Home Is Your Canvas
“Home is where your heart is,” may be a common phrase, but during a global pandemic, it’s so much more. These days, home is also where many of us work and play, as well as make amazing memories with those we love. That’s why as a Lifestyle Portrait photographer I encourage clients to take thoughts of home one step further, and consider it the perfect canvas for a lifestyle family photo session.
I absolutely love photographing families in their home environment. There’s something so poignant about photographing a newborn in a room that was designed especially for them, or photographing a father and son playing in front of a fireplace they built together. I love to help my families showcase the magic of an ordinary day spent together in the place they are most comfortable.
One thing I encourage my clients to do, is to think about what they love most about their home. What are some favorite spots to play board games or favorite chairs to sit in and read a book with the kids. These are the areas that can be used as the perfect canvas for their family lifestyle portrait session. Whether you are bringing a baby to a just-built home, or you’ve added a sun room for game time to the place you’ve lived in for years, there’s always a special spot to highlight in the family home that is perfect for lifestyle photos.
Every family’s story is unique and beautiful, and 99 percent of it occurs in the family home. So, why not make it the backdrop of photos you’ll cherish forever? Some clients balk at the task of getting their homes “photo ready,” but I don’t want that to be a deterrent.
You definitely do not need to do a full-house deep clean to hold a lifestyle portrait session with your home as the canvas. I promise I am not going to pull back your shower curtain and check your grout for stains! You really just need to have the selected areas looking clean and neat. Your living room, the nursery, or even the kitchen. Wherever your family has the most fun together. No need to get stressed or hire a house cleaner beforehand, I promise.
Some of my favorite ways to photograph families having fun together at home include playing board games, cooking together, or parents and children reading together. And of course, nurseries make amazing backdrops for newborn cuddles during newborn sessions, too.
I am also happy to consult with clients to help them decide what parts of their home they want to focus on. When you live in your home day in and day out, what’s unique about it might not stick out to you. I can definitely offer a fresh and new perspective to help my clients see their home in a new light. Some things families often choose to incorporate are personal touches they’ve added to their homes: perhaps a handmade sign in one of the kid’s rooms or an heirloom piece of furniture that has brought joy to the family for generations. Often, though, it’s something even simpler: a toy, a book, or a game that kids are obsessed with at this moment in time, for example, that you want to remember forever. It truly is the little things in life that can make the best memories, and it’s best to capture them while you can. Life moves so fast!
In a time when families are at home together more than they have been in years, they are also investing more than ever in making it a truly wonderful place to be. Why not show off the decor and comforts you’ve worked so hard on with a lifestyle portrait session in your home? Here’s to beautiful memories made, captured, and cherished together on your home canvas—forever.