Butler Family

A lot of people want life-styled photos, the ones that look candid but are really the product of the photographer shouting directions like “laugh and look natural.” And there is nothing wrong with that. I think most of us gravitate towards the photos that capture us as we are naturally. But let me just explain a little bit about what a real life-style experience is like.

You have to buy in to the vision and idea, otherwise were going to awkwardly sitting in your house for an hour. Of course, there is always going to a be small aspect of performance with a third party and a camera present, but ,for the most part, a lifestyle session should, in a very unique, creative, beautiful way, capture you, your family, going through your every day rituals.

My favorite photos of my family and I are ones where we are doing something—decorating Christmas cookies, cooking a meal together, or just curled up on the couch watching a movie in our jammies. These photos are not by any means stunning or gorgeous. But they are incredibly beautiful because they represent my very ordinary yet meaningful moments that make up my life.

As soon as I got to the Butlers, I instantly knew that Katie and James understood. Different from other photo experience, lifestyle sessions are meant to capture you actual life as it unfolds. The session began with Katie unloading Jack from his car seat followed by their greetings from James and Teddy the boxer as they walked into the house. The next test was potty training. I know it seems a little insane to photograph this, but for you guys on the front lines going through this right now, bribing, praying, and pleading with your kid to do their business in the pot, having a little commemoration of this season might just be a really sweet thing (especially once you are able to retire the diapers).

We then grabbed some snacks and headed outside to traipse in the woods, walk on logs, and pick up sticks. Soon, more snacks were required, so we headed in for a family cheese cracker throwing event which Teddy thoroughly enjoyed and finished out by playing in the living room.

Sure, I gave suggestions of some things they could all do together, and once in awhile I would ask someone to move closer to the other or look at someone, but for the most part it was just life happening. I know this might sound scary, inviting someone in to just take pictures of you going about your day, but you would be surprised at how lovely your ordinary life is.