The Art of Realism: An Introduction to Documentary Photography and why you should choose it.

‘It is more than just photography; it is visual storytelling at its most honest and beautiful’.

Unscripted, unposed, authentic, genuine moments.

Your stories honestly documented.

Because in the end, your life is art, is it not?

Days made up of thousand’s of intricate, overlooked moments; The evening light that catches their faces, making breakfast pancakes on tippie toes, tending to a grazed knee, splashing in the paddling pool, a game of tag, bath time, a walk on the beach, or snuggling up together for a bedtime story.

There are no grand destinations here. Your life is now and now and now.

Documentary photography focuses on real people, it captures candid moments of everyday connection and seeks out the details that often go unnoticed. Far from the traditional posed and polished family portraits, it seeks joy in messy places and helps you to see the beauty in the life that you’ve created. It celebrates your family and the home that holds you. The daily hustle and bustle, the laughter and tears, and the unique interactions that truly define you. The goal here is to tell a story. Stories that encapsulate a slice of your life. Stories of love, connection and individuality that are unique to you.

So, what makes a documentary photoshoot an appealing choice? Simple. It's an incredibly stress-free experience. No need to worry over maintaining perfect poses, or feeling awkward about where your hands should go. No need to perform for the camera, and absolutely no false smiling for the camera, in fact, if you don’t want to look at the camera, you don’t have too. You can simply be yourself, and what could be better than that?

What does a documentary style session look like?

‘A morning in the life’ photo session, is approximately 2-3 hours long and I usually arrive just before breakfast. I like to shoot in the best light possible, and the mornings usually give us that. It’s also when you’ve already got an activity going on, so we can ease in, in the most natural way. Prior to the shoot we’ll talk about what a morning looks like for you and your family and what kind of activities you’d like to include. These don’t need to be anything fancy, just things that are meaningful and true to you. We’ll use these as a loose guideline to keep the session flowing, but as these are mainly child-led and because of the time we have to relax into it, we leave space for the spontaneous parts of the story to develop.

I shoot as honestly as possible, I’m unobtrusive and will just fit in. On some occasions, if I feel we need move the story into better light or change something about the background, I will do, to make sure you’re getting the best possible photos.

Due to the length of the session, we can stay at home, then venture out for a walk, perhaps to the park or somewhere close by. Or the entire session can be an adventure at the beach or in the forest. It’s totally up to you.

You can have a look at my packages here and if you’d like to enquire or book ‘a morning in the life’ session with me you can email me at hi@clarejohnsonphotography.com or contact me here.

I’d love to hear from you.

Clare x

Documentary Photography sessions, in Bournemouth, Poole and beyond.