One of the questions I get asked most is regarding the topic of session length.
How long will our session be?
This is a simple answer, but also a complex one.
I have two basic options: a Full session (1 hour) and a Mini session (20 minutes).
Most people fit into one session or the other.
What warrents a full? A large group (larger than 5 people), lots of outfits (ie: seniors), a new client or one who loves a variety of shots and ‘poses.’
A Mini is perfect for a repeat client that I already know (and who is comfortable with me), a client who just needs a quick thing for a specific reason (their child has a birthday, they need a family photo for a holiday card, a headshot, etc…) And often there are cases where my clients wonder if 20 minutes is long enough. For the sake of curiosity, let’s dive into this one…..
20 minutes is longer than you think. Especially with small children, this is the threshold for anyone’s attention span anyway. And if I already know you (and you know me), there is way less time getting used to one another and we can get right to the shots we need/want.
A fact: I typically delete the first 20 images from every new client’s session. They are usually stiff and unnatural and just kind of a warm-up for everybody. That’s the beautiful thing about digital photography. There is no cost involved in doing so.
Expectations are also important to note for my Mini sessions. While 20 minutes is almost always long enough to bang out the shots we need, it also isn’t enough time to get a huge variety. The factors that would affect accomplishing a lot of shot variety are few: family members (including kids/dogs/dads/teens) who just aren’t into it (which is totally cool and normal), or straying from the original vision of the session in the first place: to get those few shots we want.
Plain and simple: If you want more shot variety, the Full is for you. If you just need 1 specific shot, then a mini is for you.
I still have a couple spots open for Mini sessions this fall. Use the contact tab up top to inquire! I’d love to work with you.
