What To Consider When Booking A Mini Session | New Jersey Photographer
Minis are super popular in the summer. But, are they right for you? Here’s a quick pros and cons list to help you decide!
With the weather warming up and interest in mini’s growing, I wanted to sit down and give a simple list of some of the pros and cons to these sessions so that everyone can know what to expect and whether it is a perfect fit for them. Hopefully this list will help you decide if mini sessions are the best option for you.
Pros
They are short! Generally a mini session will run 30 minutes depending on the type of shoot. Whether it's the fact that you don't want to invest the time in a full session or it's simply just easier on your busy schedule, mini sessions make it a quick and easy option for you when it comes to time.
Price! Due to the short length, limited amount of photos, and streamlined process we are able to bring down the cost. Add in the fact most mini sessions have intricate themes and props to create amazing and unique images, only adds to the value even more.
It's a great and affordable way to keep your family photos up to date throughout the year.
They are a great way to give a photographer you've been considering a "tryout". They give you a hands on approach to a photographers style and just how he/she interacts with and works with your family.
Cons
They're short! Sometimes something that is a pro can also be a con and this is the case here. Some children can have a hard time warming up to the camera and can take a little longer than others, the shortness of mini sessions can prove to be a challenge in these situations. There is also the fact that due to the short time you just don't quite get the full personalization and creative planning that full length sessions can give you.
You don't get as many images. Typically our mini sessions range from 20-40 useable images that you get from the session and a full session can easily double those amounts.
The location is at a set place and time which doesn't give you the opportunity to choose a location that may have a special meaning or a place you just simply love.
They sell out quickly! Most of the time one day of mini sessions leaves only 8 open spots for that day and they tend to go extremely fast.
Session sizes can be limited for the amount of people you can have involved. Unfortunately, time is a big restraint and large party sizes can't be accommodated for mini session.
With that being said we ultimately love shooting and delivering these amazing images to our clients. From the colorful fall sessions to the bright and warm summer ones, we offer options and choices that you can love throughout the year by giving everyone the opportunity to get professional photos at a great price. We love hearing from each of our clients after our shoots on just how much joy these sessions bring to them and their family each time. We hope to see many more new and old faces in the years to come! Keep a watch for more mini sessions coming in the future and make sure to get a spot before they sell out!
Helpful Tips For The Perfect Photoshoot With Your Kid | New Jersey Photographer
I wanted to share a few tips to help prepare you and your family for your upcoming photo shoot and also wanted to be the reassurance you need!
It is so much fun to photograph and work with these little ones and we have some beautiful photos to share with their parents and family! I try to capture an array of emotions with each shoot; from laughs, smiles, and giggles to tears, screaming, and being shy. Or all of them in one shoot! One theme became apparent, and it hit me that I needed to blog about this. Many parents had tons of anxiety about this and even felt that one small meltdown ruined their entire shoot, absolutely not! I wanted to share a few tips to help prepare you and your family and wanted to be the reassurance you need!
Dress for the weather. It seems simple, but extra layers on a warm day or too little clothing mixed with a cool breeze can be the first problem of a shoot that can lead it down a rough path.
Reel in your expectations. We totally understand you booked your session and have a fantastic idea in mind or a pose you so desperately want. We love to do our best to make that happen! But, the more expectation, pressure, and direction we start giving to young ones can easily frustrate them. Especially when in a different environment and having a camera clicking away at you. Give us ideas of things you have seen and would love, we can create situations and place you in positions to be ready to capture those special moments!
Don’t freak out if they begin to cry or become fussy. We know you don’t want teary eyed photos, but trust us when we say you definitely don’t want photos of you looking upset or frustrated either. Many times, mom or dad can be consoling their little one and those make some of the best shots. It’s genuine and real, but most importantly it is your life and those little moments are something to certainly treasure years from now.
Plan a day and time that works for your schedule. We try to be as flexible as we can, but if you know nap time is always between 1-3 please don’t schedule an early afternoon session. Even if you feel you can lay them down earlier or later, it almost never works out. Also, keep it relaxed that day. If they had school or events going on, maybe schedule your session for another day when there is less going on. And another big tip – give them a little snack to avoid that hangriness feeling we all get! As my wife can attest, sometimes even I need a Snickers!
Rewards do help. This is totally up to you, but it has worked many times for us. We will never say “if you’re good, mommy and daddy will...”. But, if there is a reward you know they will like that could get some cooperation for 10 minutes, we can bounce off that and it helps!
We will do our best to make your child smile, but we can’t guarantee it. As we photograph, we try our best to direct attention to the camera and get those smiling photos for you. We ask for assistance a lot from mom and dad right behind the camera, because who knows what makes your baby laugh more than you do? Even though we have been known to be quite goofy behind the camera ourselves! But unfortunately, sometimes babies and kids know this just isn’t right and they aren’t having it. I was one of those kids! So, there is no reason to be flustered because they won’t. Again, it goes hand in hand with reeling in your expectations. Therefore, we like to do a combination between portraits and lifestyle. With lifestyle, it is much easier to get those genuine reactions and smiles when we can stand on the side lines and capture those special moments! Not to mention, they feel the most real and exactly how your life is.
Talk to your kids. Let them know they are getting photos done by us. You can show them the About Me page on the website so they can see my face, you can show them our logo, or even show them some other photos we took of other kids and their families! Now is also a good time to mention rewards if you choose to do so. We have allowed kids to help us shoot, they love it. Tell them they can help us out for the day. It is amazing to see the little artists at work!
Most of all, come to have fun. We have been fortunate enough to photograph many families with children. And like I mentioned earlier, sometimes there is combinations of emotions from hysterical laughs to hysterical crying. Nothing is by the book and cookie cutter; it is simply going with the flow when having young ones. Trust in our ability to make the best out of the situation and create the images you will love and cherish for many years.
What to Wear to Your Family Portrait Session | New Jersey Photographer
One of the most common questions clients ask once they book their family portrait session is, “What should we wear?” You’re in luck - here are a few tips on dressing everyone in your family for your portraits!
One of the most common questions clients ask once they book their family portrait session is, “What should we wear?” Dressing your family members for their photos can be a challenge, because you want everyone to look good together without matching completely. Not only that, you want your kids to be comfortable, or they’re sure to complain and lose patience. It’s a lot for parents to figure out! You’re in luck — here are a few tips on dressing everyone in your family for your portraits.
Avoid bright colors and obvious patterns
Even if you love to wear bright colors, they don’t look good on everyone, they’re incredibly hard to match, and they pull the eye away from the important part of the photo — your faces! To ensure your family is all dressed in the same color palette, stick with neutral colors that mesh well together. Neutrals offer a more timeless look and help you avoid the potential issue of bright colors clashing with one another and distracting from your faces. Large or bright patterns will have the same affect, and if one person is wearing patterns and others are not, that person will stand out. And believe it or not, white has the same effect, unless your portrait is going to be at the beach. I have found that various shades of blue work pretty well in this situation, but that is not cast in stone.
Play with layers
A great way to “stay neutral” and at the same time to spice up everyone’s outfits is by adding layers. This has the added benefit of allowing you to remove pieces for different looks without trying to get everyone changed. Go for jackets, cardigans, or even accessories like scarves and hats that can be easily taken on and off.
Try on your clothes ahead of time
Be sure to have everyone try on their outfits well before your family portrait session, especially if they’re new clothes. Make sure that everything looks good together and each style is suited to each member of your family. You can all wear different fits as long as it’s flattering to your body types. A fitted outfit looks much better than a loose one, as long as it’s still comfortable, which bring us to the next point…
Consider comfort and movement
Yes, you want everyone to look as good as possible, and you especially want your kids to look cute — but you definitely want them to be comfortable. If your kids hate wearing their outfits, they’re more likely to throw a fit or refuse to smile, and that’s the last thing you want! Keep it simple with a nice shirt and jeans or a comfortable dress — something that allows your child to move around easily, so they can play and have fun during your family portrait session.
Stay away from graphics and logos
It can sometimes be a challenge to talk your child out of their favorite shirt, but you want to stay away from graphic tees and other clothing with logos or brand names on them. Like patterns and bright colors, these designs distract from your smiling faces and take the focus in your photos away from you.
Make sure you’re comfortable, too
Don’t focus so much on your children’s comfort that you forget about your own! Ladies, if you choose to wear a dress or skirt, make sure it’s long enough so that you can move and pose comfortably. Try on your outfit beforehand as well and move around the house in it to make sure you have the full range of motion. Avoid itchy fabrics or anything that will be irritating throughout your session.
It takes a little planning, but you can choose outfits that make your whole family look amazing, ensuring you get photos you’ll love and cherish for years to come!
The Pros & Cons of Mini Sessions | New Jersey Photographer
I wanted to break down some of the pros and cons to a mini session. Is it right for you? Click here to find out!
With our recent Summer and Beach Minis announcement and the amount of interest and bookings, we have been hit with many questions and we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to list some of the pros and cons of minis!
The Pros to a Mini Session
For those who don’t have a photographer they exclusively use, mini sessions offer a little peek and a chance to work with that photographer to “try them out” and just see how it goes.
Everything is essentially taken care of, the props and location - you just need to show up!
If you have kiddos with particularly short attention spans, sometimes mini sessions and the shorter times can be helpful! You get their best attitudes and attention for 20 minutes and they are all done. Of course, this could be a con as some kids need some warmup time (we will talk about that later).
It fits busier schedules and are usually held on weekends. Weekend schedules for photographers fill up quickly and as long as you can snag a spot in time, you’re good to go!
They are much cheaper than a photographer’s regular rate and usually have a theme! Since we can stack multiple sessions back-to-back, there’s no travel cost so we can eliminate that off the top which makes it a third of the price!
It’s a great way to keep your family photos updated through the year.
This one mainly is for photographers, but minis are a great way to build your clientele. Usually once you post one sneak peek of a family from your minis, their family and friends will also see your work and may contact you also!
The Cons to a Mini Session
They are short! Going back to one of the pros with the kids, if it takes a while for your child to come out of their shell - it could be tough and a little challenging.
You won’t receive as many images. Typically, our full sessions yield 60-80 images with a wide variety of looks. With our Minis, you can expect anywhere from 10-20 images.
Sometimes there’s a limit on the amount of people. With large groups, it can eat up a lot of time posing and swapping out the groups which can decrease the number of images you will get.
They aren’t as personalized as full sessions. We really like to give each client their own photo shoot and find ideas they love or even a place that is meaningful to them. Mini sessions don’t allow a lot of time for those fun and more artistic photos, though we do the best we can!If you’re late, it will severely cut into your time and the outcome of your shoot. Bouncing off that, we’ve known photographers and heard stories of those who won’t allow you to come if you’re late or won’t refund your money if you can’t make it. It’s important to get that information beforehand so you are at least aware of their policies.
They are super limited and sometimes fill up before even getting a chance, so keep an eye out if you’re holding off for an event!
Those are the main points of the pros and cons, as you can see much of it deals with time. I like to be sure mini sessions fit for those potential clients we haven’t worked with so we can be sure you are going to have a great experience in our short time and beautiful images you’ll love. We love Mini Sessions as photographers, sometimes we catch up with the families we work with all the time or we meet new families that end up being fantastic clients and friends!
We are so excited to meet our new clients this go around and cannot wait to catch up with our friends!