Family Mini Session or Full session?

It’s almost that time of the year when people get together for family portraits as we ease into the Spring and Summer seasons. A common question is whether a family mini session or a full session is the best choice.

Today, I want to walk you through the differences between mini sessions and full sessions so you can choose the best option for you and your family!

1. Session Time Frame

The biggest difference between a mini and a full session is that a mini session is just as it sounds – a short and sweet session typically between 15 and 20 minutes.

This sort of session is ideal for holiday photos, capturing childhood milestones, or if you are wanting a few fresh family photos to add to your walls or to send to grandparents. In contrast, a full session typically lasts around an hour, sometimes 2 hours, and you walk away with a much broader variety of photos because this gives your photographer more opportunities to get creative.

Keep in Mind:

One consideration when choosing which session is right for you is to evaluate the family members that will be joining you. Do you have young kids with shorter attention spans? Maybe a mini session is suit your family.

Are you having extend family portraits? A full session will give you more photo opportunities to showcase each individual family as well as the large group shots!

2. Session Photo Quantities

The type of photo session will determine how many photos you have to choose from when your pictures are returned to you. Mini sessions will have fewer images simply because it’s a much shorter time period, usually between 10 and 20 images per session.

Full sessions will give you a much greater assortment of photos starting around 50 images, 

Keep in Mind:

Are you wanting new photos for an important announcement or holiday card, or would you like to create a photo book for grandparents, a calendar, or simply have updated photos of all of your kiddos, you and your spouse, and your entire beautiful family?

The amount of photos you need should be a good indicator of which session would meet your needs.

3. Session Location & Duration

Another way mini and full sessions differ is in the location; mini sessions typically take place in a designated location at a designated time block.

Full sessions are a lot more flexible if you have a specific location in mind where you’d love to have your session shot, and you can work with your photographer to find a time that works for their editing style and your schedule. 

Keep in Mind:

Because mini sessions are scheduled into a block of time and sessions are back-to-back, it’s important you can commit to being at the location at your specified time so sessions run on time and smoothly!

If your family needs a bit more flexibility on the day of your session, a full session would give you a longer time frame and some wiggle room time wise.

4. Session Pricing

Mini sessions are usually seasonal and offer special pricing because the session is shorter! Full sessions are available year-round and allows you to really capture the individual personalities of each of your family members, so the larger quantities of images also involves a higher session price. 

Keep in Mind:

Mini sessions are excellent options for those on a tighter budget, but large family sessions are a great way to get pictures with siblings, grandparents, and cousins and can be split between everyone participating to help!

But even if you’re just taking pictures with your immediate family, can you really put a price on memories?

When you look back on your pictures in a year, five years, or even ten, remembering the stages of your family back then will be a wonderful trip down memory lane!

Whether you choose a mini session or a full session, you’ll be capturing timeless memories that you’ll be able to cherish for all the years to come.

Thank you so much for reading my blog post. 

I hope this gives you a good idea of how to help your family prepare your kids for family photos! Can’t wait to see you!

If you are interested in booking a Family Holiday Photo  session with Jommy Photography, and would like more information, please CLICK HERE to see the experience.For investment information, please click HERE.