Mini Session vs. Full Family Session: What's the Difference
“Can I just book a mini session?”
Absolutely! But before you do, let's talk about what you're actually looking for from your family photos.
Because the biggest difference between a mini session and a full family photo session isn't the amount of time.
That's usually what people assume. A mini is 15 or 20 minutes. A full session is longer. Easy enough, right?
But the real difference is what we're trying to create during that time.
Both can give you beautiful family photos. They just serve two very different purposes.
So if you're trying to decide between one of my Charleston family mini sessions and a full family photography session, here's what I want you to know before you book.
What Is a Family Mini Session?
Think of a mini session as the answer to a very specific need:
“I need some great, updated photos of my family.”
Maybe you need a photo for your holiday card. You want a few updated pictures of the kids for grandparents. You realized everyone has grown six inches since last fall. Or maybe you simply want one really great photo of your whole family where everyone is looking reasonably happy to be there. 😂
That's exactly what a mini session is designed to accomplish.
My Charleston family mini sessions are scheduled on specific dates, at specific locations, with families booked back-to-back throughout the day.
Before you ever arrive, I already have a general shot list in my head.
We'll get the whole family. Mom with the kids. Dad with the kids. Parents together. Kids together. Individual portraits when time allows.
And because I am still me, I'm going to size up your family pretty quickly and find ways to make those photographs feel like you. I'm not interested in handing every family the exact same five photographs.
But we are working within an established framework.
The goal is to get you a smaller collection of great family photographs quickly and efficiently.
[VIEW UPCOMING CHARLESTON FAMILY MINI SESSIONS]
What Happens During a Full Family Photo Session?
A full family session starts somewhere completely different.
Instead of asking, “What photos do we need?”, I'm thinking about:
“Who is this family right now?”
That's what I want to photograph.
During a full session, we have space to pay attention to all the little relationships that exist within your family.
Mom with the kids.
Dad with the kids.
Siblings together.
Each child individually.
You and your partner.
The entire family.
And then all the little things that happen in between those photographs.
The way your youngest still reaches for your hand. The ridiculous thing your oldest does that makes everyone laugh. The way your kids pile onto Dad. The personality differences between your children.
Those are the photographs I want you to frame and hang in your hallway.
But they're also the ones I want you to find ten years from now and immediately remember what this particular season of your family felt like.
That's the goal of a full family session.
[LEARN MORE ABOUT FULL CHARLESTON FAMILY SESSIONS]
So...Is the Difference Just That a Full Session Is Longer?
Nope.
The extra time helps, of course. But time isn't really what you're buying with a full session. Space is.
We're creating space for your family to settle in.
Space for personalities to come out.
Space to change directions when something unexpected happens.
Space to follow your kids instead of constantly moving toward the next photograph on my shot list.
And space to create a much larger and more varied gallery.
A mini session has to be more structured because another family may be arriving right behind you. During a full session, I have the flexibility to respond to your family.
That's a much bigger difference than simply comparing 20 minutes to 45 minutes.
How Many Photos Do You Get From a Mini Session vs. a Full Session?
This is another major difference.
My Fall Family Mini Sessions are 20 minutes and include 3 digital images of your choice. You'll receive a gallery to choose from and have the option to purchase additional photographs if there are more you love.
A full Storytelling Family Session is approximately 45 minutes and includes at least 50 finished images.
That's intentional.
With a mini, we're creating a handful of photographs that accomplish that immediate goal.
With a full session, we're building a collection.
If you're picturing photographs throughout your home, an album filled with this season of your family, individual photos of each child, different combinations of people and a gallery that really tells the story of your family, that's full-session territory.
Who Is a Mini Session Best For?
I book mini sessions for my own family, too!
We may have taken beautiful photographs earlier in the year that I absolutely love, but sometimes I just want an updated picture before the holidays.
How tall are my kids right now?
What do they look like this fall?
Can I please have ONE current picture for the Christmas card?
Done.
Mini sessions can be especially great if you:
Take family photos regularly and just need an update
Want a few photographs for holiday cards and gifts
Know your kids do really well with short and sweet
Love the location and setup already being offered
Want an easy date and time you can immediately put on your calendar
You're fitting your family into a framework I've already created, and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
When Should You Choose a Full Family Session Instead?
Sometimes someone will contact me asking when my next mini sessions are, and after we talk for a few minutes I realize...
They don't actually want a mini session.
Maybe your family spends every weekend at the beach.
Maybe the marsh and your boat are a huge part of your family's life.
Maybe getting everyone dressed and into a park on a Saturday morning doesn't feel like your family AT ALL.
If that's the case, why would we squeeze you into that setup just because it's a mini?
A full session allows us to choose a location that means something to you and create photographs that feel much more connected to your actual life.
It's also usually the better choice if you have a larger family, want lots of different combinations, have children who need some time to warm up, or simply want more than an updated family portrait.
Mini Sessions Offer Less Scheduling Flexibility, Too
There's another difference people don't always think about until they're ready to book.
Mini session dates are set in advance.
I choose the date, location and available time slots. You look at what's available and decide what works with your family's schedule.
That can actually be incredibly convenient.
You know exactly when and where you're going, you grab your spot, put it on the family calendar and you're done.
Full sessions give us much more flexibility.
If Saturdays are consumed by soccer games, birthday parties and approximately 400 other commitments, we can look at a weekday.
If there's a particular Charleston location that feels right for your family, we can plan around it.
Especially during the busy fall family photography season, though, that flexibility gets smaller the longer you wait to book.
We're all trying to squeeze photos into the same few weeks before holiday cards need to be ordered while simultaneously continuing to have jobs, school, sports, activities, dinner and...life. 😂
If you know you want a full fall family session, booking early gives us significantly more room to find a date and location that works for you.
Mini Session or Full Family Session: Which One Should You Book?
Here's the easiest way I know to think about it:
Book a mini session when you need updated photos.
Book a full family session when you want to document this season of your family.
Neither one is “better.”
And a mini session doesn't need to replace your occasional full family session. They can exist alongside each other because they're doing completely different jobs.
Some years, you might need that full experience and the collection of photographs that comes with it.
Other times?
Give me 20 minutes, get me one great picture for the Christmas card, and let's call it a win. 😂
Looking for Charleston Family Photos This Fall?
If you're ready for updated fall family photos in Charleston, SC, you can see all of my upcoming mini-session dates, locations and availability below.
If what you've read here has you realizing you want something more personal to your family, you can explore my full family photography sessions instead.
And if you've already decided a mini is right for you, I've put together everything you need to know before your session, including what happens during those 20 minutes and how to prepare your kids.
Whichever one you choose, the goal is the same:
Photographs of your people that you're really freaking glad you have.
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