Tips on having a Lifestyle Photoshoot at Home

We’re so thrilled to have a guest blogger with us today sharing their advice and tips on how to have an at home lifestyle photography session – which are some of our absolute favorite photoshoots!

Capturing your family in a unique setting, such as your own home can make for great photographs. The authenticity that these images provide to a family is invaluable. Looking back years from now you’ll appreciate having special moments captured in the place that meant so much to you all. However, this style photo shoot is often accompanied by anxiety. The thought of inviting someone into your home can make you feel more stressed than necessary. There’s no need to completely revamp your house or stress over the small details. Here are a few tips for preparing your home stress-free.

Focus on 2-3 Rooms

Instead of placing all your efforts into sprucing up every room, try to choose 2-3 rooms in the house. Pick out your favorite spots within these rooms that you want to highlight. It will be easier for you to clean up a few spots rather than every room. When going through these rooms, view them with a critical lens. There are a few items that often get forgotten. For example, if there are any electrical cords or items long overdue to go to the waste bin, remove them from view. While it’s not necessary, many clients choose to use this as an excuse to redecorate a room they’ve always wanted to. Chatting with an expert interior designer online is a great way to get help if you’re not the most design savvy.

Show Me the Light

The most important aspect of this type of shoot is that there is enough natural light. Turn off all the lights in your selected rooms or areas and take note to which way the light falls within the room. If you want to use specific furniture as a background, make sure the light hits it right. It could be helpful to rearrange those pieces to accommodate the natural light.

Don’t Stress the Mess

Consider hiring a maid to assist you with the cleaning beforehand or create a chore chart for the kids to help out. This can help to reduce your stress. Try to remember that kids are messy and oftentimes destroy a room five minutes after you’ve cleaned it. We’re okay with that. It’s nothing to stress over, as we can always work around it. Use baskets which can hide toys or stacks of paperwork you haven’t had the time to sort through.

Think Outside the Box

Think about ways to make the most of this shoot. Distract your children with a few toys or books to play with. When they’re older, they’ll love having a picture of themselves with their favorite teddy bear. Display some of your favorite items as well. This could be an antique couch you admire or a blanket that your grandmother made you. Mix in different elements and textures for creative backgrounds as well. Be careful that your clothing choices will not blend into them.

The most important thing is to remember to be yourselves and have fun with this! Smile, laugh, love and let that shine through the photographs. How would you prepare for an in-home photo shoot? Let us know in the comments!