In recent years, the term "lifestyle photography" has grown popular. You've probably come across a self-proclaimed lifestyle photographer on social media on more than a few occasions. But what are lifestyle photos? Is it something you should consider and incorporate into your photography website? Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about lifestyle photography, from what it is to how to become a pro.
What is Lifestyle Photography?
Lifestyle photography is a type of portrait photography that attempts to capture real-life situations artistically. This type of photography aims to tell people's stories through candid, unscripted scenes.
While a lifestyle approach can be used in people-centric photography, many believe it is best represented in family photos. The main distinction between lifestyle photography and candid portraiture is the photographer's participation in the scene.
Suggestions for Lifestyle Photography
Do you want to learn more about how to take these kinds of photos? The ten lifestyle photography tips listed below will help you get started in the genre and capture heartwarming stories:
1. Strive for Authenticity
Because the goal of lifestyle photography is to capture life as it happens, your images must be as natural and as true to life as possible. Having someone following you around with a camera is probably not something most people you work with would consider normal. Authenticity in lifestyle photography refers to capturing images that reflect people's daily lives. There will be no posed portraits, props, carefully placed artificial lighting, or studio photoshoots. You can give them some pointers on where to take their pictures or what clothes look best on them. But your influence on the overall look of the session should be kept to a minimum.
2. Make a Plan Ahead of Time
Just because you want to capture spontaneous moments doesn't mean you can show up without doing any preparation. Personal and technical preparation are the two main areas to focus on when preparing for a successful lifestyle photography assignment. Before the shooting day, you should get to know your clients personally. Learn about their likes and dislikes, their daily lives, the activities they enjoy doing together, and the topics they are passionate about. Go the extra mile to learn enough about these topics to be able to hold a conversation about them. This is especially important for getting the younger subjects to open up and be themselves in front of a stranger.
3. Photograph in Commonplace Settings
Unlike in most other types of photography, light is not a major consideration when selecting a location for your lifestyle shoot. Instead, consider two factors: where your subjects feel most at ease and which location best represents who they are. Do they spend their afternoons at the park or at home doing creative activities? Are they the type of people who can't wait for the weekend to get outside, or do they prefer a lazy Sunday morning in their living room? During the planning stage, you should be able to find answers to all of these questions and use them to determine the best location for your lifestyle shoot. Choose two or more locations whenever possible because they will allow you to capture various shots of your subjects' interests. Plus, you'll have a backup plan if the first location on your list doesn't work out.
4. Ensure that Everyone is at Ease
Image is taken from Strikingly user’s website
Most people find it challenging to be completely open in front of strangers, much fewer strangers with cameras. It's your job as a photographer to put them at ease in your presence. You can (and should) do several things to accomplish this. If children are involved in the lifestyle shoot, consider their daily routines, as is often the case in lifestyle photography. If the kids are hungry or tired, a beautiful setting during the golden hour will be completely useless. This will make their interactions much more natural and relaxed, and they may even forget about the camera. Allow each situation to unfold naturally, but don't be afraid to initiate a new activity if the current one isn't working or you want to try something new.
6. Be Aware of Every Movement
Lifestyle photography is similar to wildlife photography in some ways. A dynamic, fast-paced environment in which you try to exert as little influence as possible. It won't take long for you to realize that the speed of a cheetah is nothing compared to the speed of a happy toddler. The most memorable moments in a lifestyle shoot usually last less than a second. You must learn to anticipate them and be prepared to shoot. Shooting in burst mode allows you to capture the moments before and after the actual moment, resulting in more meaningful images.
7. Pay Close Attention to Particulars
Not every photograph you take has to be a medium-to-wide shot. Some may not even be classified as portrait photography. To capture a series of images that truly reflect who your subjects are, zoom in on details that deserve a close-up shot and pay attention to what makes the space theirs, such as a box of toys or a cat sleeping in the window. A lifestyle photo is much more than a portrait session, and your clients will appreciate that you look for details other than the obvious shots.
8. Participate in the Discussion
Most photography careers rely heavily on people skills, and lifestyle photography is no exception. Even if you want to keep your involvement in the photoshoot to a bare minimum, that doesn't mean you should act as if you're not there. Talking to people throughout the photoshoot will make them see you as a guest rather than a photographer, which will help them stay calm and natural. Furthermore, it will allow you to direct the action without appearing out of nowhere to give orders and then disappearing again.
9. Keep Your Camera Close By
The first rule of lifestyle photography is that you never put your camera down while shooting. On your path to becoming a professional photographer, you'll discover that some of the most beautiful images come from unexpected places. This is especially true if you want to capture these unexpected moments. Keep an eye on the action and be ready to shoot even during short breaks. This is when your client's self-awareness is at its lowest, displaying raw emotions and true nature.
10. Tell the Story of Your Subjects
At the end of the day, your clients are paying you to tell their story, not to take a few nice family portraits. In exchange for tangible memories of those moments, they invite you into their lives as one of their own. As a result, you'll need to go beyond technically perfect portraits and learn the art of photography storytelling. Consider how each image in the photoshoot relates to others and how you can bring them all together with your photography style.
Beautiful Lifestyle Photography Examples
Let's look at some photography portfolio examples to inspire you to create your own photography portfolio website.
∙ Sinten Studio
Image is taken from Strikingly user’s website
Sinten Studio is a photography studio with locations in Yogyakarta, Jakarta, and Bali. As you can see, it specializes in lifestyle photography with historical elements. Sinten Studio is an excellent example to follow if you want to make a name for yourself in the lifestyle photography business.
∙ Anita Photography
Image is taken from Strikingly user’s website
Anita Photography's portfolio website is next on our list. This portfolio website's color scheme combines several colors to make it easy to navigate. Anita's website also has several categories, which you can do if you want to reach out to more people in various niches.
∙ Annika Enderborg
Image is taken from Strikingly user’s website
Annika Enderborg's website is the last on our list. Annika, like Anita, has several niches on her website. She also has an online store on her website, which makes it simple for people to hire her.
Create Your Photography Portfolio Website using Strikingly
You may believe that developing a portfolio website is beyond your capabilities. How does a photographer go about creating a website? Isn't that the job of web designers? It used to be correct. Anyone, however, can now create a website. You can quickly locate a website builder that will assist you in creating a website in minutes. You may even find one who will help you for free. However, as a photographer, you understand that a free service will only result in mediocre results. If you want to get the most out of your portfolio website, you should spend money building your lifestyle photography website.
If you want an amazing photography portfolio at a low cost, Strikingly is the best-paid website builder you can use. Strikingly allows you to create your website portfolio using templates provided by Strikingly and easily change them to meet your needs. Not only that, but as you can see above, you can find websites created by other Strikingly users and use their design as your own lifestyle photography website design.
Begin with Lifestyle Photography
Try to find your niche as a lifestyle photographer as you begin your journey. Being a jack-of-all-trades has its advantages, but focusing your skills on one specific area of expertise will put you in high demand. Are you a photographer who specializes in food and still life? Or are you the type of photographer who isn't afraid to immerse himself in the conflict to expose unsettling truths? The only way to find out is to take many pictures of different subjects.
