How to Capture Natural Family Photos | Taking a Documentary Approach

It’s 2025, and we find ourselves in a new era of family photography. You can say goodbye to awkward family pictures, matching outfits on the beach, and perfectly posed children. There are still people who want those pictures, but for the growing population of parents, we want something… different.

We want something that feels like our ’90s childhood memories. The images that captured our lives: our Saturday breakfasts at the table, the spaghetti mess we made at dinner, sitting on the porch with our cousins, each of us enjoying a sucker.

BRING BACK THOSE PHOTOS!

Now, it’s our turn… to create those memories for OUR kids.

This natural, candid family photoshoot in Franklin, Tennessee, was a session I wanted to capture with a documentary style. Here are my recommendations as a mom and photographer for capturing lived-in memories of your family. As a photographer, I would still incorporate pictures of everyone smiling because, as a mom, we need at least one good family portrait. 😂

Let kids lead the session with fun!
Allow children to play their favorite activities or games WITH YOU. I cannot stress enough that magic happens when you play with your kids during a photoshoot! When we can be present with our kids instead of pressuring them to sit still, our littles take notice. Be prepared with ideas for games so you can guide your children to the next activity. While you can allow your children to pick which games to play, you ultimately guide them accordingly. My disclaimer: this tactic works best for children older than 3 years. For littles under 2-3 years, I would recommend cuddling with them, allowing older siblings to engage, or playing chase/throwing them in the air. For best results, find a bag of marshmallows and give littles one at a time each after a photo is completed.

Take Your Time
If you truly want to capture more relaxed images, this will take time. Kids need to warm up to the photographer because they are wondering, “Who is this stranger with a weird clicking device in my space?” 😆 I would plan for 45 to 60 minutes minimum, so parents: schedule accordingly. 😉 Account for naps, meals, etc. Allow everyone to be in their space and start a conversation. The best pictures usually happen towards the end of the photoshoot — even for adults. By this time, people tend to be more relaxed.

Add in Activities
You need to do something because capturing natural photos 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 — especially for kids! Instead of thinking about posing or matching outfits, 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟. This puts kids at ease because they can move, play, and be themselves.

Try activities such as:

• Cooking/baking
• Indoor camping
• Board games
• Playing music together
• Gardening in the yard
• Nature walks
• Dinner routine

Looking for authentic, natural family photos? Inquire here.