What is documentary family photography, and why you will forever abandon trendy, posed photography

First, a bit of fun history.

Family portraits were for the longest time in history reserved for the very few with enough wealth and endurance to sit through a posed live painting session. (Can you imagine what treats and threats they had to use to keep those poor little kids still for SO LONG? Yikes!) With the invention of the earliest film cameras and their broader accessibility, photographed family portraits took the same form as their painted predecessor: posed, viewer-faced, serious, and mostly uniformed.

Colonel John Fortnum and Family, 1775, by Tilly Kettle

As cameras continued to become more widespread and are now ubiquitous, family photos changed in format and look, but in philosophy they remain mostly the same, whether taken on a phone or a professional camera. They aim to signal two important things - these faces in the frame are a family unit, and this is how we looked when a particular thing/event happened. Selfies or not, we mostly all pose the same way as those early paintings (just a lot less glam looking) - we line up next to each other, face the camera, and - the new addition to the family portraits - SMILE whether you like it or not!

Documentary family photography pushes the conversation on family photography further by asking questions like:

What sets you apart from other families?

What does being a family actually look like in your day-to-day life?

What is your family culture and identity?

How do you love each other when things are not joyful and easy and mess-free?

How do you hold each other through life’s toughest moments?

Where does your grief meet joy and your mess meet peace? What moments will be engraved in your hearts forever?

In essence, what is your family’s story and how can it be documented through photographs?

Why Choose Documentary Family Photography

But, does any of this really matter? Isn’t it all just decorative wall art?

This matters a lot. Photos and videos are the only way we pass down generational stories. They are also how we remember our own lived experiences. The way we photograph and what we choose to display shape a visual narrative of who we are—both as individuals and as families. It will remind us of what is important to us and where we aim to go.

Photographs on your wall are essentially little vision and mission statements that everyone understands intuitively. You can imagine that a photo on the wall of a family that prioritizes status and wealth will look very different from one belonging to a family that treasures shared meals and time together.

Your photos are not only snapshots of memories, but also a compass guiding your family's values and identity.

What Does Candid Family Photography in Portland Look Like?

Women laughing together at a family gathering, shot in documentary style

Glad you asked! Since ANYTHING can be captured through the lens of authentic documentary storytelling, I will give you a few categories based on how I organize my work:

“A Day in the Life Of” Session

As the name suggest, this session a pajamas to pajamas (the kids’ pajamas, just to be clear). I join you for whatever planned and unplanned adventures you might have and artistically photograph life as it unfolds. I engage with you and have little chats but try not to disrupt any family moments or events. I am there with you for the day, but the day is not structured around me or the photos.

“Little Stories” Session

This is a 3-4hr version of the “Day in the life” session. It is a perfect way to experiment with this genre and document a quiet morning at home or a fun family adventure.

“Keep Portraits Weird” Session
(or Funky Family Portraits)

Think of this as a throwback to the classic family portrait we discussed earlier - but with a playful twist that captures your family’s quirks, warmth, and everything that makes you wonderfully you. These are a lot of fun and your portrait is sure to be a conversation starter.

Weddings and Special Events

From birthdays, weddings, to living funerals, I love documenting all of your family’s big moments.

Legacy Photo Story

This is a truly unique offer that I deeply love. Do you feel like there’s an aching story in your heart that you want to hold onto, to pass down, to always remember? Think of me as a photojournalist who works with you to tell this story. Using a mix of old photographs, objects, conversation, and intentional photography, we co-create a visual narrative that captures the soul of the story you want to share in a printed photobook format.

This work is gentle. It’s emotional. And it’s something we do together.

An example of a story can be:

- “Still With Me” – A daughter honors her late father’s legacy through his tools, notes, and the stories he told.

- “The Women Who Made Me” – Three generations of women tell their stories of motherhood, migration, and strength.

- “Homegrown” – A retired farmer reflects on her life’s work through her land, family, and hands.

- “We Named You After Her” - New parents create the photobook for their newborn daughter sharing stories about grandma who passed too early, but whose remarkable love and faith is deeply woven into their hearts.

-”The House on Clinton Street” - A woman revisits the home where she grew up before it’s sold. We document every room, every scratch on the wall, every old photograph in the attic. A story of memory embedded in place.

Got a wild or wonderfully weird idea? Let’s chase it down together and turn it into a story that will be passed down.