So often, street photography is said to rely on a stroke of luck. There’s an old saying that the more one practices, the luckier they become. In this particular image, the scene appears quite simple: a man leisurely strolling down a Parisian street, carrying an umbrella, passing by the end of a walkway. Yet, the truth is, I couldn’t possibly have predicted this moment, nor anticipated his gaze in my direction. Henri Cartier-Bresson often discussed the concept of the “decisive moment” – the precise instant to capture an image, neither too early nor too late. But how could I have known that this very moment was the one? I could have stood there all day, without ever encountering such a serendipitous occurrence. It was as if some inexplicable instinct kicked in, prompting me to press the shutter button. I wasn’t even aware of the image until days later, when I finally developed the film from my trusty Leica camera. And there it was, as if the stars had perfectly aligned, creating a truly remarkable shot.
Gerry Walden's Blog 