Full session or Mini session?

Clients often wonder if a full session or a mini session will suit their family best. It’s important to pick the one that works best for you – and that might change depending on the age of your kids, what you’re hoping for from your shoot, and your financials.

My mini sessions are fantastic if:

• You love my signature park location where the light filters through the trees all afternoon creating that hazy, golden glow.
• You’re hoping for a shoot sooner, rather than later.
• Your kids have short attention spans. Between about 18 months and 2.5 years old, most kids tend to work better in short, sharp bursts.
• You want a quick and cost-effective update to your family photos
• You’re trying to convince a reluctant partner to come along (I promise, after the first time you’ll never have that problem again!)

A mini is over before you know it. We play fast, and we laugh hard. It’s plenty of time to get a gallery full of love, smiles and laughter (don’t believe me? Check out this mini shoot!).

If that’s your primary aim, then a mini might suit you down to the ground.

So why choose a Sunset Session?

The classic SRP session is a beautiful adventure. Relaxed, slower, more varied, and all about your story. My sunset sessions will suit you best if:

1. You want the full experience

The huge benefit of a full session is that we have more time for children to warm up. Time for them to unfold. Time to see their cheeky side AND their sweet side. Time to get brave enough to tell me their favourite fart jokes.

For the adults, it’s also less pressure. There is no hard time limit, you can just sit back and relax and allow your kids to do the same. You don’t have to worry if they take a while to open up. There is never any issue if we need to take a moment to eat, cuddle, have a break, or dispel a tantrum. We have time to chat, to get to know each other, and to hang out. The biggest danger of a session with me is that you’ll leave with a new mate.

It’s a relaxed and easy experience. It’s less intense, less high energy, and you have time to catch your breath throughout!

2. You’re an introvert

Mini sessions are pretty full on. In order to get what we need for your gallery, there isn’t much time for small talk. My minis are high energy, and fast-paced. I work hard to make sure we get all of those ‘Must Have’ shots in a short period of time. If that thought brings you out in a rash, then a full session is definitely the right option for you. Slower, calmer, and much more relaxing.

3. You want to choose your location

Minis are only offered at one small section of my favourite park location on limited dates. This is how I can make them super affordable, and ensure you get a consistent and beautiful gallery at the end of it. But at a full session we get to explore a lot more of the park, and give you a far more varied gallery.

Of course, when you book a full session you get to choose the location. Maybe you have your heart set on an evening at the beach, you want to go nuts at Luna Park, have a view of the harbour, or suggest your own special location – you set the rules!

4. You want a gallery that tells a story

In a full sunset session, we have plenty of time to soak up all the location has to offer. I know I will have plenty of time to get the shots I need, so I can let them happen more naturally throughout the session. If you want to jump in the water or grab an ice cream or have a picnic on the beach…all of that is possible! Your gallery will be so full of variety, and I have time to tell your family’s story in your gallery and capture all the in-between moments which are where the love really lies.

5. You want to bring the whole family

I love to include grandparents in your memories. Up to 2 grandies are included in all of my full session packages at no additional cost. We don’t have time to include them in a mini session, so book a full sunset session to create memories for the whole clan!