For family photography in CT, I use my background as a documentary photographer to tell your family’s story. Most family photographers in Fairfield County and New Haven County do not take this approach.
A Day in a Life is about documenting what makes your family special and unique. As a photographer specializing in documentary photography, I spend time with your family photographing everything that happens in a given day: Playtime, naptime, meals, etc. There is so much that happens in a day that we oftentimes forget. Beautiful moments happen every day and my goal is to make storytelling pictures that show the beauty of your family’s lives.
We will shoot the standard family portraits but it is important to let things happen naturally. Your family’s story is one-of-a-kind. The way the story is told matters. Whether you are playing on the beach, having a relaxing day at home or planning a fun outing, I want to be a part of it.
Having two sons, I look back on the hundreds of thousands of photos of them. Although I am not a baby photographer per say, I have photographed them since birth. They are the two most photographed kids in Fairfield County and there is an importance of preserving our family history and in family photography. When they are older they will be able to look back through my eyes and see moments that they were too young to remember, or truly understand the magic at that time.
CT family photographers have varying opinions on the complete set of ingredients involved. After all, taking a good portrait, family or otherwise, is a creative endeavor. As creative endeavors go, what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. This is especially true of someone that specializes in newborn photography. However, despite the varying schools of thought, there are some core elements which seem to remain the same for family photography in CT and everyone agrees on across the board.
It’s important that everyone feel at ease for the portrait to come out as natural as possible. Not everyone is comfortable in front of the camera so it’s understandable when some of your family members feel a little uptight the first time. A good photographer will start by quickly snapping a few photographs in an environment you’re all familiar and comfortable with to get you in the vibe before taking the portrait picture.
This is mostly something that the photographer is supposed to take care of. However, they will definitely appreciate it if you ensure your environment has some great lighting to begin with. If you’re taking a portrait photo indoors and don’t have any professional photography lighting available, you can take advantage of a large window letting in some natural sunlight. A good photographer will make sure the light isn’t too much in your eyes so as to cause you to squint at the most critical moment. They will use diffusers and even cover any large windows with a thin material to make the light softer. When the light is too bright, not only does it negatively affect the expressions of the subjects, it also ruins the textures in the photograph and makes everything look bleached.
There are many things you can use in your family portrait to communicate that you are a family. However, few will do this as powerfully as your clothes. Clothes can serve as a common thread that ties you together and makes it obvious to anyone looking at the portrait that you are, indeed, a family, even without any context. You can use your clothes to express your familial relations in a variety of ways, including matching certain colors or even matching your clothes to some aspect of your environment to help ties you together.
The whole group doesn’t have to sit or stand. You can do a variety of poses to make the portrait more interesting. Half of you can sit while the other half stand. You can also split yourselves into levels to make the portrait look more dynamic. You should also try to make good use of various props available to you to give the photo a fresh edge
Your family portrait doesn’t have to take on a certain style simply because that style has prevailed over the years. Your family is certainly unique and different from the many others out there. You should communicate that difference and what makes you unique in your portraits. You can try different styles, different colors, and radical new environments to help your photos pop. A good family photographer will also want to experiment by trying out new things, such as a different camera lens to frame the whole family.
Other than being creative with the content of the portrait photo, you can also try to be creative with the perspective. You don’t have to take a head on photograph simply because that’s how it’s done. You can have your portrait shot from different interesting angles to find out what works best for you. A good photographer will try out different positions, shooting from the top, the bottom, the sides, and various oblique angles to get the best perspective of your family. There aren’t any hard and fast rules here. It’s really all about what works and you’ll easily find that out if you experiment.
Don’t hold back. You’re not doing this for some competition. You’re doing it for yourself. You’re doing it so that you can look at the portrait years from now and feel a smile growing on your face as your heart warms up and memories flood your mind of that special day when you took the portrait. Jump on top of each other, do family hugs, run around, have a pillow fight in front of the camera, whatever it takes to make you feel like you’re having fun. It will show in your portrait. I promise.
I am a Fairfield County family photographer with a passion for telling stories. I enjoy photographing families, and capturing each family’s unique individual story.
If you’re having a family party, event or reunion or just a relaxing day at the beach or park I can capture your family’s story. It is important to record this. When your family looks back years from now they will be reminded of the wonderful moments they shared together. Even the simplest moment can make a beautiful picture. It is a keepsake that can be treasured, cherished and shared for years to come. Each family is truly special and unique, and unlike another.
I allow kids to be their playful selves and work around their own space while having fun. Photographing their personality and relationships with other family members and nature is rewarding. The moments are real and unique.
As a documentary photographer I have photographed families and people all over the world. I have spent countless hours observing and photographing families of every background. My goal is always the same. To show who they really are and to capture their essence in a series of photographs that tell a story. From getting out of bed in the morning to breakfast to playing on the beach to the end of the day when they go to bed, it is my chance to tell your story and to create something that tells who your family is.