Doing Photos Differently: A Documentary(ish) Approach to Juneau Family Photos

Jul 27

a daughter hugs her dad on a sunny day during juneau family photos

A little boy hands dad a rock on the shores of mendenhall lake during their juneau family photos

mom and son blow a dandelion at eagle beach campground in juneau

the key to juneau family photos that feel like you

What I’d tell you as a photographer in Juneau might surprise you. Even (especially!) in an epic location like Alaska, the experience will always matter more than the perfect posing. The key to Juneau family photos that feel like you is letting go of any expectation and allowing yourself (and your people!) to just genuinely spending the session time together. Follow your kids where they lead you, let your partner be a little bit silly or simply sit back and revel in the idea that your entire extended family is together in one spot. What does letting go and being present look like and how does that happen? I’m here to help; keep reading!

the traditional approach problem

There is a common notion that photo sessions are dreadful. People often think of posed, stiff, "everyone look at the camera” photos that require managing kids behavior, your patience and everyone’s emotions for an hour. I think the days of these kinda of photo sessions are gone though. Sessions where you cycle through every combination for a cheese and freeze kind of photo feel much more like a performance or something you get through. In a place like Juneau, it feels wasteful to just use the views as a background when Alaska is a place you experience. So the first step to photos in Juneau is reframing the experience for everyone involved:

Let Dad know he can horse around with the kids and that he doesn’t need to smile right at the camera the whole time. You’re gonna move around and honestly interact.
Let the kids know you’re all going to have fun together. Frame it like you’re going to meet someone new (hi, I’m the someone!) and you’re going to spend an hour playing and loving each other in a pretty place.
Let Mom know she can release the responsibility to get everyone to “behave” or “enjoy themselves.” She can just take a deep breath and be in every moment. No phones, no distractions, no to-do list, no expectations.

what documentary(ish) really means

There are a TON of buzz words in the photography world. Editorial. Photo-journalistic. Documentary. Traditional. Classic. Filmy. Cinematic.

I think everyone defines their work their own way so definitions can vary so I decided to designate my work as “documentary … ish.” Documenting what’s happening after I set you up in great light and give you something to do is how those lived-in, honest and interactive photos are achieved. I’m not fully hands-off photojournalism and not perfectly staged. It’s a jussssst right in-between. My goal is to follow the energy of your family instead of creating it, but sometimes you just need a little help! That’s where fun prompts (whisper a silly word in Mommy’s ear!) or invitations to play (can you and Daddy act like monsters who are in search of big, squeeze-y hugs?!) come in. The “ish” part of documentary-ish is the part where I stand back a bit, let the direction linger and capture the moments after. Those Pinterst photos didn’t just happen that way. But they also were perfectly posed either. Somewhere in the middle of that lies my approach of documentary-ish.

Important note: I will always take a looking and smiling photo. They’re classic. They’re what you want for the holiday cards and sending to grandparents. I just find that focusing all our energy on that classic photos takes parents to a stressful place and actually makes it harder to get. See “from a kid’s perspective” below…

fun over freeze + cheese: from a kid's perspective

A new place. A new face (hi, it’s me). Potentially new clothes. And a lot of direction. From a kid’s perspective, family photos can be a bit overwhelming. My favorite saying is a comfortable kid is a happy, cooperative kid. My goal at the beginning of a session is to get your whole family comfortable. Movement, play-based, low-pressure prompts at the beginning of the session means we aren’t asking too much of anyone and kids (or parents) don't melt down. We can eliminate the constant “smile for Jen!” and lean into follow their lead (unless it leads to danger; then let’s not). I find that after kiddos have learned they can be a little silly, the everyone looking and smiling photos comes quickly and easily.

fun over freeze + cheese: from a parent perspective

The practical case for adults: a traditional approach to family photos can result in stress. When we use fun/play as a gateway to connection and cooperation, it lets parents actually be in the moment instead of managing it. No Google Calendar, no phone, no social media for just 1 hour: you get to focus on loving on your people and I take the burden on of the looking at the camera shot. The byproduct is a gallery of images that reflect how you interact with one another, the little moments and how your kids and partner look at you instead of the camera. The even bigger payoff: time spent actually together, no distractions, present with each other rather than performing.

what a session feels like with Jen Wolfe Photography

Have I mentioned fun yet? Sessions with me include (and encourage) wandering, playing, chaos, quiet moments. There’s no rulebook to follow for family photos in Juneau. There’s no need to copy poses you see online. By following your family rather than posing you, it assures that the images we get are honest and authentic to you. I find the light, put you in it, compose the shot and let you take it wherever you want it go. Rest assured: this is what results in the real, keepable images that you can feel and relive forever.

what this looks like in alaska specifically

You came for the mountains though, right?! Juneau family photos are taking an experience and turning into something concrete you can hold in your hands and relive forever. An ordinary moment in Juneau is actually extraordinary because it was taken among the trees and mountains and miles of shoreline with glaciers and eagles. This place is quite literally wild. And we will get that one wide shot where everyone looks and you’re surrounded by all things Alaska. But what if your gallery felt like your trip to Alaska too? What if you had images of you laughing or snuggling with mountains or wild flowers behind you? I want to tell the entire story and I don’t want your images to just look like Alaska; I want them to feel like it too.