Preparing for your storytelling session
Creating Lasting Memories: Essential Tips for your Lifestyle Photography Session
Getting out of your head and into your heart
When you come to one of my photography sessions, I want it to feel like an hour where you are simply being with your family, connecting, bonding, and sharing memories together. I want you to leave behind the expectations that we have to achieve perfect photos. I want you to let go of perfection and just be in the moment, fully present with the people you cherish most. I strive to make my sessions more of a bonding experience than a lifestyle photoshoot. My goal is to capture the authentic love that radiates from your family. I aim to capture lifestyle images that, one day, when you look back at them, will remind you of the little things you used to do together as a family.
All of my lifestyle photography sessions are unposed, aiming to capture the beauty of everyday life. While I may incorporate a few poses here and there, my primary focus is on capturing the genuine love within your family. I strive to capture the moments of snuggles, laughter, kisses, and even tears! During my sessions, I encourage movement and maintain a laid-back atmosphere. I kindly request that parents allow the children to take the lead during the session and simply be present with them; this is when the magic happens.
Here are a few tips that enhance session experience: Begin by connecting with the day and relaxing doing things you like to do. If you can take the morning off then do it, give yourself lots of time to get to the session so you don’t feel stressed when you get there. There is nothing worse than getting to a session frazzled and disconnected. Once at the session do not set expectations. Embrace all that comes, the wind, the rain, the laughter, whatever unfolds. I will make every effort to ensure your photos do not look posed. Instead, I will provide gentle guidance directing you towards the right path and offering suggestions. From there it will be up to you to make it your own! My instructions are intentionally vague allowing you the freedom to be yourself!
One of the best lifestyle photography tips I can give is to never stop moving. By getting out of your head and into your heart and just being with your family you can forget we are here to take pictures and just have fun connecting with each other. Surrender to the present moment whatever the present moment brings and let your hearts take center stage. That will always be my ultimate goal. To have an hour where you get to be together as a family and capturing the essence of who you are as a family.
If there is only one thing you take away after reading this, let it be this: embrace the unexpected. Every photo shoot is special and we do not have a list of shots to tick off. It’s all about you and capturing life exactly as it is right now. Our purpose Is not to imitate the shiny flawless families you see on social media, rather we are here to tell your unique story as it unfolds on the day of our session! Throw the checklist out the window and know the magic will naturally reveal itself. And when it does, I will be there to preserve it.
A couple more tips on what you can bring to your lifestyle photography session to ensure it runs smoothly: water to stay hydrated, snacks in case the kiddos get hungry, a brush or hairspray for grooming, makeup for touchups, towels to combat the Texas heat, and stylish yet comfy shoes!
Lastly a few other things you can do before your session to help prepare the kids and also get the most out of our hour together. Talk to your kids about the session and show them my photos. Let them know a friendly photographer will be taking their photos but they won’t have to sit and smile for an hour. Instead, we will be playing games and exploring the outdoors!
Outdoor photo sessions are best at sunrise and sunset for beautiful lighting, so please consider having your kids nap during the day or schedule your session for sunrise.
Because your lifestyle photography session is timed according to our natural light, please make sure to be on time and prepared, factoring in traffic. If you need to get the children ready or settled, arrive early to the session.
Make sure everything is ready the night before so you aren't scrambling in the morning; you don't want to be stressed out before your session!
We are going to have a lot of fun in our lifestyle photography session! I’m sure I will embarrass myself in hopes to make the kids laugh! Remember to stay true to yourself, these photos are for you. We will try different games and prompts and I aim to foster individuality as much as possible! Not all the shots will turn out perfectly but the ones that do should capture most authentic and beautiful representations of who your all are as a family!
About Steph and Lady Photography
I am a lifestyle photographer who specializes in intimate weddings, family, couples, engagement, elopement, maternity, and personal branding in the San Antonio, TX area. If you would like lifestyle photos like these for your family, let’s chat!