Art and Photography

Candid Photography – Taking Pictures of Perfect Strangers

Blogged by: Brian Bruner

Although visiting places I have never seen is one of my favorite things to do, it is the people I encounter along the way that make my trips special. The candid photos of these perfect strangers are what complete my photo albums. People make your photos more natural and alive. The tough part – everything is spontaneous. In fact, more often than not, my photos with the highest level of spontaneity are my favorites.

However, we should always be mindful of the individual’s privacy. When taking candid photos of people living their everyday lives, always place yourself into their shoes. If the person does not seem to want their photo taken, then do not take their picture. But if you show common courtesy or simply pass along a smile, many people will be more accomodating to let you take their photo.

The great thing about the picture above is that I hardly remember taking it. It has become one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. The colors are consistent, there are a few background and foreground items that add to the image (the swamp, the trees, and the temple ruins), and the man resting and thinking tell a small story about his life.

One of the great challenges of taking candid photos is patience. It is easy to take a photo of someone with a silly expression on their face. The greater challenge is getting everything right – the facial expression, the colors, the background, etc. The photo needs to tell a story. And when everything comes together, it will tell a fantastic story!

Many times while taking candid photos, you are really trying to capture a special moment. Always be ready to shoot, because that perfect moment can come and go in a split second. Take plenty of photos. You never know when perfect timing will happen. You can never create “perfect timing”.

Natural outdoor lighting always makes your candid photos turn out better than indoor lighting. Avoid using a flash whenever possible. However, don’t always believe that the sun has to be shining brightly for your pictures to be perfect. Soft shadows can be a great effect to your photo. Sunlight brings out the bright colors, but it also causes people to squint. It can also cast unwanted heavy shadows on your subject’s face.

Another key is to make sure your subject stays occupied with what they are doing. Make them forget there is someone aiming a camera at them. If that happens, your subject could try to “act” instead of being natural. Most of the time, this will show in your photo. The story you are hoping to see will not be there.

Sometimes I think candid photography is a walking contradiction. It’s difficult to get a great shot, but it’s simple to accidentally get the perfect storyteller. Be aggressive, but don’t get in your subject’s face. And enjoy it, even when you get frustrated!

Go out and give it a shot. Whether you are a world traveler or a small town local, you can take beautiful candid photos. Whether it’s your local barber in Loogootee, Indiana or a traditional folk dancer in Bali, Indonesia, your picture will tell a wonderful tale!

 

For more examples, visit my flickr page.

 

What’s in your Junk Drawer? Artistic Photos “Through the Peephole”

Sometimes artistic photos can be created from everyday objects, like peepholes!

Peepholes are not just for doors.  You cannot deny it.  Peepholes are fun—the kind of mindless amusement that comes from playing with simple toys like a Slinky or silly putty.

When I found an old peephole sitting in my junk drawer, I instinctively picked it up and began to play.  I loved how the peephole distorted the world around me.  I realized I had to try taking pictures through my newly rediscovered do-it-yourself fisheye lens.

This was the beginning of my “through the peephole” photography.  This first peephole I used had a small viewing area and made it difficult to get a good focused shot.  After a quick trip to a local hardware store, I found a peephole with a one inch viewing area.  It was perfect for getting the focused shots with that fisheye look that I was going for.

For a peephole like I found (with the larger viewing area), you can expect to pay around $10-a small price to pay for artistic images and hours of fun.

When you have your peephole and you are ready to begin, just hold the peephole in front of your lens and see if your automatic focus setting picks up a clear image through the peephole.  With my SLR and using manual focus, I hold the peephole between two fingers (like a cigarette) an inch or so in front of the lens, which still gives me the flexibility to focus manually with the same hand.

If you are worried about scratching your expensive camera lens, just use common sense.  I have taken a lot of pictures through the peephole and it has never been an issue.   If you want to be extra cautious, use your camera’s lens hood for added protection.

Sure, playing with a peephole is far from rocket science.  But hey–rocket science is boring!  Enjoy being creative with photography.  Artistic photos are just a junk drawer treasure hunt away!