to Mini Session or to Not Mini Session
A majority of people these days get family pictures primarily for their Christmas cards...
They just want that one picture of everyone looking at the camera, smiling so that they can send it out to all their family and friends...and perhaps get a few enlarged for grandparents' gifts, etc...
I understand this...I do aim for a picture of everyone looking with even my own family because I know the Christmas cards will arrive and my GG will want to see how long the girls' hair is getting and whether my youngest has lost any teeth...
However, there is more to a photo session with me...and that's partly why I haven't chosen to do mini sessions yet...
If you've ever gone to a studio and tried to get your children to smile at JUST the appropriate time and have EVERYONE look at the camera at the INSTANT the shutter is snapped...only to have melt downs and frustrations rear their ugly heads...
well...then you "get" me...
Don't get me wrong...I'm not a miracle worker...if kiddos are hungry, angry, or just plain defiant...I'm pretty confident that no amount of humor is going to make them want to sit for a perfectly timed christmas card family photo...
But you see, that's NOT what I'm after at all...and I hope that "vibe" attracts my "tribe" of people that feel the same...and this season, it truly has...
Oh sure, if it's possible to get the "Christmas card portrait"...we totally go for it...but, my focus is more on letting families relax and not feel like they have to sit or stand in a specific way...not have to always look at the camera...I'm not after perfection...I'm after connection!! This takes time...not a ton because who wants to be taking pictures ALL DAY (well, except for perhaps Senior sessions, hee, hee) But, it takes more than just a quick pop in and out of a studio to let kids run free and roam...for us to chat about sports and favorite foods...to talk Disney princesses or sports teams...
These guys were awesome and we were able to get quite a few "holiday card worthy pics", but mostly, their parents understood that it was about capturing personality and family time together...And so, we could focus on hanging out and making faces and just being together on this beautiful day...
