Family Portrait Sessions Have A Bad Rep


"How long will the session last? Is it really an hour?? I'm not sure my family will make it that long!"


Friends, I feel ya. I am of the Olan Mills generation, where family photo sessions took place in a stuffy studio with a thoroughly uninterested photographer using the same poses on every family and blinding you with the biggest flash they could find. 15 minutes could feel like an hour. I remember my father and brother being less than thrilled about wearing their Sunday best for even that long.


Today your options for photo sessions are almost unlimited, and the experiences are as varied as the photographers who offer them. My experience as a family photographer for over 6 years (and a mom for more than 10!) have led me to create several choices for NMP families.


Mini Session 20 minutes

Classic Session 30-60 minutes

You can be sure that we will get several poses and interactions that include the whole family during an NMP Mini Session!

MINI SESSION

Mini Sessions last up to 20 minutes and include all edited digital images (min. 5 in every gallery). Mini Sessions are perfect for:

  • repeat NMP clients
  • families with older children/teenagers who are cooperative and outgoing
  • small families (e.g. couples, families with one child)
  • children only (excluding newborns)
  • families who want to get an updated family portrait but do not necessarily need/want individual portraits or specific family combinations

20 minutes will go by FAST! so families who choose a mini session should expect several full family portraits to choose from. Additional poses/arrangements will always be attempted and offered, but the variety and number of images you ultimately end up with depends on your family's temperament and cooperation.

Sunset photo of family playing chase under a quilt in Flower Mound, TX.

Classic Sessions allow time for walking around a location for different scenery. It also gives your family time to play and interact naturally, which always makes for memorable photos!

CLASSIC SESSION

Classic Sessions last up to 60 minutes and include all edited digital images. Classic Sessions are perfect for:

  • new NMP clients
  • families with multiple small children or a small child who is shy
  • newborn sessions
  • maternity sessions
  • families of 5 or more
  • small multi-generational families (e.g. one set of grandparents and one immediate family for a total of 5-7 people)
  • families who have never had a portrait session before

One hour seems intimidatingly long to many families, especially those with small children. Lifestyle photography, however, is not static and posed-in fact, it is quite the opposite. I have my families play games, tickle fight, and move about. I try to spend time getting to know each member of the family, especially the children, so that you are comfortable when I begin to click my shutter. My goal is to capture your family in its natural interactions, so the extra time a classic session provides is invaluable. Believe it or not, an hour flies by! Most of my clients are shocked when the hour is up, they had no idea we had been playing for so long. Most Classic Sessions include a gallery of at least 25 edited images. You may also purchase additional images for download.

If you are still wondering which session is right for your family, well, that's where I come in...


As your friendly neighborhood photographer I can chat with you about your expectations, budget, and your family's personality to help you choose a session that works best for you!


I'm just a call, email, or text away!


~Nikki