candids
Spontaneous photo captures
Candids are photographs taken without the subject's awareness or posed preparation—capturing people in natural, unguarded moments.
The term is common in photography and celebrity coverage: The paparazzi got some great candids of her leaving the restaurant.
At events like weddings, candids contrast with formal posed shots.
Informal photograph taken quickly
- unstagedNot theatrically presented
- unposedNot artificially arranged
- street photographyUnposed images of public life
- paparazziAggressive celebrity photographers
decisive moment · slice-of-life · behind-the-scenes · action shot · fleeting moment · raw · unfiltered · documentary style
Without advance preparation
- unrehearsedNot practiced beforehand
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- off-the-cuffUnplanned, unrehearsed
- spur-of-the-momentDone without advance planning
unprompted · unscripted · serendipitous · uncontrived · instinctive · unexpected · casual · informal
Truly what it claims
- unfeignedAuthentically felt, not pretended
- realTruly existing, not fake
- truthfulAccurate and sincere
- sincereGenuinely felt, not feigned
unpretentious · guileless · unguarded · honest · transparent · heartfelt · unaffected · unselfconscious
snapshot
Informal photograph taken quickly
- unstagedNot theatrically presented
- unposedNot artificially arranged
- street photographyUnposed images of public life
paparazzi · decisive moment · slice-of-life · behind-the-scenes · action shot · fleeting moment · raw · unfiltered · documentary style · photojournalism
impromptu
Without advance preparation
- unrehearsedNot practiced beforehand
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- off-the-cuffUnplanned, unrehearsed
spur-of-the-moment · unprompted · unscripted · serendipitous · uncontrived · instinctive · unexpected · casual · informal · impulsive
genuine
Truly what it claims
sincere · unpretentious · guileless · unguarded · honest · transparent · heartfelt · unaffected · unselfconscious · natural
- photosphotograph, photos, photo, snapshot, picture
- filming and photographingphotography, cinematography, videography, camera work, film production
- childhood photoschild portraits, portraits, family albums, childhood nostalgia, nostalgia
- photo collectionsphotographs, photo album, photo galleries, snapshots, digital images
- candid photographysnapshots, caught off guard, stolen moments, decisive moment, reaction shots
- photo albumsphoto albums, photo album, family albums, family album, scrapbooks
candidsportraits
Images of specific people
studio shots · headshots · staged photos · family portraits · fashion photography
candidsposed shots
Arranged photographs, not candid
portraits · selfies · photo ops · red carpet photos · mugshots
- candid portraitsUnposed photographs of people
- candid cameraUnobtrusive recording device
- candid moment
- candid shotsUnposed, natural photographs
- candid photographyUnposed, natural image-making