Lifestyle photography is incredibly popular these days and for good reason. As a society, we’ve steered away from the awkward Sears family portrait and have embraced real life moments. The goal is to tell a story and capture people and moments as authentically as possible, and the location has a huge part in this. Putting the sterile studio aside, here are the best locations for Toronto lifestyle photography.

The Best Locations for Family Lifestyle Photography

My top recommendation for family lifestyle photography is shooting at your home. This suggestion usually scares people, but hear me out…

Nothing is more authentic to you and your family than your own home – the one you’ve adorn with your personal style and spend all those special moments in. It feels familiar and therefore, comfortable and non-intimidating (which photoshoots can be for some people).

Shooting in the home is a game changer for young children. There are activities to do and easy access to a change of clothes (because it always gets messy). 

If you’re worried your house isn’t ‘nice’ enough then we’re missing the whole point of lifestyle photography, which is to be real. When you receive heart felt and in-the-moment photos of your kids making pancakes on Sunday morning, I promise you, you won’t even notice the mess.

Shooting in the backyard or nearby park is also a great way to capture some family lifestyle photography. Bringing along a blanket to sit on or an activity for the kids makes all the difference.

The Best Locations for Brand Lifestyle Photography 

Brand lifestyle photography is perfect for diversifying your marketing content. Instead of static product photography, this type of photography showcases your product or service in-context so your potential customer gets a real sense of what they are getting.

The best locations for this type of lifestyle photography are furnished studio spaces. There are tons of unique studios in Toronto that include furniture and props.

Hire a photographer that offers location scouting to find one that fits within your branding or check out Giggster.com to browse all that your city has to offer.

It’s also worth mentioning that casting commercial models (that look like regular people) to interact with your products or services will give you great results as well.

The Best Locations for Wedding Lifestyle Photography

This one is the easiest so I saved it for last. Wedding lifestyle photography is pretty straightforward because couples tend to choose locations that mean something to them. 

Whether it’s getting ready at their childhood home or doing portraits at the park where they had their first date, weddings are sentimental without even trying. 

And if you book a hotel or venue strictly for the aesthetic value, try to at least get your bridal party photos done somewhere where there is some room to move and have a bit of fun with it like an open field or on the beach.

Location isn’t the end-all be-all. It’s also important to rely more on prompts and real-life interactions rather than posing. Just make sure your photographer is comfortable doing this!

The best locations for Toronto lifestyle photography are the ones that add to the story – whether it be a love story or a story about what your brand stands for. Choosing a location that means something to you or reflects an aspect of your personality or brand will make for better photos.

Did I mention that lifestyle photography is my jam? Check out my Photography Portfolio for brand, family and wedding galleries. I service Toronto and the GTA.