Wanna know a secret? I still get nervous before sessions, even after 10 years. I always worry about doing a good job and really want clients to love their images. It’s definitely less so than in the beginning, but I find myself especially nervous before mini sessions.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I don’t love mini sessions, but I acknowledge they’re a great choice for certain families. I just hate that I’m not able to chat more with clients at a mini—it’s very hurried so there isn’t that same time to leisurely get to know everyone. My favorite photos have always been the more “messy” ones that show emotion. You might think those are easier to get than more posed photos, but I’ve found we’re all preconditioned to pose for photos, so it takes time to get people to relax enough to capture those genuine moments.
Also, I have just never been one for small galleries. I know I over-deliver on the number of photos and I can’t help it. I’m just never going to be the photographer who delivers 5-10 mini session images—it’s just not who I am. I think the biggest problem I have with minis is I’ve never been able to accept that they’re supposed to include fewer photos, less variety, etc. So I get extra nervous going into minis worried if I can still give clients everything I think they deserve in that shorter timeline.
A big part of whether or not I succeed is if the right clients are the ones booking minis. These are not, for example, for the family of five with three children under five. Please don’t do that to me. LOL.
Another reason minis are challenging is that it’s really complicated when the weather doesn’t cooperate. I had set a rain date for this session for Sunday, November 9th. As of early Saturday morning, there was a pretty decent chance we might have been rained out yesterday, but also a pretty good chance the rain would be gone by afternoon. I wasn’t sure what to do because I know it can be really stressful for clients to wait and see what happens with the weather. Some are fine waiting until the last minute, and others really aren’t. I don’t want photos to be a stressful experience, so I gave clients the option to either switch to next week’s rain date or wait it out. One client chose to wait until next week, which I totally understand. The weather turned out to be lovely, but it’s never wrong to make the best decision for your family given the information available.
The great news for anyone who wanted Fall Minis but didn’t get booked in time is that I’m going to open up some last-minute mini spots along with the client who rescheduled for Sunday, November 9th, with the caveat that I don’t have a rain day planned, so if we do get rained out, we’ll have to figure out another option.
Now, let me tell you about these families and why they were perfect choices for a mini session.
The first family was one I photographed several years back—I don’t even remember how long it’s been, but at that time the children were quite young, and we had a lovely full session at Yanahli Park. So they were a perfect fit for minis because we had worked together before and I knew them, but now they were much older so a mini was exactly what they needed.
The second family of five was new to me, but all teenagers, and as mom said, “no one is shy.” They were quick to warm to the camera and easy to photograph. Mom wanted family photos but also wanted some senior shots of the oldest daughter, so I focused on getting more individuals of her than the rest. This can be a good choice for seniors as long as you’re okay with no outfit changes, not choosing your location, and generally having less variety of poses and backdrops. Though I do feel like Sarah Benson allows us to get decent variety all in one little area. I’m pleased with how they turned out and hope mom was able to get everything she wanted.
These photos of the third family might be some of my top favorites of all time, but I feel like it needs a very big disclaimer. I think it’s fair to say that almost no one should bring three dogs to a mini session. 😂 (Though I absolutely welcome all your dogs, cooperative or not, to a full family session. We will make it work…they are family.) That being said, this isn’t a normal family and these dogs are just the most amazing professionals. And I knew that already because I follow them on Instagram. This mom is actually a fellow photographer who I admire and have become colleagues with—we exchange discussions on locations, Lightroom errors, etc. So these children and dogs are literally professional subjects. She also knew exactly what to expect from a mini session. I actually didn’t take any individual photos of the girls because that’s something they already had plenty of. The focus was on family photos with the dogs, because that’s just too darn hard to get with a tripod and timer.
The last family is one of my closest friends, who has two teen boys. So another perfect choice for minis—older kids who know what they’re doing and a mom who gets it.
All of these sessions reminded me why having the right clients for mini sessions makes such a difference. When families understand what minis are about and come prepared, it really can work beautifully.
If you’re interested in those last-minute mini spots for November 9th, message me! Just remember—no rain backup plan, so we’ll be crossing our fingers for good weather.
