Is a mini session the right fit for your family?

May 21, 2022

Mini sessions can be a great way to get
a handful of updated portraits of your family,
but they are definitely not for everyone.

Here are some things to consider when deciding
if a mini session is right for you and your family.

WHAT ARE YOUR PHOTO GOALS?

If you’re booking a mini session hoping for
just a couple good photos of your family,
mini sessions are intended just for that.

However,
if you have a certain date,
time of day, particular location,
& specific shot list in mind,
a mini session is not the right fit for you.

I do always ask clients about their
family dynamic and goals for our mini session,
but these mini time slots can be unpredictable
and go by pretty fast.

And by fast,
I mean 15 minutes.

WHAT ARE THE PERSONALITIES
OF YOUR CHILDREN?

You know your child the best,
and whether or not you think they will be a
good candidate for a fast paced mini session.

Since these sessions are so short and sweet,
there is not much time for your children
to get warmed up if they are on the shy side-
like they would for a full session.

HOW PUNCTUAL ARE YOU?

Mini sessions are
typically marathon sessions,
where families are booked back-to-back
on a specific date and time.

Which means that punctuality
is VERY important.

If you are the type of person that tends to run late,
making it on time to your booked mini time slot-
might be stressful.

Generally, photographers are not able
to honor any lost time if you are late-
because there is another family
booked directly after yours.

DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE
ANY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?

Due to time constraints-
mini sessions are
only valid for
immediate family members.

If you plan on including grandparents,
or any other extended family members-
a full session would be the way to go.

DOES THE THEME MATCH YOUR STYLE?

A lot of mini sessions are held seasonally,
(spring, summer, fall)
and have specific themes.

If you are booking a session at a Christmas tree farm,
expect all your photos to have,
well, Christmas trees in the background.

When you book a mini session,
make sure you like the location & any
props being used so the session
is in line with your vision and goals.

There are many factors to consider when choosing
a mini vs a full session,
& hopefully these points gave you a peek
into some of the things to consider.

To RECAP:

A mini session might be right for you if you:

just want a handful of good photos
willing to go with the flow of a fast, less predictable time slot
are a punctual person, & confident that you can get your family to session on time
have outgoing, cooperative kids that you know will listen very well during our brief time slot
like the location and/or props being used, and what you were envisioning for photos

A mini session might NOT be right for you if you:

want a particular location and specific date/time
have a very active toddler, or a shy child that needs time warming up
want to include extended family members or have a larger family
want specific shots & you don’t feel comfortable with the unpredictability of short time slot
don’t love the setting and/or props that the photographer is advertising in the session