Back to El Matador...finding the moment.

So how do you find that perfect moment? Is it the sunset, the colors, or the perfect composition of nature that makes a perfect moment? I really don't think it's anything that can be quantified. As an artist the perfect moment is just something that happens when you apply the concepts of photography. Composition, exposure, and execution will always lead to a perfect moment in my opinion. They are tools for the means.

This is what I say. Just set a goal. One thing I always remember to do when I go out with my camera in hand is make it a point to capture something I can remember. Something memorable. I find that when I set a goal to get at least one quality image where ever I am, I find it easier to get it. Something I've learned to do when I go out with my camera is to make it a mission every time.

I've been out on locations only to have light and wind and colors not work in my favor. But I've learned to use these conditions to make me more creative. This is how I learned how to use long exposures to be creative for example.

So this evening, I continued my pursuit of getting that perfect El Matador Beach photo. Like I said recently, this is a beach that is hard to photograph because it's been photographed so many times before. This evening alone I counted at least five other photographers looking for that perfect shot. But remember...I made it a goal to get something I can remember.

But what makes a memorable shot? Really, a place like that has no such thing. This is something I realized tonight. Just follow what I've learned and everything else will always fall in place right?

I noticed that each and every photographer I observed tonight was using a different camera, technique and location. I did notice that I was the only photographer that stayed once the sun actually set. I also noticed that no other photographers actually moved very much. This always baffles me. Moving locations and taking photographs in the 20 minutes after the sun is gone usually yields the most artistic photographs....but maybe that's just me.

Regardless, I'm not sure I got the perfect shot tonight, but I always have fun in the process and I believe that applying the things I've learned, including moving around and shooting after the sun is gone, led to a memorable shot. Remember, my goal was not a perfect shot...but a shot I could remember...-cg



Here's what came out.