Should I book a mini session or a full session with you?
I get asked this question a lot. And my take is very different with each session so here goes....
Mini Sessions - My mini sessions usually last for 20 minutes and you receive about 10 - 15 images in your gallery. I will pick the location to shoot my mini sessions at a specific date and then I will list the available times for my clients to book. These sessions are very fast paced and only offered a few times throughout the year. Mini sessions are a LOT of fun for me but they are not a one size fits all. These sessions may be for your family if you:
- are a new client and want to experience my work before spending on a full session
- want to stay within a budget to allow for a few photos of the family every year as your kiddos grow
- know your children will only have about a 20 minute attention span
- your family is mostly adults and older children who are great with direction to be able to get into poses quickly
- are a punctual person in general and would have no problem arriving on time to make the most out of the mini session (there is usually another family before and after you). If you know your family and you know it might be a challenge rounding up the troops to get out of the house timely, mini sessions may not be for you.
- are not picky when it comes to the location/background since I will be choosing the locations for my mini sessions (for example, Cherry Blossom minis, Fall minis, Christmas Tree Farm minis)
Full Sessions - My full sessions usually lasts about an hour and you will receive at least 40 images in your gallery. These sessions may be for your family if you:
- have your heart set on a specific location of *your* choosing (urban/city scene, park/fields, the woods or maybe a beach?)
- want to have a little more time to explore the location itself for a variety of different backgrounds in your gallery
- know your children will need a little more time to warm up. Some kids need to slowly adjust to someone or someplace new
- need a little bit of a cushion to allow for extra time in the event of tantrums/meltdowns (or snack breaks for a distraction!)
- have kids that have a lot of energy when they get out of the car and they need to run around a bit before they can settle down
I hope this helps to answer some questions or at least paint a better picture of what you can expect for either session. There are pros and cons to either but once you run through my checklists above this should better help you decide which might be best for your family!
