While taking photographs in a controlled environment tend to give better results, they may turn out to be plain. On the other hand, if we can take photographs while things are happening then they can turn up quite interesting and full of drama. This will definitely help photographers capture the moment. This is the main objective of photography. Isn’t it? But as interesting as the results can turn out to be, it can be quite challenging to take those candid photographs. While you need to be prepared for the action, you also need to be quick and equally creative.

Candid photography is that genre of photography where-in you’d want to capture the free-flowing moment. You do not want your subject to pose for the camera and “fake” it. Candid photography makes a lot of sense when you are shooting on the streets or some events, like wedding where you want to capture the reality, the joy, the sadness, emotions, expressions and most importantly – purity.

Here are some tips to get you ready for some free-flowing candid photography.

Candid Photography Tips

Carry Less Equipment: Preferably, your camera should be the only equipment that you should be carrying around. You’ll have no time to set up the shot using a tripod or adjust the lighting using a reflector. If necessary, you can carry some extra memory cards with you. Moving around with bulky photography equipment will tend to attract people’s attention and the shots will get less candid. No Flash: For the most obvious reason of trying to keep yourself in stealth mode, turn your flash off. This is for when you are on the streets where nobody is expecting to be photographed. It will draw unwanted attention to you and your camera. However, if you are moving around trying to get candid shots in a wedding or in any other program, then depending on the lighting condition, you can turn your flash on. People don’t mind getting photographed during events, do they? Should you be shooting in manual mode?: When moving around in the street, or around the wedding reception or any event, the lighting can change so dynamically that you may need to constantly change your settings to take the shot. This means you’ll lose valuable time and the moment can be lost. So, instead of shooting in full manual, I like to shoot in aperture priority mode so that I can choose just the aperture and let the camera take over the other settings. This makes the work much more faster allowing to capture that right moment. Zoom in: Using a lens with a short focal length will mean that you will need to get close to the subject. While this is preferred in other genres of photography, being close to the subjects can kill the moment in candid photography. So, use a zoom lens instead and make full use of the zoom to catch any interesting action without killing the moment. Anticipate: If you spot a probable subject, try to think like the subject and what s/he will do next. You can prepare yourself accordingly to take the shot. For example: During a wedding photography session, you can anticipate when the bride and the groom are going to have their kiss, so prepare yourself to take that shot. Taking group photos: Try to photograph people whenever they are involved in a group, talking to one another. When people are interacting in a group, they tend to share emotions, make gestures and become lively. This will liven up your photograph. Always carry your camera: Yes, I mean it. There are so many things happening around that we can capture. Taking a stroll in the park or just taking a walk, having a camera with you will just make you aware of your surroundings so you learn to take candid shots better. Having a DSLR always is not possible, so see if you carry a handy point and shooter.

While taking candid shots seems interesting and challenging, it can turn out to be a risky deal too. Everyone does not want to be photographed. If people on the street notice you taking their photographs, they might get offended. If approached and asked to delete the photograph, it’s best to comply. Better if you can explain them the motive and put a smile on their face instead.