# A Few Shots of the Girlfriend



## SearchingForElysium (Feb 28, 2017)

Hey guys, you may notice that I'm brand new to the forum. Thought I might as well dump the many shots I believe are worth showing off. Critique is more than welcome. 

These 2 are candid. Some of my first few shots with my then-newly bought Nikkor 50mm 1.8


 https://www.flickr.com/photos/phototac0/


 https://www.flickr.com/photos/phototac0/

This one was semi-candid, in a sense. We were driving home after a date, I look over and see this wonderful view of a sunset behind her. Pulled over and took this photo. (I am aware of the flare on the right third of the shot.)


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## pgriz (Mar 1, 2017)

It is curious that in the set you selected to post, in no picture is she looking at you.


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## Granddad (Mar 1, 2017)

Forgive me if I've misread your situation but the way she's holding herself suggests that she's shy. I'd advise you to shoot her more often and take time for her to relax into the camera (I usually start getting my best shots after the first hundred). She needs to understand that she's a very, very lovely young woman who has every right to be confident in front of the camera. YOU as photographer need to tell her that and build her confidence as you shoot. 

Lighting seems to be fine, nice DoF in #2 and I like the composition of #3, the flare doesn't bother me, the edge of the rear view mirror would be easily cloned out.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

Granddad said:


> Forgive me if I've misread your situation but the way she's holding herself suggests that she's shy. I'd advise you to shoot her more often and take time for her to relax into the camera (I usually start getting my best shots after the first hundred). She needs to understand that she's a very, very lovely young woman who has every right to be confident in front of the camera. YOU as photographer need to tell her that and build her confidence as you shoot.
> 
> Lighting seems to be fine, nice DoF in #2 and I like the composition of #3, the flare doesn't bother me, the edge of the rear view mirror would be easily cloned out.



Or you just accept that she doesn't feel comfortable and leave her alone.


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

Welcome!

I don't consider #2 a "candid".


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## Granddad (Mar 1, 2017)

limr said:


> Or you just accept that she doesn't feel comfortable and leave her alone.



Yeah, that's an option, too.  I tend to forget that not everyone would take that for granted.


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## SearchingForElysium (Mar 1, 2017)

pgriz said:


> It is curious that in the set you selected to post, in no picture is she looking at you.


She's is pretty camera shy. I don't have any full face shots of her currently.


Designer said:


> Welcome!
> 
> I don't consider #2 a "candid".


It wasn't a posed shot, she stood up and noticed I had the camera pointed at her and covered her face, so I considered it candid, but I'm sure there's and better term for it.


As for her comfort in front of a camera, she's growing into it. I should be doing her senior pictures soon enough, so that'll give me an opportunity to actually pose and work with her.

Thanks for the replies guys, and thank you Granddad, she is indeed lovely.


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

SearchingForElysium said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > I don't consider #2 a "candid".
> ...


Since you're new, allow me to help you with the definition of candid.  That is where the subject has little or no awareness of being the subject of a photograph.  

I'd say that since she was aware that a camera was pointed at her, and hid her face, it cannot be a candid. Not sure what hiding the face shot would be called.  

If it was a coy peeking out kind of pose, then it would be a coy peeking out kind of pose.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

I disagree that the term changes if the subject catches the photographer in the act. She didn't know he was going to take a picture until the camera came up, and she didn't cover her face to pose, but as a spontaneous reaction to seeing the camera. That's still a candid.


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

limr said:


> That's still a candid.


A candid of the backs of her hands.


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## birdbonkers84 (Mar 1, 2017)

Welcome to TPF, this place is a gold mine - enjoy!


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

Designer said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > That's still a candid.
> ...



Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

limr said:


> Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?


To my way of thinking, the girl holding her hands up is a pose.  In that instant, she is posing for the photo.  Not a normal pose to be sure, but a pose nonetheless.  She posed, therefore not candid.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

Designer said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > Why does it matter that her face isn't visible?
> ...



As the kind of person who sees a camera aimed at her and who instantly wants to hide her face, it's most certainly not a pose but a reflex, a defense mechanism. I still say that she is not posing; she is _reacting_. A pose has much more intent than a knee-jerk reaction.

I'd say the same for someone who's first instinct is to smile when he or she sees a camera. It's the difference between pre-meditation and heat-of-the-moment. One is murder, the other is manslaughter. Posing is portraiture. Reacting is candid photography.


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## SearchingForElysium (Mar 1, 2017)

Never thought simple terminology could spur this.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

SearchingForElysium said:


> Never thought simple terminology could spur this.



Oh, this ain't nothin'!


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

limr said:


> Reacting is candid photography.


Not according to the definition.


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## Designer (Mar 1, 2017)

SearchingForElysium said:


> Never thought simple terminology could spur this.


The reason that we should all strive to use the same terminology is that sometimes questions are asked, and if the questioner asks a question with incorrect terminology, then the answer could be incorrect for his perception of the question.  Then what we have is a failure to communicate.  How does that help anybody?

(example) Recently somebody asked how to make his photos look "warmer".  In the usual parlance of our hobby we would quite naturally think that the person asking the question was talking about color.  He referred to his exposure meter in his question, which to me means more light or less light, not the color of the light.  Even after a couple of posts, the OP was still referring to "warmer" rather than "more light".  I still am not sure if the OP got his question answered to his satisfaction.  

Using the same terminology will definitely help with effective communication.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

Designer said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > Reacting is candid photography.
> ...



According to which definition? 

This one from Wikipedia? Candid photography - Wikipedia

_"A *candid photograph* is a photograph captured without creating a posed appearance. This is achieved in many ways, for example:_

_when the subject is in motion,_
_by avoiding prior preparation of the subject,_
_by surprising the subject,_
_by not distracting the subject during the process of taking photos._
_Thus, the candid character of a photo is unrelated to the subject's knowledge about or consent to the fact that photos are being taken, and unrelated to the subject's permission for further usage and distribution. The crucial factor is the actual absence of posing. However, if the subject is absolutely unaware of being photographed and does not even expect it, then such photography is secret photography, which is a special case of candid photography."_

Or this one from the dictionary? the definition of candid

_"3. informal; unposed:
a candid photo."_

Or this one from a photography website, that also includes a second dictionary definition? 
A Beginner's Guide to Candid People Photography

_"The dictionary definition of candid, in relation to photography is,

photography of subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed

Seems simple enough, but getting it done right can be very tricky.  Unlike photojournalism, where the goal is to document what happens, candid photography requires you, the photographer, to have some interaction with the subjects you’re shooting.  Note that one of the key words in the definition is acting, and this can help setup the entire session for you."_

Using the same terminology is important aspect to clear communication, but it's also important to understand that language is fluid and dynamic, and words often encompass a range of meanings, not necessarily static rigid definitions.

Ultimately, we're not really saying anything radically different from each other. The difference is only that yours demands that the subject is unaware of being photographed, whereas the mine - and, among others, the examples above - does not include this condition.


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## Derrel (Mar 1, 2017)

My favorite of the three is the sunset/eyelash shot. I would say keep shooting! Keep capturing the world and its people. Candids,or posed shots, whatever you like to shoot, keep shooting that stuff.


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## limr (Mar 1, 2017)

Derrel said:


> My favorite of the three is the sunset/eyelash shot. I would say keep shooting! Keep capturing the world and its people. Candids,or posed shots, whatever you like to shoot, keep shooting that stuff.



Yes, back to the photographs, I have to agree with Derrel here. The sunset shot is the best one of this set. The light is beautiful (and I like the flare) and there's definitely a mood to this shot - calm, timeless. In the others, I just feel too much of her discomfort from being in front of a camera. If she continues to struggle, then find a different model to practice on. Or, of course, take pictures of other things (people aren't the only interesting photographic subjects  ).


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## Derrel (Mar 1, 2017)

Yeah, limr';s got this right: "candid" or "posed" it does not matter what the first two shots are classified as being: they are disconcerting to look at. She looks uncomfortable about the photography process...just no two ways about that. The last shot though is calm.


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## SearchingForElysium (Mar 1, 2017)

limr said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > My favorite of the three is the sunset/eyelash shot. I would say keep shooting! Keep capturing the world and its people. Candids,or posed shots, whatever you like to shoot, keep shooting that stuff.
> ...


Whenever I can, candids take my top pick for photography. I have a lot of product photography type shots, which will be up soon. I never get to shoot people as often as I'd like. I live in AZ, and street photography is quite lacking.
As said before, I should be doing her senior pictures soon, so those will hopefully be lovely.


Derrel said:


> Yeah, limr';s got this right: "candid" or "posed" it does not matter what the first two shots are classified as being: they are disconcerting to look at. She looks uncomfortable about the photography process...just no two ways about that. The last shot though is calm.


I can see what you guys mean by the uncomfortable aspect of the shots, though I still think they're nice. The first one seems comfortable enough though? Seeing the feedback tells me that everything except for the vibe it gives off. Thanks again for the replies guys. I've been wanting actual feedback on my pictures for awhile.


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