The Greatest Post EVER
I've been lurking around here for a little while. Thought I’d share my advice and experience. Please note the example pics provided and the picture of the camera I use. It's important for understanding the rest of this post.
When you first start out shooting candid stuff, the experience is thrilling. So thrilling, in fact, that you'll shoot anything that moves that even remotely looks female. You'll be chasing some fatty all over the park just because you thought you caught a glimpse of her underwear when she bent over to pick up that burrito she dropped.
RELAX DUDE. Calm the fuck down! The shot will come. Focus on acting cool and calm and not moving all over the place. Actually take a good look at your target. Can you imagine getting a boner while looking at her picture? No? Then don't take the f'ing picture. Move on.
Forcing the shot will waste your time, and everyone else’s when they read the amazing post heading in the forums, only to click and find above mentioned out of focus fatty eating a burrito.
On Posting:
1. Rotate and crop your pics!
2. Get a FACE shot if you can. Context!
3. If it's blurry, don't post it. For the love of GAWD.
4. Mention if there are fatties in the post title.
The Camera
Note: If your camera doesn't have image stabilization, then throw the fucking thing away and go buy one that does. Nobody likes to look at the pic that could have been.
The camera I use is the Sony DSC-T9. This one is perfect for candids. I'll tell you why and how I use it, but first have a look at the picture I posted of the DSC-T9, then keep reading.
1. All of the lens action on this camera is INTERNAL. There is nothing that sticks out when you turn it on.
2. The cover on the front slides open to reveal the lens and the flash. No button pushing is needed. It turns on when you slide the cover open.
3. This camera can be operated with one hand from start to finish. Though it would be best for right handed people.
4. I do mostly indoor stuff, and this camera is great with no flash on auto settings as long as you're not pointed at a bright spot.
5. This camera has internal memory, which will be vital for saving your ass, should you get questioned.
6. One thing that does suck about Sony cameras is that they use the fucking memory sticks. This could save you later though.
7. This camera is PERFECT for using the hip shot technique, and is the main reason I got it over the canon I used to have. This guy describes the hipshot well:
http://www.thecandidboard.com/forums...hot-44797.html
8. It can EASILY pass for a cell phone. Thus, DB's become stable and clear if that's your thing.
9. IMAGE STABILIZATION! Hold the button halfway down to get things focused and you're ready to go.
Hipshot with the Sony DSC-T9:
I wear loose fitting pants or shorts and always have the camera with the lens side down and the camera facing forward in my pocket. This has several advantages. As I mentioned, you can do it all with one hand. Much less conspicuous after you get to know the operations of the camera. Second, you can slide the lens cover open to turn the camera on, no button pushing or switch switching. Lastly, you can remove the camera from your pocket, turn it on, and be taking pics in seconds if you get good and fluid with the motion.
Note that the hipshots will all be vertical, limiting your field of shooting. Do some target practice at home to get a feel for where your camera is pointed before you go out. If in doubt that you got a shot, turn slightly, and take another pic to get a different angle. One of them will turn out.
Talking on the phone shot:
Again, If you hold this camera up to your ear and mumble to yourself, it looks like you're on the phone. Perfect for taking high quality DB shots as people think you're just some dude on your phone.
Another Approach:
Carry a pair of headphones with you. The Sony DSC-T9 can also pass as an mp3 player. Hold the plug end near the camera, or even tape it to the camera. Then, you can pretend to be fiddling with your mp3 player and take pics all the while.
Things to look out for and emergency procedures!
You'll notice in the pic I've included of the camera that the lower one has a hand over it. That's to show you how much of the camera would be visible, if anyone looked. Very discreet. Your thumb is in the perfect position to use the shutter button, making it even easier. This camera is great.
Remember to keep your fingers spread over the lense or else you'll get your fingers in the shot too and fuck the whole thing up. Again, practice at home to get this right.
There are other things to look out for, such as the AF assist and the flash. Accidentally using either of those will likely get you busted, especially if you're indoors which is where I think the best candids are. What I do to eliminate this problem altogether is this: I cut a small piece of black electrical tape off and stick it right to the bottom edge of the camera. When it's time to shoot candids, I pull the piece of tape off and use it to cover the flash AND af assist, making them black and translucent. No chance of anyone seeing an accidental flash, I've tested it.
This black tape also helps to further camouflage the camera as well. This will increase your confidence, allowing you to go places you might not normally go (read: health club). When you're done shooting candids, move the tape back to the bottom and its back to being a normal camera.
With this camera, you might want to keep a micro cloth with you to clean the lens, as it is easy to accidentally put your finger on the lens during candid shooting. Always check that before you go out too.
BUSTED?
This camera will help you out if anyone questions you. First off, the battery/mem stick door can easily be opened with your thumb while the camera is IN your pocket. Plus, you can remove the memstick with your thumb as well, also while it's IN your pocket. If you've reached that point, you can either slip a second mem stick in, or just leave it out and rely on the internal memory to serve as a proof that you're only shooting legit pictures. I had a situation where someone asked to use my camera to take a picture. I had candids on the mem stick. So, before I handed it to them, I slipped the mem stick out with my thumb and handed over the camera. No problems. If you wanted to go a step further, you could get a cell phone that's the same color as your camera and keep it in the same pocket. If anyone questions you, you could just say you were fiddling with your cell phone, then pull it out and show them. I've done this too with success. It's best to practice these things at home first though.
Other Notes on the Sony DSC-T9
It's also good to keep an extra mem stick and battery on hand, as you never know when the perfect shot will present itself. I took the strap off of mine. If anyone asks, I just say that I lost it. The strap just makes it look like a camera, or fuck up your shots by getting in the way.
Other Helpful Candid Advice
Health Clubs are an amazing place to shoot for several reasons:
1. The hot women dress hot to show off.
2. The hot women cant stop looking at themselves in the mirrors. Thus, they don't notice you.
3. The dudes are all looking at the women.
4. They are brightly lit, good for no flash shots.
5. Mens workout pants are baggy, with deep pockets.
Don't stare at your subjects. Figure out if she's worth shooting from a distance. If so, then calmly find a reason to be walking around her, shooting from the hip or cell phone position the whole time. Maybe you're looking for something on the same shelf as her. Maybe you're using the treadmill next to her. Whatever, just don't FORCE the shot. Find a reason to be where they're going to be.
Don't look like a creepy fuck. Look as normal and unassuming as possible in your dress and appearance. Blend into the store/gym/mall/etc. Most people are so self absorbed that they won't notice you if you're not being stupid about it.
Don't preview your shots anywhere near where you took them. There will be plenty of time later to look at them on your computer. Don't be greedy, you'll only fuck yourself. If you do preview, you'll see that you fucked up something, then try to go back and get more. This is where you get screwed because you'll throw caution to the wind to get the shot you missed. Let it go. Don't preview, trust your training. heh.
The shots I've included here:
They were all shot using one of the three techniques I described above; hip/cellphone/mp3 player. Most of them on the sony, a couple on an old canon. They are examples from larger groups I've shot, but they highlight the possibilities nicely. Especially indoor shooting with no flash. I shot faces for context when possible, so I included both front and back shots for reference. You can see by the file names where I shot the pics, of you can't figure it out from the pics themselves.
Oh, and the girl in the camo pants with the thong sticking out... I'm 99% sure that her left arm is fake. Can you tell? I had no idea when I was taking the pic originally, as I wasn't actually looking at her. It wasn't until later that I noticed that. Kinda creeped me out a bit.
Ok, I've rambled on long enough. I'm sure there are things I've missed, but hopefully I've helped. Hopefully I've backed up most of my condescending asshole bitching with pics of my own. If I haven't, well, I'm a paid member so I guess I bought some bitch time. Hopefully you can use this info to take better shots and for the love of candids, post them here. That's why I typed this whole thing in the first place.
If you have any comments, questions, or criticisms, please feel free to let em fly.
Reply With Quote
. I can't quite pull off the phone or mp3 player look, so I just use hipshots or conceal the camera.
. I just keep the two extra ones (charged) with me now when I'm taking candids, just in case.
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