Have you ever noticed a certain phenomenon that occurs during the process of creating your most unique images? You know the images I mean. The ones that you see in a split second, love immediately and dare not miss. Once you capture the image, your heart pounds, eyes go wide and your jaw drops at the treasure you have frozen in time? You know the phenomenon too. It seems to be broken into 3 parts or phases: Identification, Creation and Appreciation, I would say. During this phenomenon of three main moments you visually receive the exact same information, but the way you process what you see seems to be different at each stage.
In that first split second, when the message, "Oh my God! This is great! Grab it!" hardly makes it from your brain to your hands before you have already lifted the camera to stop the time passing before your eyes, you are experiencing phase 1: Identification. Identification is a brief phase in which you become intrigued and your sense of sight is stimulated. You have identified your subject in a completely non-analytical, spontaneous phase. It's eye to heart and finger on the release. Phase 2, Creation, is purely functional....mechanical, if you will. It is just the next split second when you observe for the purpose of composing your image. You still have not figured out or analyzed what it is you love so much about what you saw. That's phase 3: Appreciation. For me this is like the big trophy moment. It is not only the moment where you enjoy what you have captured. But, it is also the moment when you become fascinated at the very process that I am trying to describe in these sentences. It has a surreal effect through which you relive the moment you've captured with a measure of disbelief that you were actually there to grab such a stunning image. This dreamlike sensation in turn heightens the value of your photo at which you yet again begin to gawk. Then lo and behold you're off again looking for the thrill of seeing thrice!
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