Lifestyle Photography Sailing

Lifestyle photography is a genre of photography that mainly aims to capture portraits of people in situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday. The primary goal is to tell stories about people’s lives or to inspire people in different times.

Lifestyle portraits are a great option for photographers and models who don’t like the staged look of posed portraits. A lifestyle shoot is never 100% authentic because it’s been planned and set up as a shoot. Nevertheless, you can get images that reflect real life. The activities, locations, and expressions are all genuine parts of the person’s life, not something you created for the photoshoot alone.

Authenticity also means letting the models choose everyday clothes and makeup they would naturally wear. You can give a few tips – like keeping accessories simple and avoiding bright, busy patterns – but they shouldn’t wear something new just for the shoot.

If you want to get a lot of great photos within a short period of time, you still have to do some directing. Typically, the best directions in lifestyle shoots are general and activity-related. For instance, if you’re having a picnic, you can direct where to lay down the picnic blanket, so it’s in good lighting. Or, if the current activity isn’t working, you can prompt the next one.

Try to anticipate photogenic moments.

Many beautiful moments last only a second. That’s why it’s crucial to think in advance and start shooting before that moment happens. Keep your camera ready at all times, and shoot in burst mode, so you can catch the seconds before and after every picturesque moment.

In some ways, lifestyle photography resembles wildlife photography. While there’s always a certain amount of luck involved, you can increase your chances of getting nice shots by paying close attention to how your models are interacting with each other and their environment. There’s some predictability to how people behave; for example, when someone is being silly or telling a joke, you can anticipate a smile.

You can also anticipate awesome shots by looking at the background and lighting of the scene. By moving around the scene, you can discover a way of composing your models that’s powerful in itself. After all, an excellent composition can be as eye-catching as a candid smile.

Create a story.

Lifestyle shoots can be an experience or story in themselves. Capturing details that make up this story provide context that can make the portraits more meaningful.

In addition to details, think about capturing the environment as a whole. Try stepping back and shooting the scene with a wide-angle lens. Experiment with different angles, so that you capture more than just the models. Think about how you can create a narrative with your shots, going beyond nice portraits alone.

Contact Colin Stephenson for professional lifestyle photography.