The magic of photojournalistic family photography comes from the realness of the moments you capture. Noisy, crazy, crying, laughing, hugs and tantrums: everything goes. There’s nothing like this style for preserving what it feels like to be in the thick of things, raising your kids with a messy bun and yoga pants on.
Get photojournalistic: capture your clients’ lives in the moment
When you’re ready to slide all the way over to the documentary side of the photography spectrum, applying a photojournalistic approach to a family session is a beautiful way to capture the truth of what their busy lives are like, right now.
How to use this photo pose prompt
Utilize the beauty of documentary in your session by releasing all control and simply observing. Become a fly on the wall and look for the love and beauty in the interactions between family members as they go about their normal activity.
Shoot the connections: watch for when people are physically close, shared gaze, eye contact, etc, and document these connections. Look for happy and sad moments alike. Anger and joy. Focus on emotions, big and small, and you’ll bring those memories and feelings back for your clients every time they see the photos.
At the start of the session this can be used to get people warmed up, e.g. while the family is still getting ready, kids are having snacks or baby is being breastfed, etc. It’s a low-pressure start and helps kids get used to you being there.
It’s also useful as a change of pace in a session, e.g. if you can sense that kids and parents are getting frazzled after a series of restrictive poses. Release everyone: “Ok, you guys can just go play now!” and then observe and shoot.
If you started with a more structured session, it may take a few minutes for them to slip back into normal interactions with each other—they may get confused and think they still need to be performing for the camera (“Are you still here? Are we done?”). Just explain to the parents you’d like to capture some natural photos of them all just doing their thing. Be patient and relax, and the family will too.
The longer you can devote in a session to this style, the better your photojournalistic photos will be.
Step 1: Prepare
- Prepare parents (tell them you’re not going to interfere) so they know that they don’t have to perform or get the kids to “behave.”
- Release the pressure off frazzled kids (and parents) by letting them “just go play” (then quietly document).
- Wait, watch, and let everyone relax.
Step 2: Observe
- Release all control and observe. Become a fly on the wall.
- Look for love and beauty in everyday interactions. Follow the action and the interactions.
- Shoot the connections (look for physical and gaze connections between family members).
Creative extension
- Dedicate an entire day to capture “a day in the life” of your clients: structure a special session where you observe them in their home and capture the details of their normal routine. Look for the beauty in the messy, the normal, and the crazy.
- Use a short focal length inside to capture the whole environment. I use my Tamron 28-70mm f2.8 or if I want an extreme look, my Canon 10-18mm f4.5-5.6.
What’s your favorite documentary strategy? Tag me @promptographerguide and use the hashtag #promptographerguide to share with us.
Want this prompt in your Field Cards set?
All the info in this prompt post is summarized onto a single card in the Promptographer Guide Field Cards, with the details given in the accompanying Guidebook. All the ideas are given on the one card so you have a rich, comprehensive tool for sparking ideas. I’ve designed it this way so you only need five to ten cards to build a whole photoshoot.
If you want this prompt in your set, make sure you include Set 6: Family Essentials in your Field Cards.
