How does your Family Photographer approach a photo session?

TRADITIONAL. LIFESTYLE. DOCUMENTARY.

A family photographer might use one of these words to describe their approach to a session ... but what do they mean?

If you ever wondered about the difference between traditional, documentary, and lifestyle family photography, you’re not alone!

These words are meant to highlight a photographer’s approach to a session, which ends up being your experience of that session. It also tells you what type of images you will get in your gallery.

It’s important to pick a photographer that matches the experience and style of photo you want from your session.

Let’s look at examples …

TRADITIONAL

If a photographer’s approach is traditional, they’ll approach a session by giving lots of direction like where family members should stand and position their bodies. They’ll aim to get everyone looking at the camera and smiling for images.

You’re likely to find posed portraits in a gallery from a traditional family photographer.

DOCUMENTARY

If a photographer’s approach is documentary, they will approach a session almost like a journalist, capturing real moments as they unfold with an emphasis on storytelling and moments that are unscripted.

You’re likely to find candid images in a gallery from a documentary family photographer.

LIFESTYLE

If a photographer’s approach is lifestyle, they will approach a session with a mix of traditional and documentary style. They’ll give light direction into poses, and guided prompts to inspire authentic connection.

You’re likely to find posed and candid images in a gallery from a lifestyle family photographer.

IN SUMMARY

When you’re considering working with a family photographer, learn about their approach to sessions to get a clear idea of what to expect during your experience with them, and what images you’ll get in your gallery. I hope one of these inspired your own opinion about what approach to photography you might prefer.

The approach used by Mitzi and Rose is Lifestyle Family Photography. You can see this reflected with the images in our portfolio.

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