When you look through my website or read about the photography experience with Memories by Candace, you’ll probably notice two very different kinds of photos.
There are the timeless portraits where everyone is looking at the camera, smiling, and somehow all the kids are looking in the same direction at the exact same time.
And then there are the moments.
The laughs. The movement. The little looks between people. The photos that feel like something was happening instead of everyone simply posing for a picture.
So when it comes to posed vs. candid photos, which one is better?
Honestly, I don’t think you should have to choose.
During my sessions, I strive to capture both because they tell two completely different parts of your story.
Think of timeless photos as your more traditional portraits.
These are the posed photos where you’re looking at the camera. They’re the family photo your parents want a copy of, the portrait that goes on Grandma’s wall, or the one where everyone is actually looking and smiling at the same time.
And despite how much I love candid moments, I still think these photos matter.
There’s something special about having that beautiful portrait of everyone together, especially as the years go by and you realize just how quickly everyone changes.
But posed doesn’t have to mean stiff or uncomfortable.
Part of my job as your photographer is making sure you’re not standing there wondering what to do with your hands or whether you’re supposed to smile yet. I’ll guide you through it so even the more traditional portraits still feel relaxed and like you.
Then we have the moments.
These are the candid-looking photos. But does that mean I just stand back with my camera and hope something cute happens?
Nope.
A big part of my job as a photographer is helping create those moments and bringing out the connection that’s already there.
You already love these people. You already have your own relationships, inside jokes, personalities, and ways of interacting with each other.
I’m simply giving you prompts, movement, and direction that help bring those things out naturally.
Maybe your partner whispers something in your ear that makes you genuinely laugh.
Maybe your kids are running around being exactly who they are at this age.
Maybe everyone forgets about my camera for a minute.
Those are often the photos you look back on and remember how something actually felt.
And those are the moments I love.
These are also the types of photos where I tend to see dads and men start having a little more fun during our time together.
Standing still and smiling at a camera isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. Give them something to do, though, and suddenly things feel a lot easier.
The same is true for little ones.
Kids usually aren’t interested in standing perfectly still while every adult begs them to smile. Let them play, move around, interact with their parents, and have a little fun, and we’re much more likely to get those genuine expressions everyone actually wants.
That’s one of the reasons I use both posed portraits and candid moments throughout a session.
With Memories by Candace, my goal isn’t to give you a gallery filled entirely with everyone looking at the camera.
But I also don’t want you to finish your session and realize we never got that beautiful portrait of everyone together.
I want you to have both.
The timeless portrait you put on the wall.
The candid photo that makes you laugh every time you walk past it.
The photo Grandma wants.
And the one that makes you remember exactly what your kids were like at this age.
Because being a photographer is about a lot more than being a “picture taker.”
It’s documenting your story. It’s helping you see yourself and the people you love through someone else’s eyes. And sometimes it’s creating just enough space for a real moment to happen in front of my lens.
That’s what I want you to walk away with.
Not just pretty pictures.
Your people. Your personalities. Your moments.
