What is Family Lifestyle Photography?

What is Family Lifestyle Photography?

Lifestyle is a trendy word right now, but what does it mean for family sessions? Here are some thoughts on what it means to me and what it looks like in the photography industry.

I see family lifestyle photography as mush between documentary photography and classic portraiture. 

Classic Portrait Photography

A classic portrait photographer has full control over their subjects, the posing, and every little detail of the shot. 

Documentary Photography

Documentary photographers pretend to be a fly on the wall.  They do not direct or pose their subjects.

Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle photographers do a bit of posing and a bit of just observing and capturing moments as they happen.  In a session with me, this might look like posing your family in beautiful light, and then directing you to snuggle, tickle each other, or tell a silly story.

When my families receive their photos from me, I want them to feel the love, connection, and joy that they share together.

Below are some images from a recent lifestyle family session at Canemah Bluff Nature Park in Oregon City. I like to suggest this amazing family photo location for my West Linn, Lake Oswego, and Oregon City families.

This lovely family was so fun to work with! When I first arrived at the park for this session, I saw another photographer taking some beautiful portraits of a family. Everyone was posed perfectly and looking right at the camera, even the kids. I thought to myself “I hope my client doesn’t expect that from our session”! Instead, I photographed moments like this- full of energy, movement, candid emotion, and kids on the go! I do see the importance of classic portraits and will always include a few“smiling at the camera” photos during your session as well.

If this style of family photography sparks your interests, I would love to hear from you! Please leave me a message and we can talk about planning a photo adventure for your little tribe!