Basic Photography Course

or a "genuine candid" of a sailor you just happen to see.
The technique is the same in both cases. All that is
important is for the pictures not to appear posed. The

subjects of candid photographs are not posing or acting;
they are simply being themselves and behaving as
though the photographer is not there.

The compactness of 35mm cameras make them

ideal for candid photography. SLRs with their fast,
interchangeable lenses, TTL metering, and large film
capacities make candid photography one of the most
rewarding areas of our profession. A long-focal-length
lens is also a good choice for this type of photography.
The long lens lets you maintain distance between

yourself and the subject, and, if people are aware of your
presence, they will not be as self-conscious. If you are
taking "real" candid shots, a long lens is a necessity.

When people know you are shooting them, get them

to occupy themselves, so they will "forget" there is a
camera watching them. Only then, can you get a truly
candid picture. When the person notices what you are
doing, ask their permission before you shoot. People
usually will not object, particularly if you are polite and

work quickly. Stay casual and relaxed. People soon get
used to seeing you with the camera, and you will be on
your way to some good candid pictures.

Preset your focus and exposure whenever possible

so you can respond quickly and avoid attracting
attention to the camera. Estimate the likely subject
distance, set it on the lens focus scale, and stop down for
greater depth of field. Camera handling must be fast and
smooth. Time does not allow for fumbling with camera
controls, flash equipment, exposure meters, and film
loading.

Keep alert, keep looking, and keep shooting. Shoot

plenty of film. Do not be stingy; in the long run, film is
cheap. You will miss enough good pictures by the very
nature of your subjects-people-and being tight-fisted
with film does not increase your chances for getting
good pictures.

Do not try to control the people you are shooting.

Let them assume a natural "pose" in an appropriate
setting. You may tell them, "please do not look at the
camera." Try to capture the details of their environment
in your pictures. This adds interest to what they are
doing. And finally, make your candid pictures reflect the
people and events around you.

There are situations when you do not have the time

for a candid approach, or it just is not feasible. You can
still produce interesting people pictures by using the
"frame approach."

FRAMING PEOPLE IN THEIR
ENVIRONMENT

The "frame approach" simply means posing your

subject in a situation or environment that is most
meaningful to the subject or assignment.

When your subject is a chaplain, place him before

a chapel or at a desk with a cross that is visible over his
shoulder. If the person is a Boatswain Mate, get him or
her on deck actually working on the job. Put the Navy
instructor near a blackboard or the pilot in an aircraft.
The frame approach works with people working in all
types of environments and ratings, such as Machinist's
Mates, Airman, Fireman, Personnelman, Opticalman,
and so forth. It works with just about everybody. It is
easy. Your subject is usually more relaxed in his or her
own environment, and props to work with are already
there.

Before you approach an assignment, have the one

key ingredient to success in mind-a definite idea of
what you want.

In other words, plan ahead. Find out all

you can beforehand about the subject and the
environment. What could be worse than arriving at an
assignment and finding your "just average" Personnel-
man is really six-foot-four, completely bald, and
wearing thick bifocals. It might help to know that even
though you find the person in a "closet" called an office,
most of the work is done in the computer room down
the hall-the one with the banks of computers and tape
racks that make wonderful "frames."

There are some things you must remember. Use the

frame approach to maximum advantage. The first and
foremost is to exaggerate. Be sure to really have a frame
for your subject. If your subject is a legal officer, make
sure there is no mistaking that this person works in the
courts or with books and papers. If your chemist is at a
blackboard, make sure that there is something on it and
that the test tubes are not hidden or too few. Again,
exaggerate.

You are going from three dimensions to

two. Do not be subtle. Your objective is to make a
meaningful picture of a person, not just an identification
shot. Vary your setup-get in tighter-back off
some-change camera angles-and keep the subject
prominent.

The overall result of your efforts should be a unique

picture. Even if you were unable to capture the
personality of your subject, the picture should at least be
personable. This can be done by making the person a
prominent part of the picture. Photograph the person in
a meaningful environment, one that gives a sense of who
the subject is, and what he does, rather than leaving the

viewer with a sense of only what he looks like.

6-3

contents

Basic Photography Course

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DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> or a "genuine candid" of a sailor you just happen to see. The technique is the same in both cases. All that is important is for the pictures not to appear posed. The subjects of candid photographs are not posing or acting; they are simply being themselves and behaving as though the photographer is not there. The compactness of 35mm cameras make them ideal for candid photography. SLRs with their fast, interchangeable lenses, TTL metering, and large film capacities make candid photography one of the most rewarding areas of our profession. A long-focal-length lens is also a good choice for this type of photography. The long lens lets you maintain distance between yourself and the subject, and, if people are aware of your presence, they will not be as self-conscious. If you are taking "real" candid shots, a long lens is a necessity. When people know you are shooting them, get them to occupy themselves, so they will "forget" there is a camera watching them. Only then, can you get a truly candid picture. When the person notices what you are doing, ask their permission before you shoot. People usually will not object, particularly if you are polite and work quickly. Stay casual and relaxed. People soon get used to seeing you with the camera, and you will be on your way to some good candid pictures. Preset your focus and exposure whenever possible so you can respond quickly and avoid attracting attention to the camera. Estimate the likely subject distance, set it on the lens focus scale, and stop down for greater depth of field. Camera handling must be fast and smooth. Time does not allow for fumbling with camera controls, flash equipment, exposure meters, and film loading. Keep alert, keep looking, and keep shooting. Shoot plenty of film. Do not be stingy; in the long run, film is cheap. You will miss enough good pictures by the very nature of your subjects-people-and being tight-fisted with film does not increase your chances for getting good pictures. Do not try to control the people you are shooting. Let them assume a natural "pose" in an appropriate setting. You may tell them, "please do not look at the camera." Try to capture the details of their environment in your pictures. This adds interest to what they are doing. And finally, make your candid pictures reflect the people and events around you. There are situations when you do not have the time for a candid approach, or it just is not feasible. You can still produce interesting people pictures by using the "frame approach." FRAMING PEOPLE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT The "frame approach" simply means posing your subject in a situation or environment that is most meaningful to the subject or assignment. When your subject is a chaplain, place him before a chapel or at a desk with a cross that is visible over his shoulder. If the person is a Boatswain Mate, get him or her on deck actually working on the job. Put the Navy instructor near a blackboard or the pilot in an aircraft. The frame approach works with people working in all types of environments and ratings, such as Machinist's Mates, Airman, Fireman, Personnelman, Opticalman, and so forth. It works with just about everybody. It is easy. Your subject is usually more relaxed in his or her own environment, and props to work with are already there. Before you approach an assignment, have the one key ingredient to success in mind-a definite idea of what you want. In other words, plan ahead. Find out all you can beforehand about the subject and the environment. What could be worse than arriving at an assignment and finding your "just average" Personnel- man is really six-foot-four, completely bald, and wearing thick bifocals. It might help to know that even though you find the person in a "closet" called an office, most of the work is done in the computer room down the hall-the one with the banks of computers and tape racks that make wonderful "frames." There are some things you must remember. Use the frame approach to maximum advantage. The first and foremost is to exaggerate. Be sure to really have a frame for your subject. If your subject is a legal officer, make sure there is no mistaking that this person works in the courts or with books and papers. If your chemist is at a blackboard, make sure that there is something on it and that the test tubes are not hidden or too few. Again, exaggerate. You are going from three dimensions to two. Do not be subtle. Your objective is to make a meaningful picture of a person, not just an identification shot. Vary your setup-get in tighter-back off some-change camera angles-and keep the subject prominent. The overall result of your efforts should be a unique picture. Even if you were unable to capture the personality of your subject, the picture should at least be personable. This can be done by making the person a prominent part of the picture. Photograph the person in a meaningful environment, one that gives a sense of who the subject is, and what he does, rather than leaving the viewer with a sense of only what he looks like. 6-3 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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