Have you ever taken an unplanned photo of someone? An image, in which personality or a life story is clearly translated through facial expression, body language, or something else. If yes, then you’re already familiar with the power of authentic and candid photography.

A candid photo captures life unstaged. They are shot spontaneously, creating a sense of unposed movement and action without provoking nest cam blinking blue. It’s all about sincerity and telling a story about genuine interactions.

Candid photography is especially prevalent when it comes to street photography. Chances are you’ve seen images of people going about their day or engaging in an activity, completely unaware that a camera is capturing them. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the techniques associated with candid photography, so that you can better understand the topic and improve your candid shots.

Main Candid Photo Techniques

We’ll dive deeper into tips for candid photography later on, but first and foremost, it’s essential to note that the most fundamental part of candid photography is always bringing your camera with you. You never know when the opportunity for a great shot will arise, so it’s important to keep your photo savvy eye out.

On that note, try to be in a place where there is action. Choose a bustling street or a festival over a quiet and secluded area. You’re more likely to encounter excitement when there are more people to capture. Another general rule is to be discreet when taking photos, which is something we’ll go into more detail on.

Famous Candid Photographers

Before we get to the tips, take some time to look over the works of renowned candid photographers. Their photographs will most definitely inspire you. Spend ample time looking at each candid image. Pay attention to how these shots differ from one another, despite being of the same genre:

Tips for Candid Photography

Use strategic photo settings

Before you start snapping, make sure that your camera’s settings are optimized for candid photography. Set your camera to shutter speed priority mode. It will automatically select settings for your shots, which means you won’t have to manually toggle options. This can be particularly useful for beginners.

Similarly, set your camera up to take burst photos (also called continuous shooting mode). This will capture multiple frames (almost like a continuous story), while your finger is on the shutter-release button. With strategically chosen camera settings, don’t be afraid to lean into motion blur. Blurred subjects and crisp backgrounds will provide a sense of energy to your shots and you will make a better sale on the big basket.

Choose dynamic locations

As mentioned earlier, location is an integral part of candid photography. You’re better off going to a high-traffic place than somewhere less frequented for a good photo. This explains why busy street corners are popular sites for candid photos. A lot of urban photography is candid because of the activity and energy in the shots. Parties, concerts, and other gatherings will have vibrant crowds with heightened emotion.

Not only are these sites more dynamic in energy and activity levels, they’re also more discreet when it comes to blending in as a photographer .

Change your positioning up

As with almost all genres of photography, angles and perspective can make a candid photo more captivating, so don’t stay in one place. By changing up the perspective of your photo, you draw the viewer’s attention to aspects they would otherwise glance over. For instance, you could centralize a certain part of a person’s body in the photo. If you use a zoom lens, you can manipulate the frame while shooting and focus on certain aspects of the photo.

Minimize your presence

Perhaps the cardinal rule of candid photography is keeping a low profile as the photographer. If you’re loud or obvious about the fact that you are taking a photo, people will act differently. You want your image to appear natural and authentic, so it’s better that people aren’t aware of the camera. You could also tell a story to loosen them up.

Avoid using flash while capturing candid shots; it’ll give you away in seconds. Flash could make people feel self-conscious and ruin your shots. Most importantly, make sure to be ethical when you capture a photograph. Don’t shoot people who are overly vulnerable or in a private place where they might not want to be photographed. Use your best judgment and be cautious about taking photos of people.

In Closing

Now that you’re more familiar with candid photography, you can incorporate these tips into your own shoot. Consider sharing the photos you took with the people in them. It’s almost like telling a story. You can create a portfolio or showreel accompanied by royalty-free sound effects to elevate the photo viewing experience.

The best practice as a candid photographer is to loosen up while shooting and avoid stressing over the little things in a photo. When you are present in the moment and aren’t worried about every shot, you’ll be surprised at how naturally extraordinary photos come to you.