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- undersky, on 10/12/2007, -3/+35tip #12: dip the camera in brown sugar and bake for one hour.
- euphemizeme, on 10/12/2007, -0/+26That's because you are a sick, depraved pervert. I did too.
- Dumbledorito, on 10/12/2007, -5/+28Candid photography? Wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know what I mean? Say no more?
- mrgono3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+21Good but most of it is common sense. Essentially don't make yourself noticeable and really all you need is luck.
- slasherx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14For some reason, I read the title as "11 Tips for Better Candid Pornography"
- Humptydank, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13
I actually found myself not agreeing with a lot of this, mostly the implied point of view that good candid photography is about not getting caught and being secretive. It's just the opposite -- it's about getting your subjects to trust you. If people think that you might be taking pictures without their knowledge they'll never act naturally. If they know you're taking pictures and trust you, then they'll act naturally all the time. That said, here are some of my own:
1) The real advantage to shooting a longer lens for candids is that you'll get better facial proportions. I shoot a fixed 105mm for people, either portraits or candids, and adjust myself for the framing. I doooo not agree with using a 50mm for shooting people. If you get close enough to get a good framing for faces you'll get enlarged noses and all kinds of freaky things. If you don't have a portrait lens then use your best zoom set at about 100mm.
2) Taking candids isn't always about being inconspicuous, especially in public events. So when you're at public events where it's appropriate, I would potentially ignore the flash rule. Often a low-intensity or softened fill flash can make a huge difference in candid pictures. If you're getting that "caught in the headlights" look, then that's an exposure or metering problem, not a philosophical referendum on the use of flash. If you soften your flash with some gauze, or even half a ping-pong ball, you can get a beautiful glow without much disturbance at all.
3) Frame it close unless there's a reason not to. Your "default" mode should be to figure out how to get in close on the people your shooting, and then ask yourself "is there a reason I should shoot wider?" If not, don't. That will prevent the amateur candids you almost always see from weddings: 200 shots of a sea of people, where you nearly have to circle the bride and groom to find them. Pick your subject, and then by all means look around to see if there's some object or action that frames them in a special way, but unless there's a reason not to, get in close.
4) For actual candid photography, I don't like the shoot-from-the-hip one at all. How do you get anything useful like this? You may get something from dumb luck, but it that really your strategy as a photographer? It's a waste of sim/film. The main situation where you do want to shoot at waist level (different from blindly shooting from the hip) is shooting dancers. Shooting dancers at their waist level gives them a real balance and beautiful line.
5) They left out the most basic, before everything, A # 1, understood-by-everyone super-cardinal rule of candid photography: KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT. Not know it as in "read the manual several times," know it as in "can play it like a piano." Of every perfect candid shot that's ever been missed, one in a thousand are missed for honest reasons. The rest are missed because the photographer was trying to set the white balance, or switch to a different auto-focus or exposure mode, or figure out what that beeping was. All the other rules will be worthless until you KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT.
6) And if you get 5) under control, I honestly think this is the most important "trick" to taking great candids, and it's in direct opposition to their implied philosophy of "sneaking" shots: Cultivate an open personality. Let's face it, a lot of us took up photography because it gave us something to hide behind, or perhaps gave us a more comfortably defined role in social situations. If you want to take great candids you have to start breaking out of that and become a person who doesn't sneak shots, but instead can put someone at ease when they're in front of the camera. You'll likely get one shot when your subjects don't know you're there, if that. For every succeeding shot you need to win them over, get them back to what they were doing, and make sure you're both having fun. Portraiture is the art of posing people in front of the camera. The art of candids is making sure that people stay un-posed in front of the camera. Guess which is harder.
Wait, did I mention knowing your equipment? - Lynx34, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10Nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat!
- thedarkrabbit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Uh... if you own a camera, you do these things already....
- nissanskyrice, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7#10 - Caution: You may look like a stalker if you're hiding behind trees to take photos.
- hoisen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Per your textbook 101 photography rules of composition...
What, no comments regarding regarding formal relationships, eye of the beholder, or le moment décisif. Last time I checked, candid photography was about unplanned spur-of-the-moment capturing of life, from the perspective of the photographer, which has extremely little to do with rules of thirds.
You rarely take a intensely candid (emotionally) looked at something from your peripheral view. That image could speak volumes to the personality of the woman, the individuals around her, and the photography herself. She may be surrounded by friends, lovers, or strangers, but we know it does not matter as the photographer has capture just her in the center focus, and all else fades away. - flag564, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Learn how to take photos while stopped at a red light.
You only have seconds to find a subject, frame the shot and get the image. It is a great way to sharpen your composition skills, and some of the best candid shots are of people walking about. It is also helpful because if there is nothing good there to shoot you can just drive to the next red light. - jimbo92107, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Jimbo's tip: Pose a bunch of people for a shot, hold up the camera, then pause and say, "Aw heck, the battery is dead." As soon as people stop grinning, snap a shot. Great for getting that pissed-off look! Note: this only works once or twice.
- miniml, on 10/12/2007, -0/+512. Alcohol. Lots of it.
- seanc6610, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7http://www.duggmirror.com/design/11_Tips_for_Better_Candid_Photography
ps: sorry for comment spam - enbay, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"No, we don't have a camera."
"Oh. Still, phwooooar, eh? phhwooaaaaaaaaaaaar, eh?" - mediaphile, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@em1990:
that's true sometimes, but i prefer a different style of candid photography. i primarily stick with a 50mm prime lens, and i like to get in close. all you need to do is make your subjects comfortable with the fact that you're there, and make it clear that they don't have to act for the camera or pose, just be natural. you can then take much more intimate pictures compared to a detached photographer across the street from the action shooting with a huge zoom lens. - Nougat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5#3 Kill the Flash
This is not only important for being candid, but it makes for a vastly better picture. Flash photography puts an unnaturally even light level across the front of everything in the picture, casts shadows around the subject, and makes the background appear much darker than it actually is.
One thing to be aware of though - it's much easier to get an in-focus picture with a flash than without. Without flash, take about five times as many pictures, because a lot of them will be blurry in low light situations. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3#4 and #1 hint at it but #1 should be: "practice, practice, practice"
- brownspank, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"euphemizeme", is that a new drug?
- originalzzb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"#2 Use a Long Zoom"
I know a lot of 'street' photographers who would fervently protest that. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@vrail:
Half those things you learned in photography class are what you'll discover are amateurish once you start shooting in real situations. Great photographers are self-made, not learned. Also, many photographers consider "luck" a component of their skill set - they joke about being good at having "good luck" - don't be so hard on the "happy accident". A great shot needs no justification - paying homage to providence is an act of modesty and a sign of self-confidence that will no doubt improve your ability to focus on taking great pictures, instead of neurotically worrying about being a "skilled photographer". Lastly, shooting from the hip (or any other unusual angle) can be a great idea in the right situation - or a horrible idea in the wrong one. That's what intuition is for... - ejdmoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Amen. Best advice yet. With booze, people tend to forget the camera is there. Makes for some grade A pictures of otherwise non-photogenic people.
- doomrabbit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4They could be taken on holiday, they could!!!
- lysdexia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'm a professional photographer - I think there is really usable advice being offered up there. Top tips!
The only thing I would like to add is to remind anyone motivated to try candid photography to have fun and to always be honest if asked what you are doing. Also - expect terrible reactions if people think you are acting suspiciously. And if you are - hell mend you. - TheCrazyIndian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I quickly looked at it and i thought it said 11 Tips for Better Candid Pornography...I was like WHAT?! haha
- ben1sm4, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2As having to be the victim of many family pictures and the like, I would much prefer the "sneak attack" method. I would truly rather not know that I was being photographed.
- ateoto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Why yes, this plan fits in perfectly with my new book, 12 Steps for a Stealthier You. Combine these two guides for an amazing new look at the exciting world of stalking! Dream girl doesn't give you the time of day? Find out how to sneak into her bedroom and steal her watch while she sleeps! Cute girl at the office doesn't return your emails? Find out how to intercept her mail and read it without getting caught! All this and more for a low introductory price of $13.95! This kind of knowledge used to take YEARS to compile, now its all just a phone call away. Operators are standing by! Call now.
- sirpsychosexy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2candid...camera?
- quinnmct, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1candid photography...
Isn't that called stalking? - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Theres some great articles on that site, very useful to the budding photographer.
- quomen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4"Essentially don't make yourself noticeable and really all you need is luck."
This is not true,
you just need subjects that are completely comfortable with you taking pictures of them.
There are different approaches. - wphj, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Number 11 is interesting, good idea and not such a common thing to think of.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@thecrazyindian: yes, i did exactly the same thing.
- GawtMilk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@brownspark
"Ring flashes" are great for that. Especially with a 50mm lens that you'll be close up with. Although, I agree that a high ISO and no flash is great. I usually shoot at ISO 800 on my Nikon D80, it does a great job of keeping it clean. Any significant blur and you can just use Noise Ninja in Photoshop to get rid of it. - overtoke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1euphemizeme, not today you dont
- brownspank, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Killing the flash is more of an all-around tip for me, candid or otherwise. I just hate the hard shadows and unnatural tones that flashes give to a picture.
- coolguy2k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1marked as lame because it's a top # list.
- earther, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You're right, I have no shame. Do i shoot that many shoes? I admit being fascinated by the details of any given person, but i don't focus on feet any more than i do their hands, eyes, expression, etc.
- GawtMilk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Another shameless self promotion. Why don't you improve the quality of the site by removing all the pictures of people's shoes?
- paulocon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Another excellent article from DPS. Well worth a read..
- www.photographyvoter.com - DiggingDeep, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1just live in london where you'll learn how to catch people on CCTV doing candid things about 300 times a day.
i guess the challenge there would be to pose. - GeneralKickass, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1'Shoot from the hip'
I always do that. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/952.html
- inactive, on 03/18/2009, -0/+0A great list of simple ideas. A must for all photographers !
http://www.natalyphoto.com - Konrad9, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Damn. I saw "11" and I was hoping BBspot.
- hatenerds, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0dude, how long does it take even in candid to realize that there is no balance in a photo? 1? 2 seconds?
close your textbook and think for a second... - Ricochet1269, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Monty Python reference is always good for a thumbs up :)
- ChocoMidget, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Um if you think all great photographers are self taught you need to have your head examined. Almost none are. We all had to learn from somebody. It's where we take that knowledge to the next level is what defines how great we truly are.
Common sense stuff. I disagree with the distance, a photographer needs to be intimate with their subjects, to the point they offer him/her a place to stay that night or to go sailing with them. -
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