Tell me about a photo that almost didn't happen — a near-miss moment you managed to capture.

B Natural answer

A few months ago, I was at a train station in the evening, and I nearly walked away before taking the shot. The platform was almost empty, and I had already taken a few ordinary pictures. Then a train rolled in, and a woman in a bright red coat stepped forward with a suitcase. Just as I lowered the camera, she turned back to say goodbye to someone behind her, and the expression on her face changed completely. I raised the camera again and caught the exact split second when she smiled and lifted her hand. It was such a small moment, but it said a lot. When I checked the photo later, I could see my hands were shaking a little, but the blur actually made the image feel more alive. I almost deleted it, yet now it is one of my strongest photos.

Key phrases in this answer

• Just as I lowered the camera — at the exact moment I put the camera down“Just as I lowered the camera, the bird landed on the fence.”
• caught the exact split second — captured the tiniest moment at the right time“I caught the exact split second when she laughed.”
• my hands were shaking a little — I was nervous so the camera was not perfectly steady“My hands were shaking a little, so the photo came out slightly blurry.”
• about to pack my camera away — close to stopping with the camera and putting it away“I was about to pack my camera away when the vendors started laughing.”
• the bus almost drove off — the bus was seconds from leaving“I ran back because the bus almost drove off without me.”
• the light changed in an instant — the lighting shifted very suddenly“The light changed in an instant, and the whole scene looked warmer.”