What is lifestyle portrait photography?

Lifestyle portrait photography is a subset of portrait photography that is candid, captures authentic emotions, and utilises a lot of natural light.

It’s the kind of photography that looks natural and unposed, and most of the time, you can tell instantly from the photos that the people photographed are genuinely having a great time. Sometimes, lifestyle photography includes posed shots that are intentionally made to look unposed.

Lifestyle photography involves a lot of movement, as capturing people in motion is one of the key factors that make a photo authentic.

In contrast, traditional portrait photography is usually posed and proper. Think of corporate headshots and you’ll understand the difference.

Do you have to be an animated person to take great lifestyle portraits? Definitely not! Although lifestyle photography is often associated with smiles, it can also capture romantic and poignant moments.

The main aim of lifestyle photography is to capture authentic emotions, and those emotions can vary depending on the environment, lighting, and mood.

Lifestyle photography primarily relies on natural light or motivated light – lighting that is designed to appear natural and believable within the context of the scene. This could imitate existing light sources, such as sunlight streaming in from a window or light from a lamp in the room. Authenticity is the essence of this genre, and these types of lighting, natural and motivated, epitomise authenticity.

Lifestyle photography also emphasises storytelling. It includes both wide shots that show the environment that a person is in, as well as close-ups of small details that bring out the character of a person or are key to the narrative.

If you value authenticity and storytelling, a lifestyle photography session will be perfect for you!

Are you considering a lifestyle portrait photoshoot for yourself, your wedding, or your family? Talk to us! From location scouting to outfit selection, we will be delighted to provide advice and help plan your dream photoshoot with you!