thanks. just trying to get the gist to get better.
That's why we're all here!
Critiques are difficult for all of us. This is an art form, so our photos tend to be personal to us and sometimes it can hurt to have others pick apart our work. On the other hand, that's how we grow and become better.
You're here on this forum because you want to be a photographer on some level. Maybe you have no desire to "turn pro", and that's perfectly fine. Maybe you simply just want to take better photographs. Somewhere along the line, you made the choice to take this thing a bit more seriously than the Average Joe with a camera. You've made that distinction in your head and with the equipment you use, now that just needs to translate into producing better photos. Here's the trick with candid shots:
It's all about composition and timing. Candid photos are by and large the most memorable genre of photography. Yes, a stunning landscape or sunset can be appreciated for their natural beauty. But great photos of people are far more likely to get attention. Human beings are extremely vain creatures. We all love showing off photos of our kids and even the most photo shy people will snag up a good photo of themselves for a Facebook profile picture.
Everyone is unique. We all have our own personality, facial features, and quirks. I would argue that the best books about candid/street photography have nothing to do with photography at all. They're about the
human condition. If you're a photographer on an level, you have something inside you that allows you to see things in a different way. You can spot "interesting" people out of a crowd. Maybe it's a heavily wrinkled old man with a twinkle in his eye, a 4 year old with a mohawk, or someone whose fashion sense doesn't blend in with the rest of society.
Whatever catches your eye, you have to train yourself to study your subject for a few moments and wait for the right time to press the shutter button. You have to capture the essence of someone's personality in a frame so that we can all see it plain as day. Kids are easy, because they wear their personalities on their sleeves. But the key is to separate yourself from the point-and-shooters by being more patient.