Change your perspective
Photos taken from standing height can look fine, and sure, there are plenty of great shots taken with the camera held in that eye-level area. But if you want to mix things up and capture some truly striking photos, why not change your perspective?
For instance, get down low and shoot upward, or find a nice vantage point and shoot downward. You can climb stairs, walk over bridges, crouch on the ground – whatever you need to do to get the photo (while staying unnoticed).
Also, if you do like the low-angle shot but you feel uncomfortable crouching while doing candid photography (it is somewhat attention-grabbing, after all), try shooting from the hip (as discussed in the previous tip). While your shots may turn out crooked, it’s an interesting effect that some photographers like and can lend a sense of randomness and realness to a scene.
10. Frame images with foreground elements
If you want to create more three-dimensional, layered compositions, I highly recommend composing with your subject as the focal point – but then including an element in the foreground, such as a tree, a person’s shoulder, the frame of a doorway, etc.
Feel free to get creative. The point is to add a foreground element that can contribute context and depth to the shot, but you can have fun widening your aperture for out-of-focus foreground bokeh.
The ultimate goal is to create that sense of standing outside looking in. It’s a great complement to a candid moment, and when done well, can add a sense of mystery to the composition.
11. Take posed shots into candid territory
It may sound strange, but one of my favorite times to shoot candid images is when other photographers are taking formal ones.
Why? Well, during posed images, everyone is focused on the directing photographer, not you. So if, for instance, a wedding photographer is shooting a series of posed images, you can capture some wonderful candid moments simply by standing off to the side and taking a few images of your own.
I’d also recommend zooming in with a telephoto lens to capture more intimate scenes, and you might also try zooming right out to get shots of the subject plus the photographer.
By the way, if you’re the only photographer at an event or photoshoot, and you’re the one taking the posed shots, I’d recommend continuing to shoot after everyone thinks you’ve finished. It’s often these shots – captured moments after the posed images end – that look the best, because people relax, smile naturally, laugh, and look at each other.
How to see the future
Initially, it may feel as if you have no control over moments. Everything is chaotic and you have no idea when a moment is going to happen. But with practice, you’ll feel like you actually have a lot of control over spontaneous moments.
In order to capture good candid moments, you need to be able to see the future. Seeing the future means developing the ability to anticipate what is about to happen before it does.
Some things are easy to anticipate because they are so predictable. The sun rises and sets every day. If you want a nice photo of the sunrise you know exactly when it’s going to happen.
Waves are predictable, they just keep rolling in.
But how about anticipating less predictable moments? You don’t know exactly when a storm is going to arise or exactly what form it will take. If you want to photograph storms you’ll need to watch how they behave across the seasons. Where I live it’s very rare to have a thunderstorm, but you can feel it in the air when one is coming.
Still other things, such as people, seem completely unpredictable. Take toddlers for example. Who knows what they’re going to do at any moment?
But even something as seemingly random and chaotic as the behavior of toddlers is predictable. It just takes a bit longer to notice the pattern.
Patterns are the key to seeing moments before they happen.
Patterns are woven into our culture, our relationships and our personality.
Pay attention to the things you love to photograph, watch for patterns, and take note. Your ability to anticipate moments will increase over time if you observe and practice regularly.
I’ve noticed that every time the house goes quiet my toddler has found something interesting to do. Before I go looking for him, I pick up my camera and try not to interrupt what he is doing.
Learn to anticipate moments by looking for patterns. Once you can do this, you’ll be able to see the future (which has benefits beyond photography). When you sense a moment approaching, the worst thing you can do is interrupt.
What kind of candid moment is it?
Being aware of the type of moment will help you spot them more easily.
Some moments are packed with action, emotion, or a sense of mystery.
Action
Emotion
Mystery
Nature has candid moments too
Even nature (flowers, landscapes, water) has candid moments. After all, we don’t normally pose our nature photos. We come upon nature doing something interesting and we make a photograph.
Nature’s moments are constantly changing. Think about a simple landscape. That landscape will look quite different depending on the time of day, from season to season, and in different weather.
I was just killing time waiting for night to set in when I noticed how rapidly the sky was changing.
Combining human moments with nature’s moments
When photographing people, you can combine their moment with a good nature moment to create a more powerful candid moment.
This photo combines kids playing out in the snow while little brother looks on with golden hour. A combination of people and nature moments.
Combine these people moments:
With nature’s moments:
Candid moments are about presence and exploration
Candid moments are about presence. You need to be there and be part of the moment. Yes, you’re standing back just far enough to capture a photo, but you’re just as much a part of the moments you capture as the people and places in your photos.
You’re not expecting to walk into a scene, snap one amazing candid shot and move on. You’ve got to be around long enough to understand what’s going on and begin to see the future.
It’s never the moment you think. You anticipate what’s going to happen and even when you capture a great moment, there are more to come. Some will surprise you completely as you begin to see new patterns you hadn’t noticed before. Patterns run pretty deep and you need to be able to see some simple ones before the deeper ones reveal themselves.
Have you noticed how toddlers imitate everyone? After mama had finished her stretches, this little guy came along and did his.
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