If you're like me, the only professional photos taken of your family growing up were the likes of Olan Mills Studio. Your family would march in all glammed up and be told to stand next to each other. Maybe one of your parents' hands would be guided to rest on your shoulder. You'd be told to smile, and poof, you'd receive a package of photos of just one nice stiff family pose. Ok, maybe it would be a package of three nice poses, one of all of you, one of just the parents, and one of the siblings.
AMIRITE??
Lifestyle photography is the antithesis of old school family portraits.
Wikipedia defines lifestyle photography as “a kind of photography that mainly aims to capture portrait/people in situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday.”
To me, it's style of photography that captures a mood. A feeling.
Photos have the potential to be so much more than two dimensional images. Lifestyle photography helps them be just that.
Whether tenderness, love, joy, sadness...it’s raw emotion I am seeking. I want your photographs to tell a story.
Sure, there is a place for more traditional/posed photos. And yes, I do aim for some "everyone look at the camera and smile" portraits during each session. But the majority of the session is just letting your family be. Letting your family play. Letting your family connect.
A family lifestyle session with me will mean:
Laughing
Rolling on the grass (or on a blanket if you prefer!)
Allowing you and your children to be who they are
Going with the flow
Taking a walk
Taking snack breaks when needed
Encouraging wonder and imagination
Capturing the big picture and the tiny details
Basically, whatever your family unit needs to be its authentic self during the photo shoot, is what we do. Since this isn't pure documentary photography, as the photographer, I will help give some guidance and direction by the way of prompts such as games and asking fun questions to spark connection.
Because we are telling a story during your session, I deliver a large amount of photos (digital) as an all-inclusive package. I want you to have a gallery full of a wide array of images, and I don't want you to have to choose which to keep.
Yes, lifestyle photography is a break from the traditional. It might seem different. You might see tears or runny noses in your photo gallery. I include those images because they are a part of the story. They are part of the snapshot at this time in your life.
So - is lifestyle photography the right style for your family?
Here’s what I would ask you to consider when deciding:
When looking back at your family photos 20 years from now, do you want to remember the giggles, the love, the movement, the connection?
If the answer is yes, you're in the right place. Get ready, it's going to be fun!
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