One of the best parts of family documentary photography is getting a glimpse into what makes a family unique. One aspect that brings this out is location. In documentary sessions, a family chooses a location that's meaningful to them. That may be their home or a nearby park where their kids play. Or both. Or it could be somewhere else entirely. A family adventure somewhere new, exploring an area together. Both choices are awesome for their own reasons. I'll be sharing an adventuresome session in a few weeks, but today I'm excited to share this sweet in-home family session in Reston, Virginia and a few reasons I love photographing families in their home.
- It's more relaxed. When a family is in their own home, they're in their element. For younger children especially, when routines are so important, it's easy to keep everyone stress-free, because you have everything you need.
- Activities, and special moments, come naturally. Because you're in your home, it's easy to go with the flow of the day. Preserving memories of the every day is why I love documentary photography. What may be routine today will change weeks or months from now. So having pictures that document how tiny your baby was in her car seat or how soundly she slept in her "milk coma" after nursing will be especially meaningful when she's in a booster seat (or driving her own car!) and has declared nap time unnecessary (it happens :-/).
- Life changes fast. And with it, our surroundings. The nursery you spent months lovingly preparing for your baby will someday be filled with her own decor of choice, replacing those carefully chosen mementos of baby and childhood. The house where you first brought her home may even be a distant memory years from now when you've moved miles away for a new job or to make room for another baby.
These are just a few reasons I love in-home documentary sessions. Check out this previous post for more in-home family session love and this post to learn more about preparing for a documentary photography session.
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