The "decisive moment," a term attributed to French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, describes the instant when all elements within a photograph align to create a clear and impactful image. Cartier-Bresson, a master of photojournalism, saw the camera as an extension of the eye, capturing a scene's psychological and visual essence in a fraction of a second.

"To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy"

"I believe that, through the act of living, the discovery of oneself is made concurrently with the discovery of the world around us, which can mold us, but which can also be affected by us. A balance must be established between these two worlds—the one inside us and the one outside us."

Henri Cartier-Bresson, in "The Mind's Eye: Writings on Photography and Photographers":