Candid/street photography captures spontaneous moments that are genuine and not pre-planned. It is important that you ensure you do not interrupt a candid moment by taking photos as that may make the authenticity of the moment become tampered with or lost completely.
The first known street photo was taken in 1826 by Joseph Nicephore Niepce. This image was of a Parisian Street scene. However, the definition of street photography has changed since this first image was taken. The meaning of street photos in the Edwardian times used to be a photographer who would take portraits on the street for a small fee. After the war, cameras became a lot more affordable for people and therefore photography became a lot more popular.
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) is a French man that is now known as one of the most famous street photographers from the 20th Century, and built a name for himself by taking “decisive” moments and helping to make street photography what it is today. Many know Henry as being the “master of candid photography” as he is referred to on a number of websites. Henri’s most famous images come from his shots in post-war Europe, Asia and America.
Saul Leiter is another well-known street photographer who was born in America in 1923 and died in 2013. He began taking all his shots in black and white, however then moved to taking coloured shots. The majority of his photos were taken in the city and he aimed to capture the cities feel for others to see.
Fan Ho (1931-2016) was a Hong Kong street photographer that would capture the lives of children and workers down different streets. His photos show the beauty of how light and shadows can increase the beauty of an image take it to that next level.
Nimit Nigam – Sneak Peek
Saul Leiter – Red Umbrella
Fabio Boer – Alone Together
The images above show some popular examples of street photojournalism over the years. All of these images are candid images that have captured genuine moments.
Although candid and street photos allow pure moments to be captured, it can be a difficult form of photography for those who are both inexperienced and experienced. Candid photography is about being in the right place at the right time and being completely prepared. Genuine moments pass quickly so it is important to always be ready. A lot of people can become conscious of the camera and change their behaviour.
After research, I have realised a lot of candid photos are published in black and white. This is to remove any distraction the colour from a background may cause. It also allows light and shadows to be more visible and can set the tone of an image.
Photographic Journalism 
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