Home Lifestyle Family Portrait Tips

My family and I have been at home together more than usual with the global pandemic happening right now.  We have fared pretty well and I am grateful every day that we all get along.  As my oldest son prepares to go to college it’s becoming increasingly real to me that life at home as we know it will soon be changing forever. This time together in one home felt like it would last forever, but I know that’s not how it works.  I know that someday soon he’ll move out and we’ll turn his bedroom into the home gym or a gift wrap room.  That’s why I’m treasuring our time together at home.

Home is where the heart is, my friends, so what better place to have a family portrait session than your home?   Families tend to be much more comfortable during in home lifestyle portrait sessions than dressed up at an unfamiliar location.  It may not be your style, but if you’re considering having a photographer capture your best moments at home, here are a few tips to help you prepare.

1. Natural light works best for home lifestyle portraits.  Pay attention to the light in your home.  Turn off all the lights during the day and see which rooms have light in the late morning and late afternoon.  Pick 2-3 rooms for your portrait session.

2. Don’t worry about having a Pinterest-ready home for your portraits.  It’s not about your house, it’s about your family.  If you feel your home may not work for lighting purposes, I do offer studio lifestyle portraits.  (The studio is furnished to look like a home and has plenty of natural light.)

3. Wear comfortable clothing.  This is not the time for ties and khakis or stilettoes and cocktail dresses.  Keep in mind that you will be moving and playing and snuggling the entire time.  While we’re on the subject, do not put everyone in matching clothing.  That does not reflect your real life.  (Unless your real life is super weird.)  My post on what to wear for family portraits (HERE) still applies, but this time you can go barefoot!  Do not plan to change your clothes unless it’s necessary.  We will lose momentum with the kids.

4. Think of a few activities your family likes to do together and plan 2-3 for your portrait session.  Some ideas to consider: making breakfast, playing board games, musical jam session, baking, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, wrestling, reading books, watching movies, etc.

5. Let your photographer know if your kids will need some time to warm up.  Some kids are super shy and others will talk my ear off.  What’s funny about the kids in this session is that they were SO SHY when we had our first session together outdoors.  As you can see, they were much more comfortable being photographed in their own home.

6. Don’t worry about cleaning the entire house.  We won’t be using every single room, so there’s no need to stress about what your child’s closet looks like, for example.  This portrait session was done in two rooms.

7. Be okay with your photographer moving furniture and removing clutter or adding interest to your setup.  Sometimes it’s necessary for a couch to be facing a different way to get better light.  And sometimes I might think the rug in one room is cool, but need to move it to a room with better light.  Be flexible.  It will make your pictures better.

8. Prepare for what might go wrong and be flexible.  Your kids may not be into this.  Your spouse may not be into this.  Have a plan for how to keep the mood light.  Everyone is not going to be cooperative the entire time.  That’s not a thing.  Unless your family is a unicorn family.

9. Know what you want to do with your lifestyle portraits and share your goals with your photographer.  If there’s a specific shot you HAVE to have, be sure to make it known.  It will help your photographer prioritize the shoot.

10. Try to have realistic expectations about how your session will go.  Family portrait sessions, whether indoor or outdoor, can often feel chaotic but that’s real life.  Nothing is ever perfect.  Enjoy the chaos and trust your photographer.  (Yes, I know this is basically Tip #8, but I can’t emphasize it enough.)

There is beauty in your everyday life.  We’ve all had to learn to adjust over the past few months and learn to appreciate the small victories and happy moments we get each day.  If you’re interested in capturing your family in their natural element, click the contact button above!