Photography has become an increasingly common tool for communication. Whether it is through advertisements or social media, photography gives a glimpse into a lifestyle. More often than not these photographs are artificial. By that I mean, they are either photoshopped, filtered or heavily posed. These types of edited images create a less authentic representation of the thing they are meant to represent.
That is not to say there isn’t a place or time for edited or heavily posed images. There is. There needs to be an element of editing in most images at the very least to color correct something so it’s suitable for use on various platforms (such as converting to CMYK for print media or RGB for digital platforms). In everyday use though, candid pictures often are much more telling than posed ones.
Candid pictures, in this context, are ones in which the subject is acting as they would without the camera on them. There is no posing or false authenticity in the subject or scene. The reason these types of pictures are so powerful is that these are often the ones that bring back more memories. Candid pictures often capture the strong emotions in a scene. For example, it’s hard to capture the pure happiness in someone’s eyes when they are laughing in a posed picture. Everyone is familiar with the idea that when you show emotions, it shows in more than just a smile or frown. There are other key body languages that give away emotions. Without those,
Everyone is familiar with the idea that when you show emotions, it shows in more than just a smile or frown. There are other key body languages that give away emotions. Without those, posed pictures lose the immense emotion. Candids capture exactly what’s happening as it’s happening.
Some of this adoration I have for candid photos may relate back to the nostalgia I have for film. I remember growing up with those disposable cameras where you didn’t get the chance to look at what you got. Instead, you just got a surprise and a fond memory that wasn’t manufactured to be absolutely perfect. There’s something less stressful about it all. With digital photography, we have more pressures to look perfect. It’s become a norm. With candid pictures, perfect is anything that manages to capture a memory – so almost every candid picture.
I take a lot of pictures and some of my favorite ones have been ones that were spontaneous. They held more meaning to me than the same old pose in a different background. Pictures are a valuable tool for communication and archival work. Candid pictures allow for more authentic and memorable moments of history versus manufactured posed pictures.
