A moment among many

I used to think that Bresson's "decisive moment" means that he would only shoot one picture for one scene, an action of creation as effective as a sniper's action of destruction. Yongquan Jin's (2009) "Red Flag Studio: Debates on CHina's Photography 1956-1959," however, has a quote from one Chinese photographer, Chen Bo by name, who had accompanied Bresson to the construction of Beijing Thirteen Tombs Reservoir on June 20, 1958 saying that "Bresson can be called a 'machine-gunner.' On the construction site, he almost shoot everything he set his eye on. He also took multiple shots of the same scene. Within four hours, he exposed seven rolls of 35mm B&W films and almost one roll of color film" (cited in Jin, 2009, p. 231). The decisive moment means actually the moment that a great photo gets exposed, not the moment a picture is shot. What a relief -- that the masters and I are the same, almost the same.

When there is leeway for clicking the shutter without coming up with a great picture, paradoxically, my soul is re-freed to the state of thinking about what leads to a great picture, then, further to asking myself what I want to express and using whatever comes out of that question as the frame within which greatness or mediocrity starts to take actual meanings.

I admit that like many other photographers, I, a lot of times, take pictures according to my emotions. I also admit that Bresson's critique of emotions vis-a-vis structures of pictures is really great. He said that "emotions -- all [people] have them. But you have to let the structure to tell" (YouTube, "The Impassioned Eye"). However, adding to the importance of the composition, it is also important to ask what relations a photographer wants to explore and expose. Social relations are many and only concentration on composition might lead to an overall lack of meanings. For example, if we, say, look at 100 pictures by Bresson and wants a general theme, what can be get apart that it is a great eye feast.

All themes are themes of social relations. I desire to devote my time into several themes and use these themes as the guiding motives to ponder on specific social relations that contribute to the large themes. This way seems to me to be more systematic and thought-provoking -- to the photographer himself. Indeed, did Adams talk about "pre-conceptualization" of any picture he took? While he concentrated on the visual aspect as well, isn't it fun to think within a larger social setting about the more general themes of social relations before actual pictures and compositions are thought of.

Just my piece of Turkey (Nov. 22, 2012, Thanksgiving). No one can deny Bresson. I am still his ardent fan. 

Have been talking too much? Have a drink?