Search

Reasons Lifestyle Photography is the Best

Melissa Jean
Apr 13, 2015
2 min read

People always say you're not supposed to pick favorites, but we do. Even if we don't verbalize them, we do have favorites.

I'm constantly asked what is my favorite type of shoot any my answer always changes. I usually answer with whatever I most recently shot (I do the same with seasons, whatever one we're in is always my favorite -- maybe I'm just super positive ;).

But to be 100% honest, it's the lifestyle aspect of photography that draws me in. It's why I love weddings while I hear so many other people admitting they don't like shooting them.

Weddings were the first place I got to take the shots that made me love photography. The ones were people forgot about the camera and just existed and I got to capture it.

As a newbie photographer I loved this authenticity that I couldn't find in other shoots. Smiles were real. Laughter was real. Moments that people didn't realize were being witnessed were caught on camera to be preserved.

The next area I found this same lifestyle vibe was in my sister's family photography. I'd go and hang out with them for three days and my camera would rarely leave my hand. The kids were cute, the light was good, and it was a perfect time to practice new skills (like my early videos). They weren't paying me to be there so they generally ignored me. And while most people still are conscious of the camera, after three days they pretty much ignore it (also being conscious of the fact I'm going to toss out any unflattering photos -- oh the joy of digital).

And that's when I started to realize, what I loved was capturing people being real. And now that I'd discovered that it was all about educating my clients and helping them see the same love for REAL lifestyle photos.

Your life is beautiful. Exactly how you live it. Stop cleaning the kitchen cuz I'm showing up. Stop smiling every time the camera is pointed your way. Don't worry about messy faces or messy houses. Real life is messy. Real life is beautiful. And you deserve to have your life captured just as you live it. You also deserve to be IN the photos and not always behind the camera.

Capturing this REAL life in a beautiful way -- well that's the fine art of lifestyle photography that I chase after.

These photos are true to this family. Sure, they're outfits might be a little dressier than their every day. but the life you see in these photos -- that's them through and through.

I especially love that we got to capture this next one. Sisters, brothers, cousins, aunties, all reading, spending the day how they normally do.

Now tell me, don't these authentic family photos feel more special than a posed formal family photo? Of course we always capture a few formals too -- but these lifestyle ones are so precious.