You’ve decided you want to hire a family photographer, but choosing the right local photographer to suit your family’s style and preferences can be challenging. Each photographer will take a different approach when capturing your family’s story, and it’s important to decide what you want from the session so that you can choose a photographer that will deliver what’s right for your family.
One of the important distinctions I discuss with families when booking sessions is the difference between storytelling photography and posed photography. Knowing which you are looking for is a good first step to helping you book the session that’s right for your family!
What is Storytelling Photography?
A storytelling photographer is a photographer who specializes in capturing candid, genuine moments between their subjects. Rather than focusing solely on posed portraits, they aim to document the unique dynamics, relationships, and emotions within a family unit, couple, or individual. These photographers often work to create a narrative through their images, telling the story of a family's life, milestones, and everyday moments.
A family storytelling photographer is someone who's all about snapping those real, candid moments within families. Forget stiff poses—these folks are after the genuine laughs, tears, and everything in between that make up family life.
Instead of just clicking away at staged scenes, they're all about capturing the vibe, relationships, and emotions that make each family unique.
The goal? To tell a story through their photos—your story. They want to freeze those special moments in time, from big milestones to everyday adventures, so you can look back on them with a smile for years to come. They do this by getting to know their clients and helping them to feel comfortable with them. The focus of a storytelling photography session is not perfect, smiling at the camera pictures, but to authentically convey who the subjects are individually and together.
What are Posed Photoshoots?
When you picture family photography, you might envision posed pictures where everybody looks at the camera and says “Cheese”. This is a typical approach to family photoshoots. These photographs aim to portray the family in a formal and often idealized manner. The focus of the session is on how everything looks. The result is a library of images where each family member is staged and posed to meet the photographer’s style and preferences. Family members are often posed in a structured manner, with careful attention paid to composition and arrangement.
What Makes Storytelling Photography Different?
With storytelling photography, photos are not staged or posed. Instead, family members should come with the focus of being themselves, enjoying each other, and staying in the moment with their family. There can be aspects of the photoshoot that are planned and intentionally curated (like styling, props, planned activities, and location), but whatever is incorporated should always be true to the family.
Your photographer will get to know each family member, and what you enjoy doing together. That way they can make unique recommendations on curating the session but keeping it super authentic. This might mean intentionally planning specific activities to be documented (ie. care activities like bath time, hiking in the spot your family regularly frequents, bringing along your child's favorite stuffy).
Storytelling photography can be quite the mindset change. Part of the job of the photographer is to encourage clients to stay as in the moment as possible during the session. Movement is not just wanted but is vital to this type of family photography. Playing around, exploring, and focusing on your family are encouraged and vital to the success of a storytelling session.
Your photographer will subtly give direction- typically based on lighting, composition, or to capture a specific dynamic. The goal is for the photographer to have to intervene as little as possible, but they are always there to encourage/support you and gently guide you to up the artistic elements in your session.
How do you Know Which is Right for your Family?
Decide what you want out of your final gallery of photos, and make sure that when you book a photographer, you choose someone who specializes in your chosen style.
Storytelling photography is right for you if…
- You want your photos to capture the essence of your family and this stage in your family’s life
- You are looking at the final photos as a way to keep your family's history
- You want the photographer to be focused on capturing the essence of your family dynamic, allowing you to look back on these moments years from now and relive the joy and love you shared
- You want to relax and enjoy the moment without worrying about posing or staging
- A play-based and pressure-free approach is important to you
- You want the photographer's particular style, perspective, and creative take on your family
- You want to plan elements like styling, activities, and the vibe of the session, but the priority to you is documenting your family's true dynamic
- You love photos filled with movement
Posed photography is right for you if…
- You want a gallery of photos of your family members smiling and looking at the camera
- You have a shot list in mind and would like to guide the photographer
- The aesthetics and poses are the most important part of the session to you
- You want to be directed and told exactly what to do and what expressions to make
I’m Taylor, a photographer based in Sussex County & Morris County, New Jersey focused on artistically capturing family’s stories. Whether you’d like to document your everyday life at home, explore a location of your choice, or come to my professional, in-home studio, I’ll capture unposed and relational photos that honestly reflect who you and your family are.
Contact me to get more information about my approach and to get started booking your session!
To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.
(Elliott Erwitt)
