Wondering what a one-hour documentary family photo session looks like? Here’s a fantastic example. I’ve been photographing this awesome family every six months for the last 8 years and we always find something fun for the kids, while allowing a great storytelling collection of photos. The fun thing about these kinds of playdate sessions is that we’re actually creating memories along with the photos. Every family receives a slideshow with highlights from our session and I hear time-and-time again that kids regularly beg to watch their slideshows.
This session, we decided to stroll Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley, poking our heads into stores and windows along the way. You’ll notice there are very few photos where anyone is looking at the camera, but there are a few where someone looked my way. That’s because I take a very unobtrusive approach, just acting like a fly on the wall and letting kids be themselves. The result is a great set of photos that serve as a touchpoint for this time in your family’s life.
I’m often asked, “what is documentary family photography.” All this term means is that I work quietly and unobtrusively, letting real life unfold. My background includes a master’s degree in journalism with a specialization in documentary reporting, so visual storytelling is at the heart of how I photograph families. Documentary photography is about preserving what your time together actually felt like—curiosity, connection, movement, and the small, fleeting moments that create a story your children will treasure forever.
