The Fun of Lifestyle Photography + Camera Tips

The fun of lifestyle photography is that you get to take pictures of life's everyday moments.  Sometimes I feel like lifestyle photography is far more fascinating than posed pictures.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good photoshoot every now and then but, my heart belongs to the natural photographs of the sweet magic of mundane life!

The key to lifestyle photography is capturing people, places, and things in the in-between moments of life.  I like to call it twilight moments.

You might capture the perfect profile pic if someone looks away or the perfect gesture between a couple.  Even if you don't work with the best camera in the world, the more you practice, the more you find the fun of lifestyle photography is more apparent than you think!

What is Lifestyle Photography All About?

In order for it to be considered lifestyle photography, people and their body parts (hands, profile, feet, etc.) have to be captured in an impromptu moment.

Although some pictures are posed, they usually have to be natural and effortless in appearance.  It has to look like you're not trying too hard. You're capturing moments anywhere and everywhere that you can.  It's all about the little things in life.

You'll learn to bring your camera with you wherever you go.  You'll use various methods for taking your pictures, this usually means the use of several different types of cameras.

For example:  In my family, we have a tradition of taking webcam photo pics together, which I'll be sharing with you in an upcoming feature.  It's a fun way to get family and friends together and to be fun and spontaneous!

I bought my oldest daughter a polaroid camera from the seventies for Christmas and we got some real vintage-inspired images from it.  Plus hello, it's fun!

My two youngest daughter's got Instax cameras for Christmas too and that's been really fun to play with.  My seventeen-year-old daughter Veronica made her Instax images into a wall collage with pictures of her and her boyfriend.

Making use of different cameras is definitely a big part of being a lifestyle photographer!  Don't be afraid to try different things.  My youngest daughter Chloe did it old school last winter when she went to a school dance with two toy cameras.  It was an awesome picture-taking experience for her!

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Never has a saying been truer!  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Maybe more.  You can capture so much feeling and emotion in a person's face, through the use of body language, and in the strangest of settings.

See the World Through Your Lens

Sometimes you get a little pose in from your model and sometimes it's accidental, which is splendid.  Lifestyle photography is about you, the artist, the photographer.  We are viewing the world through your lens.

What do you see?  What's your worldview?  It's amazing that a picture can do all that!

So, if you don't have a professional camera yet, don't let it intimidate you as a photographer or a blogger.  It's all about living in the moment.  That's the fun of lifestyle photography!