FAQ #1 || What is a lifestyle photographer?
“photography is an art of observation. it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
This is the first in a series of posts based on my FAQ section and questions that I get ask by YOU. It is my aim that this will help to make you much more informed and ready when it comes to your next photo session. If you have a question, leave a comment below and I'll get on to it. Now for the first question in the series:
What is a lifestyle photographer?
I never realised it until recently but I have been a little selfish, I know what a lifestyle photographer is so I just automatically assumed that you did as well. I appoligise. I feel like lifestyle photography is newer genre in photography and although it is everywhere and you see it daily, you probably aren't aware that that's what it is called. It's definition is subjective and often varies between artists, but this is my interpretation (if you don't feel like reading much, just scroll past all the words and pretty pictures to the summery below).
To me, lifestyle photography is the love child of traditional portrait and documentary photography. It is the perfect mix of curated, posed moments and candid, real life expressions. It takes what I love from the other two genres, leaves out the crappy parts and combines them into the ultimate dream, or at least my dream.
I think that we have been conditioned so that when a camera is directed at us we pose, we smile, we say cheese, this creates a connection between the subject and the camera. When I photograph a family, couple or individual I don't want record a moment with me but with those in the photo, which is why I wont ask you to look at the camera but to interact with your loved ones. However, this wont come naturally because we are accustomed to posing for traditional portraits, which is why I am here to help. I will direct you in a way that will allow the real emotion to shine through in the images. I will give you prompts, say silly things and ask you to do even crazier ones, all in the name of a great, emotive photograph, one that depicts how you lived and loved when I wasn't there.
In documentary photography you are merely an observer, you have no input into the moment and can make no adjustments to lighting or location, however, in lifestyle photography you have control. I love that I can chase the light that is perfect for the story I am telling and that I can orchestrate a timeline to suit my artistic vision.
To recap what lifestyle photography means to me, it is:
• the middleman between traditional portrait photography and documentary photography. The perfect mix of stylised, posed photos and candid, real-life moments.
• us. real. raw. emotional ... us
• the ability to direct to allow for the true emotive moments to evolve.
• chasing the perfect light to tell the tale.
If any of this sounds like the photographs you want to create and hang on your wall, then lifestyle photography is for you ... and I'm your girl. Fill out the form below so we can get started on your next session.
Camilla French || Lifestyle and Landscape Photographer
North Queensland // Townsville // Cairns // Charters Towers // Georgetown // Atherton Tablelands // and all great places in-between.
Available for travel across Queensland, Australia and the world.