I've had this mini-session idea sitting in the back of my mind for over two years, so I was very excited to finally make it happen this summer!
The verdict?
So much fun.
Also very, very hot. Because apparently I enjoy scheduling outdoor photography in July in Missouri. 😅
My Second Attempt at Mini Sessions
This was actually only my second time offering traditional mini sessions.
I've gone back and forth on minis for years because I've never been completely sure what I want them to look like within my business. This year, I've decided to treat them as a bit of an experiment—try a few ideas, see what families enjoy, and figure out what makes sense for me along the way.
For the bounce house minis, I had two families participate.
And honestly? That was completely fine.
It gave me a chance to try the concept without feeling rushed, spend a little more time experimenting, and confirm that yes—I absolutely want to do something like this again.
A Mini Session Lesson Learned
I also came away from these sessions with one pretty definitive business decision:
I'm done making families choose a limited number of images.
I've tried the "X number of images included" approach with minis before, and it just doesn't fit the way I work.
If I've already culled the gallery, edited the photos, and love the images...I want you to have them.
So moving forward, my mini sessions will include all of the final edited images rather than requiring families to narrow their gallery down to a specific number.
It took me a couple rounds of minis to accept it, but apparently I'm simply incapable of withholding cute photos. 😂
Worth the Heat
Between the bounce house, happy kiddos, and plenty of movement, these sessions were exactly what I had pictured when I first came up with the idea a couple of years ago.
I'm still figuring out exactly where mini sessions fit into Shalyn O'Neal Photography, but that's part of the fun.
Sometimes you don't need a perfectly developed plan.
Sometimes you just need a white bounce house, a couple of willing families, and the ability to survive a Missouri July evening.
I'd call round two a success.