If you’ve been following along here for a while, you know that my whole approach to photography is rooted in documentary storytelling. I’m not interested in stiff poses and forced smiles. I want to capture the way things actually feel. The real moments. The ones you’ll look back on in thirty years, flipping through books with your grandchildren remembering a time when you were young with little ones running around.
That’s exactly why Day In The Life Sessions have become one of my absolute favorite things to offer.
If you’ve never heard of a Day in the Life session before, let me explain what it is, because once you get it, I have a feeling you’re going to want one.
So What Exactly are Day in the Life Sessions?
Day in the Life sessions are exactly what they sounds like. Instead of meeting at a pretty location and spending an hour trying to get everyone to look at the camera at the same time, I come to you. Your home, your backyard, your favorite Saturday morning donut spot – and I document your life as it actually happens. No coordinating outfits. No perfect location. No one telling your toddler to smile in between bribe m&ms.
Just your family, doing what your family does, with me quietly in the background capturing it all.
Think Saturday morning pancakes with flour on everyone’s faces. Backyard adventures and muddy knees. Kids chasing the dog. Washing the car with dad and getting silly with the water hose. The way your partner looks at your kids when they think no one is watching. The way your cat sits in the window underneath that plant he always nibbles on. The small, ordinary, beautiful moments that make up the actual realness of your family’s life as it is right now.
What Do Day in the Life Sessions Actually Look Like?
Every session looks completely different because every family is completely different and that’s the whole point. But here are some ideas to get your imagination going:
Morning Routines
Making pancakes together, coffee and cartoons in pajamas, reading books in the sunroom, getting ready for the day together, playing outside in the morning sun.
Backyard or Outdoor
Watering the garden, playing tag or hide and seek, fishing or playing in the local creek, sprinkler or hose fun, backyard playsets or pools, exploring around your yard or neighborhood letting the kids find cool bugs or climb trees, etc.
Everyday Family Moments
Cooking or baking together, playing with pets, a hobby or activity your family loves, looking through old photos together, walking in your neighborhood, family dance party, sitting around the table for a meal.
Special Family Traditions
A recipe you make together every week, a game your family loves, a weekly ritual that’s unique to you, a visit from grandparents or family friends, decorating for a holiday, family game night, family cookout.
Out Of The House
Your favorite breakfast diner, ice cream or snow cones, the local park, hiking, camping, or kayaking, exploring downtown together, a “yes day” with the kids.
Continued Thoughts…
The beautiful thing about Day in the Life sessions is that they work best when you’re doing something you already love. I don’t need you to create something special for the camera, I need you to just be yourselves and let me follow along.
If you need more ideas or some visuals, I love this article on creating meaningful family moments!
Why Are These Photos So Different From Traditional Family Photos?
I love a good traditional family session. There is absolutely a time and place for everyone looking at the camera with big smiles in a beautiful location. But Day in the Life photos capture something that traditional sessions simply can’t, the feeling of right now.
Years from now you won’t remember exactly what your living room looked like when your kids were little. You won’t remember the exact way your toddler concentrated when he was helping stir the batter, or how your baby laughed when the dog ran through the kitchen, or the look on your partner’s face during a completely ordinary Tuesday morning.
But if someone was there photographing it? You’ll have it forever.
These are the photos that make parents cry when they look through their galleries, not because anything dramatic happened, but because it’s just so true and raw. It looks exactly like their life felt because nothing is staged.
Who Are Day in the Life Sessions For?
Honestly? They’re for any family who values real over perfect. But they’re especially meaningful for:
Families with babies and toddlers | This stage goes so fast it’s almost cruel. A Day in the Life session captures the tiny hands, the wobbly walking, the sweet little kisses, the complete chaos and joy of having little ones taking over your whole life. You will treasure these photos more than you can imagine right now.
Families starting something new | Starting new traditions is one of the best reasons to schedule a day in the life session. If you need ideas, here’s a few to choose from!
Families going through a transition | A new baby, a new home, a big move, a child starting school. These in-between seasons deserve to be documented.
Families who hate posing | If the idea of a traditional photo session makes your stomach hurt a little, this is genuinely the solution. There’s nothing to perform. Just live your life and let me do the rest.
Past clients who want something different | If we’ve already worked together for your wedding or a previous session and you want something more intimate and real, this is it.
Families who just want to remember this season | You don’t need a special reason. Right now is enough of a reason.
What Should We Do for Our Session?
My honest advice? Pick one or two things your family genuinely loves to do and build the session around that.
The sessions that feel the most natural and photograph the most beautifully are always the ones where the family is doing something familiar. When you’re in your element, whether it’s making your Sunday morning breakfast, playing in your backyard, or kayaking together – you forget the camera is there. And that’s when I get the best photos.
If you’re not sure what to pick, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- What does a typical weekend morning look like for your family?
- What’s something your kids ask to do over and over again?
- Is there a family tradition or routine that feels uniquely yours?
- What are you going to miss most about this season of life when it’s over?
That last question usually leads somewhere really good.
What About the House? Does It Need to Be Clean?
I get this question a lot and my answer is always the same: real life doesn’t need to be cleaned up for me.
A few toys on the floor, dishes in the sink, art supplies on the table – these are signs that your home is lived in and loved. That context is part of the story. I’m not here to photograph your house, I’m here to photograph your family in it.
That said, if there are areas you’d rather I avoid or things you’d rather not have in photos, just let me know. This is your session and I want you to feel comfortable.
What Should We Wear?
Whatever you actually wear on a regular day!
Seriously. Pajamas are great. Comfy clothes are great. That worn-in flannel your partner wears every weekend is great. The whole point is that this looks like your real life, not a performance of it.
If you want a little guidance, soft neutrals and earthy tones photograph beautifully and won’t compete with the environment. But more than anything, wear clothes you feel comfortable and like yourself in. That matters more than color coordination.
And if your toddler insists on wearing a dinosaur shirt? Let them wear the dinosaur shirt. I promise it will be one of your favorite details in the gallery.
Ready to Book?
I only take on a limited number of Day in the Life sessions because I want to give each family the time and presence they deserve. If you’re interested in booking or just want to talk through what a session could look like for your family, I’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch here and tell me a little about your family and what your everyday life looks like. We’ll figure out the rest together.
Bekah Cabrejos is a wedding and family photographer based in North Carolina serving families across the Charlotte area, the Piedmont Triad, High Point, Greensboro, and beyond. View the full portfolio or get in touch to start planning your session.
Thinking about your engagement photos and what to wear? Check out my What to Wear to Your Engagement Session post!
I love helping couples with their wedding day timeline. If you’re feeling stuck, my blog on Wedding Day Photography Timeline Tips can help.
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