The Decisive Moment: Clicking the Shutter

When to click the shutter*? Now, that’s a question that I have never been asked, but that doesn’t make it less important. In fact, I believe that one of the most decisive moments for a photographer is ‘clicking the shutter’.

Typically, when someone likes a photo of mine, they ask ‘where did you shoot it’ or ‘how did you take this photo?’. If it’s a photographer asking the question, he/she will ask – ‘which camera did you shoot on, which lens did you use, what was the aperture/shutter, etc. No one has ever asked; what was it that prompted you to click the shutter. A very basic but an important point to think about.

• How does one know that this is the right moment to achieve the desired composition?

• Does one work towards that composition and keep shooting till one gets it?

• Does one keep shooting with the hope of creating an amazing image as else the moment may flee away?

The answer to the above questions differ from person to person. It depends on one’s style and what one is looking for. And that’s absolutely fine. What’s more important is ‘Am I aware as a photographer as to why at this moment I am choosing to press the shutter?'

It has happened with me, an umpteen number of times. I find a frame interesting, I decide where to stand, frame the composition, set my camera settings, take my eye to the viewfinder, place my finger on the shutter and in that moment; where I can see only my composed frame and nothing else; the composition/ framing doesn’t appeal to me anymore. It just doesn’t feel the same. I don’t feel the same about the frame. What do I do? Do I still go ahead and click the frame? After all it’s the digital age, not much of a cost associated with pressing the shutter. Or else do I let it go? Well, what I do is; I don’t click the shutter. I let it go.

Yes, it’s the digital age. There is no visible cost of clicking unlimited number of images. But, then why click a photo which I cannot connect to? And hence, I drop the composition. It’s a multi-saver pack. I save memory space, my time of shortlisting photos and most important, I restart my search for more frames ( this time with more clarity).

These are the questions that I ask myself before clicking the shoot button on my phone/camera:

1. Why I am clicking the shutter

   1. I find the frame/moment interesting

   2. The frame may not be interesting but is important to complete the story I am documenting

      
      

2. When do I click the shutter

   1. When I am sure of the frame

   2. When I can connect to the emotion

   3. When I am working around the frame to get the composition that I have in my mind

      
      

Earlier, I used to literally ask these questions to myself. Now, over a period of years, these questions have got in-built in my style of shooting. It just happens intuitively.

How about you? What is your process like before clicking the shutter? Do you pause too before clicking the shutter? What questions do you ask yourself? I would love to know, how and when you decide to press that button on your phone/camera. Do share in the comments.

*(Shutter/ shutter button is the button which when pressed on your camera/phone, captures the photo).