Thursday, April 3, 2008

Party pix


What do you do when you are taking photos at functions or family gatherings? Do you take candid shots, or do you prefer posed pictures? Perhaps it isn't a clear cut decision and you use both methods. That's what I do.

I love candid photos, because they are usually the ones that show people as themselves. If you want to see a person's character, you will be more successful with a candid. Having said that, there are some logistical issues with candids. You usually only get one opportunity at a candid, as the element of surprise is lost once your subjects are aware of the presence of a camera. So any problems, such as a cluttered background or blinking eyes, might mean that you are unable to record that moment. Things that you need to pay attention to though, are such things as bouncing the flash where possible so that you avoid the harsh shadows, and using a shallow DOF so that the background is out of focus and your viewers can concentrate on the subject.

Sometimes a candid turns out to be posed, as in this photo of the two pretty young women at a party. I was planning on a candid, but once they knew that the camera was pointed at them, they provided their own pose. And I couldn't have done it any better!

EXIF: Nikon D200; Nikkor 17-55mm DX; ISO 200; 1/60 sec; f4.

TFF

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