The Best Camera Settings For Candid Photography Secondly, experiment with a range of lenses from wide primes to long zooms and see what fits your style.Ģ. There is no such thing as the best lens for candids, in my opinion. Granted, with a wide-angle lens, you have to get much closer to your subjects than with a zoom, but that in itself can be both a part of the chase as well as deliver some exciting frames. On the street, you need more background, foreground and compositional elements to help tell the story. In wedding photography, the viewer knows it’s a wedding, and so an up-close frame with no context is acceptable. The reason for this is to ensure that I build a composition with context. I am all for the use of telephoto lenses in candid photography – but not in all situations.Īs a street photographer hunting for candid street scenes, I use a wide-angle lens to capture my candid shots. You can’t always get up close to speeches or the first dance, but with a telephoto zoom, you frame your composition and nail the shot. This kind of lens works best in a contained environment such as a wedding or party. A telephoto lens allows you to stand back from your subjects and capture them, unaware that you’re taking a candid shot.Ī long lens also grants tighter compression of the composition and achieves excellent subject separation. Many online photography courses will say that for candid photography, you MUST have a telephoto lens. Finally, if you have a camera with a screen that can flip upward you can shoot easily from the hip – check out my guide to the best street photography cameras, where the recommendations overlap.Ĭandid photography is a fast-paced game where people aren’t always standing around posing and waiting for you to take the shot – they’re on the go and not conscious of your pursuits.Ī fast shutter speed allows you to see the shot, lift and shoot without losing subject clarity in the candid shot. Plus, you need a camera that has a fast and responsive autofocus system. I recommend a couple of critical features, including the ability to manually adjust settings such as shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Having a lightweight kit in hand is more manageable than a big DSLR. The other benefit is that candid photography requires you to have your gear ready at all times. You should be the ninja – opt for a camera that’s not advertising itself or its purpose – generally speaking, mirrorless kits are smaller and more discreet. Shooting with a whopping DSLR with a battery grip and giant flash is definitely not stealthy! Let’s take a look at what camera is best for candid photo work.Īs shooting candids is about capturing others interacting with their world, you need to be a little stealthy. However, there are some practical gear tips I can share with you to guide you on your way. The alternative is to buy a big bag full of glass and bodies and hope the gear will make your shots better! Regardless of the genre, there’s a lot to learn from shooting with the camera you already have. If you have read my other articles on Shotkit, you’ll know that I believe in people shooting with what they have. Get the Right Camera Gear For Candid PhotographyĪs with any photography genre, the first thing to take care of with candid photography is to have the right gear. The facial expressions, body movements, hand gestures and that ever-telling look in the eyes combines to define the image.īefore you even get started with candid photography, there are a few handy tips and tricks that are well worth considering.Īs with any genre of photography, knowing the best way to go about it can save you a lot of time and frustration while on the shoot. You see unposed people interacting with a real-world set of circumstances. For the most part, it’s because it provides a clear and untainted view of reality. Why do people love Candid Photography?Īs for why people love candid photos – everyone has a different take on the subject. It’s a form of documentation of that subject, in that situation, at that exact moment in time. The alternative is to not draw attention to your camera and capture others in their natural state. Some people become self-conscious and moderate everything from their posture to their facial expressions. When people are aware of the presence of a camera, their behaviour changes. But what if you were to take photos of people going about their business without drawing attention to it or you by refraining of the use: “say cheese”? When we pose for pictures, the age-old direction of “say cheese” comes into play and we put on a face and pose. While that sounded like stalking, I will explain further…! In the simplest of terms, candid photography is the art of photographing people without them knowing you are doing so.
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