How Do You Take Better Candid Photos?
• Look for light – specifically, reflected light to fill in the subject’s features. Hallways and small rooms bounce light around, which can counter the hardness of the flash. Look for 10-foot ceilings and stand 3 to 4 feet from the wall behind you. • Don’t pose subjects. People look relaxed and comfortable when they’re engaged in activity – smoking a cigarette, fixing their hair, petting the dog. Anything that keeps their mind off your lens is good. • Use the naked eye. Forget that your camera has a viewfinder and an LCD. Get everything in focus, then hold the cam in front of you and rely on your own sight. This lets your subjects warm up to you and helps you read their expressions. • Shoot first. Don’t worry about framing the perfect shot while the camera is in your hand. Keep moving, getting as many angles and moods as possible. Click fast and often. • Compose later. Back at home, you can refine your raw material into a beautifully composed candid. Purists like Henri Cartier-Bresson