10 Ways to Improve Your Candid Photography
Both in normal day-to-day photography and in formal photographic scenarios, candid types of photography are becoming increasingly prominent. The last wedding I photographed, the couple hired me solely to take paparazzi-style shows of them and their guests throughout the day. For the formal photographs, they hired another photographer, and I was given the task of capturing a behind-the-scenes view during the day.
When they combined my photographs with the formal ones, the outcome was a beautiful blend of photos that gave a more complete storey than if they had gone with one or the other.
A few pointers to help photographers enhance their “candid” photography are included below. Please keep in mind that these pointers aren’t about capturing snoopy, voyeuristic, or genuine paparazzi images (i.e. photographing people without their permission), but rather about how to give the photos you take of individuals you know a more candid feel.
1. Take your camera with you wherever you go:
The greatest method to shoot impromptu photos is to be ready to do so at all times. I have a DSLR that I use while I’m on a shoot, but in between shoots, I like to carry a nice point and shoot camera that I can pull out at a moments notice to catch the various photo possibilities that life provides. Having your camera with you at all times makes people feel more at ease when you’re shooting their picture. My friends and family have come to anticipate me to have my camera out, so when I do, it’s not a signal for them to pose, but rather a natural part of our connection, which means they’re calm and the images are natural.
2. Make use of a long zoom:
Obviously, the further away you are from your subject, the less likely they are to realise you are photographing them, and the more natural and comfortable they will appear. Using a telephoto lens or a long zoom allows you to shoot from outside of their personal space while maintaining a sense of closeness in the shot.
3. Kill the Flash:
Using a flash is perhaps the most visible means of signalling to another person that you’re photographing them. Nothing beats a dazzling flash of light in the eyes to pass the time. If you’re going for candid images, try to avoid using the flash if at all possible (which isn’t always the case). Increase your ISO, use a faster lens, open up your aperture, or turn on your camera’s “natural light mode” when shooting in low light. Hopefully, one or a combination of these strategies will assist you in blending in a little better.
4. Take a lot of pictures:
I’ve written about this before on this site, but shooting numerous photographs of a person rapidly can occasionally result in some unexpected and spontaneous shots that you wouldn’t have gotten if you had shot one. Set your camera to continuous shooting mode and shoot in bursts of shots to boost your chances of capturing the right shot.
5. Make a strategic position for yourself:
While candid photography is all about capturing the spontaneity of a moment and getting that ideal shot at the right split second of time, I’ve found that if you look ahead and predict what’s about to happen in front of you, your chances of obtaining some excellent shots improve dramatically. So, while attending a wedding, arrive early (or even attend the rehearsal) and consider what will happen throughout the ceremony and where you should stand to catch each moment. Which way are people going to be facing? What are their plans? What kind of light will there be? You won’t have to rush around adjusting yourself when you should be shooting photographs if you think through these concerns; you’ll also snap a lot fewer shots of people’s backs!
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