Mini sessions can be a good option for some families, but I do think sometimes they aren’t the best option for all families. They can are a good option for families who just want a few photos and who have kids who warm up quickly and like having their photos taken.  Mini sessions are also a great option for maternity sessions. I love seeing so many families on mini session days, but honestly mini session days are jam-packed and have a much different flow than full photo sessions.  They often feel rushed and there are a lot of moving parts.  I offer mini sessions twice a year on specified days where they are scheduled back to back. Some families love the mini session option, which is why I offer these two days. I don’t love, though, that I can’t give each family the time and attention that I want all my clients to get.  Capturing genuine connected moments is what I love, and for some families this can be difficult in such a short amount of time.  I wanted to share with you the reasons that full photo sessions can offer so much more than mini sessions.

Time to warm up during a full photo session

A mini session is super quick, so if your children take time to warm up to a new adult a full session would be a better option for you.  A full session gives me time to get to know your children and your children to feel comfortable with me.  If your child is having a difficult time, we have time to give them a break and get them back to being interested in having their pictures taken.  Giving time to warm up helps ensure that I am able to capture your children’s true personalities.  Some of my favorite photos are ones taken toward the end of sessions.  Once I feel like I have gotten all my must-have photos and the families are comfortable with me and almost forget that my camera is there, I can be more creative.

Different family combinations

During mini sessions, I try to give some variety in groupings of family members, but typically the combinations are limited.  During a full session, we can take our time and be sure to get photos of all the different combinations of family members. The full session gives you many more options for photos.

Different backgrounds

For full photo sessions, we can walk around a location and explore different spots.  This gives you more variety in your gallery.  Additionally moving around to different spots is often fun for little kids and makes for getting great in between photos.  Moving around helps to re-engage kids who may be having a difficult time. For full photo sessions, we can choose the session location together.  For mini sessions, I choose one location and shoot all the mini sessions in that same spot.

More relaxed during a full family photo session

Full sessions are very relaxed.  Mini session days are often a whirlwind.  I have back-to-back ,short sessions.  I rattle through poses and prompts for 15 minutes and then move on to the next family.  When my timer goes off, your session needs to be over because I have another family waiting.  A full session is an hour which is plenty of time to get all the photos we need with no pressure.  I like to think that it’s not just about getting photos, but it is also a fun experience that you have with your family.  You will play and cuddle and just spend an hour enjoying time focused on your family.  Being more relaxed allows me to be more creative and capture those genuine connected moments that I love so much.

So, no, I am not saying that nobody should book mini sessions; but I am saying that they aren’t a great fit for all families and that full sessions can offer so much more than mini sessions.

See more family photo session here.