So let’s chat for a moment about lifestyle family photography. I get a lot of questions about what exactly it is when I say I shoot “lifestyle photography.” My own answer is usually a variation of this: lifestyle photography is more of a photojournalistic style, but a bit more prompted. So it’s not quite a posed portrait session and not quite entirely documentary style either. Honestly every family is a little bit different and I tend to go with the flow of that. If you have ideas for what you want involved in your shoot, what you want to be doing, awesome! If you need some more ideas and direction, great! I love both planning in advance and also thinking on my feet to get some fun, cute, creative family shots.
Where can your lifestyle session take place? Great question! Many of my family photography sessions are outdoors in various locations all around the Philadelphia area. We can work through locations based on the look want for your images. But you know what’s a really amazing alternative option? An at-home lifestyle family session! Seriously— kids LOVE it when they can be themselves, show off their toys, eat their favorite snacks, and most of all— have your totally undivided attention in your own home just hanging and playing together. And parents love it because it means not having to worry about carrying a car load of snacks, outfit changes just in case, diapers, wipes, a stroller, etc. for a shoot. At home sessions can of course be done year round, but they’re an especially perfect option in winter time, when this crazy weather is so unpredictable (and if you have kids like mine that just won’t tolerate an outdoor shoot!).
In-home lifestyle family sessions are not necessarily traditional and they’re certainly not cookie cutter, but that’s what make them so much fun! Families love them and friends love to see your unique, personalized photographs from your session.
Take this family below for example. We worked together twice before and this was our first at-home (non-newborn session. We start off with the boys showing me their toys and playing together.
Then we switched spaces to try and wrangle them into one spot (cue awesome big chair next to big windows). We got a TON of images of all different combinations of everyone, laughing, tickling, snuggling, playing.
And some more…as well as some cardboard box crawling, painting, and piano playing.
When I noticed the beautiful light on the counter tops, I knew I wanted a series of the boys seated to catch their reflections. And then I realized there were fresh baked blueberry muffins on the stove so the boys enjoyed a muffin while I snapped a zillion-and-one images of them.
When they were all finished up, we headed upstairs for them to show me their rooms. When I saw the doorways, I knew I wanted to capture them one on each side. Then they had some story time (book reading is one of my favorite things to capture during an in-home session).
And we wrapped up a couple more shots as I was headed out to get my bags. Because, seriously, I have a difficult time stopping myself at times when I am photographing (as you’ll learn if you work with me…).
Can we talk about that hilarious look he’s giving me right here below???
Are you looking for a photographer for an at-home lifestyle session for your family? I would LOVE to connect to discuss your thoughts and ideas! I work with families of all sizes, from couples to larger, extended family shoots and everywhere in between, with newborns or even grown children. Let’s work together to tell your family’s story.