Lifestyle Photography Tips – How to Take Lifestyle Photos

Lifestyle photography is a type of portrait photography that aims to artistically document a situation as it may happen in everyday life. It involves telling people’s stories through candid, unscripted images.

While a lifestyle approach can be applied in people-oriented photography, many believe that family photos are the best representation in this particular genre. The key delineation between lifestyle photography and candid portraiture would be the participation of the photographer in the scene. Once the images are taken, photographers can contact Lifestyle Photo Retouching Services, to make their images more appealing. 

Essential Tips for Lifestyle Photography

Know Your Subject

Understanding your subject is paramount. Spend some time knowing them, their personalities, what makes them really different. This helps in capturing the real you.

Choose the Right Setting

The environment is very important in the case of lifestyle photography. Select places that are important to the subject, like their home or their favorite park or a place they attach a lot of sentimental value to.

Use Natural Light

Anytime you’re into capturing the all-natural looks of things or scenes related to your model, maximum use of natural light would provide soft and flattering light. The golden hour of light is in the early morning and late afternoon. Avoid midday harsh sun, which may be very unflattering since it shows the deepest shadows. If there are some issues such as blurriness in  the image, contacting Custom Photo Editing Services may solve the issue. 

Discreet and Unobtrusive

Obtain the candid moments of being unobtrusive. Avoid coming on too strong with your subjects. Let them engage naturally in activities, then take those candid shots.

Tell a Story

Every picture should have the ability to narrate. Consider the story that you wish to tell. It could be anything from a very simple routine of everyday life to a special family get-together or even a personal hobby. The story gives substance to your images.

Focus on Emotions

Emotions form the crux of lifestyle photography. Click laughter, joy, love, but even sadness. These emotions that are absolutely true are what make your photographs connect with people.

Examples of Lifestyle Photography

Over time, lifestyle photography has grown in popularity, including a current rise of this micro-niche on all the various social media sites and pages. 

In lifestyle photography, you might commonly encounter scenes such as:

• Children interacting with their family members, particularly siblings, displaying various reactions.
• Families and children engaged in playful activities at home or in outdoor environments.
• Candid captures of families partaking in enjoyable activities and engaging with each other.

What is the Difference Between Lifestyle and Portrait Photography

Since both are popular styles of photography with families, many people tend to mistake lifestyle photography for portrait photography. There is, however, a need to tell the genres apart since each has a slightly different approach. Some of the major differences between the two styles include:

Backdrop Rules for Posing

What sets lifestyle photos apart from portraits is the rules for posing—or not posing—the subjects. Portrait photographs are traditionally created with the help of a photographer, which means that subjects have to pose and stage their position before every shot is taken. That also means they must look at the camera while shooting.

Location

In both lifestyle and portrait photography, subjects are prompted to pick a location that fosters comfort and ease. While portrait photography aims to emphasize the human subject, it often utilizes a blurred or backdrop to enhance this focus. To shoot these subjects in real-time translates to backgrounds and settings usually of equal importance to the people in lifestyle photography.

Lighting

In portrait photography, lighting is meticulously controlled, unlike lifestyle photos. This is because portrait photography aims to meticulously capture subjects through a more staged and composed approach, rather than intending to preserve the natural and organic essence of scenes.

How is Lifestyle Photography Shot?

Here are some important tips on shooting lifestyle photography:

Having a plan, even when your shots are unplanned

Achieving success in lifestyle photography requires a blend of thoughtful planning and spontaneous moments. While you would want to take candid shots, you should still plan ahead of time. Knowing the subjects helps you in conceptualizing the shots and coming up with ideas that will meet everyone’s visual goals. This also helps everybody feel at ease before the shoot—that will show through in natural images.

Just Letting Whatever Happen, Happen

Lifestyle photography simply means capturing real-life moments when they occur. The aim should always be the capturing of moments that are real and reflective.

Always Keeping Your Camera on-Hand

Since true lifestyle photography is about capturing moments as they happen, you must have your camera on you at all times.

How Should Lifestyle Photography be Priced

The price of lifestyle photography in India can vary greatly, depending on several factors: experience, location, level of complexity in a photoshoot, and deliverables promised. Here are the main factors that affect the pricing:

Most photographers offer package deals that can include multiple services at a bundled rate, such as this one:

Basic Package: 2 hours of shooting, 20 edited photos, and a digital gallery for ₹10,000.

Basic Package: ₹ 20,000 for a 4-hour shoot, 50 edited photos, album, and digital gallery

Special Package: ₹ 40,000 for a full-day shoot, 100 edited photos, deluxe album, prints, and digital gallery

Newbie Photographers charge:

Per Hour Rate: ₹1,000 to ₹3,000

Per 4 Hour Rate (Half-day): ₹4,000 to ₹10,000

Per 8 Hour Rate (Full-day): ₹8,000 to ₹20,000

High-End / Celebrity Photographers charge:

Hourly Rate: ₹12,000 and above

Half-Day Rate (4 hours): ₹48,000 and above

Full-Day Rate (8 hours): ₹80,000 and above

Conclusion

Lifestyle photography is about capturing the essence of life and the beauty of everyday moments. It requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and a genuine connection with your subjects. By following these tips and techniques, you can create compelling lifestyle photos that tell powerful stories and evoke emotions. In case your images have some imperfections, and required expert hands, contact Global Photo Edit, and avail our Lifestyle Photo Retouching Services.