Taking photos of people fall in to two categories.They are candid shots or portraits.

Portraits of course are the shots you take when your subject is striking a pose.While candids are when your subjects are going about their business naturally.

I would like to focus on taking candid shots.With this type of photography, their is an art form, and if you follow these steps you will be real happy with your work.  This is from my experience as a San Diego Photographer.

First off, don’t get in their way.Of course most of the candid shots will be people minding their own business, but the secret to taking a great photo is to make sure they don’t know of you taking the shot.

Because often, if you let them notice you, you will miss the essence of that unguarded shot.So make every effort to ensure they are not aware of the camera. 

Another consideration is the setting or the environment.  When you are taking a candid shot, the setting plays a vital role.You want to capture your subject in their setting as naturally as you can with your candid shot.  It’s that setting
whether it is their work, their house, or the street they are walking, helps tell a story of your subject’s life.  This is especially important if you are going to be taking shots as a Wedding Photographer San Diego.

A third tip to think about is to anticipate behavior. An important part to being able to take candid photos of people who are acting naturally is to know what your subject will do next in a situation.

This will be beneficial to you if you are trying to catch a particular moment because you will be ready rather than miss the shot.  Knowing how they will react and being able to capture that is all about anticipation.

Finally, always be on the lookout for those moments when a person’s emotion will be expressed.Because if you think about it, when you take these photos, the main thing is trying to capture their emotions in these shots.

Take a look at what your subject is doing and think about whether or not it’s a moment that will express an emotion.  Such as an impatient expression at a stoplight.Or a joyful emotion displayed at an event.  Every moment in time provides an opportunity to capture an emotion.  Being prepared for those moments will help you capture and tell that story in that moment of time.

Taking candid shots is definitely an art form.Especially if your goal is to tell a story with your candid shots. Following these few simple steps will help you be on the road of capturing as many storytelling moments as possible as a photographer.