Mini or Full Session: Choosing the Right NYC Family Photography Experience for You
Which is right for your family – a mini or full NYC family photography session? I’m going to explain the differences between the two here so you can decide what will best fit your family’s needs this fall!
New York City Mini Session vs. Full Session: Timing
The first thing to know about a mini session is that it takes place on one particular date and you sign up for one particular time slot. Your session time is up to 15 minutes – making these a favorite of camera shy or reluctant husbands and/or toddlers (I’ve met a few in my day :). This is in contrast to a full session, where we work together to choose a date and time that are convenient for you, and the session is longer (usually about an hour, although I follow the cues of your child and we can always make it longer or shorter if need be). With a mini, there are no opportunities for rescheduling, canceling, or transfers. With a full session, there is more flexibility in rescheduling if something comes up last minute. Mini sessions take place on one assigned date and each family comes one after the other with very little buffer time in between, so you can expect a quick, easy session! So minis are better for families who just want something fast and convenient, where a photo session is something that needs to be checked off the to-do list. This is why minis are so great for holiday card photos. Families who are looking for more of an experience, including the opportunity to spend time together as a family and create memories, with more time for variety, different poses, and location changes, should opt for the full session.
New York City Mini Session vs. Full Session: Location
The second thing to know about a mini session is that it takes place in one particular location. The location is chosen by me based on various pieces of criteria (minimal crowds, great lighting, picturesque backdrop), and then announced to the participating families prior to the session. This is in contrast to a full session, where there is a lot more flexibility with location. When you sign up for a full session, we can chat together to decide where you’d like to have it. Is there a special place in New York City you love? A spot that has meaning to your family? Perhaps the same location where you had your wedding or engagement photos! Do you want a city backdrop, like the West Village or Brooklyn Bridge? Let’s do it! Looking for a more naturalistic backdrop? I’ve got the inside scoop on the best areas of Central Park for photos, and we can walk to multiple locations within the Park. Want the session in your home, or somewhere close to your home for maximum convenience? Or both – part in home and part outdoors? The sky’s the limit – that is all possible with a full session.
Variety
With a mini session, you get 5 photos included, and the opportunity to purchase more afterwards. With a full session, you get many more. For that reason, many families choose mini sessions to get photos taken for holiday cards. Minis are great when you just need a handful of photos for a particular purpose like cards, or just want one or two updated images of your children. If you want more photos, more variety within the gallery, and more combinations (mom with kids, dad with kids, everyone together, a portrait of each sibling, siblings together, interactive images, etc) – you would be looking for a full session. If you want a session that focuses more on emotion, connection, and the particular stage of childhood that your baby is in, that takes a little more time, and that would be best for a full session.
Temperament of Your Child
This is something to take into account when deciding between a mini or full session. For kids or babies who are quick to smile, quick to follow directions, quick to cooperate (within reason – these are still toddlers we’re talking about 🙂 – a mini session can be great. On the other hand – if your child is more on the shy side with new people, or it takes more coaxing to draw them out and get them to smile/laugh and feel comfortable in new situations, or you have a child with tons of energy and it takes some convincing to get them to sit still for a little bit…you’d probably be served best by a full session. This is because a full session is more relaxed, and I have more time to work with your child. This gives me more of an opportunity to draw out those genuine smiles and laughs, and it gives them more time to settle in, get comfortable with me and the new situation, and allow their true, adorable personality to shine. At full sessions we have more time for genuine interaction between family members, and more time for play – which is what really helps kids light up. I have a lot of experience working with babies and small children, and I’ve seen some who are well suited for a mini session, while I’ve found others do best in a full session. You know your child best so I ask that you please think about what type of session will suit their personality best when choosing which route you’d like to take for photos this year!
Customization
I touched on this above, but to reiterate – your full photography session is customized to your preferences. That includes location, date, time, and length of the session. Mini sessions are not customizable. They are more like a fun and quick event, where you pick your time slot, pop in, get your photos, and you’re done – which makes them perfect for just a few photos for holiday cards. Because the date and time are not flexible and not able to be customized, minis are not great for a family who has a schedule that is uncertain or is prone to changing this fall. For a mini, you need to know definitely that you can make the date and time you choose since there are no refunds or reschedules.
Milestones
Is your child at an important milestone? 3-4 months is when they’re usually smiling a lot, by 6-8 months they’re usually sitting, then they start crawling and eventually walking! Along the way cute details emerge. Their adorable chubby arm and leg rolls, their sweet little fingers and toes, their hair, and so much more. These are special details you may want to remember, and to capture those, I recommend a full session.
What if my child or husband can’t make it through a full session?
This is something I hear from people time and time again, and I understand the fear! Many families opt for a mini because they feel their child or husband won’t make it through a full hour long session. And that can be a great choice. But if you are leaning towards a full session, keep in mind – your full session doesn’t need to be an hour! The beauty of the full session is that as mentioned above, it’s customized to your needs. I work efficiently to make sure we get everything we need as quickly as possible, while also knowing, at a full session, that we have a bit more room for a relaxed experience. I know that busy parents want to get their session done and move on with their day, and toddlers’ attention spans are extremely limited. I have a plethora of tricks up my sleeves when it comes to working with this age group. I also find that sometimes kids do better in the relaxed, less rushed environment of the full session, even though it may seem like they couldn’t last. I allow kids to be themselves, play, and move around during sessions which helps keep them engaged, and helps create images that are full of life and genuine smiles. With this approach, many kids and husbands are actually able to make it longer than fifteen minutes!
The Bottom Line
When it comes down to it, mini sessions and full sessions both have their place, and both are great for different reasons. Both types of sessions will result in beautiful photos that I hope you’ll treasure for a lifetime. I do think it’s important to know the differences before choosing, so I hope this post was helpful! PS – images from this post are from a full session!
