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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> Definition of the word Candid....
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AuthorThread
 06/04/2007 06:27:22 AM · #1
Can anyone give a good definition of the word candid for me, and maybe if its not to much to ask a definition or 2?

Thanks.
Rich
 06/04/2007 06:30:58 AM · #2
Candid pictures (sometimes referred to simply as "Candids") are unposed and often (but not necessarily) taken without the subject's knowledge.

Informal or natural; especially caught off guard or unprepared; "a candid photograph"; "a candid interview"

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 06:33:11.
 06/04/2007 06:33:09 AM · #3
Originally posted by CEJ:
Candid pictures (sometimes referred to simply as "Candids") are unposed and often (but not necessarily) taken without the subject's knowledge.


Thanks, I was going to ask for clarity but I am glad you edited before I asked.

06/04/2007 06:34:22 AM · #4
Both of those come from simply putting 'define: candid' into Google. Wish this was a day earlier. I was at the graduation for Williams College yesterday and took over 200 candids. Katie Couric was their speaker so got some of her as they did the march thingy they do. My wife had to tell me who she was. After that I followed the procession for a bit - she makes a lot of funny faces when she is talking.





Message edited by author 2007-06-04 12:20:13.
 06/04/2007 08:31:39 AM · #5
For the purposes of a dpchallenge, a Candid will need to be in Black and White if you aspire to a Top Ten placing.
.
.
.

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek now. ;-Þ

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 08:32:09.
 06/04/2007 08:38:26 AM · #6
For the sake of DPC the subject should be dirty, homeless or otherwise downtrodden/ :-/
 06/04/2007 08:40:29 AM · #7
Originally posted by Pug-H:
For the purposes of a dpchallenge, a Candid will need to be in Black and White if you aspire to a Top Ten placing.
.
.
.

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek now. ;-Þ


That's what I thought too..until I looked at this!!!

Candid III
 06/04/2007 08:45:45 AM · #8
I took my winning candid shot last week...what horrible timing.

I think this Challenge and any future Street type of Challenge should run longer than a week. That would really improve the quality of the images and make the Challenge as pleasure to vote.

That might also help cut down on all the homeless stuff.

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 08:48:02.
 06/04/2007 08:51:06 AM · #9
Originally posted by Judi:
Originally posted by Pug-H:
For the purposes of a dpchallenge, a Candid will need to be in Black and White if you aspire to a Top Ten placing.
.
.
.

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek now. ;-Þ


That's what I thought too..until I looked at this!!!

Candid III


Thanks for digging this out Judi, I was looking but you beat me to it.

Rich
 06/04/2007 09:02:12 AM · #10
Well, I'm glad you asked! Every other candid challenge we've had has featured LOTS of stuff that I would not personally consider to be candid. Therefore, I proudly present:

THE OFFICIAL ALAN FREED GUIDE TO WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT A CANDID SHOT, KEEPING IN MIND THAT I VOTE WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO FLAME ME IF YOU PLEASE

A candid shot, for the purpose of this authoritative instruction manual, is a shot of a person, unaware that they're being photographed, going about their daily routine in such a way that they would not expect that they were being photographed.

Therefore, the following items do NOT qualify as being candid:

1. People who are looking straight at the camera, and are posing for it. Seems obvious enough, but every other Candid challenge has featured several of these.

2. Young children. Yeah, sure they don't know they're being photographed, but they also don't know they shouldn't be eating paste. This is a cop-out. Step out of the comfort zone, dudes!

3. Pets. Similar to photographing young children. Pets have no clue what a camera is. ANY shot of a pet is, by nature "candid," because they don't know any better. Simply put, if the subject is incapable of posing, they can't be the subject of a "candid" shot. And if you're one of these people who believes your pet is capable of posing and knows that it's being photographed, well... I'll give you the names of a few good therapists.

4. Performers. This covers anyone who is on a stage, or playing a sport. They all have some degree of expectation that they could be photographed while doing these things. Again, get out of the comfort zone, dude!

5. This should be obvious, but inanimate objects are NOT possibly the subjects of a candid photo! One previous challenge featured a "candid" shot of a set of pottery for heaven's sake! Oh, and let's not forget a couple "candid" shots of the moon that have crept in there, too.

6. People who are asleep, in a coma, or otherwise incapacitated. 'Nuff said.

Off the top of my head, those are the things that drive me to the point of insanity when voting on these challenges. I purposely didn't read the rest of this thread before posting these, so I apologize if it appears that I'm taking stuff that others have already said.

Flame on! :)

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 10:40:59.
 06/04/2007 09:09:48 AM · #11
If I may,...I would like to define the term "Candid" with just a bit of whimsy.

Let us remember that the term, CANDID, is the past tense of the term, CAN-DO. As photographer we believe in getting the photo whenever, wherever, however, if-ever it presents itself. This, of course, puts us in some precarious, and often DANGEROUS positions trading our Indiana Jones whip for a camera "over-the-shoulder."

Anyway, the male heart has been "wired" to look at danger as wonderful...adding thrill to the ride!

Excuse me! Gotta go! Some thrilling CANDID photos are waiting for me, and I will never capture the CANDIDs without a CAN-DO attitude! :)
06/04/2007 09:43:31 AM · #12
Grown men building sand castles?


06/04/2007 09:47:19 AM · #13
Originally posted by alanfreed:
...
1. People who are looking straight at the camera. Seems obvious enough, but every other Candid challenge has featured several of these.
...


What if person just noticed the camera and you snap a photo right at that time. They were not posed nor had time to adjust. I think point #1 is not entirely true.

Nick
 06/04/2007 09:51:50 AM · #14
Good list, Alan, I agree especially about the pets and inanimate objects. Children less so but still I agree it's a bit of a cop out. However, I think the subject can be looking at the camera and even have some warning they are being photographed, as long as the set-up and feel remain spontaneous.
 06/04/2007 09:59:17 AM · #15
No flame here, but I do have to disagree with your first point:

Originally posted by alanfreed:

Therefore, the following items do NOT qualify as being candid:

1. People who are looking straight at the camera. Seems obvious enough, but every other Candid challenge has featured several of these.

Flame on! :)


A person can be looking directly at the camera or not even be looking directly at the camera, yet appear to be looking directly at it, as the image is taken.

As an example an image of a mother and daughter walking down the street when the child turns around and looks right at you as you press the shutter. Someone is looking into the camera, yet it is definitely a candid moment and photograph.
 06/04/2007 10:03:29 AM · #16
Originally posted by tooohip:
No flame here, but I do have to disagree with your first point


Fair enough... I'm editing it to be more clear about what I meant... :)
 06/04/2007 10:06:06 AM · #17
Originally posted by Hot_Pixel:
Originally posted by Judi:
Originally posted by Pug-H:
For the purposes of a dpchallenge, a Candid will need to be in Black and White if you aspire to a Top Ten placing.
.
.
.

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek now. ;-Þ


That's what I thought too..until I looked at this!!!

Candid III


Thanks for digging this out Judi, I was looking but you beat me to it.

Rich


Check out the DQ'd images. Last image on the page is by someone busted ofr trying to alter the point totals.
 06/04/2007 10:29:31 AM · #18
Hreat post, Alan.

I agree with all of it other than the first point, as a few others have said. I think it can also be candid even when someone notices you shooting. They're still not posed, and you're really capturing their at-that-moment reaction:

06/04/2007 10:41:53 AM · #19
Originally posted by levyj413:
I agree with all of it other than the first point, as a few others have said.


Yes... I already edited that part of my post to clarify what I was really targeting there. This is the kind of shot I was talking about... (not to pick on these particular photographers... these were just the first ones that caught my eye as I looked through Candid III... and neither photographer has been on the site for several months anyway...):



Clearly a couple of dudes looking and waving at the camera does not make it a candid, IMO... ditto with a kid looking straight at the camera and smiling for it.

I also just added a #6 to my list :)

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 10:50:26.
 06/04/2007 10:54:22 AM · #20
LOL at #6, although I believe there might be a few of those with me as the model floating around from my college days... ;-)
 06/04/2007 10:57:09 AM · #21
I'm going to shoot a candid sunset. ;)
 06/04/2007 10:58:04 AM · #22
Originally posted by idnic:
I'm going to shoot a candid sunset. ;)


It'll never expect it :-)
 06/04/2007 11:05:10 AM · #23


More Of My Candid's
 06/04/2007 11:34:16 AM · #24
Have a friend ask people on the street what their definition of Candid is. Stand at a distance and take photos while they're talking. Mission accomplished!
 06/04/2007 11:47:46 AM · #25
Originally posted by scalvert:
Have a friend ask people on the street what their definition of Candid is. Stand at a distance and take photos while they're talking. Mission accomplished!


Problem with that approach where I live is, their definition of candid will probably be a punch to the face, a knife to the throat or a gun to the face, saying "Candid? I'll show you candid you $#%@ $%$#@!%!!, now give me all your money $%#@!"

;-)

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 11:49:20.
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