Unscripted Moments: A Candid Photography Experiment

Recently, I bought myself a new phone—hence the photography rampage in my blog, snaps, and Waves activities. 😅 I didn’t mention it before, but I’ve been receiving comments asking whether I took my photos using a specific camera or if I used a phone. So, it seems the phone I got is capable of producing something worth noticing, which makes me feel relieved that my purchase actually made a difference in the quality of the photos I post here on Hive.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to stop gatekeeping the phone I’ve been using and share some of my recent captures that showcase candid photography.

I’m using the Oppo Reno 13, the basic version. There’s a Pro version with better specs, but I figured I could save a few hundred by going with the standard model. To be honest, I hadn’t planned on buying a new phone this early in the year—it just so happened that my old iPhone was already failing. I didn’t want to risk reaching a point where I couldn’t back up my data to a new phone, so I decided to get one now and start transferring everything as a precautionary measure.

I’m still learning the photography techniques that best suit this phone, so I’m getting the hang of it bit by bit. While using a phone as a camera is generally easier to handle, I still need more practice, especially when it comes to composition and stability. Many of my photos don’t have perfect alignment or are slightly skewed. I could transfer them to my laptop and fix them in Lightroom, but that feels like a waste of time—especially when editing a large batch of photos. My goal is to capture images in a way that requires minimal editing because it’s inefficient to take a ton of pictures, knowing I’ll have to spend hours fixing them later. If I’m too lazy to edit by the time I’m writing a post, I’d rather just get the shot right from the start.

Speaking of capturing photos, one of the most challenging photography styles for me is candid photography. Unlike staged shots, candid photography is all about capturing spontaneous moments—where neither the photographer nor the subject is prepared for the shot. The subject is unposed, uninstructed, and unaware of the camera, making the captured moment feel raw and authentic. It’s about preserving life as it happens in a fleeting instant, with no expectations of the outcome—or at least, that’s how I feel whenever I take candid photos like the ones I’m about to share with you.

I’m curious—what do you usually do when you're riding the MRT or any other form of public transit? For me, I’m usually in my own zone, casually observing the people around me in the cabin. 🤣 And honestly, it’s a relief to know that most of us are doing the same.

I realized this when I started paying closer attention to people during my commutes. To my surprise, taking candid photos in such a crowded, tight space is actually much easier than I expected. At first, I thought it would be intimidating—after all, people are literally rubbing elbows with each other. I assumed I’d get caught snapping photos, but the opposite happened. People are so absorbed in their own world that they barely notice what’s happening around them.

It still blows my mind how little attention people pay to their surroundings inside the transit cabin. And with that, let me show you some of the candid photos I captured during my commute.

Have you ever noticed that whenever you're walking down the street or in a mall, there’s always someone in front of you? I feel like no matter where I go, there’s always someone ahead of me. But I don’t see it as a bad thing.

In fact, I decided to experiment by taking photos of people walking ahead of me—whether I was on foot, riding the escalator, or waiting for the green light. Some of the shots turned out pretty interesting, at least in my opinion. But I’d love to know what you think! 😂

For the final part of my candid photography session, I experimented with capturing silhouettes and half-silhouettes to see what kind of results this phone could produce. I took the shots in a dimly lit space, and to my surprise, the images turned out better than I expected. They weren’t as noisy as I thought they would be, and the overall quality was quite impressive.

Considering that this is just the standard model, I’m even more curious about what the Pro version is capable of. Anyway, here are a few of the shots I took!

Photography is all about experimenting and discovering new perspectives, and this candid session reminded me how even everyday moments can turn into compelling shots. Whether it’s silhouettes, people lost in thought, or the simple act of movement, there’s always something interesting to capture. I’m excited to keep exploring and refining my technique—who knows what unexpected moments I’ll capture next?