Whether you're just considering giving this whole family lifestyle photography thing a try or you've already planned a session, there are a few things we are often asked about preparing for a
What should I do during my lifestyle photography session?
One of the very first things you might be wondering is, "What should we do?" One the one hand, that's an easy question to answer because you can do anything you want! No pressure! Lifestyle photography is all about preserving who your family is and what your family does. An in-home photography session is especially perfect for that since you probably spend a lot of time together there! But on the other hand, it can be a tough question to answer.
Sometimes it's hard to select those moments of everyday life worth capturing. It's so easy to see regular life as mundane or boring. We're here to say, "It doesn't have to be that way!" A session that captures your family's bedtime routine could be full of fun, unique, and intimate moments worth preserving forever. (There might be a few stressful ones too. We get that...house full of little boys over here).
A chat with your local family lifestyle photographer should help you to pick out some special moments. If you're still struggling, have a look at our list of 25 ideas for your family lifestyle photography session. There's even a section dedicated to indoor ideas that you can do right in your own home!
What should I wear for my lifestyle photography session?
Every photographer has been asked this one question at some point—"What should I wear for my photo session?" Well, despite that question being answered so many times before, here's our take: lifestyle photography means representing you. Our recommendation is to wear what will be remembered as characteristic of 'you' to your family. They are, after all, the ones who will enjoy these special memories the most.
However, we also recommend that you wear something you wouldn't be too embarrassed to be seen in when friends visit. But if you have to choose between the two, choose what will mean the most to your family. Then just let your friends admire how confident you are simply being yourself with the ones you love.
Our other two tips about clothing concern large text or characters and color. Regarding large text or characters, we won't tell you that you can't wear them. We only wish to point out that they do have the tendency to take attention away from a person's face. This is not usually preferred since what we really want to see is you and not your clothes.
As far as color is concerned, we won't tell you what colors not to wear. Instead, we'd rather point out that if you have a strongly defined color scheme in your home we recommend that you follow that color scheme with your clothing selection. That way you'll be ready to print and hang those photos without worrying about whether or not they "go" with the rest of the house! Wait to get dressed until your lifestyle photographer arrives if you're unsure if your home has a strongly defined color scheme or just want some further guidance. They should be able to make a recommendation once you've invited them in if you have doubts or questions.
If you want to read even more of our tips, check out our dedicated post for What to wear for your photo session.
How much should I clean for my in-home photography session?
Ah, if only our homes were always as clean and organized as we wish they were. Ours certainly isn't and if yours isn't either, don't worry. One nice thing to remember when deciding just how much to clean is, dust and germs don't often show up in your photos. In other words, scrubbing the toilet for 20 minutes before guests come to dinner might be a polite and well-appreciated gesture but for
That being said, a little tidying and organizing will be appreciated by your photographer, and by you, in the long run. The reason, of course, is not to hide your life. On the contrary, remember: lifestyle photography is all about capturing you! Nevertheless, anything in your photos that doesn't add to the final image will, by default, distract from the important parts of the image—you and your loved ones. A little organized chaos is perfectly in order, especially when it is an important part of the special moment being shared and photographed!
If you're starting to prepare for an in-home photography session, you're probably not still asking yourself, "Will my house work for an in-home session?" but if you'd like to read our response to that question, head on over here.
Do you have other questions or concerns? Let us know! Now that you have a few extra tips on how to prepare for your in-home family lifestyle photography session, go ahead and make some fun memories and some unique art!
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