[Grammar] I was lucky to have spotted it.

[kadioguy]

(On Lee Hsien Loong's Facebook page)

Took this picture while I was on a #jalanjalan at Thomson Nature Park back in March. These critters are shy and very nimble so I was lucky to have spotted it. There are interesting sights all over our city in a garden. You just have to look around and not at your handphone so much!

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a. I was lucky to spot it.
b. I was lucky to have spotted it.

Why did he use (b) rather than (a)?

I assume that (b) has the effect of the perfect aspect, which connects two periods of time. That is, "I had spotted it, so I took this picture". What do you think?

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(Source)

 

[kadioguy]

a. I was lucky to spot it.
b. I was lucky to have spotted it.

How about this answer?

(a) means "I spotted it and I felt lucky. (at almost the same time)"

(b) means "(earlier) I had spotted it. (later) I felt lucky."

 

[jutfrank]

Well, you're close enough, I suppose, yes.

The perfect aspect places the act of spotting it before the act of taking the photo.