What is Lifestyle Family Photography {And why do we love it}?

Earlier this year I participated in Shoot and Share’s annual photo contest. It was amazing! 583,150 photos were submitted from around the world! There were several categories including: wedding, engagement, families, children, animals, landscapes, and more. As we voted we were allowed to save some of our favorites to view later and be inspired. As I looked over the hundreds of photos I saved as favorites I noticed a common theme: none of the subjects were looking at the camera. For whatever reason, my eye was drawn to photos of people being captured in the moment. I started researching lifestyle photography and taking classes and as I’ve studied I think I may have figured out what makes this style so appealing.

We all carry a camera around with us in our back pockets. If I hand a four year old my phone and ask him to take a picture of me, chances are he’ll do a decent job of getting a picture of me looking at the camera and smiling. My personal Instagram account consists mainly of my family of five standing in front of something and smiling. We can do this in our sleep. A perfectly posed family shot used to be a unique photograph, but not anymore. Do you know what IS unique? A picture of your family snuggling together out on a picnic blanket. Or a picture of your family laughing while making cookies at home. Or pictures of your family playing a pickup game of baseball. These are moments that remind you how much you love your family, but you can’t always capture it on your own.

That’s where I come in! I will help you prepare for and plan a lifestyle session that expresses who you are as a family and what it feels like when you’re together. While lifestyle photography may look completely candid, in truth it requires a little strategy. I’ll guide and direct you during our session and give you opportunities to share “moments”.

This family loves hiking together in the mountains of Arizona so we met at Lost Dutchman State Park for a lifestyle session near the Superstition Mountains. After this beautiful mother saw just ONE of these portraits she said,

“Gosh! {Swoon} You’re a wonderful photographer; capturing moments I didn’t know we had as a family. Thank you so so much! I’m so happy!”

I love taking family portraits and even during lifestyle sessions I promise to get the “money shot” of everyone looking at the camera and smiling, but my aim is to capture not just how your family looks at this moment in time, but how it feels when you’re together. That’s the gift I hope to give each and every one of my clients with my new lifestyle portrait sessions.