Fall Family Photos 2024
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Well…what I’m thinking is that it’s time to book your 2024 Fall Family Photos if you want something nice to put on your annual Christmas cards!
Real quick, are Mini Sessions doing it for you?
If you’re looking around for a photographer again because you like to get a good deal on Mini Sessions, let’s talk. We both know how important family photos are, but when it comes to spending the money it can be a difficult decision. I get that because I’m a mom too.
To be honest, last year I really badly wanted photos that included me (because I have plenty of my family without me) but I didn’t feel like there was an affordable option. So, I did what any professional photographer would do, and I brought a tripod and remote trigger and took photos myself. It did not go well. I was so frustrated - I’m so used to seeing a beautiful photo in my head and then just making it happen. But since I wanted to be in the photos, it was just impossible to create what I wanted. Sure, I have some okay photos of us, but I am going to hire someone this year.
The point of sharing my experience there, is not to get you to decide to spend $500 on a family session. I couldn’t afford that, and I know a lot of others are in the same boat.
The Problem with Mini Sessions is…
…they sound like a good idea and you can definitely get good quality photos just doing Minis every year. If that works for you, I’m glad!
As both a photographer and parent, I tried the mini sessions. It was stressful for almost everyone involved. I knew these parents had spent time picking and buying outfits, doing hair and makeup, and traveling to the location. When I saw them, we couldn’t really chat and get comfortable, I had to start shooting and directing them immediately to take advantage of every minute. During the session, I couldn’t walk around to different spots with them because it would cost us minutes to just move location. Once it was over, I had to say a quick thanks and then greet the next family. It left me feeling like it couldn’t be worth it for all that went into it — and I assume it felt that way for most of the parents too.
If you want a better experience and more authentic photos and you want more than 5-10 because you put a LOT of energy and time into getting everyone there and looking good…then Mini Sessions just don’t cut it.
If this resonates with you, then you’re the one I’m looking for. I have a solution for you and I am really excited about it! My solution to Mini Sessions and tight budgets is the Minimalist Session.
2024 Fall Minimalist Sessions are here.
Minimalist sessions are the happy middle between the classic full family session and the mini session. To make it more affordable, I still book multiple families in a row and pick the dates and times that work best for me. There are some key differences and improvements though.
Sessions are 30 minutes - TWICE as much as regular mini sessions - with me so we have more room to get comfortable, relaxed, and explore the landscape. This is a huge help for little ones who just want to do their own thing when they’re outside. It gives me, as your photographer, the room to see the beautiful moments that naturally happen and not have to rush you from one pose to another. The results are so much more natural when everyone has the time to slow down and be present.
Buffer Time - I leave 10 minutes buffer between sessions so that I can actually talk to you for a minute and answer any questions you might have.
20 Images - You get TWICE as many images as a regular Mini Session and they are BETTER because they’re the top 20 images selected from a session that was more comfortable and natural.
Mini Session Pricing - The best part is that you still get Mini Session pricing. Sure, some photographers will charge only $200 for 10 minutes and 5 images, but when you consider that you’re getting a full length session, paying the price of a high quality Mini Session makes all that energy you put in as the parent WORTH IT.
