SMILE - YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA.

Here's a great idea for an interesting self assignment. Go out and shoot some candid shots of people. This type of photography entails your being able to catch your subject unawares. This does not necessarily mean that the subject will be unaware of your presence as a photographer. For instance, on my recent trip to Northern Thailand, I was attempting to photograph a Buddhist monk at a temple complex. I asked the monk, who was conversing with another member of our photo group, if I could photograph him. My initial shot was a throwaway. The monk was posing and there were distracting elements in the background. However, I then moved around the monk until I saw him positioned perfectly and unaware that I was about to photograph him. I shot quickly and obtained a much more impressive result than I had with my first shot. It's not easy to shoot in this manner. However, the results can be quite impressive. The secret is to literally stalk your subject. Try it. You might be surprised by your results. Larry Elkins elkinsphotos.com