What is family documentary photography?
It’s likely a little different from the family photography you're used to.
Family documentary photography is the process of capturing the real-life moments of real-life people in their real life. While the camera (and the photographer) can't truly disappear, documentary photographers do their best not to interfere with or influence those real-life moments.
With a lot of family photography, the goal is a picture perfect image of your family—everyone smiling, wearing coordinating outfits, a beautiful vista behind you. There's certainly a place for that.
Most of the time, that couldn't be further from what your life really looks like.
Life is complicated. Outfits get dirty. The house gets messy.
(That’s totally okay, by the way.)
That "perfect" family doesn't exist—and if you're honest with yourself, you don't really want it to.
Your favorite things about your family—the most memorable moments, the stories you tell, the jokes you share—usually don't involve that "perfect" image of life. Your family is made better by the mess, loves more in the dirt, and grows stronger in life’s challenges.
Family documentary photography is a radical departure from the all-too-popular "life is perfect" images found on social media. Its focus isn't perfection. Its focus is connection, love, relationship, emotion, passion, joy... and yes, mess.
Embrace the mess.
Imagine being able to have family photos without ever leaving your backyard.
(Or cleaning your house, or bathing your kids…)
You don't have to do anything other than just be together.
Imagine a photo session that happens around your life, not one you have to work into your life. Got errands to run? Let's go! Got a soccer game—then swim practice, a quick lunch at Wendy's, and another practice in the afternoon? That's the perfect day for a photo session.
In the end, you'll have photos of who your family is, not just what they look like. You’ll be able to look back years from now on the life you shared, not the smiles you faked.
Documentary family photography is all about capturing the love in your everyday life.
