Mini vs Regular
Ask any kid if standing straight and smiling at a camera for an hour sounds fun to them. I'm sure you'll get a chorus of groans and funny looks. Honestly that doesn't sound fun to me either! So naturally parents think, well the shorter the better. Lets just get it over with. Like a band-aid ripped off when no one is paying attention. I know this might blow your mind but it's not actually the length of the session but the session itself.
Kids just want to have fun, run around and goof off while parents think all that horse play is a huge waste of time. During the shorter sessions parents can instantly feel anxiety trying to get everyone to line up and "be good" for the photographer. The thing is, I really don't want them to be good. I want them to be their authentic selves and sometimes that takes a little time.
Having the longer one hour session really gives us that time to let the precious moments unfold as they may. Of course we'll get some of those posed pics but with more time I can incorporate games, exploring and even asking the kids what kind of pictures they would like to have of themselves. (Kids love this, makes em feel like grown ups!) I want the session to be stress free and fun, not only for the kids but for the parents. That extra time really creates that!
So what will we do with all that extra time? Well one of my favorite games is to have the parents sneak up behind the kids and tickle them. It creates hilarious reactions and some adorable snuggles. (That or the kids drop to the ground or run off screaming!) Having them see who can jump the highest, run the fastest or who has the best dance moves are also solid go to's. (Don't think just because your the parents you'll get out of the dancing!) If we're at the beach I have kids hunt for shells or explore tide pools. These longer shoots are all about adventure and capturing your family IN THE MOMENT!
So you see what I've been getting at? There is nothing fun about being rushed, yelling at the kids and generally feeling unhappy trying to accomplish everything in 30 min. If we just take our time and enjoy the moment I promise you on the drive home when you glance up at that rear view mirror you'll see nothing but smiles. That's really the ultimate goal. Well that and amazing photos!