Lifestyle & Family

What is lifestyle photography?

 
Lifestyle photography can be defined as a style of portrait photography that seeks to portray real events artistically.

Unlike documentary photography, which captures real events as they happen, lifestyle photography is part-planned and part-candid.

Unlike candid or documentary photography where your role is to observe and shoot without interfering or directing, lifestyle photographers can—and should—give their subjects direction. For example, don’t simply put a family in their living room and wait for them to do something interesting. Instead, suggest they play with the family dog or tell their favorite jokes.

Instead of asking a mom to hold her toddler in the park and waiting for a photo-worthy moment, suggest they try going down a slide together or play hide-and-seek among the trees. If a new couple wants photos in their first home together, don’t pose them smiling at the front door. Instead, let them start unpacking and capture the genuine moments that happen naturally.

For example, I may ask a mom to pick up her daughter and give her a kiss on the cheek; this is something they would do if I wasn’t there. As a photographer I make sure that they are standing in the light or with a backdrop that is flattering. Whatever happens as they interact, is real. Any giggles or any smiles, are 100% real.

If you are interested in booking a lifestyle family session click on the button below to contact me!

What I do:

1. Always stay true to life, by photographing situations that could have happened organically.
2. Suggest starting points (games, situations) and let the magic happen!
3. Help families find photogenic clothes, while staying true to what they really wear everyday. They have everything they need in their closet!
4. Choose the best rooms/places in a client’s home (or on location if we are shooting outdoors) to control the light and get professional looking images.

What I don’t do:

1. Pose my subjects (I will never say: please bend your head that way).
2. Give shopping advice. I want them to wear what is already in their wardrobe, not something that will make them say 10 years from now: “Oh look, this is the dress I had bought for the photo session!” I want them to be able to say: “Haha! I can’t believe we were actually wearing this 10 years ago!”. This is what lifestyle memories are for!
3. Ask them to look at me or smile on demand. I want them to interact with each other. If they happen to look at the camera, it’s because I was interacting with them and said something funny, not because I asked them to do so.
4. Bring props. The only props that are allowed in the frame are those that are already in the family’s everyday environment, like a child’s favorite toy. I will sometimes use soap bubbles or balloons because they are naturally part of childhood, but to be honest, I really prefer a session without any prop, to fully focus on the emotion.