Research
Candid photography produces natural unposed images that focus on the spontaneous and un-expected moments. This can be encompassed by many genres of photography such as street and documentary photography and sports which are usually candid anyway, but also weddings and portraits as an alternative to traditional posed images. Here are some examples:
Taken from: http://digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/imagescandid-photography.jpg
Photograph by Henri Cartier Bresson
When i recieved this brief i thought about the ways i could photograph people, i knew i would be travelling to a few places over the next few months so i decided to make an effort to record the people in each place. One thing that interests me is whether someone would be able to tell that most of the people arent english if it wasnt for their surroundings... The Human Condition is about being human and that to me means that your nationality, colour or country of origin has no bearing on you as a human but perhaps partly shapes your personality.
One thing i noticed straight away that is a common factor is homelessness and beggars on the streets, this is not a reflection of the country but over-all society and can be seen in both Berlin and Poland and all over the world. What makes an image of a person so interesting to me is trying to capture the personality and story of that person and this could explain why i like photographing homeless people- we already know part of their story .
Berlin
I wanted to practise Candid Photography whilst i was in Berlin, i think its easier to take photographs like this when you are in a foreign or unknown place
F5, 1/160 Sec, ISO 3200
This was in a tunnel in Berlin, i had to use a very high ISO due to the lack of available light
F5, 1/125 Sec, ISO 1000
Although this is candid im not sure it really fits with this part of the brief strictly as it isn't about the cyclist as a person but more about the image as a whole- i feel that a candid shot would usually show the persons face and therfore personality. This is possibly more appropriate as an environmental portrait
F5.6, 1/250 Sec, ISO 2500
F5.6, 1/320 Sec, ISO 2500
As you can see here the settings i used were quite inappropriate, i should have used a much lower ISO and slower shutter speed here but as this was took on the spot i was just trying to get the shot before the girl moved.
F5, 1/200 Sec, ISO 400
I have learnt from all the recent bad weather that photography in the snow can be quite difficult, the snow acts as a reflector for the light and then the darker areas tend to be underexposed.
F5.6, 1/200 Sec, ISO 400
F5.6, 1/200 Sec, ISO 800
At the time of photographing this man i didnt notice the writing on the window...
There were a lot of homeless and people on the streets in Berlin and i found it quite upsetting, it was minus 22 degrees so much colder than it usually gets in England.
F5.6, 1/200 Sec, ISO 800
This photograph was taken whilst i was on a tour bus, it had pulled over for a break and i noticed this lady pouring some water into a cup for her dog to drink. It was so unbearably cold and it brought a tear to my eye to think of how awful it would be to be in that situation. Although the image itself would probably mean nothing to anyone else, to me it is a glimpse of another life- but one that no one would want.
Poland
I also went to Poland and tried have become increasingly interested in street photography since last semester when i took a lot of photographs of people on the streets and underground in London, so whilst in Poland i took quite a few images shooting from the hip- i haven't quite got the confidence to lift my camera to my face and blatantly photograph a stranger, although shooting from the hip does make it more difficult to get a good shot and i have quite a few potentially good photographs with peoples heads cut off- here are some of the more sucessful attempts:
F4, 1/160 Sec, ISO 320
F4, 1/80 Sec, ISO 100
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 400
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 400
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 400
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 800
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 1000
F5.6, 1/160 Sec, ISO 1000
All of the above images were shot from the hip, i find it very difficult to lift my camera up to my face and take a photo of a stranger without asking, and thats what candid is all about, So shooting from the hip for me is like a comfort blanket although its harder to get the image you want.
Here are a few images i took whilst i was in London in Camden Town:
F5.6, 1/100 Sec, ISO 500
F7.1, 1/160 Sec, ISO 500
This image to me is quite absurd, the people aren't looking at me, they are watching the huge bubbles being produced by a lady with a wand next to me, but from the angle i am stood they appear to be staring at me, then i notice the woman on the far left looking out of the corner of her eye, its almost comical. I have increased the fill and blacks in the image as it gave it more definition.
F7.1, 1/250 Sec, ISO 500
I also went for a walk around Blackburn town centre with a few others from the course as part of our 321 Group, we all wanted to practise some Candid photography and thought that being in a group of Photographers would help us have the confidence to photograph strangers:
F6.3, 1/200 Sec, ISO 250
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 400
There were a few of us all photographing these men which had obviously caught the attention of one of them.
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 400
This man was shouting at us to go away, despite the fact that i took this photograph from the hip and no one else was photographing him, i think he was suspicious of people with cameras.
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 250
This was taken over the shoulder of one of my friends from Uni, they offered to pretend to pose in order to give me cover and take the photograph- i found this an easier way of photographing someone in a less obvious way rather than shooting from the hip as you cant see what your photographing.
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 640
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 640
This man was stood in a shadowed area so it was impossible to expose both his surroundings and him correctly especially whilst he was staring at me.
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 160
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 160
F6.3, 1/250 Sec, ISO 160
F6.3, 1/200 Sec, ISO 250
I did find it a lot easier being with other students as we were all practising the same thing and had the protection of the group, although comparing these images to some of the ones i took on my own, i actually think these come across as quite safe and everyday images, there is nothing that strikes me about them.
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