What exactly is Documentary Family Photography?

Let's talk about what this incredible emerging genre of photography really is.

So perhaps you’ve heard the term “Documentary Family Photography” or "Day in the Life" tossed around and you’re intrigued. What exactly is it though...?

I sometimes call it 'Storytelling Family Photography' (it's also often referred to as 'Family Photojournalism') - and it's like nothing else.

Documentary family photography is a genre of photography that aims to capture candid moments of a family’s daily life. The goal is to create a visual narrative of the family’s life, highlighting the beauty in the mundane. Unlike lifestyle photography, which involves some degree of posing and staging, documentary family photography is unobtrusive and non-invasive. It seeks to capture the family’s true essence, without any interference from the photographer.

Documentary Family Photography is incredible for capturing the different relationships, personalities, and interactions that make up your unique family.

It’s about showing you what your life FEELS like, not what it LOOKS like. It’s about embracing both the beauty AND the chaos. 'Cause let's be real here; real life is chaotic...but it's also really beautiful.

It'sabout capturing the reality of your life right now, so you never forget the hilarious, unique, and endearing personalities that create your family unit.

Real life isn't captured in posed portraits.

I don't come to you expecting a perfectly tidy house. That's not real life. I don't ask you to dress a certain way when you typically wear leggings and a Mum bun most days. And that's exactly why documentary family sessions are so awesome! There's NO effort involved from you except for you to be your amazing selves.

Documentary Family Photography images don't look like the pretty family portraits you’re so used to seeing all over social media. What you will get is so much more important and they will become the images that you, and your kids, treasure for the rest of your life.

Don’t get me wrong, posed 'lifestyle' family portraits are wonderful and most certainly have their place, but I want to give your family something more than a pretty picture to hang on your wall. I want to give you something that offers an honest look into what your real life feels like. Real life isn’t meant to be perfect.  Real life is messy and complicated and rarely looks like the picture you imagined in your head.

Think about the way you feel when you look back on photos of your childhood. Aren't they just so emotive? Almost like you're instantly transported back in time? You most likely don't have many, and even fewer with your parents actually in them with you. I treasure the few that I do have.

Why would you want this type of session? I'm glad you asked!

• Do you hate posing for formal portraits? Me too! I might just be the photographer for you!

• There's no need for the house to be show-home ready, or for you to spend time coordinating outfits. Just be your amazing selves. 

• In twenty years from now, what kind of photos do you want to look back at?  The ones taken with fake grins or perfectly posed in matching outfits? Or would you prefer images that show how your daughter would wear nothing else but the Cinderella costume day and night or how your son clings to your leg while you're trying to cook dinner. Reading the same three books every single night before bed or the need for you to brush their teeth will soon be a thing of the past, so let's capture these moments before they're gone.

• Are you always the one taking snaps? Exist in the photographs for your children, not only in their memories.

• You’re someone who wants every little detail of a completely ordinary day recorded so you can remember how it felt to have little kids at home, or grandparents around.

• If you have kids who cannot sit still for a picture, a documentary session is a great choice. No sitting still required - all photos are made in the moment.

• "If walls could talk...". You'll have photographs of the place where your memories actually happened. Your home is where you spend most of your family time, yet the cameras don't often come out until there's a special occasion.

And the best thing of all? There are zero expectations of how the photos 'should' turn out...because they will be perfect. Just like your family.

Day in the Life sessions with Lazy Sunday Photography

Day in the Life sessions involve me spending a period of time - and even sometimes an entire day with a family, capturing their daily routines and activities. My goal is to focus on those in-between moments that build our lives. The shorter sessions are great for capturing a typical routine - this could be a lazy Sunday breakfast or the toddler night-time routine. It could be a family walk to the corner store or the park or a round of cricket in the backyard.

The longer sessions are incredible for capturing the true essence of a family’s life. The images I capture will highlight the beauty in the mundane, creating a visual narrative that tells the story of a family’s life.

They can be scheduled on an ordinary weekday, a weekend or even a holiday! I won’t interfere with your routines or special time together.

Day in the Life sessions are an excellent way to document your family at its core, allowing you to look back on your lives with fondness and nostalgia.

And truth be told, the images you receive from your session won’t even really be for you - they'll be for your kids.

You know what your kids WON’T remember from their childhood?

That time everyone got dressed up and stood in a field at sunset.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or reach out if you think a day in the Life session is just what you've been looking for.

xx