One of my favorite types of shoots is to do a lifestyle family session! If you're wondering the difference between a portrait and lifestyle shoot, portraits are more posed and lifestyle shoots are more candid and have a more documentary feel (i.e., you're purely capturing life as is, right now). Lifestyle shoots are usually done at home, too. For the Henderson family, we did a combination where we took candid portraits outside and then took some lifestyle photos inside the house. They are an incredibly warm family and filled with so much love!

One of my favorite moments was capturing baby Ryder outside--he had the cutest giggles when his parents were kissing him, and you can see for yourself below! When we went inside, we played with some of Ryder's favorite toys...blocks! He had a blast knocking the blocks down after building them up! I was also thrilled that we could capture some intimate, precious mommy-and-son moments. Kristy played peek-a-boo with Ryder, and he would get so happy he would kiss her on the cheek! :)

If you think about it, some of the sweetest memories come from the most simple activities, and those are the moments I want to highlight. Whether it's playing blocks together with your baby, eating breakfast together as a family on Saturday morning, or going to your favorite park, documenting that memory is worth everything. If you're interested in a family portrait or lifestyle session, please contact me here for a free consultation! I'd love to chat with you and capture your everyday moments...because it's the little moments that are worth everything.

If you're looking to book a Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here or call me at 919-907-1280! I also serve the surrounding areas in the Triangle including Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Apex, and often travel to Seattle, WA.

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Nothing is more awkward than figuring out what to do with your hands in photos! Do you put your hands on your hips? Knees? Face? Hair? If you're lost, here are some easy tips on where to place your hands when you're being photographed.

Tip #1: Give a hug! 

When you give someone a hug, your hands will naturally go around another person AND it doesn't look stiff or awkward. It's a win-win every time! When you hug someone, you are communicating affection and connection in your photo (and I'm ALL about that!).

A sweet photo of a mother and daughter hugging. Photo taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #2: Hand in pockets

Get a more casual and relaxed look by putting your hands in your pockets! Personally I think putting your hands in your pockets is such a fun way to give your photo a lifestyle feel to it. It adds personality and you'll look chic and modern!

Bonus Tip: I would also angle the body a bit so you're not facing straight-on at the camera. Unless you're a professional model, it's hard to get a flattering photo when you're facing straight-on! Angles create dimension, which adds depth and shape to your photo.

Extra Bonus Tip: Depending on how big your pockets are, you might find your pockets are too small to fit your whole hand. If that's the case, don't worry! Simply leave your thumbs on the outside and relax...and don't forget to rock it with confidence!

A portrait of a man before his deployment. I asked him to put his hands in his pockets for a casual, relaxed, and modern look. Photo was also taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #3: Hands OFF the belly...unless it's a maternity shoot.

This is another personal opinion of mine, but there's no reason to draw your eye to the belly unless you want to emphasize that you have a (real) baby bump! If you are pregnant, then having your hands on and around the belly is beautiful and meaningful. There is a tender and intimate feel to a photo when a mother and father puts their hands on the mother's belly. If you're not pregnant, however, please save the hands-on-belly photos for the real thing!

A portrait of a mom with her hands on the belly, displaying affection and intimacy for their little one. Their baby boy soon came a few weeks later! Photo was taken at their home in Durham, NC.

Tip #4: Hold hands

This is probably my favorite tip. I LOVE it when my clients are holding hands! Just like hugs, holding hands is symbolic and communicates connection for your visual narrative. I especially love using this tip with children because they are so active, and holding hands will help glue the family together (at least for a few seconds!). It is also an easy direction for kids to follow. I try and avoid complex instructions and try to keep things simple.

A father and his five sons! We had the little ones hold hands to help them stay together for a few seconds. Photo was taken in Seattle, WA.

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If you're looking to book a Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here! I also serve the surrounding areas in the Triangle including Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Apex, and often travel to Seattle, WA.

One of the things I LOVE as a photographer is that you get to capture life-changing moments for others :) When I received a phone call from Chirag a few weeks ago, I learned he was calling from the west coast and was going to be in town soon to propose to his then-girlfriend, Sneha, in her hometown of Cary, NC. It was going to be a special moment because his family will be flying in from Houston and her family and friends will be present, too!

When I arrived at the venue, the gazebo was beautifully decorated with lights, flower petals, and sweet photos of the two of them throughout the last few years. As we waited for Sneha to arrive, I could literally feel the excitement and anticipation! Once she arrived, Chirag walked Sneha around the gazebo reflecting on their journey together, then got down on one knee to ask the question...and she said YES!! :)

One of the other memorable moments of this night was meeting their family, and they were so warm and welcoming! I honestly felt like I was a part of their family! It was also beautiful to see how much JOY there was, and we were all smiling and laughing by the end of the night. We ended the session with some fun group photos, red velvet cake, and a couple of intimate portraits of Chirag and Sneha!

Here are a few of my favorites from the night. Enjoy!

-Genevieve

If you're looking to book a Durham engagement photographer or Raleigh engagement photographer, contact me here!

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