If you’ve been hearing your friends and family talk about their photo sessions, or if you happen to follow any photographers (like me!), you’ve likely been urged to “book a mini session today!” This may have left you wondering what a mini-session is and why you should book one. So, let’s talk about it.
Do You Need a Photo Session?
First, do you even need a photo session? After all, you just had photos taken last year. How often are you supposed to do these things?!
Well, as a photographer who loves what she does so much I find myself having to forcibly put down my camera and just be present with my friends and family, of course I’m going to tell you that you can never have too many photo shoots.
But the truth is that you do want to take family photos at least once a year when your kids are little.
You’ve heard that expression, “The days are long, but the years are short?” It gets to the heart of this concept. Or, as the wise Ferris Bueller once told his audience, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
That’s the point of doing photo sessions with your favorite photographer.
It helps you stop time for just a second and document your family life. Sure, I know you have 10,000 photos of your kids on your phone, and maybe even a few selfies and pics with your spouse, and I love that for you. God knows I have at least that many.
But getting dressed and ready for a photographer to capture your moments and tell a story with the camera is a different experience entirely --- one you won’t forget, because it will be documented.
Further, I’m a huge proponent of getting moms into the picture (more on that later), and even if you take selfies, there’s nothing like having someone else, especially another mother, take your picture with your kids and your husband.
So, you’re sold on getting your pictures taken. Now, which shoot is right for you?
What’s a Full-Length Session?
A full-length photography session is the traditional kind of shoot most people are familiar with. We pick a location, either at your house or another local spot that means something to you and your family, and you get dressed for the occasion.
Once we’re all gathered, I’ll take the time to prepare you and your family for what’s to come, calming down frantic kids and easing nervous dads into the process (yes, dads can get super nervous).
For the next hour and a half, I’ll take a mixture of staged photographs and candids. I’ll mix and match your family members --- kids with dad, kids with mom, the whole family together, just the couple, etc. --- and we typically move around a bit to get different angles and lighting.
The goal of these sessions is to “freeze” this season of your life and tell the story of who you all are, separately and together, so you can look back on it in the years and decades to come.
I recommend doing these full-length sessions at least every five years, and maybe a bit more frequently when the kids are little.
What’s a Mini Session?
“But wait Olivia, you said once a year!”
You caught that, did you?
Yep. That’s where the mini-sessions come in.
Look, not everyone can afford a full-length session once a year, and not everyone wants to go through the whole process that often.
But a mini session can get you in and out and your family in print in just 30 minutes.
These sessions can also be on location, but it’s usually a location of my choice, so I can book back-to-back sessions, save myself some time and energy, and keep the process simplified for you.
During these sessions, you come prepared to shoot, and I’ll take mostly traditional-style photos that are staged by me, and I’ll mix a few candid shots in as we change poses.
They’re quick and easy, and the goal is a lifestyle update. I, like most photographers, offer them seasonally as well as throughout the year.
You can usually get in, get out, and get about 10 prints for under $100.
I recommend booking a mini session at least once a year, around your full-length shoots.
A Happy Medium
I also offer a happy medium, somewhere between full-length and mini-sessions.
These shoots take about 45 minutes and are a kind of upgraded version of the mini shoots. You’ll still either come to my studio or a prearranged location, I’ll often have various equipment to catch the best angles and lighting, and you’ll arrive ready to shoot.
In the 45 minutes that follow, I’ll get posed photos and candid shots of you and your family. It’s a great way to document where your family is right now without committing to a full-length session.
What’s Right for You?
It depends. Like with most things in life, you’ll choose the photo shoot that makes the most sense for where you are in life right now.
If you just had a full-length session done, you might want to book a mini. If it’s been a few years, but you’re not ready for the full feature, book a 45-minute session,
And if your family photo shoot is long overdue, it might be time to buckle down and get a nice, long lifestyle session done, complete with family pets and grandma alongside you all.
Truly, the best way to know which photography session is right for you is to talk to your favorite photographer. She’ll have a discovery session with you, discuss your needs, and get you in the books based on where your family is today.
Ready to talk? Fill out my contact form and let’s get started.