Mini vs full sessions

The million dollar question I get constantly!

There’s often a misconception about full sessions so I decided to write about it so you can consider it before picking (If you have to pick only one) what’s best for you and your family.

What I often hear is, “I don’t think my kids/husband can handle more than a 15 minute mini session”

hmmm- Think again!

What my client said: “I absolutely adore every single photo. You are so amazing and your eye for every detail amazes me every time! Thank you again for these precious memories! "

Here’s something to consider:

Mini sessions are short (mine and all other photogs who offer them). My minis are 15 minutes so one of the most important things is that you have to be a punctual person and make sure that you can get yourself and your family ready and at the mini session location a few minutes before it starts. During mini session offerings, there are several mini sessions before and after yours, so is extremely important that we are ready to go from the start.  I offer minis multiple times a year and I love them BUT mini sessions are not for everyone!

Why? Here’s my advise to help you choose if you can only pick one…

Ask yourself this question: "Does my children warm up quickly or they need some time before they loosen up?" 

Here's why: When you book a Full Session, we'll have lots of time to get your children to warm up to me, however, with a Mini Session we won't have this extra time and while I consider myself pretty good at getting kiddos to be comfortable and happy around me, we need to jump straight to it. We will also be on the same spot for the 15 minutes we have so we can get all those shots we are looking to get during this time. With full sessions, we are on the move! No time to get bored!

Location

Typically, my mini sessions have themes and a location pre-defined, and usually held seasonally.  Full sessions are at a location of your choice from my preferred list of options.

FULL SESSIONS

These have my heart! ❤️ Specially those who choose to upgrade their galleries! WHY?

What my client said: “Ana the photos are gorgeous!!!! Thank you thank you!!! You are seriously the BEST! 🤍”

First off, let me tell you that this is what I choose every year for my own family. We usually do 1 full session and 2 minis every year.

A full session ranges from 30-45 minutes and you'll have me, all to yourself! Your session will be my main focus of the day. We won't have to hurry and we will focus to get all the shots you want plus lots of candid moments in between. There will be much more pre-planning to make your photoshoot more customized. There will be more time to get your baby to open up, your toddler to smile and to get playful/candid shots. Outfit changes and props are always welcomed with a full session. The result is a more relaxed session and a beautiful variety of images. For those who choose to upgrade their galleries, THANK YOU! I adore telling stories through your pictures and upgraded galleries allow me to do just that. I get to take lots of detail shots, lots of candid and “real” unplanned shots than with one that’s not upgraded.  Check both of the collages below from 2 upgraded full sessions and you will spot those detail and unplanned shots throughout.

I have multiple clients who like to do 1 or more minis to capture the ever changing kiddos and family and to get on the specific theme I am offering (Christmas, sunflowers, etc) and also a do a full session a year because they love the relaxed vibe of it and being able to focus on playing and having fun vs having to jump straight to it.

Hope this helps you understand a little more about the difference between these 2 very popular options.

Can’t wait to work with your family!

xoxo

Ana

When it comes to newborn sessions, there’s a few questions I get asked almost always:

1- When should I book my newborn session? The answer is as soon as possible. It’s really never too early. Booking a newborn photographer is an important decision and you have to make sure that whoever you choose, is the one that better meets what you are looking for. If I am the one you picked, thank you! It’s an honor for me to get to capture such an important time in your life. It’s important to also keep in mind that most of us photographers only take a handful of newborn sessions a month so the earlier you book, the more chances you will have to find availability.

2- How do I book a date if I don’t know when the baby will actually be born? Don’t worry! I will help you with this. We will schedule your date based on your due date and a few other questions I will ask you when you first reach out. We will also schedule your date based on which of my 2 newborn sessions you are looking to book.

3-Which newborn session should I book? As you probably seen in my investment page, I have 2 different types of newborn sessions:

1) Lifestyle Newborn session. Lifestyle newborn photography, is a style of photography where the baby is in their own home and we place a bigger emphasis on interaction between the baby and the members of the family. During this session, we will take photos of the whole family together, siblings with baby, mommy with baby, daddy with baby and then a few unposed photos of baby alone. This session type does not include posed photos of the baby or props. This session last approximately 1 hour and we want to do it while baby is 0-4 weeks. Ideally before 2 weeks.

 2) Lifestyle Newborn session with a classic twist* - Just as the lifestyle only session above, we will capture the interaction between the baby and the members of the family and we will do photos of the whole family together, siblings with baby, mommy with baby, daddy with baby and few lifestyle unposed baby only photos. This portion of the session will last about an hour. Once we are done with those, I will stay with the baby for another hour, hour and half to capture a few classic wrapped/swaddled newborn photos. I will bring baskets, props, different swaddles, etc so you don’t have to worry about having anything. During this time I will do 3-4 setups at photographer’s discretion. The entire session last approximately 2.5 hours and we want to do it while baby is 0-10 days old and no older than 2 weeks. If you choose this type of session, it is imperative that you keep me updated on baby progress and notify me immediately upon delivery to ensure the date we have scheduled still works. Here are some examples of what “the classic twist” part includes:

4- How are all these people’s bedrooms so beautiful and clean? Mine isn’t like that at all. This one always makes me laugh! You will be surprised what a couple of small changes can do to your bedroom! Once you book, you will receive my newborn session guide and I will go through this and how to make your space perfect in the most stress-free way possible. Additionally, the day of your session I will do a final walkthrough and make a few more changes if needed. So yeah, don’t stress about this, I got you!

5- Do you have any newborn certifications? I sure do! In addition to years of experience I am proud to hold a Qualified Newborn Photographer credential with APNPI (Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International) You can read more about the process I followed HERE

Well friends, that is all for now! Hope this answered some of your questions. If you are ready to book you can go directly to my booking site HERE.

Can’t wait for our session!

I have a confession to make…

In light of all the Christmas sessions coming up and everyone getting their pictures done for the holidays (whether that’s with me or someone else), I felt it was the right time to get personal and perhaps a bit vulnerable but here it is!

I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life! It’s so hard to accept and to love myself while I work on a healthier and better version of me. I know that I am not alone and I know that many of us mommas know the struggles. Specially after #2, it just seems like your metabolism stops and nothing works anymore! It's crazy!

Now, you are probably wondering why am I telling you this right? Well, here’s why:

Do you think my babies will look back at these pictures and think I should not have been in those pictures because I still haven’t lost the weight from having my little guy? Or that I should have waited until I got my highlights done?

The answer: NO

We are SO hard on ourselves mommas! We see the dark circles under our eyes. The extra pounds of baby weight we’ve been meaning to lose. We see our messy hair always tied up because we haven’t had a haircut/color in months and SO much more. But here’s a little secret. That’s not what our kids see. They see the mom who loves them day in and day out, the mom who snuggles in bed with them, who gets them to sleep every night, they see YOU!

I know it’s easier to be behind the camera (Hello! I do it every day!) but you have to be in front of it too. There are so many reasons why I make it a point to do it myself! When you look back at this time in your life, you’ll want to remember what you looked like. Do you ever look back at pictures of yourself and realize you looked amazing! Well, you probably didn’t think that when you took the picture… And most importantly, years from now, when your kids look at pictures from this time in their lives, they’ll want to see YOU. They’ll want to remember those snuggles, the laughter, the kisses and the love that was captured in those pictures of you and them.

So, it’s time mommas! Our kids are watching us. Let's be a positive example, step in front of that camera and own our look!

Love you all!

Ana

A couple of months ago I shared I was studying and working on something big! Well… I am happy to announce that after almost 9 weeks I have officially received my Qualified Newborn Photographer Credential. In addition to the credential, I also completed a Newborn safety course. Safety is very important to me and I am committed to continue growing and learning to become the best version of myself I can be for my clients.

APNPI (The Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International) is a Professional Newborn Photographer's Association created by newborn photographers specifically for newborn photographers. APNPI formed out of a passion to give professional recognition to Newborn Photographers, and to connect photographers in a safe and respectful place that cultivates the growth of artistry and business acumen amongst it's membership.

You survived your session and you have finally received your pictures! Yay!

Now what to do:

1- Download them!

I know how exciting it is to receive your photos and you just cant wait to share them, but please take a few minutes to download those pictures to your computer as soon as you can. The download needs to happen to your computer- NOT your phone. Why the computer? Because not only do you keep the high quality and resolution your photographer worked so hard for and that you hire them for but it will be vital for gorgeous looking prints. Also, why download them right away? Because galleries do not stay up forever. Every photographer has a different time frame but mine is 7 days. After 7 days your gallery will be taken down. (A $25 fee will be charged after 7 days to re upload)

2- back them up

Yes! You now downloaded them and you have them in your computer, great! But… what if your computer crashes? Always choose a backup storage method. Cloud storage is the most convenient and popular because you won’t have to physically carry it around with you. Now, If you choose to go the traditional storage route (USB/External Hard drives etc), buy new storage dedicated for your family photos each year and try not to overuse the drive.

3- print them

Now that your beautiful pictures have arrived and you have them downloaded and backed up, pick a few and print them! That is why you wanted these pictures for right? Nothing brings me more joy than when I go to my client’s homes and see their beautiful family pictures displayed on their walls. Also, I don’t know about you but I love looking at my kids little faces every day when I walk by the hallway in my house. There are multiple places you can print them at for professional quality like mpix.com but I have also successfully printed some of mine at Shutterfly. I’d be happy to suggest more if you need help!

Last but not least…

4- Show me (your photographer) some love!

I love building relationships with my clients! I invest myself in you and your family and I don’t want our relationship to end the moment I press “send” on your gallery.  If you worked with me, you know that I pour my hearts and soul into every session, so PLEASE… When you get your images, take a couple minutes and share your thoughts with me! Something extra special you can do is to write a meaningful review. Word of mouth referrals are how I find other amazing clients like you! PLUS! Hearing how much you love your photos fills my heart with SO much joy!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Ana

It’s only August but most of us photographers are officially launching our Fall and Christmas sessions so I figured this would be a great time to post about this. I feel like over the past 5 years that I have been a photographer, I have seen it all but yet! Every year comes with it’s whole set of new things to learn from. I’ve read many articles from other Photographers with their set of things “they wish clients would know” and it gives me some great comfort to know that we all face similar situations so I feel like my “5 things your photographer wished you knew” will be very relatable to other photographers as well…

1-Dad… RELAX! I already know that your wife was the one who booked this session and I already know that this is not on your Top Ten List of Favorite Things to do on a weekend, but its 20-30 minutes and you’re here, so why not make the best of it? I’ve always found that the dad’s attitude can make or break the shoot… if he’s low-key, engaged and showing a little love, Mom relaxes, the kids have fun and the photos reflect a genuine family connection. If he’s cranky and critical, Mom is stressed and the tension trickles down to every last child. I promise to make the shoot as painless and quick as possible… I’ve got your back! :)

2. Momma… BREATHE! I’m not judging you AT ALL. Your children are not the worst I’ve ever photographed. Your hair is fine! That outfit is okay. I know you might be uncomfortable, but remember that I want you to look your best. If I move you or ask you to tilt your head, I PROMISE it’s because I want you to look your best! One aspect I think all of us women struggle with is appearance. We worry about that extra baby weight, our arms, our waist, you name it! I think for this very reason, many choose to not be in the pictures (I hear this all the time: “I want a session just for my kids”), but mamas I am here to tell you….STOP WAITING. The time is now and it’s flying by right before your eyes. Getting in front of that camera and capturing these beautiful moments with your family is something that you will never forget or regret. In fact, your children will never look back on those pictures and say, “I wish my mama waited to lose the extra 10 lb.!” Instead, they will smile seeing the memories that were created into a still image on that day. 

3. All kids are crazy. Nothing stress parents more than seeing their children misbehave or get a little crazy during a photo-shoot, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: they ALL do! Mine do too! I need to establish an authentic connection, so I might need to excite and play with them but I am also great at calming them back down and centering their attention onto the camera when it’s time for pictures. So trust me and let me be in control, I promise I will ask for help if I need it! There’s no need to stress that your children are being “bad”… they’re being kids and I honestly love it! 

4. Wardrobe Matters. And it really can make or break a session. If you are having trouble, visit my Pinterest “What to wear” board or reach out to me, I’d LOVE to help you style the perfect outfits for your session! As a rule, try to stay away from busy patterns, matchy-matchy colors, and neon. Red and white are challenging colors for some skin tones so keep that in mind. Try to coordinate your colors as best as you can and stay away from wrinkly clothes and clothes with stains on them when possible. 

5. I am HUMAN October and November can be HECTIC for me. Some days I can answer right away, and others it may take me a few hours to respond. This could be from shoots taking place, my full time job (YES! I have one!), my children needing some undivided attention, editing marathons where I need to focus, or I might just be taking the day off to recharge. I’ll answer as soon as I can. I promise! 

And I can’t finish this blog without telling you one more thing…

I LOVE MY CLIENTS. So much. Literally, without you, photography wouldn’t be possible. I am thankful for you. Don’t you ever think you are just “one more”, you are NOT! 

I always feel a connection with you… from the time I’ve chatted with you about your session, spent time with you loving on your kids, embarrassing your teenagers asking them to kiss your cheek (knowing they secretly love it) and capturing your family, to the time spent reliving the shoot through culling and editing, I’m invested! 

After I deliver your gallery, I am literally DYING to know if you’re happy with the finished photos, so next time you do a session with me, don’t be a stranger! I will be waiting to hear back from you! You have no idea the happiness of my heart when you tell me you love your photos!

Thank you for reading and whether you choose me or someone else, I hope you remember these and find them helpful for your next session!

XOXO

Ana

Pic below is from past clients who happened to nail these! :)

Hi guys It’s me! your Photographer :)

Let’s start by saying I am NOT a blogger, in fact this is the very first time I write a blog!

I am beyond excited to finally be able to launch my website. Building a website is SO much work you guys! If you have ever tried, you know what I am talking about. I have to admit I have been putting this off for YEARS now, so I believe this was about time.

I started a website for the first time 5 years ago, then after I finished it I decided I didn’t like it so I never published it. Then I asked someone for help but it also didn’t get to a point were I felt I was proud of showing it, so again I didn’t publish it. I just couldn’t make up my mind on what and how I wanted to show my work.

So, all this to say that I have finally created something I am proud to show and although I know it isn’t perfect, and I know it could be much better, I am happy for now! I will continue to work to improve it but as of now I am celebrating this small accomplishment!

I believe life is all about celebrating those small accomplishments, we are always learning, always evolving so sometimes is good to stop and smell the roses for a minute right?

Feel free to leave me your comments below! I would love to hear what you think and what should I improve on the site.

XOXO

Ana