In-Home Family Photos in Raleigh

These in-home family photos in Raleigh changed me as a photographer. You may think that that sounds over the top or dramatic, but it’s true.

As I scrolled through the photos after the session (and especially when I got the film scans back), I cried tears of gratitude and joy.

You see, aside from newborn photos, family photography has been my main focus for almost two years now. And when I jumped into family photography, these were the kind of images I dreamt of creating. Photos in the home oozing with comfort, fun and joy. Photos that truly felt like what family feels like to me.

And this session hit the mark.

What makes this family session different?

I’ve asked myself what it was about this family session that was different. What is it that set this one apart?

First and foremost, it felt so honest. Megan and I worked together to choose family photo outfits for everyone that felt true to who they were and the vibe we were trying to achieve with this session.

There were no beige maxi dresses or kids wearing items they’d never wear in real life. In fact, two of the kids went rogue right before the session and we ended up with a pair of pants with a huge hole in them and a pair of animal print shorts for another child.

And for some reason, it worked. Now, this is not to say I’m encouraging your kids to pick their own outfits for your in-home family photos. I’m not! 😂 But in this instance, the comfortability and honesty those details provided contributed in a positive way to the overall feel of the session.

Choosing a comfortable wardrobe for in-home family photos

The truth is most of us don’t get super dressed up to hang around the house, and the same rings even more true for our kids. Personally, my kids are in mismatched clothes 75 percent of the time and I’m no stranger to a pair of yoga pants myself.

While I wouldn’t try to replicate those same habits for in-home family photos, I do think there’s a balance you can strike between what you wear every day and going over the top with something you and/or your children will never wear again.

Incorporating personal elements into family photos

Another reason this session went so well? We incorporated a couple of things that are personal to this family. Dad played his guitar for part of the session, and we ended it with rolling out and cutting biscuit dough.

When I asked Megan what represented comfort to her family, these were two of the things she mentioned. So it made total sense for us to incorporate them!

Not only did this help everyone to feel more comfortable and act more natural, but this family now has super sweet photos of them being who they are. They have photos of them doing the things that are personal to them as a family.

These are so precious to have now, but they’ll only increase in value as time goes on and their children grow up.