PHOENIX PHOTOGRAPHY

Candid shots are the moments captured by a photographer without creating a posed appearance. It is an art of capturing life in its actual form. The subject is unaware that he/she is being photographed.

Taking a candid photo is more than just snapping a shot of someone that isn’t expecting it.

Instead, candid photos require a fair bit of planning, strategic positioning, and the right gear, among other things.

Find the right place.

Finding the right place to shoot candid photographs is very important. The photographer may go for a photo-walk to some busy place where there is less chances of him getting noticed easily.

The photographer can also choose some popular places where other people are also clicking pictures. This way there are less chances of conflicts with the subjects even if the photographer gets into notice. But there is a demerit of joining photowalk or a group of photographers that most pictures will be more or less similar. I have seen pictures of other popular photographers who have recently attended a same event, flooding the social media with common and similar pictures these days which doesn’t feel appealing anymore. It’s always better to walk alone if you want to create your own mark.

Use the right lens.

Using a zoom lens can be beneficial while shooting candid pictures from a certain distance. When a long lens is used, the subject in question is unaware that pictures are being taken. Often people get conscious when they see they are being photographed so the desired natural expression of the subject is lost. Particularly capturing children in their natural self is very difficult if we go close to them using a shorter lens.

Use the right camera settings.

Candid moments will come and vanish in a blink of an eye. While searching for a candid picture the photographer must be always camera ready.

Here the shutter speed must be kept high, atleast 250th of a second or higher in order to freeze a moment. The aperture can be kept according to the desired depth of field. Sometimes a wide open aperture will help in covering a distracting background. ISO depends on the available light. It is usually advised to keep it in auto mode. Sometimes noisy photos due to high ISO look good too. Usually shooting in shutter priority or aperture priority mode saves precious time.

Mobile comes in handy.

For everyday shooting, nothing beats a smartphone with a good camera built-in. Everyone has one, and no one bats an eye when another person holds one up to take a photo. Today’s phones take pretty good pictures too, with some models now as good as a point-and-shoot camera. With a smartphone, you transform from a photographer into just another person on the street.

Be at a strategic position.

Candid photography is not just about clicking random pictures. To find a good shot the photographer must position himself / herself at a strategically important position. The photographer should position in such a way that he / she should be able to click pictures from different angles.

Try to make the same picture multiple times with different positions or angles. It is not always right to shoot from eye level only.

Standing at the top of the stairs at a Railway Station, positioning yourself outside the entrance of an exhibition hall, putting yourself in the midst of a busy street market or doing a hip level photography to find a different prospective are just a few examples of this strategy.

Try to tell a story.

The candid shots must speak for itself. Try to convey the story you wish to tell to the viewers. The expression of the subject is very important in candid photography. It sets the tone and mood of the whole picture. The photographer is successful only when the viewer is able to understand the true meaning of a picture.

Keep clicking.

If you are looking for that desirable shot then click more pictures. What it means is that a photographer should use the continuous or burst mode while shooting. You never know at which point you might get “the decisive moment” shot!

Keep your eyes open.

Candid photography shows life as it really is. Unlike posed appearances which are carefully planned and crafted to look perfect, candid shots are spontaneous and genuine. For candid photos, authenticity is more important than perfection.

Keep your eyes open and be quick to shoot. You will get a very little time to capture a spectacular candid moment. You will have to be very fast. On top of that if you get an interesting background then nothing like it!