Taking Time to See the Frame

This past Friday, I was at an event taking pictures of performances and snapping some candids. For fun, really. On reviewing the images since, there were a couple that were really nice snapshots, one of which is generating critical acclaim on Facebook *ahem*. ;) From somebody other than my wife, that is! Anyhow, the pictures brought to mind a couple of questions, because both had a major flaw.

One picture was of two prominent women in that community leaning up against a short wall and beaming awe-inspiring smiles back at the camera. Just beautiful! *sigh* Peaking up over the shoulder of one of the angels was a light blue large dixie cup. Just sitting there. Staring at me. Laughing. I could tell, that cup was laughing. At me. argh!

The other snapshot was of a photographer friend who was taking "portraits" of patrons with Santa/Ms. Santa. A really nice snapshot, he had a great expression, and I managed to include another photog in the capture, too. Press the AF button, see the red square in the viewfinder, snap the shutter, say "Awesome!" and move on. Didn't want to take too much of his time and, well, there was serious chatting to do. Only, somehow, I must have pressed the AF On button while the focus point was still on the wall, before I had placed it on my true subject. I saw red, snapped a shot, and missed the shot. :(

The two beautiful women? They weren't going anywhere. I could've moved that cup and had a much better picture. If I had taken just 1 more second to examine the frame. And my photographer friend? No excuse--I just got in a hurry. I wasn't committed, I guess, or something.

There's a lesson in here about life in general, I'm sure. My problem is I'm still quite concerned about imposing on people, when in reality most people are nice enough to allow for that 1 or 2 extra seconds. At least, in public 'candid' situations, that's my problem. I guess the only way to get over that is realize it's an issue (e.g., by berating myself over less-than-spectacular shots caused by my hurried-ness), and practice moving a tiny bit slower in those "can I take your picture" moments in public situations. Has anybody else noticed this tendency in themselves? When shooting a reception, do you see the horseshoe creating horns behind the bride's head before you take the shot (my wedding photog didn't...), or do you see it during post ? Do you take time and notice that cup sticking out of the shoulder of that amazing subject, or is that cup there waiting for you in post, laughing maniacally?

Thankfully, events like this are mostly for practice, for me, on how to capture those fleeting, unrepeatable moments in time (and focus properly)--how to see that decisive moment. And for networking. But I still find it annoying that even after so many shots taken in various situations, I can still miss tiny little things that make an otherwise good shot, mundane. argh.

See the frame,
Matt

P.S., it's been 10 1/2 years since my wedding, and I still remember that photographer my mother-in-law paid for. But not fondly...mostly because of that one single solitary horseshoe...there's a lesson in that, too.