True Emotion

Everyone can take a photo that lacks meaning, but it takes knowledge and skill to take a quality candid photo. A candid photo is one that captures the true emotion of a moment, rather than a posed smile. A lot of the time candid photos require working with people, or an animal subject. As George Lange and Scott Mowbray tell us in The Unforgettable Photograph: "This is What's important-to find the truths about people, not obsess about the camera" (182).They are telling the photographer that in the moment you should focus on your subject and how they feel, rather than getting the perfectly posed shot. This simple idea can lead to best and most meaningful captures of a moment.

In both of these shots I did my best to make sure that the subject wasn't being forced into any emotion, and that it was a purely honest moment. "There is nothing more joyful than a genuine smile or moment of happiness, but there's a whole bucketful of emotions that get lost in the forced smile" (37). This advice From Lange and Mowbray was the basis from which I found myself enjoying time with the subjects of my photos, and getting quality photos along the way. One technique that I found to be helpful in getting a true emotion out of a subject when they are feeling uncomfortable, would be to talk to your subject or have someone else with you to keep them distracted (9). With the use of all of the advice from Lange and Mowbray you are sure to get a quality candid shot the next time you have a moment you desire to remember.

When will you guys use this technique in your life? Have you had candid shots taken of you before? Have you taken any before? Let me know techniques you guys find to be helpful to get true emotion out of a subject.

Citation:
Lange, George. The Unforgettable Photograph. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company, 2013.