Why Documentary Family Photo Sessions are So Long
I understand that booking a photo session can often be overwhelming. Setting aside the “what will everyone wear” and “how will my kids act” questions (FYI: whatever you feel great in and it doesn’t matter!), just finding a photographer that fits and getting a session scheduled can feel like a lot. My goal is to simplify the entire experience for you, from start to finish, including the booking process itself.
All of my family photo sessions include many digital images to download, and the difference in the three sessions that I offer is the three different lengths: one hour, up to 3 hours, and up to 6 hours.
Think about your favorite memories—the ones that make you smile out of nowhere. They probably aren’t perfectly posed moments. They’re the in-between ones. The way your toddler insists on wearing rain boots everywhere. The way your partner sneaks a kiss while making coffee. The way your kids pile on top of you for one last bedtime snuggle.
These are the moments that tell the full story of your family. And they don’t happen in just an hour, which is why I recommend longer sessions for documentary sessions.
Five things to consider when booking your photo session length:
1. More photos! This one might be obvious, but it’s worth pointing out. Your gallery after a one hour session will likely include 50-100 photos, and after a half day session, you’ll likely receive around 150.
You might be thinking, “I only want a few good photos,” I get that. If it is the portraits I make that you are really interested in, then we can definitely make a few great ones in a short and sweet one hour session. But if you love the idea of having art made out of your life, see number 2.
This photo took time to make. It was that one moment when he threw the dragon and he and the dragon were both framed by the window.
2. More artful candid photos. Anyone can take a snapshot candid photo, but I’m trying to make art out of candid moments. At the risk of nerding out too much, Artful candids are an intentional combination of light, composition, and moment. Composition is the only element I can mostly control. The use of available light can take time to see, but the “moments” are the trickiest. I have to wait patiently for them to unfold, and this takes time.
More time means plenty of time to read a pile of books with Grandma.
3. More variety—the more time we have the more activities and locations we can include. We can tell the story of a typical morning or evening in your life. We can start at your house and then head to the park. I’ll tag along on your Target run and document your kids in that giant shopping cart they love, and then go with you to the swimming pool for the afternoon.
For families with multiple kids, the more variety will also mean that each kid has more of my focus. There is time to spend in each kid’s room, or with the baby at home before picking up the older siblings from school.
At documentary photo sessions, we aren’t doing snippets of activities so that I can get a few pictures. If your family is playing a board game, I want you to actually play the game. I want to photograph your real life, not you pretending to do things that you do in real life.
Why not start our time together at school pickup and catch that running hug?
4. More moods —the giggles, tantrums, quiet moments that happen within a few hours. If you think about a few hours in your house, you might be able to write a long list of emotions that pop up on any given day. Every one of those emotions is a part of your story right now, and with a longer photo session, your online gallery will reflect more of them.
Longer sessions also take some of the pressure off because you can relax if your toddler is kicking and screaming. If I see an interesting picture of that moment, I will take it, but we also know that the same child could easily be laughing hysterically in just a bit.
The quiet moments capture personalities too. You will remember that she takes her book into the restaurant when allowed.
5. More chill. That’s a big reason why my kids and I choose documentary family photos every time. There’s zero pressure to perform or wear clothes that we hate! The whole family can just show up and be their authentic selves. Most people don’t love being in front of a camera, but a longer session requires less prep on the front end, and it gives the time to relax, settle in, and get comfortable with me being there.
No need to rush and get everyone ready and out the door—in fact let’s document getting ready, too.
I’m often asked if I offer mini sessions, with the explanation that the kids won’t behave for more than 15 minutes. That might be true! If you’re looking only for portraits of the family looking perfect, then that’s a great reason to hire a photographer who offers 15 minute portrait sessions. That isn’t the art that I am making.
When I arrive for a family session, I actually hope that the kids won’t sit still for more than 15 minutes. That’s not what most kids do. I want them to show me their personality, and to see the complicated relationships within the family. I like to start every session with some portraits and then move right into making fun, artful candids for the rest of our time together.
The main reason documentary family photo sessions need more time is because your family is unique. Rather than meeting you at a park at sunset and making the same cookie-cutter pictures of every family, I’m looking to tell your story and all of the unique details and personality. Because real life is the best.
I offer family photo sessions in three lengths, and each session will result in an on-line gallery of edited images to download or order prints and albums from. We definitely don’t have to use all of the time we’ve set aside for our session, and I won’t necessarily be shooting the whole time I’m with a family. Sometimes, connecting with a kid on the Lego set he’s working on will help him to relax and be more comfortable around me for the rest of the session.
A 1 hour session is my version of a mini session. Time flies by in an hour, especially with multiple kids and young kids. A one hour session is right for you if you want to get a few portraits and document a certain time of day in your life. I’ve heard many (especially newborn clients) say, “Oh wow, you were right about one hour going by so fast.”
A 2-3 hour session tends to be the sweet spot for family sessions and usually lasts a little over two hours. It’s the perfect amount of time for a newborn session, when 1 hour isn’t enough but a half day might feel like too much. We can spend time at your house and also head out into your world.
A Half Day in the Life session is about 5-6 hours and is the perfect session to create a heirloom album. From sleepy-eyed mornings to the bedtime stories that never seem to end, I document the little things that make your family yours. A half day lets your family settle in, be themselves, and forget the camera is even there. Instead of a snapshot, you get a full, rich, layered story—one that reflects the real, beautiful rhythm of your life.
An hour is just a glimpse. A half day is the story. And trust me, it's a story worth telling.