Your Documentary Session Prep Guide
So you booked a documentary family session. First of all, yes! You made a great call. What's coming is a photo session that looks and feels nothing like traditional family photos. No stiff poses. No awkward "okay everyone look here and smile!" moments. Just your family, doing your thing, in a place you love. And then me, quietly documenting all of it. Here's what you actually need to know to get ready.
The Chaos Is the Point
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I know it might feel like you need everything to be perfect before we start. The house doesn't need to be spotless. Your kids don't need to be on their best behavior. The real, messy, beautifully ordinary moments of your life together are exactly what I'm here to capture, and they're also the ones you'll treasure most in twenty years.
Honestly? My favorite photos usually happen when something goes sideways. A spilled snack, a toddler who refuses to cooperate, a dog that photobombs everything. Lean into it.
Where We'll Shoot
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Documentary sessions work best somewhere your family is already comfortable. which usually means home. The kitchen during breakfast, a backyard water fight, reading books in the living room. If you'd rather be outside, think about a park, beach, or neighborhood spot you actually go to regularly.
The goal is to capture your real life, so the setting should feel like yours. Saturday soccer games, the farmer’s market, the beach, or your kitchen, basically anywhere you normally spend your time.
What to Wear (Loosely)
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You don't need to match. You don't need to coordinate perfectly. What you want to avoid is anything that feels like a costume. Stick to colors that feel like your family. Soft, muted tones tend to photograph beautifully, but wear what makes you feel like yourself. Comfort matters a lot here, especially for little ones.
A note about logos/graphics - I would tend to say “avoid them”….but I also have these types of sessions done for my family, and I know how hard it is to get your 5-year-old out of their favorite hoodie, no matter how unattractive you think it is. I have ACTUALLY, for real, been there with my kids. I thought I would care, and it turns out, surprise! I didn’t.
Plan a Normal Activity (or Two)
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The best sessions have something happening in them. Think about what your family actually does together on a weekend morning: making pancakes, reading on the couch, building with LEGOs, watering the garden. Having a loose plan means there's always something natural to photograph, and it gives your kids something to focus on besides the camera. You don't need a full itinerary, just a starting point.
So think baking together, a backyard game, building a fort, tending the garden, a dog walk, bath time, story-time, a bike ride, or making art.
On the Day Of
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Try to keep the morning (or afternoon) as low-key as possible. Well-rested kids make for happier sessions, so nap schedules matter. Let them know a photographer is coming over to hang out, not that they have to "take pictures." The more relaxed everyone is, the better the whole thing goes. I'll spend the first bit just getting comfortable in your space before I start shooting in earnest.
Think of me like a friend who happens to have a camera. It's totally fine to chat a little at the start, that's actually great for getting comfortable. But once things get going, just live your life. Sometimes I'm a fly on the wall, sometimes I feel like family. Either way, the magic happens when you stop thinking about the camera.