Duperrault Family Photos in Lake Claire

This family photo session was one of my favorites from this past fall. I’ve photographed this sweet family a couple of times over the years, and this neighborhood is extra special because it’s where I grew up!

Our session started at the playground, and the rest of our time together unfolded organically. We let the kids take the lead, and I tagged along for a fun, laid back evening at the park. We got a few casual portraits, but the pictures that make me the happiest are the candid and completely natural moments. Barefoot toes in the sand, climbing bushes, and leaping into Mom’s arms from a nearby rock. The beautiful mess that happens when you dig into some pomegranates. These tiny little details of family life are what I think is worth documenting.

That’s what Documentary Family Photography is all about—authentically documenting real life in an artful way.

Some might confuse documentary family photography for lifestyle family photography. The styles are similar, so I understand the confusion. But the way I think of it is that lifestyle photos are pictures pretending to be of real moments, often in a random pretty location, whereas documentary photos are actually real. As the photographer I am documenting what I see, not choreographing a scene that could be real.

I think real life is way more interesting than anything I can make up, and when it comes to the value of photography I have learned that the pictures of real moments that show connection and personality will mean more to your future self.

Seeking to make art out of real life is why my sessions tend to be longer. Simply put, it takes time for moments to unfold. My goal is to make artful candids, and that takes time. So while I offer a one hour session, I consistently find the longer sessions to be more satisfying. With longer sessions I can tell a fuller story of your family, and it takes away any lingering pressure to perform.

Please enjoy some of my favorite photos from this recent session at the Lake Claire Land Trust:

Side note about the amazing Land Trust. I spent a lot of time here as a teenager, and it remains a beautiful natural hideaway inside Atlanta. If you aren’t familiar with it, check it out. In their own words:

The Lake Claire Community Land Trust is a neighborhood based non-profit dedicated to preserving greenspace and fostering community. Our 1.7 acres includes over 50 community garden beds, a children’s garden, a playground, a stage with an amphitheater and a pond. People gather for festivals, drum circles, community workdays, children’s birthday parties, classes and workshops and more. Several different communities of Land Trust lovers cross paths here for a rich cross-pollination of cultures. -https://www.lcclt.org/