“Candid” means sincere, open, and unprejudiced. A candid (unposed) picture is a glimpse of a life in action, a millisecond of energy and reality captured by a camera. This authenticity is what Candid Magazine tries to encapsulate: real teenagers at their best in their natural environments.

Candid Magazine was created by four Westwood juniors—Lisa Gu, Amber Makhani, Helen Wang, and Kae Wang—in the summer of 2006. The magazine features both educational and entertaining information relevant to college-bound Austin high school students presented in a quality, yet appealing manner. Candid is the first Austin magazine specifically for teenagers. In the summer of 2008, it was passed down to juniors Amulya Aradhyula, Alyssa Makhani, and Bella Wu.

The first issue costed $5000 for 5000 copies. It is full-color, 32-pages, printed by CSI Publishing. With the help of local businesses, friends, and family, the editors raised the money to print the magazine. The editors want it to be free because teens are often financially limited, and the Candid staff does not want to reduce their potential audience for any reason. This magazine is completely a service to the community.

The second and third issues of Candid Magazine brought many changes in the form of an expanded staff of teens from all over Austin.

For the fourth issue (Fall 2008), 2500 copies will be printed and distributed throughout Austin. The editors hope that the magazine will eventually completely transcend the boundaries of schools and districts.