Let's use books as a metaphor to make this easy to differentiate between each style. With this metaphor, you can see working from the top down, there is less and less photo manipulation and also a decrease in interference from the photographer.
Composited Portrait = Fairytale
With the use of photoshop there are no limits! We can create images by combining multiple images and editing your image to fit your creative concepts.
Posed Portrait = Fiction
Traditional posed portraits that require direction from the photographer and light control (natural and/or artificial) We are telling a story based on your characters (family members) but, you would never stand in that place and that pose unless you were having your portrait taken.
Lifestyle Portrait = Historical Fiction
Historical fiction tells the story of real people and real places but the details aren't . We are creating images that will tell who you are, where you live, what you do...but with guidance from the photographer for the best lighting and best composition.
Documentary Style Portrait = Biography
Just as in a tell-all Biography written of someone's life--the author (or in this case the photographer) there are just the facts told with a Documentary Session. The facts are told in the most beautiful and entertaining way possible, but it is still just your family, your life, your truth. (read more about documentary family photography)