Maternity Photography is All About YOU.

Some photo sessions are about your family, some are about your business – some are about your child, and others are about your partnership. But Minneapolis Maternity sessions? Those are 100% about you, Mama!

Okay okay, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration. Maybe they’re more like 75% about you, because they’re about your partnership, too, if a partner is a part of your journey to parenthood. But even if you want to have your partner or your other children included in your maternity photo session (which you totally can!) the session is still mostly focused on you, your belly, the way your body and life are changing, and honestly? Just taking a moment to celebrate you before everything is super different.

Mini Sessions Can Be a Lot of Things!

So with all of this “all about you” focus here, it might feel like having a mini session for your maternity photos here in Minneapolis wouldn’t have the right tone. I mean, mini sessions are mini, after all. They’re lightning fast, they include only a handful of images (but you can always upgrade!!), and they’re in pre-selected locations in and around my Minneapolis photography studio.

But if they’re all of these things, that notably DON’T include “completely custom and all about you” – can a mini really double as your maternity shoot? Is that a good idea AT ALL? Today we’re going to walk through all the things you need to think about before deciding, because for some of you? The answer might be yes! And for others… it’ll be a definite “no”. And we’re going to talk about why!

What to Think About Before Choosing a Mini Session For Your Maternity Photos:

1. Is this your first Maternity session?

Alright the first thing you need to think about when you’re choosing whether to have a mini session or a full session for your maternity photos, is whether this is your first time on this particular merry-go-round. Not for the reason you might be thinking, though. I don’t want you to think about it like “Oh, well I’ve done this before, I don’t need photos this time.” Instead, I want you to think about your experience last time, if you did have one. And I want you to consider what you wish you’d done differently. Do you wish you had more pictures? Do you wish you’d had some outdoors? What about what you were wearing? Think about those things… and this time? Do it the way you wish you had the first go around. Or the second.

If you HAVEN’T had maternity photos before, you’ve got a blank-slate situation here! So instead of thinking about what you’ve done before, think about your hopes and dreams. What have you always wished about your maternity photos? Does it feel like that hope can be achieved with a mini session?

2. How many images do you want?

One of the key differences between a full session, and a mini session, is the number of images included with your package. With a full session, the answer to that question is pretty much “as many as you want!” because not only can you upgrade your session to include more of your gallery, you can have fully custom sessions that COME WITH all of the images from your session too. But a mini, being intended for speed and focus, only comes with a handful of digital images. So, if you’re looking to have a whole load of pictures coming out of your maternity session? Maybe a mini isn’t the vibe. But if you just want a few, perfect photos, it might do exactly what you need!

3. Do you want to wear multiple outfits?

Another major difference between a mini session and a full session, is the length. Minis are shorter. I mean, I don’t know what to tell you, it’s in the name. Everything about them is “mini-er” than a full session. But part of what that means in application is there is NO time for a wardrobe change in the middle. You get to wear what you wore to come to the session, and that’s all there’s time for. So if you were hoping to have images taken in multiple outfits, that’s not going to be possible if your session is a mini. If it’s a full session, you can wear as many outfits as you want, and we can work in wardrobe changes to fit your exact needs! But if those needs are more complex than “show up wearing an outfit, and leave wearing that same outfit” wardrobe-wise, you’re probably not going to be super happy with what’s included in a mini session.

4. Do you want to use multiple locations?

This one is a little bit of a given, because it’s the “location” version of point three. Mini sessions, by design, only include one location. We start there, end there, and take all of your photos there. And not only that, but the location is 100% chosen by me, because mini sessions are on pre-set dates throughout the year, at locations throughout Minneapolis that I’ve scouted and selected specifically to use for mini photo sessions. Now don’t get me wrong, they’re pretty great locations, and any of them would be totally suitable for your maternity photos, depending on the tone you’re going for! But just because they WILL work, doesn’t mean they’re perfect, and doesn’t mean that you’re okay limiting yourself you only one location for your session. If you’re thinking you want something more involved, that includes images in multiple places, and possibly both indoor and outdoor images, then a mini session for your maternity photos isn’t going to cut it.

5. Are you looking for some photos, or a full blown experience?

The final question that’ll help you choose whether having a mini session for your maternity photos is realistic, is what overall experience you’re going for when you’re booking your maternity photos. Now as a photographer, obviously I want you to say you’re going for the full experience, and that you want pampered, and to remember the day for the rest of your life. But I understand that’s not completely realistic, and everyone’s situation is different! You might be going into this truly just wanting a handful of photos at the end, and not really caring a whole lot about the details, and that is 100% okay! It doesn’t mean you need to skip maternity photos though, just because photographers’ packages look like they include a lot more than you want. In that case, a mini is just what you need!

Struggling to decide between a full maternity photoshoot and a mini session? Let’s talk about it!

I totally get that these kinds of choices about your photo session are big decisions, and they might not feel straightforward to make yourself! If you’ve looked at all the details, and you’re still having trouble deciding… just reach out. I would love to talk you through your Minneapolis maternity photo session options, and help you arrive at the best possible choice for YOU!