Candid Photography - Tips for Capturing Great Candid Photos

A lot of us take cameras with us when we go visit family; when we go to various events like weddings, anniversaries, and other parties. We all hope to capture great shots of our families and friends (not that the ones of them in the middle of eating are not great. . . .). Candid photography gives you a chance to take photos of the action that happens at family events. You capture friends and family in their true form, with genuine smiles on their faces.

What follows are some tips for taking candid photography.

Prepare the camera.
Preset your camera for the environment you are in. Are you in a dim setting? Then set your ISO to at least 400. If you have a point and shoot camera, then set the setting to dim indoor lighting. This way your camera will be ready to capture the events with the present lighting. If the setting is in a bright environment with lots of light, then set your ISO to below 400 or choose the setting for bright light. If you can, take a few test shots to see how the photos turn out with your current settings. Once you get to the setting that produces the best shot, keep that setting until your environment changes (i.e. the sun starts to set, indoor lights are dimmed, any kind of change).

Think outside the portrait.
We are all very familiar with the posed head on portraits. But for candid shots, try different angles and different perspectives, try shooting between people. You might surprise yourself with how the shots come out. Try shooting from a distance. Tilt the camera diagonally so that the frame is a diamond shape instead of a rectangle. That makes for some interesting shots as well. If you see someone over another's shoulder, try getting that shot as well including the shoulder. That makes for an interesting perspective. Experiment with your candid shots.