Celebrate the Chaos: Why Candid Family Photos Are THE BEST

Let’s be real: life with kids, pets, and partners isn’t always perfectly posed and polished. It’s loud. It’s wild. It’s covered in peanut butter and glitter. And honestly? That’s exactly why it’s beautiful.

As a documentary family photographer and family photojournalist, I live for those unscripted moments - the ones that make your family yours. So let’s talk about why embracing the chaos makes for the BEST kind of family photos.

1. Real > Perfect

The unplanned hugs, the spontaneous giggles, the meltdown over the wrong color cup - this is your real life. And it’s worth remembering.

Pro Tip: The best photos happen when you forget the camera is even there. Let go, be silly, be yourselves. That’s where the magic lives.

2. Time Travel, Kind Of

Looking back at candid photos doesn’t just remind you of what happened - it takes you there. The smell of pancakes. The tiny hand in yours. The laughter mid-tickle fight. Yup, we’re crying too.

Pro Tip: Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for connection. That’s the stuff you’ll want to relive over and over again.

3. The Beauty of the Everyday

The mess on the floor? The blanket fort in the living room? That’s where the love lives. Documentary family photography celebrates the small stuff that turns into the big stuff.

Pro Tip: You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy backdrop. Your home, your chaos, and your people - THAT’S the story.

candid family photography, Los Angeles family photographer and family photojournalist

4. Sessions Without the Stress

Forget stiff poses and forced smiles. With candid sessions, there’s zero pressure. Just be. Your. Weird. Wonderful. Selves.

Pro Tip: Let the kids run wild. Let the dog jump on the couch. The chaos is the moment.

5. Photos That Never Go Out of Style

Trendy filters fade. Real moments don’t. These are the kind of photos that feel just as special 10, 20, even 50 years from now.

Pro Tip: Got grandparents visiting? Include them! Multigenerational love = gold.

6. This Is What Real Looks Like

Tangled hair. Spilled juice. A toddler in a superhero cape. It’s messy and loud and so, so full of heart.

Pro Tip: Show up as you are. Not matching, not perfect - just you. Because your family, in all its glorious chaos, is enough.

So… What Is Family Photojournalism Anyway?

It’s not “everyone, say cheese!” kind of thing. It’s real life, captured as it happens. It’s:

Honest
Unscripted
Emotionally rich
YOUR story

No poses. No pressure. Just real-life, documentary-style photos that feel like you.

Why We Might Be Your People

We’re not just snapping pretty pictures. We’re here to tell your story - with empathy, humor, and a whole lotta heart. Whether your kid’s screaming mid-snack or your partner’s wearing socks that don’t match, we’re right here with you.

And hey - we’ve been recognized by the Wedding Photojournalist Association, but the real reward? Capturing the tiny, wild, and beautiful pieces of your everyday life.

One day, you’ll look back at these photos and laugh (or cry, no judgment). Not because everything looked perfect - but because it felt like you.

So get in the frame. Embrace the mess. Celebrate the chaos.

📸 Ready to freeze those wild, beautiful moments? Let’s make photo magic together.
👉 Book your candid family session with Annie Bang Photography today!

Book with us! Yay!

IreneMay 13, 2025Comment

Eli and Cory’s Los Angeles Backyard Wedding | Documentary Wedding Photography Magic

Eli and Cory got married in the most heartfelt way - a cozy backyard wedding at Cory’s childhood home in Los Angeles.

They met in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic. Eli messaged Cory on OkCupid, and their first “date” was in Minecraft (yes, really!). For their second date, they walked and talked so much that Cory actually injured his foot and ended up in a boot for months. I mean… if that’s not a meet-cute for the ages, I don’t know what is.

Cory is a video game designer, and Eli is a comic artist and illustrator - and together, they’re endlessly creative. One of my favorite details? Cory proposed in their Minecraft world, building a scavenger hunt, musical number, and even a replica of the first home they built together in the game. I’m still swooning.

Their Los Angeles backyard wedding was filled with all the good stuff: family, friends, laughter, and a whole lot of color and personality. And from a photojournalistic perspective, this day was magic - no stiff posing, just real, unscripted love. Cory’s sister Monique catered the whole thing (she owns three restaurants!), and Eli’s family flew in from Miami to celebrate.

We’re beyond honored to have captured such a joyful, meaningful celebration - right where Cory grew up, surrounded by all the people who shaped their story.

Los Angeles Backyard Wedding Photography

7 Tips for Documenting Authentic Family Moments

When I was a kid, I actually hated posing for photos. I’d squirm, look away, or make the weirdest faces on purpose. So my dad did what any quick-thinking parent would do - he snapped candids. Us laughing, playing, making a mess… and honestly? Those are the photos I cherish the most today. They were real. Unstaged. Full of life.

Have you ever flipped through family albums and thought, "Where’s Mom? Where’s Dad?" Because let’s be real - they were probably the ones taking the picture. And how often do we snap a hundred photos but never get one where we’re all in it?

If you’re tired of staged smiles and photos that don’t really feel like you, these tips will help you capture moments that do. Ready to make some memories? Let’s go!

1. Capture the Chaos (Because It’s Beautiful!)

Some of the best family moments are messy, loud, and full of life. Kids running around, a dog jumping into the frame, someone laughing so hard they snort - THOSE are the moments that tell your family’s story. Don’t wait for the “perfect” shot. Snap the ones where life is happening in all its glorious and unfiltered magic.

2. Stop Telling Everyone to “Say Cheese”

Forced smiles? No thanks. Instead of stiff poses, let the moment unfold naturally. Crack a joke, reminisce about a funny memory, or have a little tickle fight. The best smiles aren’t the ones we force - they’re the ones that just happen.

3. Take Turns Behind the Camera

If you’re the one always taking photos (hi, moms and dads!), make a point to switch it up. Hand the camera over to your partner, set up a tripod, or even ask a stranger to take a quick snap. One day, your kids will want to look back and see YOU in these moments, too.

4. Choose Places That Mean Something

Your family’s story isn’t written in a studio - it’s in the little corners of your home, the park where your kids learned to ride a bike, the kitchen where you have Sunday pancakes. Instead of a generic photoshoot spot, pick a place that already holds memories. That way, the photos will feel even more you.

5. Find the Moments Between the Poses

Ever notice that the best pictures aren’t the ones where everyone’s looking at the camera? They’re the ones where a parent is tying a tiny shoelace or a child is whispering a secret in their sibling’s ear. Those little, in-between moments tell the real story. Keep your camera ready for them!

6. Let Kids (and Pets) Do Their Thing

Trying to get kids (or pets) to sit still for a photo is like herding cats. Instead of forcing a perfect pose, let them play, explore, and be themselves. Follow their energy, and you’ll get shots full of genuine joy.

7. Print Your Photos & Put Them Somewhere You’ll See Them

In a world where we snap a million pictures but rarely see them again, don’t let your best family moments get buried in your phone. Print them out, make an album, or create a gallery wall. Let those real, beautiful, imperfectly perfect moments live where they belong - front and center in your home.

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Final Thought

One day, when you’re looking back on these photos, you won’t care if your hair was perfect or if everyone was facing the camera. You’ll care about how they felt. The way your child’s tiny hand fit into yours. The way your partner laughed when you whispered something ridiculous in their ear. The way your family was just being - together.

So get in the frame. Capture the real. And don’t forget to hand someone else the camera once in a while. 💛

Want to get started but not sure how?
We’ve got you. Grab our free family photo guide - packed with simple tips to help you stress less, embrace the chaos, and get photos that actually feel like you.

👉 Download the Free Guide Here

Ready to make some real magic?
Let’s skip the poses and capture the good stuff.

Book your family session now

Los Angeles Documentary Style Photography Stories