How to take documentary style family photos

Do you want to improve your family photography but still keep it real – not forced or staged – through candid documentary-style shots brimming with authenticity? This type of photography can often tell a more compelling story than a rigid studio image, and can conjure up nostalgia within just a few short years.

However, the seemingly effortless and natural style typifying documentary family photography can be harder to achieve than expected. Without the right tips you may end up with bland pictures of the backs of kids’ heads, in dull light and muddy colours. Capturing action can result in missed moments and chaotic photographs that neither stand out nor inform. Images might remain on devices, never making the grade for photobooks, prints or wall art.

Pro photographers seem to get the shot every time – but how? Their images just seem to pop. Award-winning Sheffield-based photographer Karina Lax, who has been exhibited nationally, has a few trade secrets to share. Her work blends documentary with a concept-driven editorial approach, often focusing on interpersonal relationships. Here, she shares her advice.

What is documentary style photography?

The first step to great documentary-style photos is understanding the terms people use when talking about photography. Is documentary the same as candid photography? What about reportage photography? These terms are often used interchangeably, but they do hold key differences – and thinking about them can really improve your images. These are my tips on how to incorporate some key documentary approaches into your everyday family photos.

Get candid with your camera

Candid photography refers to moments of life seemingly captured spontaneously. Images appear to be unplanned or undirected. They may be standalone images and subjects may or may not show awareness of the camera. Imperfections are welcome.

Images perceived as candid often have more direction or pre-planning than is apparent. To capture candid images well, pre-empt the action – then, without disturbing the scene, find a great vantage point.

Shooting several pictures quickly helps catch fleeting moments. On a smartphone, hit the shoot button repeatedly, using your forefinger rather than your thumb. DSLR or mirrorless? Put the camera in rapid-fire mode, hold your finger down and shoot wide.

Channel your inner photojournalist

Photojournalists are synonymous with reportage photography, which is often used interchangeably with documentary photography. However, reportage has specific differences: capturing events as they happen, with minimal intervention and tight restrictions on image manipulation. Subjects show little or no awareness of the camera, and photojournalists tell a story of an event through a series of images.

As well as restrictions, there are photojournalistic conventions that help create reportage images. Try composing your shots in landscape orientation, shoot wide to show the action and surroundings, and avoid capturing subjects looking directly into the lens – known as breaking the fourth wall. Using these techniques will bring an instant documentary feel to your family photography.

Bend the previous rules

If you are depicting real life, it is still considered documentary photography. The term has been stretched and blended with elements of other genres in recent years. I personally think this is great for imagemakers, and especially for documenting families. Having more freedom than traditional reportage or candid approaches allows for more planning and direction, resulting in visually engaging images or series – as long as the story depicted keeps its integrity (ie, that it is genuine and the people are not faking an emotion, role or event).

This is particularly helpful when photographing families. If a significant moment is missed – or doesn’t feel right to photograph – we can re-run a scene. For instance, I took an image to represent my son’s last day of primary school, but not on the day itself. It didn’t feel right to turn a key moment into a photoshoot, where I’d primarily be in photographer mode rather than mum mode. Instead, we recreated the moment, took our time and worked together, exploring a range of emotions through photographs. Same clothes, same location, same time of day. The image forms part of a new series called School’s Out! The Primary Years. You can see more of it here on my website. This type of documentary photography is my go-to for family photographs.

Make the beauty of natural light work for you

Observe how light falls in your surroundings at different times of day. When you see something beautiful, make a mental note – this could be a great place to photograph a family member. Next time they’re in that spot, and the mood or activity feels right, you can be ready to shoot.

In this photograph, the boys were very relaxed in their treehouse after their first parent-free sleepover. Knowing beautiful light falls on the treehouse at dawn, and that this garden adventure held some significance, I had my DSLR ready and took some gentle, relaxed photographs after an initial morning chat.

Another easy tip for making natural light work at home is to keep your back to the window or light source. This ensures your subject has good light.

Create more options by thinking about angles… and a spot of decluttering

My kids have always loved to play in my room in the evenings. However, with poor light at night, pictures here were often unclear and dull, and angles were limited due to clutter or open doors. Setting up a daytime shoot allowed for use of natural, soft light, and also gave me a chance to declutter! We played like normal, but with a camera, too – and this shot became a keeper.

In a clear space, you can also keep images engaging by altering your vantage point – try climbing on a chair and looking down, getting down at eye level or looking upwards from the floor. Shooting from a corner often creates great compositions.

Don’t worry about what camera or phone you have

While DSLRs, mirrorless and analogue cameras have major image quality benefits, the best camera will always be the one closest to you. That might mean the handiness of your smartphone, or making sure a more advanced camera is always within reach.

On family holidays, I often shoot film in order to switch off and slow down. However, I ran out of film and was unable to use my main camera. This moment was too beautiful to miss, so I treated my smartphone like it was film – putting it into RAW mode, taking my time, and shooting slowly, carefully and purposefully.

All camera phones still produce their best quality imagery in good light. Improve the quality of smartphone photographs by shooting in natural light near windows, in well-lit rooms or outdoors.

Look for things that are similar

Textures, colours, patterns and shapes all work well. In this image, aside from the tender moment between the brothers, the creams, beiges, yellows, golds and greys in the clothing and wall colour all act as neutrals against the pink in their cheeks and lips. Our recognition of this – along with texture and a close pose and crop – makes the image visually pleasing, encouraging the eye to linger on texture, colour and meaning.

Don’t be shy

When interacting with a subject, exaggerating facial expressions and being silly behind the camera will help them loosen up and be playful, too. If I act sillier than the subject, they tend to not feel self-conscious – so I always keep this idea in my family photography kit bag.

Most photographers seem to feel awkward being in pictures – and I’m no exception. So when I do put myself in the frame, I like to add a bit of humour, but remain hidden in plain sight. Guess who is in the giant tiger onesie on the back of the sofa? I achieved this by putting the camera on timer mode, resting it on a piece of furniture, while the children watched TV. (I also used a portable flash and a diffusing brolly for this shot.) You could try putting your camera on a timer and getting in the frame in a surprising way, too.

Shoot a sequence

Some moments just can’t be summed up in one picture. As with candid photography, don’t hold back – shoot action in bursts. The difference between shooting a sequence and candid imagery is that you’re looking to capture a mood through several similar images. 

These work great as full-page or double-page spreads in photobooks. Aim for three to nine per page – or more for double-page spreads in albums. Sequencing images in a grid or a simple row can make great wall art too.

Tell a story by borrowing techniques from filmmaking

A classic storytelling structure can really help plan a series of images. This works especially well for documenting a day out or a holiday. 

Start with an establishing shot – for example, the exterior of your house or apartment, or the landscape where the scene is set. Then photograph the scene within, moving in closer to photograph each “character”, and closer still for cropped portraits and details. Pull back further, perhaps photographing people from the back, for a final shot. Choosing key images from each stage, and pairing details with portraits, will tell a compelling story that feels balanced and complete.

Pay attention to tiny details

When we think about a cherished relative, it’s often the details that we remember – an item of jewellery, a child’s tiny fingers, delicate eyelids, a handwritten note. Try photographing the essence of a person in detail only. Use close-up or macro settings, place items in natural light, and take care to place the focus on the area that catches your eye – this should render the background out of focus, placing emphasis where you want it. The images will feel emotionally charged and bring back beautiful memories for years to come.