There’s a common misconception that an in-home documentary photo session requires a perfectly styled house, coordinated outfits, and well-behaved children. The truth is much gentler than that.
Preparing for in home documentary photos is less about getting everything “just right” and more about allowing space for your real life to unfold. This experience is about connection, presence, and preserving the rhythms of your everyday life as they truly are.
This guide will walk you through what to expect, how to prepare without stress, and how to approach your session as more than just photos.
What In-Home Documentary Family Photography Really Is
In-home documentary photos focus on storytelling rather than posing. Instead of directing every moment, I quietly observe and document the interactions, routines, and connections that already exist in your home.
This approach allows your images to reflect the way your family naturally moves together, the small moments that often go unnoticed, and the season of life you are in right now. An in-home family photo session isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty.
Your Home Does Not Have to Be Perfect
One of the biggest concerns families have when preparing for in home documentary photos is their home.
Please hear this clearly. Your home does not need to be spotless or styled.
If it helps you feel more at ease, you are welcome to lightly tidy the spaces where you naturally spend the most time, open curtains or blinds to let in natural light, or clear anything that feels distracting to you personally.
Toys on the floor, dishes in the sink, laundry on the couch, and signs of everyday living are not problems. They are part of your story.
I wrote another blog all about why your home does not need to be perfect to be perfect for family photos, read it here: https://melenalawsonphotography.com/2025/05/08/why-in-home-family-photography-is-perfect-even-if-your-home-isnt/
What to Wear for In Home Documentary Photos
When it comes to clothing, comfort matters more than coordination.
Choose pieces that feel like you on a normal, comfortable day and allow you to move freely and interact naturally. Soft, neutral, and earthy tones photograph beautifully, but the most important thing is that you feel relaxed enough to forget about what you are wearing once the session begins.
Bare feet, cozy layers, and well-loved clothing are always welcome.
What to Do During Your Session
You do not need to plan anything elaborate. The most meaningful moments often come from the simplest parts of your day.
If there are little rhythms that define your days, lean into those. Are you always walking around with a cup of coffee in hand? Go ahead and make a pot and pull out your favorite mugs. If doing dishes together is part of your normal routine, that is one of my favorite moments to photograph. I also love seeing kids play their favorite games with their parents.
If it helps you feel prepared when preparing for in home documentary photos, I suggest coming up with a short list ahead of time, about four simple things you naturally do together. Think of these less as a schedule and more as gentle options to move through during our time together.
For example, your list might include:
- One shared family task, like cooking, baking, or doing dishes together
- One cozy activity, such as reading books on the couch or in bed
- One playful activity, like a board game, building something, or a favorite game the kids love
- One open-ended moment where your children can choose what they want to do
During the session, you can offer your children two or three of these options and let them decide what feels right in the moment. There is no need to force anything. And if all else fails, following what your kids naturally gravitate toward is always the right choice.
How to Be During an In-Home Documentary Session
This is where the pressure truly falls away.
You do not need to look at the camera. You do not need to perform. Your children do not need to behave differently than they normally do.
The most helpful thing you can do is simply stay engaged with your people. Talk to your kids. Sit close on the couch. Hold hands. Read together. Help with homework. Rock a baby. Make lunch. Fold laundry. Let your kids show you their favorite toys or games.
If there are little rhythms that define your days, lean into those. These ordinary, in-between moments are where the most meaningful documentary family photographs are made.
It Is More Than Just Photos
Preparing for in home documentary photos is not about creating something for the camera. It is about slowing down long enough to preserve a chapter of your family’s story.
These images become reminders of what your days felt like, how your home held you during this season, and the love that lived in the ordinary moments.
Years from now, these photographs will matter not because everything looked perfect, but because it was real.
If you are craving this kind of session, reach out to me. In home documentary photos are some of my favorite kind to shoot and it would be my honor to serve your family in this way!!
~ Melena
