What characterises a candid photo

[tommykjensen]

An interesting discussion is going on at DP about this.

What is the opinion here?

What is a candid photo?


IMHO this is a candid photo:

http://www.klein-jensen.dk/external/candid1.jpg


but this is not


http://www.klein-jensen.dk/external/privatecarnival1.jpg


Here is the link to the discussion on DP:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=9227539

[stopbath]

For me, it is a photo that the person is not 'posing for the camera'.

Smiling at the camera is often a gut reaction that a photo can still be unposed and candid even though the subject is smiling at the camera. But when they suddenly freeze or pulling off strange stances, the photo is then a posed shot.

We don't need to 'pose' to smile at someone... Same for a camera.

[Conk]

The dictionary explains "candid" as being "unposed or rehearsed".

[robertwgross]

I would suggest an alternative. To me, candid means the subject does not realize that they are being photographed or else they don't care.

---Bob Gross---