A mini session can be a great way to quickly update those family photos. They are much a buzz in the photography world, and many clients seek them around around fall. But they aren't necessarily a great fit for every family. So what is a 'mini session' anyway?
Here's the rundown: While some photographers do them differently, in general, they are a very short and condensed session (10-15 min), sometimes with props, sometimes without. I personally don't do props other than a blanket for outdoor sessions. They are at a location with one backdrop, sometimes 2 if there's a bridge or something nearby. I will shoot a variety of poses: a few of all of the family, the kids individually, the kids together, mom with the kids, dad with the kids, mom and dad all together. But this goes FAST! Basically we get as much as we can in 15 minutes. After the session, my families pick their favorite 5 images.
Mini sessions can be great, but they just aren't for everyone. There are a couple things to consider:
Your expectations:
A mini session is a good fit for you if all you want is a handful of updated family images and you don't care so much to have all of the candid shots in between the posed shots.
A mini session might not be a good fit for you if you HAVE TO have that perfect everyone-looking-at-the camera-shot. There are no guarantees with any session, but especially a mini session. When that time is up, it's up. If you have a specific shot list, some personal prop(s) you want to incorporate, want multiple backgrounds at a location, or a change of clothes, a mini session will not work for your family.
Your family personality:
A mini session is a good fit for you if you are go with the flow and generally very prompt.
A mini session might not be a good fit for you if your kids take a while to warm up to strangers. Sometimes it's a misconception that kids "won't last longer than a couple minutes." When in reality, most of these kids just need a slower paced session where we can take breaks when needed. If you are real with yourself and being several minutes early with everyone dressed, hair done, and ready to go is hard for you. Look, no judgement here. Being early is HARD for me, but these sessions probably aren't a good fit.
Have any more questions about these sessions? Ask me!
My mini sessions for this fall can be found here.