Ironically, my family was never a family-portrait kind of family. Our family photos are candid ones my dad took, or the rare all-family photos that a family member snapped at a gathering. I remember friends whose hallway walls were lined with one year’s family portrait after the next, taken in matching outfits in a studio.
With good reason, when most people think about booking a family photo session, they picture something like that: coordinated outfits, everyone smiling at the camera, and hoping the kids cooperate long enough to get “just one good one.”
But that’s only one way to capture a family, and this I know from growing up in it.
If you prefer something slower-paced, unposed, and grounded in the real rhythms of your everyday life, documentary family photography might be a really good fit for you and your family.
It isn’t for everyone. But it might be exactly what you didn’t know you were looking for!
Here are some questions to sit with to help you figure out whether Documentary Family Photography is a good fit for you.
What Do You Actually Want to Remember?
Years from now, what do you hope your photos will bring back?
Some families want to remember the day they dressed up and got the holiday card shot. That’s a meaningful milestone.
Others may want something less obviously momentous: the way a child rests their head without thinking, breakfast scene with bedhead and cereal bowls, the feeling of an ordinary day, now out of reach.
Unposed family photos make space for these details. The ones that might not seem remarkable in the moment, but later hold everything you miss.
How Do You Feel in Front of a Camera?
If you tense up when it’s time to pose, you’re not alone. I’ve paid for professional headshots, but they usually don’t feel like me. One day, while getting a bite to eat on a breezy and warm afternoon, my boyfriend reached across the table and picked up my camera and snapped a few pictures of me. And as you can probably guess, these are now my favorite headshots.
When you don’t have to perform, you get to see yourself differently.
What If Your Kids Don’t Cooperate?
There’s no need to redirect them or ask for stillness. In a documentary-style session, kids are free to be themselves.
Whether they’re giggling, tired, exploring, or refusing pants—that’s part of the story. As a photographer, I love witnessing things unfold, without stepping in to manage or direct it.
What About the Imperfect Stuff?
A lived-in home. Hair that hasn’t been brushed. Scattered toys and piles of laundry. For some, a photo session is an opportunity to step away from these details of day to day life. For others, these are the details that will remind them what each stage of life was really like, and this is how they want to remember it.
Candid family photography doesn’t hide the details; it makes space for them.
Still Not Sure?
You don’t have to be confident in front of the camera. You don’t have to prep the house. You don’t even have to know for sure that this is the right fit. Some curiosity, an open mind, and a touch of vulnerability are all you need. Your real life is worth documenting.
Ready to Learn More or Ask a Question?
If this kind of session feels like it might be a fit—or if you’re still on the fence—I’d love to connect. You can reach out through my inquiry form and I’ll get back to you with details about what these sessions look like and how they might work for your family.
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