Candid portraits are much harder than you’d think they are.Â
First and foremost, candid portraits often require one of two things: either a lot of trust in the photographer or a really stealthy photographer that absolutely cannot be seen or heard. This is what many aspire to be: the fly on the wall. But if you can’t be this type of photographer, here’s how you can become more like it.
Go Wide But Not Too Wide: 24-50mm Is Best
Select the Area That You Want to Focus on
Compose a Series of Image Using Just Focusing on That Particular Area or AF Point
f2.8 to f5.6 Are Best
Aperture Priority Can Take a Lot of the Guesswork Out
Keep Your ISO Setting On the Higher Side
Remember the Reciprocal Rule of Focal Lengths
Mind Your Lighting in the Scene and How it Affects the Metering
Take the Flash Off Unless You’re Bouncing It
Or Try the Zone Focusing Method
Zone Focusing Works Best at 50mm and Wider
Pre-Plan How Far You’re Going to Be From Your Subject
If Your Lens Has One, Use the Focusing Guide
Shoot From the Hip; There’s Nothing Wrong with it When You’ve Got Good Intentions
Learn to Be In Tune With And Pay Attention to Your Subjects
Become Vulnerable to What’s Going on Around You
Take a Guess at Predicting What They’re Going to Do
Shoot Before You See the Moment. If You See it, It’s Gone.
You’re Going to Fail a Lot
Keep Trying
