Southern California Film Family Photographer | Unique, Documentary Photography
Documentary Family Photos at the Beach In Southern California
Unique, Artistic Photos by Tai Lee Photography
Orange County Lifestyle Photography
Artistic Documentary Family Photography: Capturing the Essence of Real Life on Disposable Film Cameras
It was on our family vacations to Southern California to visit Disneyland and some of our top favorite beaches—Doheny State Beach, Crystal Cove State Park Beach, La Jolla Cove, Stone Steps Beach near San Diego, El Matador State Beach, Victoria Beach, and any beach in Laguna—that I really began to discover my love for true documentary family photography. I took my camera EVERYWHERE and practiced observing and shooting in basically every single lighting condition that existed, focusing on capturing instead of posing. These types of family photographs quickly became my favorite, and the more I did it, the more I discovered that I dreamed of offering this beautiful documentary style of photography for families on their vacations in Southern California.
There is nothing like the looks on kids faces as they discover and explore Disneyland, and to take it one step further, to bring an artistic photographic approach with a developed an eye for beautiful light, it brings that experience to a whole new level.
Kids playing in the and, digging holes, chasing the waves, and retreating from them with the most care-free joy can literally be felt in photographs in a way that an overly posed photo cannot capture. These moments in the sunshine are life, and become memories that spark that same joy every time you look back.
Documentary family photography is an art form that goes beyond posed portraits and staged scenes. It’s about capturing genuine moments and authentic emotions that tell a story of a family's unique dynamics and connections. When combined with an artistic touch, it creates imagery that makes you feel something when you look at it, and that remind you of how it felt to be there. Documentary photography is visually captivating and emotionally powerful.
The terms documentary photography and lifestyle photography are often used interchangeably, even though they are actually quite different. The major difference comes in the methodology. I’m a big fan of letting genuine interactions and moments happen on their own and capturing them, but most people are not super comfortable in front of the camera so I like to take a guided approach and help you to feel comfortable in front of the camera and give gentle prompts throughout the session to help put you at ease, and also create natural, candid imagery.
Taking family pictures of my kids on the beach with disposable cameras was such a nostalgic experience that captured the essence of my childhood and taking our cheap little film cameras to the beach on vacation where half the roll didn’t turn out, but it was such a vibe of the California beach film photography aesthetic. The simplicity of the disposable cameras made it easy to really think about composition, details, movement, and the feeling I wanted the photos to have. The kids were free spirits playing on the beach with the sand sticking to their skin, and running through the waves in the warmth of the sunshine.
Looking for a photographer to capture a lifestyle, documentary style of photography that is candid, natural, and tells a story using a combination of 35 mm film and digital photography? Hit that inquire button below!
Artistic, Documentary Family Film Photographer
Looking for a family film photographer in Southern California but can’t seem to find the style you’ve been looking for? You’ve landed in the right place, and we are going to create beautiful images together while you vacation and play on the beach with your family.
Hit that contact button below.
