Custom photography is when you break out of the cookie cutter studio experience. Each year my parents took my sisters and I to a studio for our family portraits. Looking back at these photos, now framed on my parents’ walls, we appear so stiff and posed. I feel that custom photography has a way of capturing the emotion in the moment rather than just a staged smile.
Many custom photographers carry a photojournalistic approach to photographing families. The photojournalistic approach is more about photographing a story of your lifestyle rather than posed images. Taking the time to get to know each family before the session begins. Knowing as parents what you would like to see come out of the session, specific photos or ideas. Photographing the excitement of your child as they run through a sprinkler, dip their toes in an ice-cold summer creek or the smiles of your little girl as she dances around in a tutu and cowboy boots.
As a photographer I really want to be the observer of your family interaction- photographing the fun, the excitement, the laughs and the tears.
Custom photography is not for everyone. I have had clients in the past who have been unhappy with photos taken. They have voiced wanting a more posed look and that simply isn’t my style as a photographer. Some people like the traditional white backdrop and posed look, which is perfectly fine. But knowing the photojournalistic-custom photographer approach is not for them.
Know that custom photography costs more than just walking into a chain studio and having your portrait taken. The fact is that commercial studios make their money off volume not customized one-on-one service. Their goal is to get customers in and out as quickly as possible. When I book a photo session I allot 1-2 hours of time for each family. This allows me time to get to know the family, gain the trust of their children, learn their likes and dislikes before taking photos. Gaining the trust of the children before taking photos allows me to bring out their true personalities- giving more natural expressions throughout the explore and play of your portrait session
To me a beautiful photograph is not just the beauty of the surroundings or the beauty of the subject it’s more about the emotion being captured at that moment in time. I strive to capture the memories in your life. So that when you look back at these photos years down the road you not only see a photo of someone you love, but you feel the emotions attached to that photo and remember the memories of that day. My goal is to provide my clients with a collection of photographs that tell a story.
Visit KaeLee's website to see a wonderful example of her work.
Next month: How to prepare for your family portrait session.
