What style of family photography is best for you?
Choosing a Type of Family Photography
Family photography comes in all shapes and sizes; rather all sorts of approaches and editing choices! Here at Heartstring Heirlooms, there are three main types of family photography styles used to capture the magic in your every day life. Below I will discuss each method and what it looks like so that you can decide which approach will be the best fit for you and your family when it comes time for your next family photo session.
Documentary Family Photography
Documentary family photography is a style that is true to how your family interacts, looks, and lives. This kind of work is created with a photojournalism mindset while witnessing your family in a scene that is common and directly tied to you. This kind of family photography can offer the most memorable portraits as they truly feel like a moment frozen in time. If you reflect on your own ancestors’ images that have been handed down – they likely were captured in a documentary style. Snaps held from family reunions, birthday parties, gathered dinners, and holidays. There is so much to be remembered from your day-to-day exchanges. These ordinary days are the ones that are sometimes most worth cherishing. Your descendants will feel they know you better and more intimately from what they’ll see in these photographs.
This photojournalistic approach is wonderful for your average day and also can be implemented for the following occasions + celebrations:
- birthday party
- family reunion
- anniversary party
- extended family holiday dinner
- getting ready for the first day of school
- sharing your family’s normal Sunday routine
- learning how to garden from your grandmother
- camping out in your backyard
- spending the day at an orchard
- anything that your family enjoys doing together!
Tips for Your Documentary Family Photo Session:
- Consider having your photographer present for longer. This will allow them to capture a well rounded story and gives your family members the chance to grow more comfortable with their presence; leading to more authentic photographs.
- Plan to embrace whatever happens! Babies may cry, you may need a quick break on the back porch, your partner may sneak off for a snack they don’t want to share. All of these nuances speak to your life in this present moment. They are the story!
- Don’t be afraid to share your background, history, and story with your photographer. The better they know you the better they’ll be able to showcase that in their work.
- Remember to breathe throughout the session. Let go of expectations and trust your photographer to do what you hired them to do. They are the expert and will be able to work best when you leave it in their hands.
Lifestyle Family Photography
Lifestyle family photography is all about capturing the realness of life with an artistic twist. This style is a blend of the photographer being observant and offering up subtle guidance during your time together. Approaching photographs in the manner is the perfect middle point between Editorial and Documentary style imagery. Some planning comes along with this session while also embracing the unpredictable. Planning a picnic at your favorite park, spending the day at your favorite beach, or even cooking your favorite meal together all serve as aesthetic backdrops for your session. As your photographer, I may suggest moving into great light or resetting the composure ever so slightly if something needs a minor fix, but overall we are living in the moment and being present with one another. Lifestyle photography feels very candid when you see the end product. This is a great option if you’re looking for authentic moments documented in a bit more polished way.
Lifestyle portraits can be taken anywhere but this is a great starting list if you need help picking a location or setting:
- at your local park or nature setting
- in your home
- hanging out in the family vehicle
- at your favorite restaurant
- wherever you all spend your time together!
Tips for Your Lifestyle Photo Session:
- Wear clothes that feel like you – don’t put your family in outfits that will make them uncomfortable and distracted. Instead choose to wear pieces that show your individual personality while still complimenting one another. Think less matchy matchy and more flowing together.
- If you’re planning to have your photos captured in home, start paying attention to how the light changes in your favorite nooks and spots in your house. Light is the key to great photography so snap example shots at different times of the day to share with your photographer. This will help them plan for the best time to capture your memories.
Editorial Family Photography
Editorial photography is traditional images that will be accompanying articles in magazine and like publications. When specifically applied to family photography, editorial photography still has that same goal of setting a specific mood or tone to the entire set of images. In this way editorial family photography exists on its own without the necessity of written words to go with it. This kind of family photography carries out a creative concept with a specific narrative point of view. Editorial photography is where your photographer will be the most heavy-handed. They may go as far as to create and share mood boards for the vision you create together. They will likely advise on wardrobe selection, backdrops/locations, and other aspects that come together to create the desired look.
Editorial focused portraits will likely take place in one of the following settings:
- studio space
- body of water
- a controlled location
- a designed set
Tips for Your Editorial Family Photo Session:
- Really think about how fashion can tell your story! Your photographer can work with you to select the best outfit(s) to highlight the mood you’re trying to convey with your artful portraits.
- Start planning in advance! This kind of session often brings many ideas to life so it’s best to reach out to your photographer sooner rather than later so that they can provide as much assistance as possible.
In Review
Documentary Family Photography = natural, honest, unpredictable, truthful, narrative, journalistic, organic, slow going
Lifestyle Family Photography = somewhat styled, candid, subtly polished, good light, semi-controlled, storytelling
Editorial Family Photography = fine art, fashion-forward, posed, controlled, studio, artificial light, designed, thought out
Overall when picking which style is best for you and your family there are just a couple of things you should focus on. How natural/true to life do you want your photos to be? How much time are you willing to spend planning and executing your family photographs? How much control do you want the photographer to have?
If you need help answering these questions and coming to a conclusion on which type of family photography session is best for you, I’m just an email away! I would love the chance to document your family in a way that’s best suited for you.