Hey Photographer Friends!
Many photographers, probably just like yourself, start out on their journey seeking to produce artistic, emotive images that tell a story. However, you feel stuck because you cannot seem to produce images that match the vision in your head. Here are 3 of the biggest misconceptions about lifestyle family photography and how to change your mindset - so that you too can create images that emotionally move people!
1.The photographer just shows up
When you look at lifestyle family photos, doesn’t it look like the photographer wasn’t even there? Of course, that is what you want to view to think. However, lifestyle photography is NOT documentary photography. My friend, those are 2 completely different genres we are talking about!
All of my family photo sessions are HIGHLY directed, well thought out, planned and controlled. Sure, the family looks like they are frolicking in a meadow, living their best, carefree lives, but behind the scenes is a photographer that knows exactly what she is doing!
I have a consistent and proven workflow that I use with all of my family sessions that is guaranteed to produce a gorgeous gallery of emotive, artistic images. Everything I do and say is well planned out. I never tell my clients to just “play” or “just walk”. No my friend, I give very specific prompts, directives and games to MAKE that magic happen!
2. It’s easy
Well, I mean, it CAN be easy. But not without tons of dedicated practice to refine your craft. No one becomes great without hard work. After years of shooting families, I FINALLY developed a style and a workflow that works for me. That did not happen overnight. Lifestyle photography is NOT just showing up and snapping the shutter button. What now feels easy for me wasn’t always that way!
3. The clients are happy and carefree the entire session
I don’t know about you, but the thought of wrangling my kids for a paid professional photo session, coordinating outfits for my family, and convincing my husband to come along too is all very stressful. Moms might be a little tense, dads might be a little unenthused and kids, well kids might be kids! Families will have a large range of emotions when arriving to their shoot. Photographers, its YOUR job to create a calm environment that allows that stress, disinterest or chaos to disappear. Sure, lifestyle images appear that the family is all blissfully floating on a cloud of fluffy marshmallows, but let’s be honest.. this is real life too!