Basics of fine-art photography/Creating works in candid photography

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Street beverage vendor (Syria, 2008)
Photo taken on an Afghan expedition

Candid photography is shooting style, where the spontaneity of the situation is taken as the basis.

General information[edit | edit source]

It is the exact opposite of staged photography; has some similarities with street photography, but the latter does not exclude that subject noticed the camera lens aimed at him (and managed to react emotionally), while an unbiased photograph implies the opposite. The decisive factor is the lack of posing.

Ways of implementation[edit | edit source]

You will need spontaneity, speed of reaction and a camera, that is always at hand; in addition — a certain talent for seeing the situation, and sometimes just luck — when the photographer is in a certain place just at the right time.

It is more convenient to use point-and-shoot, which are small in size, or use a camera built into a mobile phone.

If you are a supporter of "serious equipment", usually distinguished by its large size, you can use a model with an angle-change viewfinder, that changes the angle, which will allow you to take photos even while standing with your back to the intended object. But it is better, nevertheless, to dwell on the previous version.

Should know[edit | edit source]

In some African countries aborigines do not like to be photographed, in particular, unexpectedly, without warning. In the Comoros and Ethiopia, locals may react aggressively to a camera lens pointed in their direction. You can make sure of that with a concrete example. Never point the lens at an Ethiopian in uniform, be it a policeman or a military officer.


Those who speak Russian can read the article by the author of the textbook, which is published in Wikisource, by clicking on the link below.

Gallery[edit | edit source]


Wikisource[edit | edit source]