Hello! Taylor here and I wanted to hop on here and answer a question that I hear frequently:

“What is the difference between a mini session and a portrait session?” 

This is a great question and although it may seem very obvious, it is a little more complex than just the price. Both sessions serve the same purpose of capturing images of your family, but they can accomplish very different goals.

The first and most obvious reasons is the amount of time and pricing. Portrait sessions last approximately one hour and cost $400. These sessions includes all (75-100) of the high resolution images and are available for digital download from your online gallery. Mini sessions are 20 minutes and cost $200. The session fee includes 15 of your favorite high resolution images available for digital download. (Additional images can always be purchased from your mini session.)

Some of the other difference are a less obvious, so let’s start by talking about portrait sessions.

Portrait sessions are customizable to each family’s goals. When our clients book a full portrait session, they get the option to choose their date and location. Some choose lifestyle sessions at home or on their property, other families choose a park or a rural setting. When you book a portrait session, we try to chat with the family about what their vision for their session is and how they are going to use the images. This helps us pick a time and location that accomplishes their goals. Some clients choose to bring props or an outfit change for the kids. Since these sessions last longer, we have some flexibility with the location, giving some variety to the photos. Sometimes this means using different areas of one location and sometimes this means using two different locations that are close in proximity. The extra time during these sessions allow for everyone settle into their roles and expectations, which can be good for some children who are a little hesitant around the camera. And it also provides time for capturing a few more candid moments.

I’ve been shooting this family since BEFORE their son was born. I’m pretty sure he turns 8 this year!!!!I loved this session we did at the Myriad Gardens a few years ago in the fall! The Myriad Gardens has so many beautiful backdrops and scenery!

So why do people do mini sessions?

Mini sessions are equally as awesome, but aren’t as customizable! The location and date for mini sessions are set by us, the photographers, and then families are able to sign up for a time that works best for their crew. These sessions are the definition of short and sweet! They are the perfect length for those cute little munchkins that do not have the capacity to hold it together or the attention span to stay focused for an hour, which can be a huge win for the entire family. It always amazes me what we are able to accomplish and capture in this short 20 minutes. I am usually delivering a gallery of ~40-70 images for the client to pick their favorites from. Mini sessions are perfect for those that want updated images of their family. Many clients use these photos for Christmas cards, birthday invitations or gifts around the holiday season. These sessions can be used for almost anything, maternity, siblings, baby’s milestone, senior, family, dogs, or cousins. My only complaint about these sessions is that I don’t have enough time to catch up with everyone!

All three of these family sessions were part of last fall’s mini sessions!

Some kiddos are very cautious when meeting me and my big camera for the first time! But I feel so accomplished when I win them over in 20 minutes or  stealthily sneak a grin from an unsuspecting toddler!

These next three families were all a part of my Spring Mini sessions this past April. Dogs, kiddos and happy families make for the best mini session days!

I usually vacillate between dog-fever and baby fever during a full day of mini sessions! :) This sweet family are some of my most faithful clients! I love seeing them almost twice each year! I think the kiddos are starting to like me (and my treats!)

Another very important thing to keep in mind about mini sessions, is that they are only offered at certain times throughout the year. I typically have mini sessions in April-May and then again in October-November. Hopefully I will get to meet your family soon!

If you are wanting to sign up for this fall’s mini sessions, you can do so here.