What is lifestyle photography?

The photograph is about the people,the moments, the comfort of the setting -not saying cheese while wearing your Sunday best. It is about the little and in between moments. Those moments you don’t think to capture.These photographs are how we capture memories

Lifestyle is about when a parent bonds with their child , forgetting that im even in the room recording the loving glance. My goal is to capture emotions, bonds and the love that a family shares with each other. Such as the gentle touches, special glances, kisses and hugs,dancing in the fresh air.

The ultimate goal is to look back at the photograph and feel the emotion again.The emotion of family bonding and raw love. Lifestyle photography is sharing your photograph and touching someones heart.

What will happen during our session?

 I am a very laid back photographer and don’t focus on the cheesy pictures of everyone looking directly at the camera. I focus on the little moments and the connection between family members. I love capturing a family’s bond with one another and I always ask my clients to direct their attention to those surrounding them instead of me. 

I tend to start off the session with photos of the family then move into more candid and monents. I try to keep it easy going and fun for everyone, I encourage games (Red light Green light, Ring around the rosie etc) to get everyone warmed up and comfortable. I find that playing games and giving silly prompts also breaks up the session so it doesn’t feel as overwhelming and stiff. 

Do we all have to match? 

When you think of a family photo shoot, many think of everyone wearing the same exact color…Looks great right? Nope! Matching clothes can be quite overwhelming and everyone tends to blend in with one another when photographed.

I encourage the families to coordinate outfits. For example, choose a color shirt for mom that compliments with dad’s. instead, for example choosing a color shirt for mom that compliments with dads. Choose 2 or 3 colors that you think will work well together. This allows everyone to stand out instead of blending in with one another.

Should we bring anything?

I encourage the moms and dads to bring the child’s favorite comfort toy or book. A photo shoot can be an overwhelming for a child and having an item from home helps make everyone feel more comfortable. I often start off my sessions with the children and parents laying on a blanket together cuddling or reading a story, this allows everyone to be more comfortable just being themselves.

How should we prepare for our session?

I suggest arriving to the session at least 10 minutes early dressed and ready. I photograph the hour before sunset (golden hour) and after this hour the light is very limited. 

On the day of the session be sure everyone is well rested and fed. We can all get a bit cranky when these basic needs are not met. It is important no one shows up to the session on an empty stomach. I encourage everyone has a substantial meal before the session to provide the energy to make it through a fun and potentially active session.

Where should we have the session? 

Location is key to any successful family photo. The location should reflect a special place, or special feeling for each family member. Your favorite hiking trail is a great idea, unless you want your toddler daughter in a sundress and sandals, so consider your surroundings, and any obstacles that you may encounter getting to the beautiful destination setting.

I’ve spent a lot of time researching locations. I find that open spaces give opportunity for family members to be themselves, to dance, to explore, to be silly. When you book your session you will then recieve a guide for locations and it will give you suggestions of where to hold your session. 

What do we wear? 

It isn’t easy styling your whole entire family for a session, but Kendra is here to take the ease off of you. When you book your session you will recieve a Client Guide which has a guide of how to dress inside and my top tips for what to wear for your family session.

Here are a few of my suggestions for how to dress:

-Start with one outfit and add on/work from there. 

-Try to avoid mixing patterns, such as stripes and plaids.

-Try to stick to the Neutral/Pastel color palette, as they tend to photograph better

-Avoid neon colors.These colors often reflect onto your skin.

-Try to avoid clothing that have distractive wording or characters.

*MOST IMPORTANT*-Dress Comfortably. The session is laid back and it is important that you feel comfroatable. 

What if it rains?

I have a reliable app, called Dark Sky, that I use to track the weather up to the last minute. I usually wait until the morning of the session to call it off due to weather. For these unpredictable circumstances, I keep a few dates available to reschedule.