Happy Accidents in Street Photography
What Happened
It is what street photography is all about! Well, sort of. Let me explain. I live in the world of previsualization; it's how my brain works. Is it ideal? No, not always; chasing an image in my brain often leads to missing a spontaneous moment. I never feel bad; I see the moment, but it is set when my heart is set on something.
Tokyo’s frenetic pace leads to a number of both moments, often simultaneously. A happy accident occurs when these moments collide.
Exploring an idea and stumbling upon a spontaneous moment in Akabane, Tokyo.
In the above picture, the man on the train was my subject. With a distinct face and unnatural jet-black hair to match his just-too-dark-to-be-real suit, he was waiting for his train in the most alien way, patient but uncomfortable.
I couldn’t reach him and knew I had missed the moment. The windows on the train provide a final chance, as they often give great layers to an image. I had something in mind and was clicking a few shots on the way to the perfect frame. This is when pre-visualized and spontaneous meet. I click through it, focusing on my subject, knowing that if I keep my feet moving and shutter clicking, I will fulfill the idea in my brain.
I never get there; the disembarking people overwhelm me, the subject moves past the window, and the train finally departs. A moment lost or moment gained? Both are true; one moment, idea, or subtraction does not supersede the other. They both exist, simultaneously holding in the ether of gray matter and reality, waiting for us to realize either.
Realization occurs when I let go of the original idea and see the new one. I did just that: live and in the moment. I wanted the face, hair, suit, and awkward sense he carried. The way he was standing perfectly fit the frame of my focal length. I checked every box as fast as I could create new boxes in my head.
The circumstance of a busy train platform kept me from that realization. As quickly as it came, another image came to mind. That is not the image here. That image was not realized. What is discovered is the happy accident. Something I could not foresee. Something equal to? Something better than? I am not sure, but I don’t feel like it matters. Something worthwhile happened—two somethings.
One, this image has been created. You can like, love, or hate it; it does not matter. Pursuing the idea led to another idea that opened the door to this possibility. The importance of this concept cannot be understated. Seeing, having the ability to see, continually sharpens those abilities. Realizing, having the technical prowess to capture a moment and follow one’s heart into the next. These concepts carry me through each day. They help me capture images I would otherwise miss.
The image resulting from this happy accident offers a second valuable opportunity. Now that I have this image in my library, I also have experience with it. In the future, I can look for something similar, add motion, or have a greater depth of field, and it may become a style or signature image. It’s likely not, but the possibilities are now there. All because I followed my instincts even as they shifted. I trusted my technical abilities and vision to carry the moment.
Where
This image was taken on the Kehintohoku train line platform at Akabane Station in North Tokyo.
