Mini Session VS Full Session; Which one is right for me?
There are so many questions that come after you’ve decided you’d like your photos taken. Where should your location be? What clothes should you wear? Who should be the photographer? What kind of session etc…? There is a lot here and things can get complicated pretty quickly if you don’t know what you want or where to start!
I want to help simplify the process by explaining the benefits of Full Sessions and Mini Sessions. Hopefully, this will add clarity and give you confidence that you know what will work best for you!
So what is the difference?
MINI SESSIONS: These are short, usually themed sessions that come around 3-4 times a year. I usually publish my idea for the mini 1-2 months ahead of time so people book and plan, especially if it’s near a holiday. For instance, my Christmas Minis are done in late November and you can usually book your spot in late September (and get ahead on those Christmas cards, yay!). These sessions include:
- 15-20 Minutes Shooting time
- 10-20 Edited Photos
- One Pre-Determined Outdoor Location
- Usually themed, or with a prop(s) available
- One Outfit
- Available time slots to choose from, late afternoon-evening based on lighting
- Smaller investment ($299)
The nature of these sessions makes them GREAT for families with young children. If you have wiggly toddlers that you just can’t imagine lasting an hour while taking photos, this will be for you. Having the location picked and prepped beforehand can also relieve the stress of decision-making. It takes several things off your shoulders— all you have to do is show up to a spot that’s ready to go and have fun!
It can also be a great alternative for the senior who doesn’t need or want to invest in a full shoot. Not everyone wants an hour and a half to model for the camera— I get it!! If you just need a few beautiful photos to turn in for your senior book, this is a great way to get the quality pics you want without the whole shebang and price tag.
FULL SESSIONS: I offer a few different “Full Shoots” depending on what you are looking for— Families, Couples, Seniors, or Newborns. These range from 45 mins-1.5 hours long depending on the session and circumstance. There is a lot more freedom that comes with a Full Session; we have more time and they are available year-round. They include:
- 45-120 Mins Shooting Time
- 75 + Edited Photos
- 1-3 Locations
- 1-3 Outfits
- Year-Round Scheduling
These are truly the best option if you want more freedom and creativity with your session. I will send you location suggestions and options, anything from forest to urban, to lake in the background or gorgeous grassy fields. We have time to really settle in and get comfortable, and creative, and make it a bit of an adventure.
This can be perfect if you want all the different combinations in your family, plus you guys just being YOU. Picking apples together in an orchard, throwing rocks into the lake, cuddling up on a blanket.
These are great for the senior who has a couple of different outfit and location ideas. For the couple who want to make this a date, enjoy the heck out of each other (while I capture that in photos!) before a romantic dinner (that would be my suggestion;).
This is the session that lets you snuggle your newborn on the couch, and gives you enough time to also capture the chaos and joy of siblings loving on said baby. Enough time for all the hiccups that may come up during a newborn shoot (diaper changes, spit up, needing to nurse, I know from experience mama;)
Both kinds of sessions will give you wonderful photos that you treasure forever. You may end up wanting both at different points and different seasons of your life as well! And that’s what it comes down to– which session serves you best for your needs right now?
To check my availability for any type of session, just head on over to my booking site HERE
As always, feel free to reach out! I hope this helped with your question about what type of shoot is right for you.
xoxo Kayla
