of this in the rest of my portfolio, especially the one from my home country, the Philippines. Max

I created a gallery of my own “decisive moment” photography, taken from my work: http://bourne.gg/2010/11/the-decisive-moment

Good article! I think the reason people think that the Decisive Moment is dead (or dying) has more to do with the sheer propensity of images out there. Back in Bresson’s day taking a photo took a lot more effort and cost, so photographers (both pro and amateur) took a lot more care when composing their images and looking for that decisive moment. Today that practice is still there, but there are a LOT of photographers who just click the shutter and sort it out later, or are just out there taking snapshots for fun. So you have to sort through SO many more photos to find ones that exhibit THE moment. Thanks for finding some great examples to inspire us!

Luck favors the prepared here in Beograd, Srbija: http://angier-fox.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Belgrade-Serbia-Beograd-Srbija/G0000r1LKnrMVdyI/I00008JZaH9KA4gU

I have been seeking these elusive moments all my photographic life. http://robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

Thanks, Grover. http://paultreacy.com

Nice collection, Gareth. From sumo: http://ablyth.photoshelter.com/image/I0000BwHeTI76vzA and top wrestler Hakuho: http://ablyth.photoshelter.com/image/I0000hT3gWc29LIc

Fine examples of inspiring street photography – a genre that has interested me more and more in recent years. Here is a link to a shot where I was waiting for a moment to happen: http://folkeandersen.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Always-Shooting-B-W/G0000zXIWuZ4X7YU/I0000L3fDMoOHM2Y Thanks for sharing these examples.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtajdolat/4364768368/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtajdolat/4444869928/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtajdolat/4722231403/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtajdolat/4708347778/

I am very proud of an image taken during a trip to Tanzania earlier this year. For me, this sums up life for the Hadzabe in a single, decisive moment – the vagaries of hunting and the harsh environment in which they spend their lives. I saw the boy preparing to shoot at the stork, but am happy to admit that it was pure luck getting the arrow in mid-flight in the frame… http://matthewoldfield.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Hadzabe-Africas-last-hunter-gatherers/G0000lN9LsUbHLqk/I0000eHttqCzEU0k

What is sexy? It depends on who’s judging I guess. http://tinyurl.com/3abwkl2

Diving moment http://sjoerdvanderhucht.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Aruba/G0000xz9ecnlJQEE/I0000m3VUyufplaY

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14897754@N07/3739280554/in/set-72157621756665897/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14897754@N07/3748161277/in/set-72157621756665897/ Here’s 2 shots of street sircus

I have a few ~ http://tinyurl.com/decisivemomento Back when you couldn’t chimp to see if you’d got the shot – remember waiting until the film was out of the wash? Almost makes me want to break out the OM1 and Tri-X again.

Some very nice pictures here, thanks. Cartier Bresson is alive and well…

I feel something when i see the pictures, very nice picture.. black and white, very beautiful…

Great photographs Innis!! Really amazing! Check some moments on xyzak.blogspot.com..

Here is a blog i made about a month ago posting photographs from my every day life currently in Athens, Greece. xyzak.blogspot.com

I love this one by Demon

A modern evocation of HCB’s original water-pool-jumping man: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chronophot/4641362941/in/photostream/ Carl-Johan Westergren

Can I add a few? Isabelle and the bird – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000jnH_CKGMi2I Harper, 2008 Election Night – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000Wbac2raA91g Guard at Ottawa War Memorial – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000fPL.yq7QwXk HWY416 – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000SGBYQAZzbn4 Cargo vessel in Jamaica waters – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000esbnQaBz338 Aquafit – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000_N3Tl98oro0 Capcakes – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000tXxclcYmtHI TV Wedding – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000uLJsyhe.3OU David Rotundo – http://andreiphotos.photoshelter.com/img-show/I0000d2AKNsLNi6U

A shot taken in one of my favourite locations – http://rcoles.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hong-Kong-street-markets/G00002gviMU7utF0/

Lessons in life in Nuernberg: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gman_ok/5102965840/

Another that I meant to include in my last post: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gman_ok/5078843656/

Thanks for the opportunity: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joechahwan/5070878714/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joechahwan/5020572535/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joechahwan/4990713943/

“The Decisive Moment.” at Rome

“The Decisive Moment.” at Rome http://stefanomontesi.photoshelter.com/gallery/Roma-B-W/G0000Mm72cXhdZXM/ http://stefanomontesi.photoshelter.com/gallery/Poor-at-Rome/G0000LUrZJ2RRLZU/

Here’s a Flikr group featuring decisive moments – http://www.flickr.com/groups/decisivemoment/