ASK THE PHOTOGRAPHER - CAPTURING CANDIDS

Dear Sarah, I absolutely love your candid style of photography. I know that it is your signature style and I will never be that good, but I was wondering if you had a tip for photographers who want to get better at it.

Thanks

- Capturing Candid

Hello Capturing Candid,    What a nice compliment. Ever since I started photography I've been trying to develop my voice, and candid photography has been my clear focus. To know that people see that is a truly humbling moment. So Thank You. 

The biggest thing I had to learn, and still have to remember is...wait for it...........  Keep your camera up and ready! 

Yep, seems simple, but that's it. 

I'm a goofy photographer, I like my photo sessions to be fun. I seriously spend half the time joking around and playing with my clients. In my opinion, your photos should not only be good, but the whole experience of taking photos should be fun. Clients should leave the session relaxed and in a jovial/ playful mood. 

Because I spend so much time getting to know my clients, I often have to remember to do it with a camera in front of my face. It might seem like something that shouldn't be hard to remember, after all, I'm the photographer.... shouldn't I always be taking pictures? 

There is something so inhuman about having a barrier of technology between you and another person though, and often it is the moments where we are joking, or laughing, or moving from one thing to the next, that make the best candid photo. Because of this, I had to learn to create a connection with a client while the camera was up and focused on them. 

I learned to laugh with my eye in the view finder. 

It wasn't the easiest thing to learn, at least for me. But learning to still have that warm human connection while never putting the camera down has helped me a ton. 

In fact, if you always keep your camera up, soon the your Clients will forget about it and it will help them not feel so awkward about having paparazzi following them around (because let's face it, for most people it is really weird to have every moment captured). 

That is pretty much my biggest tip, keep your camera ready. Really ask yourself if you are doing that. When I teach photography to people they are often surprised to find that they don't have the camera up and ready as much as they think they do. 

Last BUT NOT LEAST, never doubt yourself. You are probably much better at candids then you realize. Keep practicing and you will get even better. 

Hope this helps!

~Sarah