Many people find my work through searching something along the lines of “natural family photos.” More and more with the rise of AI and ultra-polished perfection, people are wanting family photos that feel honest and true to who they are. People are embracing imperfection as a sign of life, and they want to feel something when they look at images of their loved ones rather than just seeing everyone in fancy clothes in a pretty location that doesn’t really say anything about their life. However, I’m very aware that many photographers talk about natural photos, and all of the different terms that are thrown around are confusing to people outside of the photography industry. The truth is, there’s a bit of a spectrum when it comes to “natural photos,” with posed studio photography on one end and documentary photography on the other. The vast majority of photographers fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, which means very few people have run across true documentary family photography and assume that “lifestyle photography” (which is what most people find when they look for “natural photos” and what most photographers that talk about natural photos are doing) is the same as documentary family photography. I discuss the differences between lifestyle and documentary family photography a little bit in the FAQs section of my website, but I’m going to go into more detail and make the differences as clear as possible in this blog post.
What are the different types of family photography?
In all types of family photography, photographers hope to capture real emotion and get at the essence of who people are. What differs is the technique for getting this, and, I would argue, the effectiveness if your goal is truly to get the most real, natural photos possible. HOWEVER, that is a big if in that previous sentence. While all photographers want natural emotion in their photos, it is not necessarily the only priority. Below, I’ll list the three main types of family photography in order from most controlled to least controlled, as well as include a bit of information about each type.
studio family photography: highly controlled; usually involves lighting equipment; often involves hair and make-up; mostly posed but sometimes the photographer will give prompts for the family to follow so that they can capture movement; a high priority on looking beautiful and happy
lifestyle family photography: sessions happen at home or outdoors; this is usually what you’re seeing when you see a family hanging out in a field of flowers; controlled but not as much as a studio; the goal is to pose the family or give them prompts to have fun together in situations that have been chosen ahead of time for the family to have fun/look good doing; for in-home lifestyle sessions, the goal is for the family to sort of “naturally act out” things at home that represent their life; sometimes posed and oftentimes the photographer gives prompts for the family to do things; natural light is often preferred, but using lighting equipment and reflectors can still work because the family is still pausing to pose; often has a light and airy look; high priority on looking beautiful and happy but a more natural feeling is expected as compared to studio photography
documentary family photography: the least common type of family photography; it takes a different skillset because there is no posing or prompting involved and the photographer has almost no control over the scene and the environment; the photographer is a photojournalist that joins the family as they live their real life at home or outdoors; the photographer has to react quickly to whatever is happening so they can document real moments unfolding in the blink of an eye; the photographer needs to know how to make the most out of any kind of light because using lighting equipment means the true environment will be altered and the family would probably have to pose; the photos often have a grittier feel and often look good in black and white because emotion and moment are prioritized over ideal space and lighting; the goal is to capture a complete story with a variety of emotions; happy moments and moments where a kid is crying and needs to be comforted are both a part of the story; high priority for the viewer of the photos to feel something deeply rather than being gobsmacked by everyone’s perfect hair
What kind of family photography is right for me?
That all depends on what you want out of your photos. There’s nothing wrong with any of these styles, and they all have their place. If you really want to make sure everyone looks their best or you have multiple generations and want family portraits with everyone looking at the camera in different groupings, a studio might be your best bet. If you want movement and a natural feeling but still want to be guided by the photographer so that you can relax and know your best side is being captured at all times, then a lifestyle photographer will be able to guide you in a way that allows you all to have fun together. If you want to capture a heart-achingly honest and beautiful story about who your family is in a particular place and time (with an artful eye), then nothing beats a documentary family photography session.
I’m not gonna lie, I am highly biased towards documentary family photography. I’m sure it’s obvious in the way I talk about it—I can’t help but describe it almost lyrically, whereas I can hear myself describing the other types of family photography in a perfunctory way. I can’t help it; it’s just that I love it so. I love people’s stories and want to gobble them up, nosy and curious person that I am. Lately, I’ve been thinking of documentary photography like this: it is a space that’s big enough and safe enough for people to unfold in. The skill of the documentary photographer lies not in the technical workings of the camera (that’s the easy part) but in the ability to hold this space. When people feel like they can unfold, they show you the most beautiful colors. Every time I see a family’s colors, I think to myself there are so many ways of existing in this world, and I’m better for being exposed to them.
The photos below are all 100% candid with no prompting from me in any way. Every moment below was the result of an invitation to unfold.
