How to prep for Fall Mini sessions

Fall Minis are one of the most...

popular session types for a photographer. 1. They happen right before the holidays and just in time for holiday card sending. 2. They are accessible to a wider range of client thanks to cost & time and 3. when the weather changes, people are happier. Happy people like photos. :)

SO, if you decide to sign up for a mini session, how can you make the most of your 10-15 min window? As a photographer, here are a few of my best tips for you, especially if you have little ones, or let's face it... grumpy husbands.

1. Choose a time slot that makes sense with your family's natural rhythm. There's nothing worse that trying to keep your baby/toddler awake and happy for photos when it's usually the middle of their nap time. OR signing up for early photos if you and your family are night owls and don't like setting that alarm. Find a time that makes sense for when your people are awake and generally happy to be there. For me personally- I'm offering two days of Fall minis for this exact reason. I'm hoping with a Saturday morning and a Sunday late afternoon option, I will accommodate most families schedules and rhythms. I got you!
2. Bring snacks or a treat to give to any unwilling participants AFTER the session is over. I'm not usually an advocate for bribery, but I'm all for rewards. And pro-tip: don't tell the unwilling participants about the treat unless necessary. If you overuse the treat card without actually giving it to them, patient does eventually run out. And I'm not only talking about kids here. With a 10 min session though, hopefully this won't be an issue.
3. Talk up the session to your kids during the week of the photos. If you're excited and say positive things about it, your kids will mirror that excitement too. Or if anything, it will help push aside the negative thoughts.
4. GPS the location ahead of time. Make sure you know where you are going and plan for traffic accordingly. For small time frames of windows, I would hate for you to miss critical time because of getting lost, which leads me to...
5. Show up early. Like 5-10 mins early. It usually takes a couple of minutes to unload everyone out of the car, grab the diaper bag/supplies/purse/water, etc. and then walk to the final destination. If you need to give yourself 20 mins of buffer room to make sure you're early and ready to go when the photographer is, do it. It's worth it. Also your kids will vibe off of you- if you're feeling rushed and stressed, then your kids will too. If you're chill and cool as a cucumber, they will be too.
6. Outfits. I'm a big advocate of being comfortable and feeling beautiful/handsome. Ladies, flowy dresses and skirts are your best friends, they are classic for a reason, BUT if that isn't your style, wear something that is. Comfort means clothes shouldn't be too tight (especially my postpartum mamas, you're too good for that!), shoes shouldn't rub, etc. When you're comfortable and not focused on specific things about your outfit, you'll look and feel beautiful when looking back at your photos. Promise. Cross my heart. Speaking from experience.
7. Coordinating outfits. This can be difficult for some. My suggestion is to start with the outfit of the person who would be hardest to pick for. For example, maybe Dad only has 3 nice collared shirts to choose from but mom has 10+ dresses she's happy with. Start with the 3 shirts, pick one and then coordinate a dress that fits best with that shirt. When coordinating outfits, try to stick with one or two small patterns, a neutral and a pop of color, and focus everyone around that theme. I'm also always here for my clients to help, assist and give my two cents on what looks good. I will be writing another blog post soon on how to coordinate outfits specifically for my Fall clients, so stay tuned for more helpful info on this!

My last take away for you in this post is: YOU'RE GOING TO DO GREAT! *cue my toddler adorably clapping for you*. The most important thing is to relax and have fun. And trust your photographer. They should lead you through posing and candid prompting so you don't have to think too hard. :) If you chose me as your photographer, I GOT YOU! Until next time friends!

PS: Enjoy a few galleries from some of my fall sessions last year. <3 Now that I'm blogging more, I'm excited to get more of my photographs out into the world! Enjoy and let me know which gallery was your favorite!