7 Things I Love and Look For at Family Photo Sessions
A long time client and friend moved out of Atlanta a few months ago, and she asked me to help her find a family photographer in her new city. I photographed her family when she and her partner were expecting their first baby, and over the next six years as their family continued to grow. She wasn't finding anyone online who seemed to shoot in a similar style as me. Helping her with her search got me thinking about my style, and also my pricing.
My style of family photography is mostly documentary family photography, meaning completely unposed, authentic, fly on the wall photographs of real connections, personalities and everyday life. I say mostly because I think family portraits are important to take occasionally, and I try to give a few good ones to every family I work with.
When it comes to pricing, I include the digital images in all of my collections because that is what is best for me and my client. I want to deliver every gorgeous photo that I shoot at a session, and I don't want my clients to have to choose between them. It just feels right and is what I want, especially for documentary family photography that tells the story of a family right now.
With that said I can not stress how much I want my clients to print my work. I shoot with albums in mind, but my clients do not have to buy an album from me. The albums I offer are archival and heirloom quality. But I get it if my client doesn't want or can not afford that.
Thinking about my photographic voice, I started thinking about what I love to photograph at Family photo sessions. Here's my top 7 things I love and look for at every family photo session:
1. Belly Laughs. The real ones that couldn't be further from "say cheese." The laughs that often end with rolling around on the floor. Those are moments I love.
2. Quiet Moments. Sometimes they happen toward the end of a session or when a little one falls down. Either way, they make my heart melt. I can close my eyes and remember those sweet moments, and I am so happy to be able to give these photos to parents. When you have small children it feels like you are constantly holding someone, but that goes away!
3. Shadows. I think shadows are just gorgeous. When I first started photographing families I wanted all extremely well lit houses. Now that seems so flat to me. Shadows can add so much visual interest, and they are definitely part of real life!
4. Rolls. Oh, the rolls. I probably don’t need to explain this one, but I’ll just say that baby rolls are right up there with baby yawns, and are just incredible.
5. Hands. Mom's hands brushing her daughter's hair. Dad's arms wrapped around his son who will one day be as big as him. We often show love through touching, and when you have small kids you do a lot of it that seems ordinary, but is so extraordinary. I’m always looking for what the hands are doing during sessions, and like to make interesting photos of them.
6. Childhood. Kids being kids; really. The mischief and wonder, and their unabashed curiosity is so beautiful! Play is such a big part of my family sessions. These kids of ours are going to grow up before you know it—childhood is such a small sliver of life, and as parents we are often too busy to really see it for the beautiful mess that it is.
7. Connection. Last but certainly not least. Eye contact, snuggles, all of it. That's what it's all about! It’s the beauty that parents don’t get to see themselves unless there is a picture of it.
I could go on and on with what I’m looking to photograph at family sessions. Family (and life) are so complicated, and I want to tell a full story of a day and a family’s journey. Which is why my very favorite way to work with families is over a long period of time.
Beginning in 2022 I will be offering a new project I’m calling A Year in the Life; a family yearbook for Atlanta families. I’ll meet up with families multiple times throughout the calendar year to tell the story of their day, and at the end of the year I will deliver an album of highlights from the year. Learn more here!
Chanda Williams is a natural light family photographer and videographer in Atlanta, making art out of everyday life for families who recognize how quickly it’s all happening.