How to plan Mini Photography Sessions {Without Running Your Business into the Ground}

It's August, that time of year is almost here..... I don't mean Starbucks and Leggings season, I don't mean "Let's put pumpkins everywhere" Season.... I mean that time of year when EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER on the planet is doing MINI SESSIONS. If you are a children's photographer, you have probably done or been asked to do a Mini Session at some point. Minis are great..... if done right.... But doing Minis can ruin your business and leave you hemorrhaging money before you can say pumpkin spice latte if you do them wrong..... And it seems like MOST photographer's doing minis aren't even doing minis at all... they are offering full size sessions for Mini Session prices... and this is grossly mis-educating the non-photographer population. Clients all over the country are coming to expect to be able to book a cheaper "mini session" whenever, where ever, and with what ever set up they want. And they want 30 images and 2 hours of your time.... all for that "mini" price....

It was never supposed to work that way but over time, as new photographers entered the industry with no business or photography experience, the mini session evolved into a "Get a full custom session whenever you want for a fraction of the price" kind of thing.... and it has spiraled out of control. We need to reeducate photographers and clients and start doing Mini Sessions the way they are supposed to be done.... So let's get started.

Your Mini Session should be just that: MINI.... If you are running Mini Sessions, they should actually be MINI. I see so many photographers offering "Mini Sessions" that are 2 hours long.... I'm sorry but HOW is that MINI? Are your regular sessions 8 hours long? Even 30 minutes is too long for a mini session. Think about minis like the Lifetouch photos you took in school. One backdrop where subjects rotate through quickly for the same shot. Minis are just a more creative version of that. Mini Sessions are essentially what the industry calls bulk or volume photography. Just with a cutesy name. Mini sessions should be no longer than 20 Minutes.

The number of digitals included should also be MINI. I just read a thread about mini sessions in a Facebook group and 50% of those commenting included 20+ images with their "Mini Sessions". I'm sorry that is a FULL SESSION. If you are giving that many with a mini session, why would anyone book you for a full session? I give 3-5 images per mini session. I do occasionally upset additional images from mini sessions.

Mini Sessions should ALWAYS be booked back to back marathon style. Why drag all your props and equipment out to some field, hire a sitter, and do all the things that go into a session just for a ONE mini session? There is nothing economical about that. I book mine back to back, 15 Minutes long with a 5 minute buffer in between each client. I usually choose a shady location that gives me a little longer than 2 hours and I can usually book 8 clients in that time frame and make a guaranteed $3000-6,000. Plus if clients know they can get their own mini session anytime... why would they book a full session? If the client books their own time, that becomes a private or custom session.

In addition to stacking them back to back, Mini Sessions should always be a specific pre-planned theme or location. It can be simple or elaborate but they shouldn't be fully customizable. If a client wants a custom session, they need to book a full session. I have done simple head shot marathons, Holiday Mini Sessions and even Back to School Mini Sessions with a REAL SCHOOL BUS!

Mini Sessions can even help you take advantage of a special prop or elaborate set up. When I did my Back to School sessions, I borrowed a gorgeous vintage desk AND rented a REAL SCHOOL BUS. I can't just get that school bus when ever I feel like it but booking back to back sessions means I can get as much use out of my bus as possible. When I did my last round of Holiday Minis, I did a gorgeous set up with a beautiful wrought iron bench that I decked out with garland, lights, and Christmas Decor. This involved a truck and a willing husband to help transport said bench and a good 30 minutes of set up. There is no way I could do this for individual sessions without working myself to death.

Mini sessions should expand your client base. They should open your client base up to include those who love your work but may not be able to afford a full session, may not need a full session, or may not need the kind of sessions you usually book. For example, I specialize in Maternity and Newborn Sessions. Mini Sessions are a great way for families or parents with older kiddos to book with me. I don't always LOVE doing full family sessions, parents of older kids don't always want or need a full session with 30 images, and some people in my area LOVE my work but can't afford a full session with me. My mini sessions give them that opportunity to work with me. And often times, this small sample of my photography experience is enough to have them come back to me for a full session!

Mini Sessions should almost be a marketing campaign. They should be a sample of your amazing photography experience. In fact I advertise mine as "Limited Edition" Because that's exactly what they are. Not only do my mini session clients often come back to me for full sessions, they often recommend me to friends, family, and in all those mom and local Facebook groups! The more people recommending me, the more full sessions I book. When I book mini sessions, I do all the booking on my Facebook page and all that local interaction helps increase my local Facebook reach! Clients can also get $5 for every friend who books. This gets clients sharing my posts and recommending me to friends! I even start teasing my mini sessions in advance! Clients get so excited! I Even had one comment "IDK what it is yet but I'm over here planning possible outfits!" I even announce when I will start booking and I start taking those bookings in my VIP client group FIRST and then start taking them on my business page 30 minutes later! My Minis usually sell out in a few hours!

Mini Sessions should be paid in FULL up front. Trust me on this one! Its easy for clients to miss a 15 minute session.... if they are 15 minutes late, guess what. They missed it. If this happens I let the client wait and take someone else's spot if I have a no show or I will try to fit them in at the end if there is any light left. I remind my clients ahead of time that they should be a few minutes early and their session and that there will NOT be a reshoot. I give them the exact start and end time of their session Example 6:00 to 6:15. When clients pay in full up front and know that payment is non-refundable, trust me, they show up. I have never had a client not show up for their mini time slot. But I did have a family of 5 show up 10 minutes late. Dad and their oldest child were not dressed and dad forgot his pants.... YUP. They still got 5 great images without going over their time slot. I just started with the two younger kids and then posed dad strategically so his sweat pants weren't showing.

Mini Sessions should only be offered a few times a year. If you offer a mini session every single week, chances are you wont book many full sessions and all that "Mini Session Excitement" will fizzle out leaving you with unbooked sessions. I don't offer more than 4 a year. Sometimes its even only 1 or two times a year.

Last but not least, I can't even believe I have to say this, but new photographers advertising mini sessions are doing this way too often.. .. Your Mini Session ad should include your images and YOUR IMAGES ONLY! IDGAF if you write "photos for inspiration only" or "not my photos" in your post. That is NOT COOL BRO! Its also a violation of US COPYRIGHT and theft. It's also one of the lowest and least respectful things you can do in this industry. It's not fair the the photographer you are stealing from. You didn't purchase a commercial license from that photographer. You don't have permission to use it. You don't have a model release from the parents of the people in the photos which is also illegal. It's not fair to your clients who will be expecting that level of quality in their images. It doesn't matter if you "plan to use the same kind of props". Go out and take photos of YOUR OWN props with your skills and your equipment. It's even not fair to your local competition who who isn't stealing images from better, more experienced photographers to get clients. And it's not fair to the photographer who developed the idea, searched for and purchased the props, set everything up, booked the clients, and worked their but off to shoot and edit the session. That photographer put HOURS and HOURS and HOURS into their images and you spend a whole 2 seconds stealing it and using it without permission. All you are doing is setting yourself up for underwhelmed or even angry clients, making yourself look like you don't know what you're doing, and ruining your reputation in our industry. SO DON'T DO IT. Get a model and go take your own images for your ads. Sometimes my more elaborate props are something special I have borrowed from someone and I usually I usually offer to use their kids as models. I get to do a test run of my set up, they get gorgeous photos, and I get great images for my ads. I just don't let them post them until after I have released my mini session ad. If you don't have models, take a photo of just your gorgeous set up. If you really have what it takes to be a photographer, there is no excuse.

Ok so lets recap:

The more you limit your mini sessions, the better off you will be.

Limited time.

Limited digitals.

Limited number of events per year.

Limited number of slots.

Set Locations and themes.

If a client wants something outside of those parameters, you guessed it, they can book a full custom session.

Don't use someone else's photos. EVER. Period.

My favorite Mini Session Recipe is 8 slots of 15 minute sessions (with a 5 minute buffer) 1-3 times a year with a very rare and exciting prop and set up. Occasionally if I have a LOT of interest in the same theme, I will open up another day. Clients get 5 images and SOMETIMES I will include a few more in their gallery and up sell.

Mini Sessions should help your full session business instead of putting you in the poor house if you do it right. Tell me your favorite Mini Session Ideas and tips in the comments. Feel free to share this blog in your favorite facebook groups too!

You will notice I didnt mention price.... Mini Sessions should still cover your CODB. They can be priced as HIGH as you want! There are photographers who book minis in the thousands! The price doesn't have to be mini! Just make sure that it's high enough to cover your COBD and be worth your time. (Don't forget about ALL THAT EDITING). Remember these sessions should be LIMITED EDITION and should be priced accordingly!