In Cartier-Bresson's words: "photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression."
Please see examples of his work, which range from unstaged people photography in normal and unusual environments to images where landscapes dominate, with a dynamic setting.
Without further defining the decisive moment, this week I seek images that depict tension, balance, fates, and, importantly, include a complementary background and composition that helps define the moment. This would exclude most straight portraits where the face or person is removed from context, static shots of "a thing," and yet does not necessarily mean literally decisive moments such as of "runners crossing the finish line" or even a people shot altogether. Phil Douglis has emphasized how incongruity establishes tension that helps a story emerge in an image, which we can seek to balance in the composition and interaction between subject and background. An example of mine which admittedly only partially achieves what I am looking for is:
![Image](http://www.pbase.com/kzaret/image/65562682/medium.jpg)
In the spirit of this past week's interesting contest by Malcolm Niekirk, I will explain/critique my choices at the end. Let's think about this and have fun!
Please post medium size only, but also a link to the full size version.
Hope you enjoy this week's topic.
Closing day for submissions: midnight GMT Tuesday night next week: i.e., by 12.01 am Greenwich Mean Time Wednesday November 28, 2007
See the rules below, and good luck to all of you!
Rules:
1. Photos must be hosted on pbase.com.
2. Photos must be embedded in your post. See
http://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?t=18022
3. Post only the medium versions of your picture. Larger versions will not be considered.
4. Only enter up to 3 photos per-contest.
5. The host is not eligible for their own contest.
6. Any picture you've taken is eligible regardless of time taken and camera
7. You can do all the post processing you want.
8. Have fun.
When posting, please do include a direct link to your photo so that it can be viewed at its original size.
For your reference, all previous contest topics and the results:
65- Shapes, Patterns, and Textures http://www.pbase.com/kzaret/image/87642537
64 - Minimalism http://www.pbase.com/niekirk/image/75756454
63 - Autumn Leaves http://www.pbase.com/anerino/image/85713273
62 - Rule Of Thirds http://www.pbase.com/fishit/image/86476720
61 - People by candle light http://www.pbase.com/ralphandkylie/image/86838664
60 - Vanishing Point http://www.pbase.com/clyne/image/40473744
59 - Rust http://www.pbase.com/bayphotographic/image/84562629
58 - Long Exposures http://www.pbase.com/impalass/image/78244539
57 - Family Life http://www.pbase.com/anerino/image/76813530
56 - Man's relationship with Water http://www.pbase.com/pasto/image/77857442
55 - Cultures Of The World http://www.pbase.com/stevev1/image/72677454
54 - Summertime http://www.pbase.com/image/31777589
53- Suburbia http://www.pbase.com/todd_port/image/62312978
52 - Reflection http://www.pbase.com/ralphandkylie/image/48469086
51 - Speed http://www.pbase.com/ppetalas/image/67312995
50 – Streetlife http://www.pbase.com/woodstock1103/imag ... 5/original
49 – Music http://www.pbase.com/paul_teixeira/imag ... 0/original
48 - Abandoned http://www.pbase.com/mdejong/image/65010674/original
47 - In Passage http://www.pbase.com/hoopy/image/71115287
46 - Night Life http://www.pbase.com/tsienni/image/76248952
45 - Female elegance http://www.pbase.com/jar_o_raws/image/76048022
44 - "For the times they are a-changin'" http://www.pbase.com/honnybeejoy/image/75723426
43 - Light and Shadow http://www.pbase.com/hevezimj/image/1315660
42 - Animals http://www.pbase.com/popeye885/image/64137157/large
41 - Children in Black and White http://www.pbase.com/thejaybird/image/74783675/original
40 - Newborns http://www.pbase.com/kirstenmary/image/73907799
39 - Pollution of environment http://www.pbase.com/ibill/image/36158990
38 - Portrait of a gesture http://www.pbase.com/homerhomer/image/63182376
37 - Shadows http://www.pbase.com/artandrevolution/i ... 2450/large
36 - Not Just Head Shots http://www.pbase.com/thejaybird/image/45928108/original
35 - Have Fun http://www.pbase.com/billinchapelhill/image/66218059
34 - Sunrise/Sunsets http://www.pbase.com/ivinghoe/image/52157782
33 - Winter Landscape http://www.pbase.com/tazman0895/image/72364388/medium
32 - Dramatic Perspective http://www.pbase.com/timgoodspeed/image/72486685
31 - I would definitely like to be there http://www.pbase.com/adjohnso/image/70274383
30 - Frost http://www.pbase.com/nostromo/image/66990908
29 - Dramatic Lighting http://www.pbase.com/grompem/image/55894226/original
28 - Empty Space http://www.pbase.com/billinchapelhill/image/60965172
27 - Macro and Close Up, playing with DOF http://www.pbase.com/halesr/image/43356520
26 - Black & White Contrast http://www.pbase.com/ttfl/image/60755512
25 - Wide Angle http://www.pbase.com/bircher/image/69273873
24 - From the Rooftops http://www.pbase.com/jseltzer/image/53063412
23 - Your Neighborhood http://www.pbase.com/fabiot/image/68718412
22 - Coastal shots http://www.pbase.com/andyrpthomas/image/54081039
21 - Four legged friends http://www.pbase.com/asilasil/image/67748450
20 - Water in Motion http://www.pbase.com/kman627/image/67079464
19 - City Centre http://www.pbase.com/gailsowder/image/66923649
18 - Time Exposures http://www.pbase.com/colinb3469/image/50302066
17 - Beauty http://i.pbase.com/o4/13/504713/1/65558 ... ck5web.jpg
16 - Angles in architecture http://www.pbase.com/tyson_poeckh/image ... medium.jpg
15 - Determination http://www.pbase.com/agroni/image/56218420.jpg
14 - Portraits http://k41.pbase.com/v3/34/609334/1/517 ... nFrame.jpg
13 - Weather http://www.pbase.com/pse/profile
12 - Emotions http://www.pbase.com/genieslot/image/54567682/large.jpg
11 - Wood http://www.pbase.com/mdejong/image/28953523/medium.jpg
10 - Work http://www.pbase.com/grompem/image/55894226
9 - Water http://www.pbase.com/pse/profile
8 - Bridges http://www.pbase.com/bruyn32/image/57170214.jpg
7 - Flora http://www.pbase.com/expat/image/58542071
6 - Landscapes http://www.pbase.com/dkite/image/41103214.jpg
5 - Silhouettes http://www.pbase.com/paskuk/image/44066272.jpg
4 - Red http://www.pbase.com/stevenoz/image/46580385/medium.jpg
3 - Lighthouses http://www.pbase.com/gemmf/image/38312086/medium.jpg
2 - Sports Action http://www.pbase.com/mattmyles06/image/ ... iginal.jpg
1 - Night Time http://www.pbase.com/ray_demski/image/5 ... iginal.jpg
How the contest works:
1. The host gives a topic.
2. You post up to 3 of your images that go along with the topic.
3. The host chooses the winner 7 days after the contest was started.
4. The winner becomes the host for the next week. If the winner does not post a new contest within 2 days, 2nd place choses the topic