A mini session is a fast-paced, very brief photography session, scheduled back-to-back with other clients throughout a block of time.  Depending on the set, the length of the mini session may be between 5 and 15 minutes.  A mini session is a special offer featuring a unique venue or set, at a reduced cost of a regular full portrait session.   

What to Expect

My goal in the mini session is to get you as many great poses and photos as I can during our limited time.  With good cooperation, I can usually get a client several dozen photos to chose from. I normally have a series of pre-planned poses that I may replicate quickly throughout the shoot day.  I always invite my clients to suggest or come up with their own poses if they wish, but keep in mind this may take considerable time for me to perfect those poses and adjust lighting with you or your group and that may chew up your mini session and give you less images to chose from.  

Mini sessions work great for small children with limited attention spans who may not be able to sit through a full photography session.  With good preparation and coaching on good behavior, this can be very successful.  

Groups and Mini Session

It is possible to photograph large groups during a mini session; however, anticipate the posing to take longer and expect to receive fewer images to choose from.  There is an artistic process to properly posing groups to render an aesthetic, cohesive pleasantness to your portrait.  With more people and individual personalities, the harder it is to properly pose.  

When a Mini Session May Not be for You

If you, your child or your group is shy or doesn't respond well to coaching, consider booking a regular full-length portrait session, or two or more back-to-back mini session time slots.  I have been successful at getting fine-art quality portraits from mini sessions; however, that entails great cooperation from my clients and my pre-planned poses and lighting.  Every time we change a position, or move to a different area, that means the lighting needs to be changed to adjust to the new composition of the photo.  This could take a few seconds, or it may take considerable longer to properly compose your portrait and get optimal lighting.  If you are desiring a shoot where there is a high attention to detail to stray hair, allow for makeup touch-ups or a change of outfits or creative and dynamic artistic lighting, a mini session may not be for you. 

When a Mini Session is Never a Good Idea

Senior Portraits
Cake Smashes
Fine Art Portraits
Newborns
Extra Large Groups