10 Tips For Getting Started In Candid Photography & How It Can Help Improve Your Wedding Shots
Candid photography is becoming popular day by day, especially during weddings and events, as many people are not comfortable enough to make poses in their natural selves. So, the candid shots help the photographers to capture the amazing moments that are impossible to get otherwise.
The best part about candid photos is that you capture people as their natural selves, and this is most true. However, the beauty and perfection of everything come with experience and the right direction.
Here we have come up with some amazing candid photography tips that will surely be helpful for you if you are stepping in this direction. All the tips are being used by the professional so make sure to read them all.
Let’s quickly get into it!
1. Don't Let Your Guard Down
Well, the most important rule of taking the perfect candid is that you should never let your guard down in any situation. Make sure to keep all your equipment ready and keep an eye out everywhere. Like many professional photographers, you can keep your camera in your hands or use shoulder or neck straps for instant and easy use.
Don't forget to set your camera according to the time (day or night) and light conditions. As the ISO, aperture & shutter speed takes a while to set, that might cause the skipping of the perfect moment.
2. Take A Lot Of Photos
At weddings, everything is spontaneous. So, you need to be ready to capture the only chance of getting the perfect candid. Digital cameras have made this job easy with the invention of burst mode. Be aggressive in your shoots without holding back.
By using the burst mode, you’ll surely get some surprising moments. In weddings where you can’t just turn your camera on burst mode, you have to choose the perfect timing for that. You should stand nearer during the family moments and the couple alone moments when they are giggling and smiling.
3. Do Not Direct the Scene
Do you want to be a true and professional candid photographer? The key to being one is to keep your distance from the subject as much as possible. You can keep the curiosity and beauty of the scene only when it is 100% natural.
While taking the pictures, don’t let the subject know that you are focusing on them or make your subject feel relaxed by mixing and taking with them. You shouldn't be the part of the scene; otherwise, you'll overdirect it. Just wait patiently without any interruption to get the perfect shot.
4. Walk Around To Find The Best Composition
The next thing in our list is the candid composition. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you will definitely be aware of how important the right composition is for your photos. However, in candid photography, it is quite challenging to get the right composition as you can ask your subject to move around.
If you want to keep the natural look of the photo without causing any awkwardness, it's you who need to get up and walk around to find the best position. It's pointless to stand and wait to get the right shot so make some effort to get the reward.
5. Follow The Crowd & Blend In
Street photographers have a major contribution to candid photography as crowded places are full of movements and laughter. They are the best to capture unpredictability and casualness. So, this point is a part of their experience "be where the action is & blend in."
Being a beginner, you need to understand how to be a part of the action and find the best spot for you without disturbing the flow. Avoid entering into someone’s personal space and don’t let them know that you are capturing them to keep it original.
6. Forget About The Flash
If you don't want to get everyone's attention while taking the photos, then forget about using the flash. Also, the flashlight results in a boring and unappealing image. In case you need light for your shot, you can find other light resources.
With the camera settings, you can adjust the light. The setting that most professional photographers use is the widening aperture, reduction of shutter speed, and increasing the ISO. Don't get disturbed by the noise production in these settings, as the noise is quite helpful in a few cases.
7. Right Camera Gears Are Important
In candid photography, your skills are not everything. The first and basic thing that you need to know is how and where to use the specific camera and other gears. Make sure to collect all the knowledge about cameras and lenses that are typically used in candid photography.
Taking candid photos is a fast-paced game, so you need a camera with a fast autofocus system. The most recommended lenses for candid photos are the telephoto lens which are quite helpful for taking good pictures from a distance. You can get more help with the right gear from an online professional guide.
8. Be Everywhere In Special Occasions
Usually, people think of candid as street or traveling photography. Well, it's not always the case. You can use your candid skills to cover an event wonderfully. And when it comes to Dallas Muslim wedding photography, you'll collect a lot of funny, exciting, and beautiful shots even at a wedding.
However, one thing which is a bit different in candid wedding photography is that you have to be everywhere. You can't afford to miss any of the smiles and moments. The best way to cover the whole event at once is that you can hire an assistant or partner to help you cover everything fully.
9. Shoot From The Hip – The Ninja Style
Shoot from the hips is always on the list of professional photographers to get amazing candids. With the hips, you can shoot a wider angle by covering all the surroundings. Candid photos are not like other framed pictures where you only have to focus on the subject.
Candid photography is about capturing a whole story in one picture where the viewers take an interest in understanding the story behind it. Make sure to be less noticeable while capturing someone. Maintain your ninja style, look onto the screen, set the frame, and click the perfect story.
10. Plan Everything
Yes! It's true that there is nothing to plan in candid photography but this rule can be reversed in the case of candid wedding photos. Well, being a photographer, there is a lot of things on your "to-do" list, so make sure to pinpoint the time for candid pictures.
You can take candid while the family gathers on stage, random guest’s interaction, the vows during the rituals, and between the posed shots. Try not to get so busy in your photoshoots that you end up missing the chance to capture some free smiles.
How Can Candid Photography Help Wedding Shots?
Like many other beginners, you might be thinking or wondering about this question.
The real purpose behind candid photography is to capture the natural interaction of people with others or to preserve the moments that we usually miss out on. These occasions, especially weddings, are the perfect places to capture such beautiful moments.
If you experience and explore your candid skills, you can use them in wedding photography to capture those moments that last just for a very few seconds. Many couples would want to keep those moments remembered their whole life.
Hopefully, these tips will help you in your photography to learn the skills and do your best.