As I mentioned earlier this weekend, I got to spend a little time with one of the coolest families I know recently. You can read more about it (and see a few pictures) by visiting Under the Sycamore, written by my friend Ashley Ann.

Chris and Ashley – thank you so much for letting me spend some time with your family. I had a blast! :)

The photographs I cherish the most are the ones that capture emotion, that freeze a moment in time and that catch the people I love being natural and living.  I’ve never been a fan of posed photography.  To me, photography is a tool that helps tell a story.  I want to capture my subjects in a way that relates to the story I’m trying to tell.  The “Sears Portrait Smile” is the opposite of that.

With my family, everyone has pretty much learned to ignore the fact that I walk around with a huge camera in front of my face.  (In fact, my son is so used to the camera that, when we stopped in at one of Ashley Ann’s SnapShops, he was completely comfortable having 15 cameras in his face at all times.)  But, when I was first getting more serious about photography, the first reaction when I was shooting was for my subject to stop, pose and smile.  There are times when that’s perfect (who doesn’t love a toddler smile?) but there are also times where that pose isn’t the story I want to remember.  So, in those early days, I had to become a photography ninja – I had to be quiet, to stay out of view of my subject and then – BAMMO – pop in, get my shot and get out.

So, part of capturing candid moments is all about being invisible, or unseen, by the subject.

Another tip is to just be honest with your subject.  On shoots with my client, I obviously can’t hide and make the subject unaware that I’m photographing them.  Because of that, I have to give instructions to my subject to capture the moments I need to.  This is a habit I’ve taken into my personal photography as well.  You’ll hear me say “ignore the camera!”, “don’t look at the camera!”, “act like I’m not here” or “act like the camera lens is a laser and, if you look directly into it, your brains will be fried”.  I’ll also ask for certain things, like to change the subject’s position, angle of the head, prop placement, etc.

As an example, here is a photograph of Grandpa Smith, one of my extended family of grandparents:

Technically, there are imperfections with this picture.  There are things that I could have done better and it could have been more crisp.  But, with my own family especially, I’m willing to accept the compromise of catching candid moments over technically superior photos.  I want to capture the people I love, in the moments I want to remember, over having a posed, perfectly-sharp photograph.

When I look at this photo, I will remember a Grandfather’s pride as he watched his great grandson playing in the yard.  I’ll remember what a hard-working cowboy he is, his soft nature and how much fun we had spending time on the ranch (a moment I wanted to capture because Grandpa and Grandma are moving away from the ranch soon).

To me, this photo is perfect.  And it’s perfect because it captures who he is and what he was feeling the moment.  That was possible because, in this situation, Grandpa wasn’t aware that I was pointing my lens at him.  He was just being and not posing.

And Ariel: please stop growing up.  You’re making me feel way too old.  KTHANKS.  :)