By Ian Middleton · Travel & landscape photographer
Someone notices your camera and looks straight at the lens. The expression you wanted to photograph is gone. A remote control app lets you frame and trigger a shot without raising the camera to your eye, which can make it easier to capture people going about their day.
With Shutter+, you can place the camera on a low wall or carry it at hip height, then use your phone or Apple Watch to compose and shoot. It takes practice to time a shot this way, and you still need to respect anyone who doesn’t want to be photographed.
Raising a camera to your eye makes it clear you’re taking a photo. Someone who notices may pose, turn away, or stop what they were doing.
A camera on a low tripod, a café table, or a strap at hip height can attract less attention. Remote control lets you leave it in position while you check the frame on your phone.
Shutter+ sends the camera’s live view to your iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi. You can tap to focus, adjust aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and release the shutter. Set the camera on a bag or low wall, check the frame on your phone, and wait for the shot.
The Shutter+ Apple Watch app provides a live viewfinder and controls for the shutter, video recording, and exposure. You can check the composition and take a photo from your wrist.
The camera creates its own Wi-Fi network, so you don’t need internet access. Expect a range of around 10–30 metres (30–100 feet) in open areas, with less range through walls, crowds, and other obstacles. Check the connection from your chosen position before you start shooting.
Picking up the camera to review every shot can draw attention and disturb your framing. Shutter+‘s thumbnail preview and full-screen review let you check exposure and composition on your phone while leaving the camera in place.
Pre-focus on a spot you expect someone to walk through, such as a doorway or the edge of a patch of light. An aperture of f/5.6–f/8 gives you some depth of field around that point, reducing the need to refocus as someone enters the frame. Use tap to focus in Shutter+ to set the focus before you start shooting.
Rest the camera securely on a tripod, beanbag, wall, or bag, aimed at a spot with good light or an interesting backdrop. Move a few metres away and check the composition from your phone. Keep the camera in sight.
Carry the camera on a strap at chest or hip height. Glance at your phone or watch to check the framing, then trigger the shot as your subject enters it. Keeping the camera level takes practice, especially while walking.
A laugh or gesture can last a fraction of a second. Use Shutter+ to switch your camera’s drive mode to continuous shooting and take a short burst as the moment unfolds. Review the frames on your phone, then switch back to single shot when you’re done.
A small camera with a short lens is less conspicuous than a large body with a long lens. Options include the Fujifilm X100V and X100VI, Sony RX100 and a6-series cameras, and smaller Canon bodies such as the EOS R8, R10, and RP. Check your model in the supported cameras list before planning to use it with Shutter+.
Download the Shutter+ app for your camera brand: Canon, Sony, or Fujifilm.
Start with these settings, then adjust for the light and how quickly your subjects are moving:
Aperture: f/5.6–f/8 gives you more depth of field for zone focusing. Wider apertures such as f/1.4–f/2.8 help in low light and isolate a subject, but require more precise focus.
Shutter speed: Start at 1/250s for people walking, or 1/500s and faster for cyclists and runners. Check for motion blur and adjust as needed.
ISO: Auto ISO lets exposure adjust as you move between sunlight and shade. Try a ceiling of ISO 3200–6400, depending on how much noise you accept from your camera.
Drive mode: Use single shot for planned compositions and continuous shooting for brief expressions or gestures.
You can adjust these settings through Shutter+ as the light changes.
Consider how someone might feel about the photo as well as whether you’re allowed to take it.
Laws vary by country, and this isn’t legal advice. Taking a photo, publishing it, and using it in advertising can each have different consent requirements. Check the rules where you’re shooting and for your intended use before photographing strangers.
When photographing people in public:
Check the location’s rules. Shopping centres, museums, stations, and some plazas have their own photography restrictions. Look for signs and stop if staff ask you to.
If someone objects, stop. Respect the request even if you believe you are allowed to keep shooting.
Consider the person’s situation. Avoid intruding on grief, medical emergencies, or other moments of distress.
Respect privacy. Don’t follow someone, repeatedly photograph them against their wishes, or shoot through windows into private spaces.
Ask a parent or guardian before photographing a child as an identifiable subject, and before publishing the photo. We recommend this as a personal rule even where local law doesn’t require it. A child who is incidental and unidentifiable in a wider scene is a different case.
Where local rules allow you to take a candid photo first, you can approach the person afterwards, show them the image, and ask whether they’re comfortable with you keeping or sharing it. Accept a refusal. They may also be happy to stay for a portrait.
Permission to take a photo doesn’t necessarily cover publishing it or using it in an advert. Think about how you plan to use the image before you shoot.
The distinctions below are general guidance. Consent requirements depend on the country and the intended use.
Editorial uses include news reporting and documentary work. Personal blogs, books, exhibitions, and artistic commentary can also have different requirements from advertising. Check the applicable rules before assuming that a particular use is permitted without consent.
Advertising uses a photo to promote a product, service, or brand. A recognisable person’s appearance in an advert can suggest that they endorse it. Get a model release that covers the planned use.
Selling a fine-art print and licensing the same image for a clothing campaign are different uses. If you’re unsure what permission you need, check with the client or stock platform, or ask a lawyer familiar with the relevant law.
Check the whole frame for recognisable people. Someone in the background may still need to provide a model release for advertising use.
Don’t assume that a small face in a crowd is anonymous. Review the image at full size before deciding which people are identifiable.
If you plan to license a photo for advertising, arrange a signed model release when you take it. Where taking the photo first is permitted, you can approach the person afterwards to discuss the intended use.
A basic model release should cover:
The subject’s name and, ideally, contact details
The uses the subject agrees to, including any specific campaign or licensing arrangement
Whether any payment or compensation is involved
The date, and both your signature and theirs
Photography associations and stock platforms provide release templates. Keep a blank copy on your phone if you regularly shoot for commercial use, and check that it meets the client’s requirements. Getting a release later can be difficult if you have no way to contact the person.
The connection drops in crowded areas. Nearby wireless devices can interfere with the connection. Move closer to the camera or check the connection troubleshooting guide for model-specific fixes.
Live view feels laggy in low light. The camera’s live view frame rate can drop in dim conditions. See the live view lag guide for possible fixes.
People still notice the camera. A tripod aimed at a busy spot can attract attention even when you are standing elsewhere. Try carrying the camera at hip height. If someone objects, stop photographing them.
It depends on where you’re shooting and how you use the photos. Check local rules on photographing people, publishing their images, and using them in advertising.
Requirements depend on the location and intended use. Get a release for advertising use, and check the rules for any editorial or personal use you have planned.
Ask a parent or guardian before photographing a child as an identifiable subject. We recommend following this practice even where it isn’t legally required.
A small, quiet camera is easier to carry discreetly. Options include the Fujifilm X100V and X100VI, Sony RX100 and a6-series bodies, and smaller Canon EOS R-series bodies. Check the supported cameras list for your model.
Typically 10–30 metres (30–100 feet) in open areas, since the connection uses Wi-Fi Direct between your phone and camera. Walls, crowds, and obstacles will reduce this range.
A remote changes how you operate the camera. You still choose the composition and timing, and people may carry on more naturally when you aren’t holding a camera to your eye.
Our recommendation is to delete it and respect the person’s wishes, even if local law doesn’t require you to.
Start with f/5.6–f/8, pre-focus on the area you want to photograph, and use a shutter speed of at least 1/250s with Auto ISO. Adjust after checking your first few frames.
Photographing Wildlife — 7 Ways a Remote Control App Helps: positioning and triggering a camera near wildlife.
How to Take Solo Travel Photos of Yourself (Without Asking a Stranger): framing and taking photos with yourself in the scene.
Supported Cameras: compatible models and available features.