Candid shots are often better

To photograph people in an “action” shot takes a lot of timing and not a little bit of luck. Almost nobody appreciates being caught by the flash of the camera in the middle of doing something, like in this case with Jane Ann Krentz making a personal connection to a fan:

However, those usually end up being the best photographs.

My problem is, I’ll come up and see something and quickly take a shot before noticing the camera is trying to focusing in on something completely different. Here, the background is in focus while I was trying to capture the joy on the fan’s face, here with Susan Elizabeth Phillips:

I mean, getting the author herself is great, but a lot of times they’ll quickly yank off their glasses and straighten up and look their best, sure.

Here’s Tracy Anne Warren, before she went on to win a RITA for BEST FIRST BOOK

And Tracy does look good here. Good smile. And congrats, Tracy!

But many times I wish I could get a picture that’s the author being “an author connecting with fans” and I’ll prefer that picture over more posed shots.

Here’s Jamie Sobrato, relaxed.

Kimberley Raye looking at the camera

And then Kimberley with husband Kurt

It just looks better when something is in the picture to mix things up.

More on this later, I think. I have more photos I’ll share, including one where I think the black swan was eyeing me funny.