12 Lifestyle Photography Tips to Help You Click Like a Pro Without Training

When it comes to photography, it takes patience to capture a perfect photo. If you are a photographer or have an interest in photography, you would agree that clicking a perfect picture is not easy at all. Be it animal photography or a kids’ photoshoot, every type of photography requires a few skills to capture an amazing shot. You might have heard about fashion, wildlife, or portrait photography, but do you know anything about lifestyle photography?

Lifestyle photography is a kind of photography that captures people in a situation or real-life events. It aims to tell stories about people or to inspire everyone at different times. Lifestyle photography is far different than portrait photography.

In lifestyle photography, you don’t wait for the perfect moment; instead, you plan for a shoot that will naturally create those moments. It is the best photography for models and for those who feel shy to pose and not feel confident in front of the camera.

So, if you are a photographer and are invited to click lifestyle photographs, here are some tips that you could follow to capture the most amazing shots.

Easy and Effective Tips to Capture the Best Lifestyle Photographs

1. Don’t Over-plan the Scenes but Interact with Your Client

Lifestyle photography clicks real-life events. Therefore, it is better to interact with your clients before the shoot day. Don’t over plan, but this doesn’t mean there should be no structure.

It needs a different approach to take a lifestyle photo. Talk with your clients, understand their interests, and about the places they usually hang out on the weekends. On the day of the shoot, suggest some activities for fun. This way, they would not feel shy in from the camera and would be busy with each other for hours.

This is a picture of a family with their teenage kids. Babies can enjoy in the park, but teenagers might find this uncomfortable. So, the photographer decided to shoot on a pathway where they can easily interact. 

2. Capture in Between Photos Before Taking the Final Shot

Not every time a planned photoshoot goes well. You might get less natural light or anything that could cancel your shoot. So you can use this tip.

Cheat a little and tell them that you are checking for some natural light or making the right camera settings. That way, they would interact with each other casually. This is the perfect moment when you capture an amazing shot. Make your clients comfortable in any way you want and click at the right moment.

At the day’s end, they only need a beautiful picture that they could save for a lifetime. Surprise them with the in-between shots and trust me they would love this. The choice is yours. Make them trust you and your style.

3. Use Natural Light Wherever You Can

When you are shooting lifestyle photography, it is better if you make the best use of natural light. Don’t go for artificial light, and if there is no natural light, try to change the camera angle or a shooting scene.

Natural light is free and is readily available. Contrary to this, artificial light can cost you more and could take your time to arrange a setup. Natural light creates a romantic feeling to the picture. It doesn’t need to be adjusted, and you can find the best locations having natural light. Usually, clients also prefer taking photos in natural light.

For instance, wedding photography is done outside to bring out the natural beauty of the groom and bride. While this point is true, it is also seen that a wedding photographer goes to the highest level of craziness and click shots uniquely and hilariously. Don’t believe us? Check the craziness of this wedding photographer and how he shot the pictures.

Taking pictures in natural light might need some practice, but with time, you will master how to take the best shots in natural light. Light is a WOW factor in photography, so take care of that. Also, if you are looking for some unique pre-wedding pictures, then take the idea from these amazing pre-wedding shots.

4. Make it Fun for Kids

When it comes to lifestyle photography, the most challenging part is to do the kids’ shoot. If kids are hungry or tired, it becomes difficult to take their best portraits. Therefore, it is important to plan the shoot, when they are in the right mood and based on their daily routine.

Parents love their children and are excited about their first photo-shoot. But there might be chances that your planned baby shoot failed in reality. See how these baby photoshoot failed and are different from reality. So, if you don’t want this to happen with you, make sure that you talk with your client for the best time to capture their kids.

Not every kid you are going to capture is born with funniest baby facial expressions; you might have to work on this. So, better spend some time with them, use a playful approach, and let them be wild.

Choose outdoor locations like a park or a beach. Of course, in the end, the cute pictures of babies would keep you smiling all day long. Don’t forget that if child photography is challenging, it is rewarding as well. 

5. Do Not Repeat the Shot

This is the most common mistake that every photographer or beginner commits. If you would ask to repeat the shot, chances are you won’t get the natural shot, and it won’t have real emotions in it.

In lifestyle photography, you have clients as kids and families and not professionals who can give the same pose twice or thrice. So, if the first shot doesn’t come perfect, select a second shot; or try to capture some candid shots. You can also recreate childhood photos to bring back memories.

Remember that taking thousands of shots won’t make you a better photographer, only one perfect shot is enough

6. Select a Lifestyle Photography Destination

Most of the people choose their home as a lifestyle photography destination because they find comfort in showing emotions and interacting with each other. But you can make it more beautiful if you capture a lifestyle shoot at their favorite cafe or restaurant.

Don’t finalize the destination chosen by you; instead, tell them to select their favorite place or wherever they want. Suggest your choices as well, but let the final decision be theirs. If they find beach travel destinations perfect, let them spend their time on the beach, and you capture some candid moments. 

7. If Possible, Bring Someone to Help You in Capturing the Photos

If your client is giving you handsome money, then why not bring someone to help you in the shoot. If possible, bring an assistant or one who can handle the photography accessories like reflectors. Assistants can be helpful if you are going for an outdoor or adventure shoot.

Planning and implementing the shoot, particularly with kids, can be challenging. That’s why it is recommended to hire an assistant to help you in lifestyle photography and keeping the shoot safe and fun.

The assistant can be your spouse, a trainer, or a business partner who could do those extra things that are needed while taking a shot. In any case, a helper could make the whole shoot smoother and less time-consuming. 

8. You Never Know When Something Great Will Happen

Clicking a beautiful shot doesn’t need perfect timing or scene; it can happen at any moment,  so keep your camera ready and take a snap before the moment is gone. This is especially true when you are taking a kids’ picture in lifestyle photography.

Also, do everything before the kid enters the room. For instance, de-clutter the curtains, keep toys, balloons, and more everywhere in the room. Kids can understand and sense what’s happening, and if you do all these things in front of them, they might close their eyes and hide themselves from the camera.

So, do everything in advance and also reveal your plan to the family (parents), so that they could prepare themselves instantly as they enter the room. With lifestyle photography, everything can’t be planned, but help yourself by being prepared.

9. Think in Stories

This is one of the most important tips about lifestyle photography that you won’t learn from the professionals. Create a story that you would be telling in the photographs. You can click a single photo or group of pictures to tell the story.

When you know what you have to tell, you will start thinking about the scenes and would click a picture in a way that it would describe the story. Move around your subject and keep changing the camera directions. 

10. Anticipate What’s Going to Happen

Be prepared or know what could be the next moment of your client. For instance, if a child picks chocolate, he/she would likely eat it or play with the wrapper. Being an observant can make you prepared for the moments to come.

Do not ask them to smile, talk normally, and let them feel that you won’t distract them with your camera. Pay attention to their habits and find a way to capture them. 

11. Embrace Imperfection and Go for Black and White

If you and your clients prefer a classic lifestyle photo, then go for black and white photos. The black and white pictures add a vintage look to the photograph. It allows you to give more attention to the subject, as there is no light to distract you.

Also, converting a black and white photograph is easier for you, if colors didn’t attract you. Embrace imperfection and capture the pictures as you want. Sometimes imperfect poses give you a perfect picture.

12. Focus on the Background

When you are doing lifestyle photography, make sure that you use background completely in your story. Don’t forget that you are a photographer, and it is up to you, how to use or avoid the background. If you want a simple and beautiful photo, use a blank wall to minimize the distraction.

Make sure that you neither focus too much on the background nor avoid it completely. Balance it and click an amazing picture. Also, the background in the image reveals a lot about the photographer skills. So, use it wisely because it makes you different from others.

Tip: Keep the background simple for a more powerful picture.

Final Words

Be it animal photobombs or baby smiling at you: pictures have the power to make you smile instantly. While some pictures show pure love, others are taken for memories. But you are probably wrong if you think that lifestyle photography is similar to candid photography. It is much more different than a candid one. It needs a real story to be revealed through photos.

Do you know a lifestyle photographer is considered to be a talented photographer who could take different photographic styles randomly? A professional lifestyle photographer could take landscape, fashion, street, photography, and more with a unique vision to inspire others.

Do you know other tips that can be followed by a lifestyle photographer to take the best shots? If so, share the tips with us. Are you ready to tell a story through your camera lens?