Family Lifestyle Photography. That’s what I call it. Creating a style that is completely far from traditional photography where clients show up in white shirts and jeans, demand perfect smiles from their children on que, while trying to create a perfect vision of their family that will grace the walls of their home. Talk about stressful, not to mention being uncomfortable.
When talking with potential clients about their family portrait visions, I never let them take the easy way out and let me choose the location, give them a date and time to show up. Why? Well…I believe their locations need to have meaning, the sessions thoroughly planned and what it is we’re setting out to create. After all, I’m out to capture the spirit of their family, and where they come alive. It’s never about what another family has done, recreating that look and getting everyone looking at the camera just right. My style is all about the glances, embraces, laughter and love, between one another.
Having said all that….it took a few looong months for my featured client, who has become a lovely friend in the meantime, to think of what the spirit of her family was. Her response was “We wrestle. Daily!” They have three angelic boys and that’s what they do. Here’s the thing….she didn’t want me to capture that! I think she was picturing the WWF ring, a boy in each corner, and her husband dressed in black and white assuming the ref role. Where she fit into it the picture, she hadn’t planned that far yet. She wanted me to stick them in a field with a red barn in the distance, adorning their “white black shirts and jeans”. After our many conversations, I knew this look wasn’t them. Let’s face it….we all “wrestle” daily, with our lives. Whether it be physical, vocal, or giving glances. After many conversations, planning, and a little convincing, she was giddy with excitement and couldn’t wait for our session(s)! Together, we planned a family session that was “simply them” and captured the spirit of her family!
Come take a look at their “Simply Them” family video.
Now….Go listen to some Christmas music and bake something!
All for now!
~K
Oh My gosh – this blows me away – it is so, so, totally awesome – they are 3 such handsome chaps and clearly such a happy family that you’ve captured so fabulously
WOW! love it!
Oh Kati, this has put the hugest smile on my face. Absolutely, freakin’ amazing. I would be so, so proud to have such a personalised shoot like that done for us. Any chance you want to come down here?
[...] Yesterday, I posted a sweet video of one fantastic family. If you missed it, you can check it out here. [...]