Mini Session Prep Guide
Thank you for booking a mini session! I am so excited for the opportunity to photograph you and your loved ones and capture this beautiful time in your life.
Below I've expanded on some of the frequent questions I get asked prior to a photoshoot. I hope this better helps you feel at ease as you prepare for your upcoming session with me. In the week or two prior to your session, I'll be in touch to confirm final details and meeting location.
In the meantime, please feel free to reach out with any other questions you have!
Liv
What to Expect During Your Session
I try to keep my sessions fun, engaging and quick. Having your photo taken can be awkward, so I aim to create a relaxed and low keep environment to allow for honest moments. My mini sessions have a bit more posing than the longer sessions, just so we can make sure we capture all the groupings desired in the short amount of time we have. In general, I try to avoid too much stiff posing, but rather will direct you through some poses to create space for little loving interactions. I also may incorporate action to create movement and support my documentary approach. While we will take some traditional images of everyone looking at the camera, for the majority of the session I will encourage you to instead look at and interact with each other.
If you have young kids, I may create space for them to play, or use games as ways to keep them engaged and present. This often leads to more authentic representation of their personalities and will help them feel more at ease.
Sessions scheduled later in the day can sometimes be a challenge with young kids, but don't worry, I have some tips and tricks. Check out my blot post for how to prepare your young children for sunset sessions
What To Wear
First and foremost - wear something you feel comfortable and yourself in. If you love jeans, wear jeans. If you love dresses, wear dresses. Be as casual or formal as feels right to you. How you feel will come across in your photos, for better or worse. Same thing goes if you are dressing kids. I recommend choosing clothes that coordinate with each other, rather than ones that exactly match. This would mean clothes with similar colors or values, that all have a similar aesthetic vibe. Patterns, textures, and layers are great ways to add additional interest and movement to your photos. Natural and muted colors will complement the natural scenery better than overly bright colors or black. Ultimately these photos are for you and should reflect you. Read over my blog posts to get started.
And call out to all the moms - choose your outfit first! I know many of us tend to worry about ourselves last, so please take this opportunity to find something that makes you feel amazing and then coordinate everyone else.
Expecting mamas, I recommend choosing a long flowing dress, as they seem to be the most comfortable. However, choose whatever makes you feel the most comfortable and like yourself!
What to Bring
I recommend bringing a neutral (beige, cream, gray, navy) blanket with you for your session for any seated photographs. You are also welcome to sit directly on the ground if you are comfortable. Here is a full list of what I recommend you pack in your bag.
In general, I prefer not to use props during sessions, but am happy to speak with you if you had something in mind and to make sure we can incorporate it in a natural and authentic manner.
Have a furry friend? I love incorporating dogs into my sessions. Just check with me first to make sure your location allows them to join too.
How to Prepare Your Children
If you are doing a mini session with young kids, here are some helpful things to keep in mind when preparing your children for our shoot.
Don't stress! I have two young kids and get that they don't always act or react the way we wish and that's ok! I also know how easily our own mood can effect their own. I encourage you to not get frustrated by their behaviour or worry if they are refusing to smile (if anything I ask that you don't force them to smile). It's natural that they may feel uneasy at first in this setting. Combining this shorter length session with fun games helps keep them entertained and engaged.
What Happens After My Session?
Within 2-3 (up to 4 during October-November) weeks of your mini session, you'll receive an email with a private gallery of images from your mini session. Each gallery will have 15-20 images to select from. I'll send you a promo code for you to enter to redeem your included images.
Like more than the number of images included in your session fee? You can easily order additional digital images as well as prints and products directly through your gallery.
Did I forget anything? If you still have unanswered questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!