Photography is an art form and I become giddy when the dazzling golden light from the end of the day gives way to beautiful image that I see and I capture the moment with the tool of my camera.  And that is one of many reasons why I love natural light photography.  It produces a clean, classy, and charming image that you will love to display in your home. and with things definitely beginning to warm up and with colours slowly beginning to pop - I've had perfect opportunities to get out a utilize the beauty of natural light. Spring, without doubt is my favourite time of year. 

​1.  Creative control. At most mini sessions, the photographer is picking the location and scheduling a day’s worth of clients 30-45 minutes apart. Those beautiful sunset photos you pinned on Pinterest… you aren’t going to get them if your session is scheduled at 2 pm. Also, you aren’t choosing the location. The photographer probably picked a nice location for the sessions, but by going with a full session you can put in the time and dialogue with your photographer to make sure every detail is perfectly planned. You can have the urban or  rustic setting that is better suited for your family, and plan the perfect outfits to compliment your dream location with suitable props to bring it all together.
2.  Time is on your side. I tell my clients that my sessions last 1-2 hours. Why the variance? Well, if we don’t need to be there for two hours and I can get a good gallery of poses in 1 hour, why squirm in the spotlight any longer? However, if we need to take a break, insert an outfit change, or stop and hand out snacks to avoid grouchy toddlers, I’ll stay as long as it takes to make sure you get all the shots on your wish list and I am confident I can provide an outstanding final gallery. Often, I get my best images the last 20 minutes of  the hour, not the first. Everyone has settled in and had time to get more comfortable in front of the camera, the lighting is now that perfect sunset glow and everything has fallen into place. If you want to include an outfit change, h​ave more than 1-2 kids, especially young or rambunctious children, a child who is ​incredibly shy or awkward in front of cameras, or want to include the family pet, a mini session may not give you the time needed to get those perfect photos.

As a photographer, what good advice can I offer about mini sessions? They sure seem like a better deal, so why do people even do full sessions at all? I certainly think there are perks to minis, but there are also times when I think of trying to take a good photo of a rambunctious 2 year-old and 4 year-old in a 30 minute session and I shudder to think of it.  It usually takes dozens of shots to get one where the children are looking at the camera, much less one of mom and dad also doing so at the same time. I’ve broken down some points to take under consideration. Hopefully it will make it easier for you to rock your  family session, whether it’s a mini or full.

We should start by asking, what exactly is a mini session? Usually, a photographer can offer discounted pricing by setting a date, creating appointments every 30-40 minutes and knocking out 6, 8, maybe 10 sessions at one location, on one day. Mini session costs vary as much as photographer prices vary, but an average range 

I have been thinking lately just how important regular family photo’s are. I have read a couple of very convincing blog posts about just how priceless photographic memories can be; and it is really quite scary to think how fast things can change. 
“If you have not had family pictures taken within the past 3 years, promise me right now that tomorrow morning, you will find someone to do it. I don’t care if it’s a neighbor, I don’t care if it’s a portrait studio, I don’t care if it’s a tripod and a remote. Just do it. We have no guarantees in life, but at least we can have the photos to prove that we were here, we were together, and we were happy.

Time goes by so fast. That's why it's always important to keep your family photos up-to-date. You blink your eyes and everyone is fully grown and going off in different directions in their lives. Having these treasured memories becomes even more important as time passes.
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This was such a fun shoot with such a wonderful family. Hope you all enjoy the photos!