Journalistic and Lifestyle Photography

As a photographer, I am often asked what my style is when taking photos.  I like to consider myself as a good mixture between journalistic and lifestyle photography.  I feel like moving every muscle of every person in the photograph, while it may create a visually appealing photo, will not portray the subject very well.  However, if I don't pose my subjects at all, there will be less visual appeal and people may not know exactly how they look.



Now, what exactly is lifestyle photography?  It can probably be defined differently by different people, but the general idea is that the photographer lets the subject just do what they want, and you follow and capture it.  You choose a location such as the subject's home or a place that is special to them and where they will feel at home and just shoot.  This is an especially great technique for children and people who may be less comfortable in front of a camera.  If you put a subject in a place where he/she is comfortable, the facial expressions and body language will be more natural and more comfortable.  As in the photo above, if you put a baby in it's own bed, he/she will be more likely to keep from crying due to discomfort.  The subject will also be less likely to be distracted because the items in the immediate area aren't new and different, so the attention will be on the one new and different thing: the photographer and the camera.  Another benefit of lifestyle photography is the ability to follow along with what the subject is naturally doing, but to also be able to just stop and hold a certain moment if it is perfect, or reenact something that may have been missed.  Maybe Mommy is looking down at the baby is just a perfect way, but she looks away too quickly.  A quick, "that was great, go back to that," is all that is needed because she is still comfortable doing what she was already naturally doing.



Similar to lifestyle photography is journalistic photography.  To some, there is a big difference between the two, but I feel that they are two parts of the same pie.  When taking photographs in a journalistic style, you are still following the subject and capturing the natural movements, expressions, and interactions between subjects, but you will not be pausing to pose or reenact something.  If a photographer shoots in the journalistic style, she has to be very quick, following every move the subjects make and focus where the emotions will be.  This style is something that has to be practiced to hone and shoot correctly, without having to take thousands of pictures, hoping for that one perfect shot.

Want to learn more about me and my photography?  Visit my website at www.pbkpix.com or check me out at any of the social media links below!  Thanks for reading!

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