“Telling Your Story” with Photography
Breaking Down the Phrase “tell your story”
You’ll see this phrase a lot in photographer communities, on their websites, and even in the comments on a Facebook post you made when you were looking for a photographer. I used to think this was an overused phrase, but a great photographer is also a storyteller. They focus on the details that are personal to you and your loved ones. They encourage authentic interaction- sometimes that results in a genuine belly laugh, and sometimes it results in shy smiles and reflective expressions. Sometimes storytelling with a photographer also includes activities that are relevant to your family- like playing a board game together, reading books, playing tag, painting canvases, and so on.
The Secret to Gorgeous Photos
Storytelling is actually the key to gorgeous photos. When you’re interacting, you look natural. You feel connected to the people you’re with and it softens your expressions. You are engaging in a way that is familiar to your loved ones, and you subconsciously create the details that people want to hold onto when they’re remembering this time in your life- the way someone’s nose wrinkles when they laugh, how gentle parents are when they comfort their children, how people light up when they’re in the presence of those they love. These aren’t things you can replicate with carefully orchestrated poses, but photos that highlight these details carry so much sentiment.
A Guide to Story Telling with Photography
Wear things that are pretty typical for your family. If you aren’t into dresses, skip it. If your son, like mine, refuses to wear a shirt with buttons, go for the T-Shirt. Not only are you expressing yourself authentically, but you’re more likely to feel comfortable moving around on camera when you stick to what you like.
Interact with your family. Talk to your husband. Tease your kids. Play silly games. Don’t worry too much about whether I’m getting enough photos- I capture so much, and I always leave room at the end for any requests. When in doubt, just smile at your partner and snuggle your kids.
Incorporate things your family likes to do. Are you guys musical? Do you like board games? Do you like to paint? Do you like to cook? Get inspired by your life together- you will have a natural icebreaker, and you’ll have unique photos every time.
Give everyone permission to be themselves. If someone doesn’t like to smile, let them be contemplative. If someone likes to be silly, let them play. If someone isn’t that affectionate, we can work with that! Getting photos done can always feel a little performative, but you can take away some of that pressure by embracing everyone’s personality.
Go slow. When we’re nervous we have a tendency to try to quicken the pace of whatever we’re doing. In a photography session, this nervousness can look like an unwillingness to really participate, a general attitude of “smile and get it over with”, and unrealistic expectations for children to perfectly cooperate. The best thing you can do for your photos- and your sanity- is to slow down. If someone is getting upset, get on their level, talk, and take a break if needed. It’s really ok! Very few things derail a photography session. We can almost always adapt, which is easier to do when we go slow.
