time is actually on your side
Many families think a full session will be more stressful for a variety of reasons, but often, in my experience, the opposite is true. If we are meeting for the first time, I'm a stranger to your children. If it's been a while since our last meeting, your kids may still need a minute to warm up. Not every child is like this - but some absolutely need to get to know me a little to feel comfortable smiling and playing and being themselves. This will absolutely happen...with a little time. My goal, truly, is for everyone, but especially your kids, to have fun. If they have fun, the photos we hope to capture are possible. Keep in mind, too, a lifestyle session is NOT an hour of posing and smiling at the camera. At some point, we realized that those kinds of photos, while beautiful, are not as meaningful as an image of a mother giving her child nose kisses or a dad giving his little girl a piggyback ride while she laughs heartily. That is a memory you want to bottle up and keep forever. These are lifestyle images. A full session is quality time with your family. Your children have your undivided attention - everyone puts phones and work aside for an hour. There's play, laughter, tickling, running! While you think your kids may hate it, they usually love it. And if they take a while to warm up or be a willing participant, don't stress - stressful shows on camera. Just relax and have fun and let me handle the rest!
the magic in between
About 30 minutes into every family session, I begin to notice some beautiful in-between moments. At this point in the session, everyone is warmed up and comfortable. Kids are usually happy to participate and find out what's next! I keep a watchful eye between intentional shots and what I've found is these are often my favorite images to capture. I'll catch mom playing with her daughter's hair, a tired child hugging daddy, brothers playing together. All these moments are raw and authentic and without the time a full session allows us, we unfortunately lose the in-between moments.
plenty of time for breaks
Because we have up to an hour to shoot, there's also enough time for breaks. I can tell when a child just needs one. It doesn't mean they aren't willing to take more photos, they just may need a minute. This is when we focus on another child or pictures of just mom and dad - whatever we haven't already captured. What I have found is that when you allow that child the space they need and don't force them to keep going when they can't - they often invite themselves back into the pictures. They see their siblings laughing and playing with you and want to re-join the group. I don't want any child to feel stressed taking photos - that is silly and unnecessary. With that said, I don't give up easily. Sometimes kids need to feel like this is their decision vs. someone else telling them what to do. When I know an image is really important to you - maybe one of all three kids - I won't give up just because little brother doesn't want to take the picture. We can try again later in the session because we have ample time. I can chat with little brother and find out what is is that he would like to do. Maybe he thinks it would be fun to sit on big brother's shoulders for the sibling picture.
The point is, find the balance. If we can avoid it, don't coerce kids to take pictures, but also - don't give up on them either. We have plenty of time for both breaks and compromises.
when is a mini the right choice?
- Mini Sessions are perfect in-between a full session. Maybe your family just took photos in the fall but your children are at that age where they are changing rapidly. Book a Mini Session to capture them at this stage in between your next full session.
- Mini Sessions are perfect for families who are in a very busy season of life and simply don't have the luxury of time for a full session in between game nights, practices, recitals and band performances. 20 minutes of photos is better than no photos! Book them when you can.
- Mini Sessions are great for families whose children are a little older and they have no trouble taking photos. They don't need time to warm up - they'll show up ready to go! If that's the case, we'll get plenty of great photos in a short amount of time.
- Mini Sessions are perfect if you are just hoping to get a few different posed family photos, individual poses of each child and a sibling shot. Maybe the candid photos are not that important to you - a mini session is a great choice.
- Last but not least, specialty mini sessions such as Personality Portraits, Motherhood Minis or Santa Minis - these are great anytime!
