Mini Session Prep Guide

Mini sessions are short and sweet versions of my full sessions.

I am working in a limited time frame so it’s important to plan ahead.

Arrive early! Please arrive a little before your session time so you are ready to shoot AT your scheduled time (meaning having your kids in their clothing, hair fixed, face wiped, etc) Sessions will be booked back to back so if you are late, you will only have the remaining time to complete your session. This is most important! Shooting time will be 20 minutes. If you have any questions, please let me know beforehand.
Parking may be limited: Some locations may have limited parking. Please leave yourself enough time to park and walk if need be.

Have a Game Plan: Due to the time restrictions on these minis I will first focus on a particular shot – family shots, individuals of two children or less, sibling shots, etc. If we have time after we have gotten that shot, we will try for others so be prepared to tell me on that day which shots you prefer most. Remember that these sessions only yield 20-30 images so too many poses means fewer of each one to choose from.

When you arrive: I will likely be working with the client booked before you when you arrive. Please do not disrupt that session or distract the children being photographed so I can ensure I will have the full 20 minutes to work with each family. Be sure to keep those kiddos in the shade on hot days or warm in the car on cooler days!! A helper will be there to direct you on where to go!!

Prepping your younger kids: Tell kids that they are going to play and have fun while they have their pictures taken but don’t spend too much time with rules or guidelines or what to expect in the days before. You don’t even need to tell them to smile big for me (if they smile on demand it will be a weird smile!) it will be better if I get a genuine laugh on my own. If you know that your kiddos aren’t great in front of the camera or with meeting new people, bring along a few tricks that may help. This could be a toy that I can hold to get their attention, a treat to encourage them to smile (nothing messy or that takes too long to chew - Smarties, Puffs, or Marshmallows are good options (Avoid chocolate!), or if you have an idea of a game we can play to keep them interested that they love at home, that can help too. Sometimes it helps if mom and dad are directly behind me (jumping or being silly), to get the kids to look at the camera... just don't veer too far to the side or they won't be looking at the camera... right by my ear is great... don't worry about being in my way! There really isn’t much “warm up” time with mini sessions so I jump RIGHT in.

Feed your kids well before the session (lots of protein and little sugar) and they shouldn’t need to eat during the time we are together.

Don't Stress! Mini Sessions are so much fun and really the point is for them to be as little stress on you as possible. So my best advice for you is to think of it as a fun activity for you and your family and don’t stress over it. I’m there to capture you having fun and create memories of a beautiful day. This isn’t the type of session to plan for outfit changes or hundreds of combinations of portraits or ideas from Pinterest. This is the type of session where we get a bunch of fun candid shots. This is the type of session where we have fun and enjoy the day. I love these so much for this reason!
Keep in mind that mini sessions only give us 20 minutes of time together. If your child takes a while to warm up to new people a mini session may not be ideal for your family.

I hope these tips are helpful, but if you still have questions, feel free to email me at wildphoto4@gmail.com for more information.