As long as a person is in public view, you do not need permission to take someone's picture. However, if you intend to publish the picture later on, then you would need the subject's release.
I have done candid shots with and without the subject's awareness of the camera. The result of one approach is not necessarily "superior" than the other, only different. When speaking of "candids", there is widely held misconception that to be successful, the photographer must make certain the subject is not aware of your presence. Otherwise, the shot is ruined. That is not the case. The appeal of candids is the natural, genuine, expressions, as opposed to one that is posed, rehearsed, or manufactured from the subject. I contend that that it IS possible to capture a candid moment, even when the subject knows you are watching him/her. It is a matter of HOW to make the person feel comfortable around you, so that he/she feels safe to express openly and eventually forget that you are even there. The key is to be able to gain someone's trust. Yes, there are various techniques you can use to shoot someone without their knowledge- anything from using a telephoto lense, shooting blind from the hip, and so on. However, they have their advantages and limitations. In my opinion, the most impactful shots are the ones that are usually up close and personal and are shot at relatively close distances with short to medium length lenses.
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