Once you are all booked for your mini session, what comes next? It might not be a full hour long session, but session prep is just as important. Mini sessions are so short that it is important to come prepared! I have seen it all when it comes to kids at mini sessions, and this ultimate guide to preparing your kids for a mini session has all my best tips for making it go at smooth as possible!

Outfits

Are They Comfortable?

When it comes to styling, your child will be in a much better mood if they are comfortable. The younger they are, the more comfortable you should go for. Not getting frustrated by something getting in their face, or being cold/ hot, is key to getting them to be present in the moment with you. Think about what they normally wear. Or think about how they act when they wear certain things. Now isn’t the time to try on an outfit or style for the first time.

Can They Move?

Along with being comfortable, they also need to be able to move freely in the clothes they wear. Can they run around or play games without you needing to adjust their clothes? My mini session prompts have you hugging your family and doing a lot of walking. Make sure their shoes fit well enough to not trip them when exploring. We will also be exploring all around the location and them being able to move around is key to getting great photos! Not being able to move in what they are wearing is another thing that is going to make your life easier in the photoshoot.

Explain Your Expectations

Let Them Know What Is Going On

Even if your child isn’t quite old enough to truly understand what is going on during a mini session, explain it anyway! Talk about what we are going to do leading up to the photoshoot. If they are old enough to be able to understand photoshoots, let them know what you expect from their behavior so they have time to prepare! Mini sessions are so short that you don’t really have time to do that when the session starts. We are going to need every second possible to be spent on photos.

Bribes On Bribes

If the explanations just aren’t happening, have a good bribe in mind. Sometimes we need a good bribe in our back pocket to pull out when things just aren’t working. Depending on the time of your session, you could go to their favorite place for the next meal. If you are bringing a sweet treat to the photoshoot, make sure it is something that won’t get on outfits or dye tongues weird colors! It always helps to let me know what the bribe is ahead of time so I can mention it if I need to.

Let It Go

Just Have Fun With Them

Once your family gets to the photoshoot location, let everything go and just play with your kids! Your photographer is in charge of making sure they aren’t making angry faces, and it helps way more if you are smiling the whole time. Otherwise, I will take the photo of your kid actually smiling and playing but your face will be the one that is off. For these 15 minutes, everything is fine and no one is getting threatened with some kind of punishment. In my experience, that is what brings out the crying 99% of the time. We bring up the positive reinforcement, not what is going to happen to them if they don’t listen!

You Set The Example

If the adults in the group have a positive attitude, most of the time the kids will follow suit. If you prepare ahead of time and plan on getting to the session about 10 minutes early, you will be in good shape! We are focusing on the little in-between moments where your family is just having fun being themselves. Lets make it happen together!

If you still need to book your mini session, I do them seasonally! Keep an eye on my INSTAGRAM or join my EMAIL LIST to see when the next round is happening.

If you are a photographer, you can book your next mini session at THE LIGHT PARLOUR!

Fill out my CONTACT FORM to start planning your own photoshoot with me.

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