kids act out at dinner

Featured Session – Julia Erz

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We loved this busy, raw, and emotional documentary session featuring a family of 6 sent to us by Julia Erz. She is a documentary family photographer in Germany. Julia has two kids of her own and a masters in psychology which can only assist in her ability to understand and empathize with the children she photographs and anticipate their behavior. You can check out more of Julia’s work on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Here is what Julia had to say to our contributors:

kids act out at dinner

Chrystal: I love how honest these moments are. Sometimes I feel my documentary clients are still looking for pretty, perfect moments even though it’s a Day in the Life session. Is this true for some of your clients too? How do you make sure to find clients that would love an image of nose picking? I think it’s so perfect and wonderful but worry the client may not.

Well, the families see the photos on my homepage (www.juliaerz.com), my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/juliaerzphoto/) and Facebook (https://de-de.facebook.com/JuliaErzPhotography/). I think they know that I show “real” pictures rather than aesthetic ones, which demonstrate the daily life and routine. It’s clear to me that not all families want these authentic pictures, but that’s totally fine.

In a while, these pictures will be of great sentimental value. Kids are growing up so fast and there’ll be a time when we miss the moments when we told them not to pick their nose, when we were annoyed or the intimate cuddles with them. How wonderful will it be to dig out these photos from “a day in the life” from the past and just reminisce…

I’m also aware that these family portrait sessions require a massive amount of trust. For the most part, there’ll be a bit of tension and shyness at the beginning, but – and I speak from experience – these will cease after half an hour and the family will feel comfortable to do what they normally do. When it’s time to say goodbye, the parents are super excited about how relaxed their day was. I also notice that the kids are able to their thing free of any reservations, without having to pose and smile into a random camera. It really is much easier than the family thinks. It’s just so much fun!

kids act out at dinner

Aniya: Julia, it’s no secret I’m a huge fan of your work. You seem to be able to get access to these families so that they are completely at ease with you. How well do you get to know your clients before the session? Do you send them a questionnaire? What do you do to put your clients at ease so that they are at ease with your presence?

For the most part, I didn’t know the families that I have accompanied at all. I do not send a questionnaire before the shooting. I rather make sure in advance that I know their expectations and what they can expect from my type of photography. This is essential to me! If the family is well informed before our session, everything works out just fine.

During our shooting, I’m not the famous fly on the wall. It’s quite the contrary – I talk to the parents and kids and keep up the conversation. I’m always happy to get to know new people, find out about their story, hobbies and everything else.

My primary day job is being a nurse, but then I decided to add a degree in rehabilitation psychology. I’ve always been interested in patients’ lives and backgrounds rather than what they were diagnosed with. I believe that a natural interest in people is essential for documenting families via photography.

mother scolds child at dinner table

Carrie: Do you think your background in Psychology affects/informs your artistic vision when shooting your family or clients? If so, can you elaborate?

Definitely! But; I’ve always been a rather empathetic and sensitive individual. I experience situations and personal encounters very intensely. I don’t think that it’s necessarily linked with my studies in psychology. Just by watching and simply observing people, our surroundings and the lighting, moments unfold, which I would just love to capture with my camera immediately.

family playing on floor

Lisa: With such a large family there must have been so much activity going on at the same time. How did you decide which moments to capture? Did you feel that you needed to choose one moment over another at times?

Honestly, I love big families. There’s ALWAYS something going on. Of course, it’s hard to literally be at a lot of different places all at once, but I stopped pressuring myself. For me, it’s important that the composition, lighting, and moment merge into the perfect picture. Yes, I may miss another moment in this situation, but I’m even more happy about ONE really great photo, where everything is perfect.

family at dinner

Leslie: What a great set of images. I love your use of b/w. Really allows me to connect with the family. Many times when I’m photographing a family, I have a muse…that one person who draws me for a great deal of the session. Do you find yourself doing this as well? If so, who was your muse during this session?

Yes, sure. I definitely have a muse during every family portrait session; however, most of the time I do realize that I’m taking too many photos of this muse and will make sure to get the other family members into the picture as well.

But during this season with a family of six, there was a balance from the beginning. All four kids have COMPLETELY different personalities and manners, which made it extremely exciting for me. If I had to pick a muse, it’d have to be the second youngest boy who was picking his nose.

kids act out at dinner

Michelle: The documentary family photography movement is growing in the U.S. but, outside of large metro areas, it is definitely diffuse. It’s still hard to get families to buy into this style of photography. Is this the same in Germany or do you feel that the European mindset toward these kinds of sessions is different from what you understand of that in the U.S.?

Oh, documentational family photography is arriving VERY slowly in Germany. I feel like the US are moving at a faster pace here, also when it comes to the families’ attitudes.

People spend money on good wedding photographers, but when it comes to family photos, they are satisfied with photos that were shot in kindergarten (in Germany). That’s very sad!

For me, documentational family photography is a luxury. But why not gift your kids something of a more sentimental value (for later on). Kids are being bombarded with material gifts nowadays, so it would be amazing to present them with some family portraits, as a treasure for later.

mother nursing baby*****
Want information on how you can be a featured artist? Check out our submission page for all the details.

child points at spot on map - documentary family photography

Featured Session – Katie McMenamin

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This session from Katie McMenamin stood out for us, not only because of her beautiful images, but also because of her long standing relationship with the family pictured. Katie says:

“I have been photographing families for almost ten years now and started shooting documentary sessions several years ago. The majority of my work is still lifestyle sessions, but documentary really has my heart. There is nothing like going into a family’s home and capturing all the little moments that they’ll want to remember years from now. I love how it preserves a sliver in time, how it’s about more than just pretty pictures. I firmly believe that the value of these photos will really be felt ten years from now, when life looks very different than it does at the moment.

I have been photographing this family since their oldest of four kids was just one. This Winter was the first opportunity that I’d had to photograph a documentary session for them. Mom home schools their older kids and dad happened to be home that day, so it was a really relaxed, typical day in their home. I photographed a bit of their home schooling, the kids playing with legos, lunch and nap time. The kids’ personalities really shone and I loved watching them interact with each other in this setting where they’re super comfortable. It was by far, my favorite session that I’ve ever had with them.”

You can read more about Katie on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram account.

Our contributors also asked Katie a few questions about this session and her work in general. Below is her Q & A:

child points at spot on map - documentary family photography

Aniya: Hi Katie, I love that you’ve been able to move this family from lifestyle to documentary. How do you see this creeping into your business, and how would you go about marketing these sessions differently from your lifestyle sessions? Also, I see that you aren’t afraid to get close in, and go in some places that some photographers stay away from. Do you ask before, say, going into the bathroom? Did you find this particular documentary session more relaxed since you do know this family particularly well?

I started out shooting weddings about ten years ago, and even then, I was always drawn to the photojournalistic moments over the posed photos. So when I started focusing on family photos, even in a more traditional lifestyle session, I always loved capturing documentary moments. I shot my first fully documentary session almost five years ago, https://www.kmcmenamin.com/r-family-part-1-manayunk-documentary-family-photographer/. I feel like it’s been a slow build since then. At first, I didn’t think I’d be able to sell this sort of session to people, and honestly, I was too scared to even try. Once I had my own kids, I realized the true value of these photos. I have been working harder to show these types of images on my website, blog and social media and to encourage my clients to at least make a portion of their session documentary, which I think gives them a taste of this type of work. I love nothing more than when a client who had a traditional, lifestyle session, tells me that a documentary moment that I captured was their favorite image. Lifestyle images with beautiful light and smiling happy kids sell themselves. I really think it’s harder to see the value in documentary photos unless you see photos of your own family.

Any time I know the client before the session, it is always more relaxed. I also always have my clients fill out a pre-session questionnaire. So even if I don’t know them, I can get a taste for what moments are important to them and who they are as a family. If I am capturing a personal moment and it wasn’t explicitly addressed in the questionnaire, such as breastfeeding or a toddler on the potty, I will usually ask if it’s okay. If a little one is older than a toddler, then I just give them their privacy in the bathroom, unless the door is open and they’re brushing their teeth or washing hands, etc. I am also extra discerning with what I share online. I never want to make my client feel uncomfortable with an image that I share, so if it feels too private or intimate, I will either ask or simply won’t share it. I think it takes a lot of trust for a client to let me into their home to capture everything, the good, bad and ugly, and I really want to respect that trust.

mother and daughter in child's bedroom - documentary family photography

Felicia: How did you convince this family to try your documentary approach or were they intrigued because they have seen the shift to documentary (maybe through your personal work?)? When you shoot for yourself, do you find you always take the documentary or lifestyle route, or both?

This family actually won a contest that I was running to promote this type of session. I love nothing more than a documentary session, so the more interest and excitement I can generate for this type of work, the better. From that contest, I was also able to book a few other clients for documentary sessions as well.

When I am shooting for myself, I definitely take more documentary photos. Looking back at images from when my first daughter was born, four years ago, most of my photos of her tend to be lifestyle. I think that was just out of laziness. For me, it felt easier to set her up in a clutter free zone in a pretty outfit every once in a while than being at the ready with my camera at all times. In the last couple of years, I have found a balance. I keep my camera out all the time and if something cute is happening, I try to grab it. I don’t beat myself up if I miss the moment though and I still take tons of iPhone photos. I do love a posed, genuine smile for the camera photo of my kids too. Just like in my client work, I really feel there is a place for both lifestyle and documentary.

mother tickles child - documentary family photography

Erika: What is one thing you learned from this session and/or is there anything you would have done differently?

I feel like I learn something from every session that I shoot. In this case, I overshot and gave too many images. It’s something that I consistently struggle with and it’s a lesson that I’m constantly trying to absorb. I get emotionally attached to my clients’ images just like I get emotionally attached to personal photos. But just like my personal photos, I know that they won’t all be printed and revisited, so I think it’s really important to be able to give them the best of the best to choose from. I don’t want to leave them feeling overwhelmed.

father and son on couch- documentary family photography

Jessica: What types of moments would you say you are most drawn to as an artist? Do you see light and composition first, or is the moment in the scene which draws you in?

I am definitely drawn to moments first and foremost. When I first started shooting this way, I would stress if a shot weren’t perfectly composed. But now I’ve come to realize that meaningful moments outweigh technical perfection 100% of the time. Sometimes, things are happening fast and getting perfectly into position just isn’t possible. Likewise, I love great light in an image, but when I’m shooting in a documentary style, I just let things unfold and use the light that I have available. If I have the time to compose things thoughtfully, I really love shooting things happening in the foreground and background simultaneously or shooting through things. Dimension always makes photos much more interesting to me, regardless of the light.

child with stuffed animal - documentary family photography

Leslie: What’s your favorite image from this set and why?

I have the hardest time choosing favorites (see above), but if I had to pick, it would be the image with their youngest sucking his fingers and holding his lovey. There are just so many things about that image that seem to capture a moment in time that is fleeting. At one and a half, he is right on that edge between baby and toddler and this image feels like it grabs on to that little bit of baby that is left in him. This session was only a few months ago and who knows if he is still sucking his fingers or toting his lovey around. I also love that you can see the hint of lunch left on his face. Such a real life moment.

mother reaches for books while holding coffee - documentary family photography
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Featured Session – Katrin Küllenberg

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Katrin Küllenberg is a mother of four and a family & wedding photographer based in Germany. As her children grew older her photography business began to play a larger role in her day to day and, although she started her business as a documentary wedding photographer she found that shooting families was still her favorite thing to do. She says she found it “very exciting to come into close knitted families and discover how they interact, what are their roles and relationships among each other, to see how they tick.” She also states that her goal as a photographer is to help her clients “discover themselves, to notice the familiar but also find out something new.”

Today we are featuring a few images from one of her sessions, but you can check out more of her work on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

mother struggles to feed baby - Documentary Family Photography

Carrie: I love the idea of wanting your clients to discover something new about themselves through your photography. Can you give us an example of this that perhaps a client has shared with you after they viewed their photos?

Some clients told me that the images make them see their family from an outsider’s point of view. I show them a lot of special moments they have been taking for granted but now those seem like a precious gift that they tend to value more.

Especially parents with several children suddenly notice the special characteristic traits of each kid and his/her standing in the family, things they sometimes failed to see in their everyday routine.

kid with toy lawnmower - Documentary Family PhotographyErika: I love the unconventional crops you choose to submit. Are you generally setting up the compositions in camera or are they more a decision in post?

When I started with photography I tended to crop a lot in post but after all those years now I hardly ever need to. I compose in camera and slightly adjust my angle while shooting. I control results directly on my LCD and have noticed that not having the camera in front of my eye the whole time also frees my vision. I check my monitor but also register what is happening outside the range of my lens. I usually know what I am looking for in an image but I think that only comes from experience, meaning you have to practice a lot.

girl has quiet moment - Documentary Family PhotographyLisa: You’ve captured great quiet moments. I myself am drawn to those as well. How do you approach a family that is more chaotic and less quiet?

Chaos is growing with the number of kids in a family. I love photographing big families where a lot is happening. I have four kids myself so I am used to it. For me the problem is rather that one tends to concentrate on the kids who put on the show. Lively kids are easy for a photographer, you just have to follow them and you can be sure something wild or weird will happen. I try to get close to the action even when it is getting rough sometimes, but in general, chaos is perfect for the photographer. You don’t have to think a lot about what you are doing – great moments are happening and you just have to capture them with your camera.

But I sometimes really have to force myself to give due to all the kids in a family. There often is a quiet one who prefers to stay apart, to read or draw and for a photographer this can be “boring” visually. But this is important stuff, too, as it shows the character of that child. So, for me, it is far more demanding to render those moments in a profound and creative way, to show the beauty of a quiet moment. In those situations it is very important that you know how to compose an image and not just simply snap a picture and be done with it.

kids work on puzzle - Documentary Family PhotographyChrystal: I noticed you used a lot of lenses. Are you typically switching lenses throughout the session or do you stick with a favorite for the majority of the time?

I usually have six lenses and two cameras with me. I mostly use prime lenses indoors when there is bad lighting and take my two zoom lenses (12-40mm and 40-150mm) when we are outside. I noticed that inside the house kids don’t mind you being close to them but when they are playing outside they want to run around and be on their own.

My favourite lenses are my 12mm, 17mm and 25 mm ( that means 24mm, 35mm and 50 mm fullframe). I know, this does not sound like a great variation but depending on the rooms I am working in a change in lenses can sometimes be crucial. Standing in a tiny bathroom with four other people will have you coaxing the most out of your 12 mm whereas a big living room can leave you happy with your 25 mm.

baby pulls mother's hair - Documentary Family PhotographyAniya: Love this session. I see your patience in the images, and I can imagine you waiting quietly for moments. I also see that you make moments when your subjects are completely unaware of you and you use elements to frame and shoot through (the flowers and the kiddos playing, and then the glass framing the little girl reading).

But on the flip side, you aren’t afraid in anyway to get extremely close, as seen where the mom is feeding her son, and then the son is pulling moms hair?

Do you prefer one way of shooting over the other? Are you equally comfortable getting close to your subjects and keeping your distance, and how do your clients feel about you getting right in there?

Often I only notice how close I have gotten to people when culling my images. During the session I do not feel uncomfortable and my clients tell me they didn’t either. My advantage is that I am using a small camera. I am working with the Olympus OMD – EM 1 and use the tilting LCD a lot. I can see the image live on the monitor, adjust the composition, light, focus, etc. and so it is not my full face that is close to the mom and kid but just the camera. I think this helps me a lot not to physically cross certain lines of privacy. When I am witnessing a quiet moment, e.g. the mother trying to put her baby to sleep, I switch the camera into silent mode though risking more shutter shock.

I usually stick to one position for quite some time to see how a moment will work out before changing position, so I am not running around hectically but try to change my position rather slowly.

I love getting real close, especially when parents are cuddling their kids but sometimes it will take some time for the kids to adjust to it. The mothers know not to look into the camera but a lively two-year old will often try to put on a show for the camera. I never tell them they should stop it but I simply switch to silent mode and not gratify their behaviour with a “click”. That way they quickly lose interest in me and get on with what they were doing in the first place.

But I want to show all aspects of my clients’ lives so I also step back a lot to show more context: the place they live in, people interacting with each other. And, of course, during the course of a whole day, there are times when not much is happening. That gives me the opportunity to look for interesting angles and compositions which otherwise might get lost in the action.

father brushes kids teeth - Documentary Family Photography*****
Want information on how you can be a featured artist? Check out our submission page for all the details.

parents on devices covered in children

Featured Session – Chelsea Silbereis

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Today we are featuring a family session by Chelsea Silbereis from Hamden, Connecticut. Here’s what Chelsea had to say about this session:

“I spent a fantastic day with Rachel and her family. In all seriousness, as I’m coming off of maternity leave and focusing exclusively on in-home, documentary family sessions, this session meant so much for me. First of all, Rachel and her family were so welcoming. We live in the same neighborhood and they shared so much knowledge with me, from their preschool and kindergarten experience to some restaurant recommendations. Second, I love my job. I have missed this so much. It is a long, tiring day, but I get home invigorated. Then when I’m getting bogged down by life, I work on a little editing and I’m invigorated again. It is beyond words to be able to spend time with a family and make pictures of all of their love and the little quirks and traditions that they share. It makes me overflow with joy and gives me hope.”

You can find Chelsea online on her site, facebook, and instagram. Read on below to find out more about Chelsea, this session, and her approach to photography.

Family snuggles on couchJessica: I love your creative compositions that are still moment-focused. Do you find a composition and wait for something to happen in the frame, or are you just watching for a moment to occur.

Chelsea: A little bit of both. I’m looking for a composition the whole time I’m with the family, and sort of mentally mapping out compositions that I like so that when the family is in a particular area I have an idea of how I’d like to shoot whatever is happening. Of course, if something great is happening outside of where I plan on shooting, I go for it. But I can certainly tell that the pictures in which I set up the composition then wait for a great moment tend to be stronger.

kid on scooter followed by parent on crutches

Leslie: Beautiful family story. Was this the session that made you realize you only wanted to shoot in-home family documentary? If so, how did you come to that realization? If not, when did you realize that was your passion?

Chelsea: I had always tended towards shooting more documentary style sessions. When photographing families I gravitated towards less posing, more activities. Eventually I discovered Kirsten Lewis’s work and participated in her group mentoring. This pushed me towards doing fully documentary, all day sessions.

But it wasn’t until I hired a business coach that I decided to go for it and get exclusive. Shawna helped me identify what part of my business really inspired me. She convinced me that having a specific vision will result in clients who are more devoted and will make it easier for me to promote my business as well as feel fulfilled by my work. You can find her here.

dog waits for scraps

Aniya: This is an amazing session, Chelsea. There are times when I’m doing a day in the life when I feel some moments are off limits and I’m having an inner conflict. For example, if a child is behaving really badly and dad is at his wits end at scolding him; do I shoot through this? Is it disrespectful to shoot? Am I going to be yelled at to put my camera down? Did you ever have any of those moments with this session, where you weren’t sure you should be documenting?

Chelsea: It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. In one of my first Real Day sessions I arrived before the Dad woke up. In retrospect I can see that the Mom was really eager for me to shoot her and the kids waking up Dad as that was a special ritual for them, but I was afraid. I didn’t follow them into the bedroom. Afterwards I felt miserable. In the immediate aftermath I could tell she was disappointed and I had to work to regain her trust. I gave myself a clear goal of shooting everything regardless of my discomfort because that is what I’m there for, that is what I’ve sold my client.

In this particular session the Mom communicated to me before hand that she didn’t want any below the waist nudity photographed, at all. When she brought it up I took the time to clarify exactly what that meant. What we came away with was I should photograph through any nudity, but compose the pictures to only show the kids from the waist up.

During the session the older son had a couple of time outs. I could tell that he did not want to be photographed during his time outs, but the parents didn’t mind. I continued to photograph but tried to give him his space. Eventually he asked me not to photograph him on the “naughty step,” and I said “absolutely, I’ll give you some privacy.” He seemed to really appreciate that and we moved on with our day just fine. Which really worked out perfectly because I was able to deliver time out pictures, but also respect his request when he decided he wanted me to stop. I think it actually helped me connect with him because he was able to set a boundary and saw that I really respected his decision. Essentially I treated him like an adult, like it was his decision and that usually goes over really well with kids.

child eats with mother

 

Meg: What are some of the first things you do when you go into a session like this? Do you shoot right away or do you chat with the family and let them get used to you some?

Chelsea: I have my camera out right away and I let them know that during our communication before the session. I start out talking and shooting less and as they get comfortable I’m shooting more and relating less, but I want to be ready the minute I arrive (even before, as I’m approaching the house) in case there’s a great opportunity for a picture.

family takes dog on walk

Lacey: How did you know you were ready to end your maternity leave and get back to photographing clients? How was it going back after a long break? Was it different getting back in than what you expected? How so?

Chelsea: I’ve been shooting pretty sporadically since having my first baby in April 2014. During this pregnancy, my second, I really didn’t shoot or promote my business very much as I had a very difficult pregnancy. I felt so sick much of the time that I didn’t even want to make pictures of my own family and really struggled through the few client sessions that I did. So I was pretty excited to get back to shooting and to be really focused on only shooting what I’m most excited about.

Practically, the most difficult thing was pumping enough to get my baby through around 12 hours without me. I know he had a hard day being away but the joy on his face and how he settled into my arms when I came home was just wonderful to experience.

child reading book

Lisa: What was your biggest takeaway from doing this session?

Chelsea: I think my biggest take away was confirmation that I’m on the right path. I enjoyed the day, I enjoyed the shooting, I enjoyed the editing much more than I usually do. I feel like I’m finally saying something with my work, something that is really important to me, and I can’t wait to see where that takes me.

grandmother chats with toddler

Michelle: Which of the photos you submitted is your favorite and why?

Chelsea: It is hard to pick. I really love pictures that contain the whole family. From this set I love the picture of the parents trying to use their phones while the kids are climbing all over them. My body knows exactly what that feels like so when I look at the picture it feels really universal but also very specific. It tells the story of something probably all parents experience, but it is also something pretty unique to our period in history.

parents on devices covered in children

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Want information on how you can be a featured artist? Check out our submission page for all the details.