When I was waiting for Miss Dragonfly to sit down and stay for a bit and grant me a chance to photograph her, I was ready to be patient but felt impatient at the same time. People were walking the path where I was waiting for her, and as long as there was this sort of traffic there seemed to be too much noise and movement for a quiet and intimate encounter with this beautiful insect.
I didn't know whether this human traffic would stop long enough at some stage, also my friends were waiting at the car park, the sun was burning down in the middle of the day, I could feel the stinging on my forehead and the dragonfly hadn't sat anywhere longer than maybe about 5 seconds, so I was pondering whether I was actually wasting my time and energy here.
What I want to point out is that the famous "decisive moment" in this case happened long before the photo was taken! My abeyance was hovering between waiting or leaving……the decision to stay suddenly happened and that felt like the decisive moment! While watching the dragonfly doing her turns over the area she had chosen to cruise, sudden clarity was there. It felt that the watching not only was happening one way, she was watching me as well! Silently while waiting and watching I had asked her for permission to photograph her beauty. The clarity which suddenly came about told me that she had agreed to be photographed. I now knew I was no longer waiting for a chance which seemed elusive before, I was waiting for my granted chance to happen. And sure enough it didn't take much longer before she settled on a flax leave and stayed……stayed for minutes which seemed like eternity! She allowed me to come close, very close, it felt like she trusted me. Time stood still for me during these precious minutes. I was so captured and in awe about this magic situation and her beauty that I couldn't think straight. Focus, aperture, speed and ISO became abstract functions, although it felt that I had all the time in the world to make up my mind how to photograph this beautiful being, the technical side of photography now felt elusive. The intimacy between us two beings in this moment was kind of overwhelming, the agreement between us to connect for the opportunity of a photograph, which enables others to see her beauty too and thus become intimate with the dragonfly as well……She allowed me to take over 40 images, and there were gaps when I did nothing and tried to think how to enhance the quality of what I was doing, but instead just marveled at her beauty and perfection in a mesmerized state of mind. She didn't move much during these divine moments, just cautiously and slowly bringing her left front leg towards her head. Magically during these precious minutes no one walked our path. It was as if everything had stopped. It felt as if the intelligence of creation had become tangible for a very short time. The "decisive moment" might be an integral part of this all pervasive force, when we are in tune it happens with perfection and ease as if there is nothing more natural in existence. When the dragonfly finally took off, I knew that this was it, that I wouldn't get another chance. I walked off too, feeling deeply grateful for this opportunity, also knowing that my technical blackout wouldn't matter, because this gift was perfect the way it was.
Read more about "The Decisive Moment"
Timeless Wisdom about Photography - Best Quotes
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