Oasis

The world opens up when you see what is shown to you in the puddles at your feet.  

Oasis

Cobblehome

Decisive Moment "variation"

It had rained earlier in the day, but it was clear now.  There were still splashes of water around the city. 

I was attracted to the reflection of a billowy cloud in this puddle. If I was a perfectionist, I would have removed that little blue object near the bottom of the frame but I didn't notice it and truthfully didn't care that much as it was pretty much an exercise in technique not intended as an artistic pursuit. 

But, I've had some luck taking shots of people reflected in the mirror of the water of puddles.  The symmetry can be interesting, also the texture from the water can create some abstract illusions. 

So, I parked there and pointed down.  A few people, as they passed, looked down and were puzzled at what I was focusing on.  Little did they know that it might be a picture of them (or more likely their feet).

The subject can take on a surrealistic effect if you flip the photograph upside down.  Here's an example, (I left the foot in the frame here to show the original). 

Here's what it became. 

Anyway, I continued taking shots at this particular puddle, keeping the feet in the picture in most cases.

I've written before about the term the "Decisive Moment" coined by famed photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (see my post "I'm Engaged!"). 

Bresson said, "the decisive moment, it is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression."

One of the most famous pictures Bresson took, "Man Jumping Over Puddle" characterizes this concept.  It shows the man's foot just inches from hitting the ground. Click the title link above to see his picture.  I'm not posting it here because I suppose it would be a copyright violation (although it is so widely published I may be acting more ethically than legally).  The timing in my shot to the right is similar, in concept anyway. 

My photo, however, was so much an accident that I didn't even know that I had captured it until I got it home on my computer. This is often the case.  When scrutinizing a photo, I find things that I didn't know existed at the time that the shutter was clicked. 

Since Bresson's statement refers to a sense of "recognition" when taking the photo, in the case of this shot, I did not actually fulfill the essence of the theory. As I did not see the foot about to hit the water or time it with that intent.  Although I did know about the reflection.

Anyway, looking at this picture, I will consider it an homage to Bresson's concept. 

And, in retrospect, it makes me wonder... did his foot get wet?  (I assume so).  This puddle is certainly not as large as the one in Bresson's photo, his man had little choice but to splash.  So, if this guy had jumped, he wouldn't have gotten wet.  So, I suspect he wasn't paying attention.  Or, perhaps he noticed at the last second and made a quick turn to the left and completely avoided getting wet. Or, maybe he extended his stride at the last second and reached across the water. 

I went back to see if I had any evidence of what happened.  The followup shot below did show he him past the puddle, rather straight on, but I'm not sure whether he is wet or not. And, I will not know.  So, there is an element of suspense in the original.  And, we can leave it as an unknown.