An Indecisive Moment

I was sent a great new book for work yesterday called The Contact Sheet that shows a whole host of great photographers' best shots, with a look at the images that came before and after it on the film. There's variations on Dorothea Lange's famous migrant mother, some typically bright seaside images from Martin Parr and a whole reel of shots of Marilyn Monroe.

Lovely stuff an'all, but it reminded me how often the best photographers used an entire film to capture a single image. With my shots by Stephen Nelson currently being developed, it made me wonder whether he has shot 36 very varied masterpieces or simply one decisive moment amid 35 near misses? I guess I'll find out soon enough. I think this has impacted on my own shooting with Ricoh though. Having got used to the disposability of digital photography, I'm deliberating over each click of the shutter a whole lot more because I want to be handing over as many worthwhile or interesting images as possible to the next person who takes Ricoh on his way. For better or worse, this adventure is making me take photographs in a different, more considered way.