5 reasons why your family needs a lifestyle photography session

When you look at pictures of yourself as a child, you look fondly at the interactions of your family, what the home looked like where you grew up, and you can feel the raw, un-posed emotion of each snapshot. Lifestyle photography, also known as documentary photography, is all about photographing you with the members of your family (pets included!) in your own home so that you can bottle real life in a professional way. Here are five reasons why you should book a lifestyle photography session.

1. Cell phone photography won't cut it.

Sure, in modern times you can click away with your cellphone and capture as many pictures as your iCloud can handle. But will your photos be high quality? Not likely. Can you blow it up into a larger photo? Nope. Better yet--are you in the photos? Are your children going to be able to remember the way you held them and played with them in the photos that your own hand is taking? Your family's photos should be an heirloom that is passed down generations, and you are part of that history.

2. It's your home.

Your home is where you are making your memories. Sure, it may not be spotless. But who cares? I'll be sure to keep the clutter out of the frame. It's the place where your family lives their lives; it's your lifestyle.

3. Little children thrive

If you have a child under the age of five, you know that their attention spans are as long as a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode, and asking them to pose and smile is a bit of a challenge. The best part about lifestyle photography is that they don't have to look at the camera. They can just be at home with their family. And if they need a break, they can run and play for a bit and return to the session when they're ready. Meanwhile, I'll be taking pictures of them during their "breaks".

4. No forced smiles or awkward poses.

If you have a family member who is less than thrilled to take photographs and smile, this style of photo is for them. No forced poses. I offer gentle direction to guide the photo, but I don't even ask that you look at the camera very often!

5. Pets allowed

Pets are just as much a part of your family, and they can easily enter and exit the frame as they please while in your home.

Bonus: Newborn lifestyle photography is the next big thing in baby photography! Posed/traditional newborn photography usually is best taken before the first two weeks of the baby's life. But lifestyle photography can be taken at any point in the baby's life.