Difference Between a Full & Mini Session

I often get asked (especially this time of year) what the difference between a mini and full session really is?… Well I felt like a blog post might be the best way to answer that questions.

Truthfully not much… But they are different products so it still worth explaining. I can not cram all the photo magic in a fraction of the time :). There are obvious differences like, time but here is a quick look at what you might not know:

Mini Session: Location picked for you   ~vs.~  Full Session: Location picked with your desires in mind.

Mini Session: 20-25 Minutes   ~vs~   Full Session: 45-70 minutes

Mini Session: Key family images. 2-3 pose changes   ~vs~  Full Session: Variety of poses and scenery changes (on location)

Mini Session: headshot of each child Or Group sibling pic.   ~vs~  Full Session: Multiple kids portraits & Mom & Dad portrait time

Mini Sessions: Take place earlier in the evening so not everyone will get a sunset session.  (usually within the last 2-3 hrs of daylight)

~vs~

Full Session: Full use of the light on the evening.

Other things to consider:

If I am being honest I want to give you a fabulous mini session, an image worth getting text messages from friends saying “I love your Christmas Card”... Mini sessions are a great TASTE to what a full session would be like.  Now there are definitely kids and families whose session goes so smoothly that a mini is probably truly all they need and that is something I gauge time to time through the year. I try to be honest with clients on what will work best for them.

I have seen toddlers do outstanding in 20-25 minutes and realize we couldn’t have squeezed one more minute out of them… and others who take that long just to warm up and won’t look my way.  There is always a warm up time with a photo shoot before we fall into a rhythm and that is different for almost every family. I really will help weigh your options and give you my best opinion. Just because you have little kids doesn’t mean a mini session is a better fit… they might need awhile to warm up!

As far as workload: a mini is pretty much no different for me. I still render more images that I anticipate with either session!… Mini doesn’t mean less work for me necessarily but we can’t get as much variety in your shoots with limited time. You will still have plenty of images to proof in a mini but if it’s been awhile since you’ve had a family session I suggest you go for a full session to really get the most out of our time together 🙂  A good rule of thumb is depending on family size and ages, a mini will get you about 30-60 proofs. A full session is usually 50-100 images again depending on ages and size of photo session. (You will get 48 hrs to review your images in your proofing gallery and make your package selections)

I truly hope this helps you pick the best session for your family. If you have any questions Just ask!!! Basically if has been awhile since you’ve done a full session, try it! I know you will be pleasantly surprised