Capture Moments

Three tips for better candid photos

Zoom in, Shoot through, and shoot lots

 

Tip 1: Use a long lens. 

The longer the better. Photographers refer to telephoto lenses as long lenses. This means that we can zoom in on something that is a farther distance away from the camera. By using a long lens, the photographer doesn’t need to get in the face of the subject. The subject may not even know that their photo is being taken. When people are comfortable, they relax. When they relax, photos become much more natural and will feel less posed.

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Tip 2: Shoot through other stuff.

By using the framing technique of having foreground elements blurred out, the photo becomes even more intimate and natural looking. It feels like the photographer may even be intruding on a private moment. When you shoot through stuff or over stuff like another person’s shoulder the photo takes on a National Geographic magazine look.

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Tip 3: Shoot in the continuous drive. 

If you try shooting candid photos one single frame at a time, your success rate will be very low. People’s reactions to situations are what make a great candid. Imagine a professor listening intently to a student, with his eyebrow furled, or a mother of the bride laughing at a bad joke during the reception. You will be amazed at how much better your candids turn out when you are shooting in the continuous drive.