Candid photography is by definition taking pictures of people when they are unaware.  Part of the fun in photography is catching your human subject’s off guard so that your pictures have more emotion.  Photographers who work for magazines, like Time Life, have been able to get candid shots of their subjects.  I think most of us can remember the black and white photographs of Africans and others giving rise to more emotion from the viewer.  Taking candid shots may appear easy although there are few techniques in the photography world that will make the candid shot worth more than just a snap shot of friends.

First and of course most important is to keep the subject in view while they are not paying attention.  The next step is training your eye to catch the moment.  You have to be able to move fast, but with design.  You need to have your camera set for the picture before you are even aware you will take the photograph.  The best way to do this if you have a digital or automatic camera is to keep it on the proper setting.  Manual cameras take moments to focus and can loose the candid shot if your subject becomes aware of you.

Candid photography relies on the light; however, you may not always get to choose the angle.  The angle could be where you are standing at the time.  As a photographer of candid photography, you know the importance of choosing the best angle at the right moment that is possible.

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