Unconventional Family Photos with Editorial Style | The Canter Family Session
This family session was designed to feel elevated, personal, and visually striking. Instead of traditional family portraits, we created editorial-style images that reflected the Canter family’s taste, style, and everyday world. If you love family photos that feel less posed and more like art, this is exactly the kind of session that shows what’s possible.
Why Unconventional Family Photos Work
Family photos should reflect the people in them. Every family has its own personality, style, and energy, and the best sessions lean into that instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all look. When you build a session around what feels natural and visually true to your family, the images become more meaningful and far more memorable.
Planning a Family Session Around Personal Style
My client, L. Ashley Canter, wanted her annual family photos to match their aesthetic. As a luxury interior designer, Ashley has an incredible eye for what feels elevated, polished, and distinctive. During planning, she shared inspiration images that helped shape the direction of the session, and from the beginning, our goal was to create family portraits with a luxury editorial feel.
The Session:
Three Looks, Two Locations, One Cohesive Story
Client // L. Ashley Canter, Owner of LA CA Design Studio
Family portraits should be as unique as the people in them. Every family has its own aesthetic, its own rhythm, its own visual language. Tapping into that personal style is how you create images that feel like them, not just images that look nice.
Ashley wanted her annual family photos to match their world. As a luxury interior designer, she has a sharp eye for what stands out for the right reasons. Before we ever picked up a camera, she shared inspiration images that gave us a clear direction: editorial, refined, and a little unexpected.
Look One: Morning Light at the Park
We started at a nearby park early in the morning to take advantage of beautiful golden light before the day got away from us. Outdoor sessions with kids require flexibility and, sometimes, a little strategic bribery. Fruit snacks were involved. No regrets.
Gear used for this look: Canon R5, Canon 85mm 1.2, Canon 24-70, Umbrella with diffusion
Look Two: In-Home Lifestyle at Their House
Our second location was the Canter home. Ashley had found a specific image on Instagram that she wanted to reference, and shooting on location gave us the flexibility to recreate that feeling in a space that actually belonged to them. It was more relaxed, more personal, and more fun to shoot.
There is something that happens when a family is photographed in their own space. The kids settle down. The parents stop performing and start being themselves. The images get better.
Look Three: The Living Room Portrait
The final look was in the family's living room, and honestly, it was the one I was most excited about. Ashley is a talented designer and her home reflects that. With a quick outfit change and a few furniture adjustments, we created an elevated version of their everyday life. That is exactly what a great portrait should be.
How to Art-Direct a Family Portrait Session: Three Questions That Change Everything
Whether you are a client trying to communicate your vision or a photographer learning how to guide the conversation, these three questions will take a session from generic to genuinely personal.
1. What is something that you love about your family? This question shifts the focus from logistics to storytelling. The answers almost always reveal a visual direction that no mood board could. One family might talk about how loud and chaotic and joyful their household is. Another might describe a shared sense of humor. Both tell you something about how to frame the session.
2. How will you be using the final images? Holiday cards, large wall prints, and social media all have different framing and orientation needs. Knowing this upfront helps you shoot with intention instead of hoping the crop works out later.
3. Is there a particular style or vibe you are going for? Ask clients to pull three to five inspiration images before the session, even if they are not photography references. Interior design, fashion editorials, film stills, all of it is useful. Ashley came in knowing exactly what she wanted, and that made every decision faster and more confident.
For Photographers: What Made This Session Work
This was a multi-look session with the cutest kid, two locations, and a client with a clear aesthetic vision. A few things made it run smoothly.
Preparation was everything. We knew the locations, the lighting conditions at each time of day, and the inspiration direction before we arrived. There was no figuring it out on the fly.
Keeping the group small helped too. A tight team means fewer distractions, faster transitions, and more focused energy on the subjects.
And direction matters more than posing. I am not giving people a list of shapes to make with their bodies. I am telling a story and asking them to live inside it for a few frames. That distinction changes how portraits feel.
If you want to learn how I approach multi-look sessions, on-location lighting, and directing subjects who are not used to being in front of a camera, I offer one-on-one mentoring and small group workshops. Learn more about working with me.
If you are looking for a portrait session in Franklin TN or Nashville that feels elevated and specific to your family, your brand, or this chapter of your life, I would love to hear about it.
I approach every session with the same editorial instincts I bring to commercial and magazine work.
Let's talk about your session.
Want to see more portrait work? Browse the portrait gallery here.
GEAR USED
Canon R5
Canon 85 1.2
Canon 24-70
Kupo Click Stand
Impact Umbrella + Diffusion for Umbrella
MoneyMaker Dual Camera Strap
***affiliate links*** I may be paid a small commission for items you buy. Read my affiliate disclosure here.
Client: L. Ashley Canter
Photographer: Tausha Dickinson
Hair and Make-up: Lauren Martinez
Photo Assistant: Anthony Romano
Frequently Asked Questions About
Editorial Family Portrait Sessions
What is an editorial family portrait session? An editorial family portrait session is a styled, art-directed shoot that prioritizes intentional lighting, location, and visual storytelling over traditional posed photography. The goal is images that feel like they belong in a magazine, not a holiday card template.
How is this different from a traditional family photo session? A traditional session typically involves one location, coordinated outfits, and a standard set of poses. An editorial approach starts with your family's aesthetic and builds the session around it. Location, lighting, wardrobe, and even furniture arrangement are all part of the creative direction.
Do you photograph family sessions in Franklin TN and Nashville? Yes. I am based in Franklin, Tennessee and work throughout Middle Tennessee, including Nashville, Brentwood, and Cool Springs. On-location sessions can take place at your home, a meaningful local spot, or a curated outdoor location depending on your vision.
How many looks can we do in one session? Most multi-look sessions include two to three distinct setups. The Canter session included three looks across two locations in a single morning. The number of looks depends on your timeline, how many people are in the session, and how much direction and transition time is needed.
Do you work with kids? Yes, and I will not pretend it is always perfectly controlled chaos-free magic. Kids are unpredictable and that is part of the story. I build buffer time into sessions, I move at their pace when needed, and I have learned that fruit snacks are a legitimate lighting tool.
I am a photographer. Can I learn your approach to multi-look portrait sessions? Absolutely. I offer one-on-one mentoring and small group workshops that cover creative direction, on-location lighting, and how to art-direct portrait sessions with intention. Learn more about workshops and mentoring here.
About The Author
I’m Tausha Dickinson, a Franklin and Nashville photographer known for creating portraits that feel polished, intentional, and full of personality. Whether I’m photographing families, personal brands, or editorial work, I love creating images that feel elevated without losing the real connection that makes them matter.
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