What Kind of Photographer Are You? Choosing a Style That Actually Feels Like You
Let’s play a game.
Close your eyes. (Unless you’re driving. Please don’t.) Picture your dream shoot. Where are you? On a beach at sunset? In a perfectly styled nursery with soft lullaby light? At a chaotic toddler birthday party, camera in one hand, juice box in the other?
Now ask yourself: was that shoot stressful, or energizing?
Because that’s a BIG clue about what kind of photographer you’re meant to be.
You Are Not Meant to Be Everyone’s Photographer
Here’s the thing: just because you can shoot something doesn’t mean you should.
You don’t have to do weddings if you hate sweating through your Spanx for 10 hours straight. You don’t have to shoot newborns if the idea of posing a baby on a beanbag makes your anxiety flare. And you certainly don’t have to offer “a little of everything” just to keep your calendar full.
In fact, trying to serve everyone is the fastest route to burnout (and being kinda average at all of it).
The real money—and joy—comes when you specialize. When you get so good at your thing that people talk about you when you’re not in the room (in a good way).
So let’s help you figure out what that thing is.
Here Are the Most Common Family Photography Styles (Pick One, Friend… or Maybe Two Max)
1. Lifestyle Photography
- 📍 Real homes, real light, real life.
- 👶 Babies snuggling with mom, kids jumping on beds.
- 🧠 For the photographer who loves candid, emotional moments and isn’t obsessed with perfection.
You if: You’re chill, flexible, and see beauty in the messy middle. You have a Pinterest board labeled “soulful motherhood” and cry at commercials.
2. Studio Photography
- 💡 Controlled lighting, clean backdrops.
- 👗 Think timeless portraits, milestone sessions, and styled minis.
- 💼 For the photographer who loves predictability and polish.
You if: You like symmetry, organization, and knowing your white balance will be perfect. Your idea of chaos is mismatched socks.
3. Posed Newborn Photography
- 🐣 Tiny headbands, sleepy baby curls, basket artistry.
- 📷 Often takes place in-home or in-studio.
- 🎨 For the detail-oriented artist who loves quiet and has the patience of a saint.
You if: You’re a baby whisperer. You could fold a fitted sheet with your eyes closed. You own a space heater and white noise machine. You want to stock out your studio with a baby and maternity wardrobe.
4. Birth Photography
- 💥 Documenting labor, delivery, and first breaths.
- 🏥 Often in hospitals, birth centers, or at home.
- 🧠 For the steady-handed, emotionally strong photographer who can operate under pressure (and in bad light).
You if: You’re unflappable. You believe birth is sacred. You want to be part of the calm energy force in the room on that day.
5. Documentary Family Photography
- 📸 No posing. No styling. Just real life, captured.
- 🛁 Bath time, breakfast chaos, Saturday morning pancakes.
- 🎞️ For the storyteller who wants to preserve real moments like art.
You if: You see poetry in a mess. You love photojournalism. You want to make people cry—in a good way. You like long hang times with families.
6. Mini Sessions (as a Specialty)
- ⏱️ Short, seasonal, themed, or location-based.
- 💸 High volume, high marketing, limited time.
- 🏃 For the photographer who loves batching and buzz.
You if: You’re the queen of logistics. You love systems. You’re a little bit Type A with a heart of gold. I switched to this model as a single mom and love it.
Choosing Your Style = Choosing Your Lifestyle
Let’s be honest, your style isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about energy, time, and how you want to live.
- Studio = Control. You work when you want, in the space you’ve designed. Predictable. Also, there is no weather inside a photography studio.
- On-location = Flexibility. You love to scout, chase light, and manage surprises.
- Mini Sessions = Hustle + Efficiency. You batch like a boss and prep like it’s an Olympic sport.
- High touch = Deep connection. You build relationships, guide wall art decisions, and text clients back.
- Low touch = Scalability. You market like a machine, deliver galleries, and automate like a wizard.
What sounds like your dream life? What sounds like a chore? (Hint: don’t build a business that’s 90% chore. This is your freedom and the rest of your life we are talking about!)
Pro Tip: You Can Change Your Mind
The style you start with isn’t the one you have to stick with forever. As your life changes, your business can too.
- When I was single and had weekends free? Weddings were my jam. 6 a.m. “Getting Ready” sessions? No prob!
- When I became a seasoned family photographer? IPS in-home sessions were a dream and scratched my love interior design itch.
- When I became a single mom? Mini sessions and gallery sales gave me my time back and allowed me to block my work and childcare.
There’s no right answer forever. Just the right answer for right now.
Homework (Fun, I Promise)
- Go through your favorite 10 photos you’ve ever taken. What do they have in common?
- Think about the last shoot you LOVED. What made it feel like magic?
- Pick a style (or two max!) to lean into. Update your website, social, and language to reflect that.
Your clients need to know what kind of photographer you are—because when you show up as that person confidently, the right people find you.
And let me say this loud for the folks in the back:
🎯 You don’t have to be everyone’s photographer. 💰 You only need to be the right photographer for a handful of people.
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