What is candid photography?
Candid photography is a fairly broad term that’s used to describe taking photographs, generally of people, that aren’t staged, posed, or planned. It can be used to capture the moments of everyday life that sometimes go unnoticed and also to immortalize the intimate details of momentous occasions. In every case, the focus is on the human lives, reactions, and details.
Candid photography can be a very powerful medium to showcase the myriad details of the lives of everyone from celebrities, to politicians and royalty, to the guy next door and the members of your own family. It can show images of giggling children opening presents on Christmas morning or the tired face of a soldier returning from war. These are photographs that capture the real lives of people around us, not the staged, composed faces they put forth when they pose for the camera.
Unposed doesn’t mean unplanned
Just because you’re not taking time to pose your pictures doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan ahead to get the best results. Pay attention to your camera settings — you’ll get the best photos if you use a fast shutter speed, since you’ll probably be taking pictures of people while they’re moving around.
A good, lightweight camera is also a must. The more unobtrusive you and your equipment can be, the more your subjects will be able to relax and ignore you, allowing you to get more natural pictures. Using a strong zoom lens will also let you stay further away from your subjects while still getting a good close-up shot. Just be careful not to slide into the realm of the paparazzi — don’t invade anyone’s privacy or take photos of people who obviously don’t want to be photographed.
Also, it’s obvious but still bears mentioning: You can’t take the perfect candid shot if you don’t have your camera with you! So be sure to bring your camera with you whenever possible. Find a camera bag that’s easy to get your camera out of quickly (or don’t use a bag — but always keep your lens cap on when you’re not actively shooting). Normally, someone taking out their camera is a signal for folks to pose and pull out the plastic grins. If you keep your camera out and at the ready, your subjects are more likely to relax and be themselves.
Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate
Candid photographs aren’t scripted or planned, so you need to be very aware of your subjects, what they’re doing, and where they’re going. As with action photography, it helps to anticipate the action so that you’re ready to capture it. Don’t wait for the birthday girl to blow out the candles before you take the picture — start as she’s just leaning in, and take as many pictures as you can all the way up through till she’s laughing and licking the icing off the end of the candle. If your camera has a continuous shooting mode, use it! With digital cameras, it’s fine to take as many pictures as you can, which will increase the likelihood of capturing that one perfect shot. You can always delete the extras later.
Be an observer
It’s pretty obvious you might want to pull out the camera and take pictures at a family reunion, or a political event, or some other momentous occasion, and those are all excellent venues for candid photography. But some of the most poignant photos are the result of small private moments that most people would never notice.
You might want to spend an afternoon just strolling the streets of your city, keeping watch for people doing interesting things. The girl daydreaming on the park bench, the couple throwing a ball with their child, a shopkeeper carefully stacking fruit on a stand — all of these could be excellent subjects. Catching the unguarded, unposed moments can result in fabulous photographs.
Whether you capture people doing unusual things or doing the same things they do every day, candid photographs can really show the heart and soul of their subject. It’s an excellent way to illustrate the moments that make up our lives, both mundane and spectacular.
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