Photography is a seasonal business: I don’t have to look out of my window to know the season. All I have to do is check my emails, and I know what season is coming. Late spring means college and graduate school portraits, celebrating the graduation milestone.
Summer is all about weddings, family photos, senior portraits, engagement proposal shoots, and engagement photography. Most sessions take place at the beach, at scenic lighthouses, or out at a bright field of flowers.
Fall is all about foliage, after all, we are in New England! Whether it is a family, senior portrait, engagement proposal, or engagement shoot, all are about the vibrant colors of a New England autumn. Some couples like to take advantage of the foliage and have their wedding in the fall, while others start booking their summer wedding.
Most photographers stop working in late fall and take time off until early spring. I work year-round, so late fall and early spring are times for corporate event photography and headshot events. Of course, there are those brave souls who are happy to brave the cold and do some family and engagements, shots in the snowy wonderland of New England.
And like clockwork, in early fall, social media fills with advertisements for mini sessions. These are short, back-to-back family photo shoots, often staged in front of brilliant New England foliage or a festive pumpkin patch.
Just like mall photos with Santa, these mini sessions have a hallmark of modern portrait photography, especially around Boston and Cape Cod, where families rush to capture a seasonal image for their holiday cards.
Photographers love mini sessions; they are easy to photograph, easy to schedule, and highly profitable. They are sold to clients as convenient and affordable, and of course, there is truth to that.
The photographer picks the locations, and the clients travel to them. There is usually an online scheduling calendar, where clients sign up, pay a deposit, or the full amount, and show up at the scheduled time: it’s one and done.
The photos are usually not edited at all or quickly touched up. There is no art to these shots; there is no connection between the family and the photographer. It’s snap and go. It’s not about art, it’s about efficiency. These types of shoots fit perfectly into the fast-paced rhythm of modern family life.
When I started my business, I briefly considered doing mini sessions. Easy money is always hard to resist. However, fairly quickly, I made a deliberate decision not to offer mini sessions. It’s not because I don’t understand their appeal to a photographer and the client, but because I believe that photography is art, and art takes time.
Where did Mini Sessions come from?
Just like all types of photography, mini sessions are a reflection of the cultural trends in photography and advances in photography technology. Mini sessions became popular with the rise of digital technology.
In the days of film, portrait photography required significant preparation, cost, and time. Families dressed in their best clothes, photographers set up complex lighting, and rolls of film had to be carefully developed in a lab or by the photographer. Every click of the shutter was precious and expensive.
As digital photography became widespread in the early 2000s, the economics shifted. Suddenly, photographers could shoot endlessly without the cost of film and processing. To meet growing demand, especially for seasonal shoots like holiday cards, photographers began offering mini sessions. The idea was simple: photograph multiple families in a single location, on the same day, using the same backdrop.
It made business sense. It gave families a lower-cost option. And it quickly became a trend.
But somewhere along the way, something important was lost.
The Limits of Mini Sessions
The problem with mini sessions isn’t just that they’re short. It’s what is lost in efficient photography.
When you photograph a family in 15 minutes, there’s no time for artistry. Every family ends up in the same pose, in the same location, with the same cookie-cutter look.
Most importantly, there’s no time to connect. This lack of connection is especially noticeable with kids. Every kid needs a bit of time to warm up to the photographer; they should take a minute or two, or even half an hour, to be silly, move around, and play. This is when I can get the best photo.
Parents also need a bit of time to take a breath, to enjoy the moment, and not worry that the session will be over before everyone has time to settle in.
In a mini session, these important moments are cut short. What’s left is often a stiff smile, a perfectly good picture but something is missing.
Every Family Has Its Own Story
One One of the reasons I don’t offer mini sessions is that I believe that no two families are alike.
WhenI work with you, I am not just trying to take a pretty picture. I am trying to tell your family story. The way you laugh as a family, the way you interact as a family, these details matter, and they can’t be rushed.
Our sessions always take place in special locations: the rolling dunes of Cape Cod, Boston’s historic Public Garden, or even the comfort of your backyard. Sometimes the best photo happens in the first five minutes. Other times, it takes a while. The point is, you can’t predict it, you can’t rush it, you have to allow it to happen.
Many of my clients come back, year after year, to do an annual family photoshoot because I have built a rapport that often lasts for years. This is why I offer a 10% lifelong discount to all my returning clients, as well as their families and friends.
Holiday Cards, and Beyond
I know that many families book mini sessions for holiday cards. And it makes sense, you want a seasonal portrait, something cheerful to send to family and friends to celebrate the past year and to look forward to the next. It’s a sign of optimism.
But here’s the truth: holiday cards live on.At first, they are displayed on mantels and refrigerators for your friends and family to enjoy past the winter holiday season, and often they take on a life of their own. They’re tucked into albums, used as bookmarks, find their way into kitchen drawers, only to be discovered later as a memory of the past. Some holiday cards are tucked away in boxes and albums and become a part of your family story. They’re not just temporary greetings; they’re historical artifacts of your family life.
So even if your first thought is, I need one good picture for the card, I believe you deserve more. You deserve a collection of portraits that capture your family’s personality, that you’ll look back on with joy, not just a year later but decades from now.
Photography Is an Experience
To me, photography is not just about the final image. It’s about the experience of being photographed.
It’s the walk through the park while your kids chase leaves. It’s the pause at sunset when everyone is caught in golden light. It’s the laughter that bubbles up when things don’t go according to plan. Those moments matter. They shape the way you remember not just the photos, but the day itself.
When a family leaves a session with me, I want them to feel like they’ve had an experience together—not like they rushed through a chore.
Mini sessions don’t provide that. They’re designed for efficiency, not for memory.
My Philosophy
I don’t offer mini sessions because they don’t reflect my philosophy as an artist
I believe photography should be:
- Personal. Every family deserves portraits that feel unique to them.
- Relaxed. Time creates comfort, and comfort creates authenticity.
- Artful. Great photography is not just documentation—it’s art that you’ll treasure.
- Enduring. Your photos are not just for today; they’re for tomorrow, for your children, for generations.
That’s why I only offer all-inclusive family sessions, designed to give you both an experience and a gallery of fully edited, high-resolution images. No upselling, no watermarks, no stress. Just portraits that feel like you.
The Mind On Photography promise:
- An unhurried session that gives your children time to feel at ease.
- The chance to explore different backdrops and natural light.
- A collection of images—playful, tender, and artistic—that reflect your family’s unique story.
- Complimentary “forever” storage, so your memories are never lost.
Because your family deserves more than just a snapshot.
You deserve art.
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