Last week I post about the Mini Session. While it can be fun and fast, it is just that - over so fast you get what you get. In a One Hour Documentary you have more opportunities to get the family portraits done, but also get relaxed images of you and your children playing, exploring, interacting.
For the B family we chose a park setting where the kids enjoy climbing trees, exploring and running around. For a One Hour Session we can pick any location your family would enjoy best - the beach, the park, your home, your favorite ice cream shop, a bowling alley - the ideas are endless.
You can certainly dress in coordinating outfits, but that is not necessary. We can document your everyday life in whatever way that represents your family right now.
If it was my family? My youngest would wear her ballet leotard, tutu and her broken butterfly wings.
My 2016 sessions are almost all booked up - contact me for availability and booking!
A Mini Photo Session for Christmas Cards And Gifts
A Mini Photo Session is a quick way to get your family pictures taken. Perfect for Christmas cards! And perfect if you know your kids will cooperate (somewhat), or if you don't mind if someone is showing a grumpy face in the pictures.
In a Mini Session you get 30 minutes with the photographer, and end up with 5-10 digital images. For some families that is all that is needed. Click, click, click and you're done.
If that is not enough, there is always the One Hour Documentary Session, where you can feel a bit more relaxed, get both portrait images as well as documentary squeezed into the one hour. You also get more photos, 15-20 from your session.
These images were taken this past Saturday in a Mini Session. You might recognize the family from one of my Day In The Life Sessions (see their movie here).
Stories of Joy Photography does not offer these Minis very often. My passion really is to document the ordinary days in the lives of families. I find the all day 'Day In The Life Sessions' to be more special and meaningful, but it is kind of fun to do these quick sessions sometimes - especially right before the Holidays!
I have two 'Mini Sessions' and one 'One Hour Session' available this month. Contact me for details, and to book your session. But hurry - these will book fast! Or find out when we can schedule your 'Day in The Life Session'! (Before your family is in a whole new stage in life...)
The M Family - Day in The Life (Florida)
Earlier this year, I spent a fun, busy day with the M family in Florida. Their 3-year old boy/girl twins and a 10-month old baby boy provided so many pictures for our day I had the hardest time choosing photos from the Full Gallery to the Story Gallery. The fact that these three children were so stinking adorable and beautiful didn't help me narrow down photos, either.
So, I chose the longest song (about 7 minutes) and ended up with close to 200 photos in this movie. Sometimes you just have to make exceptions (normally a Story Gallery is about 100 photos).
The daily life with three kids under three is so filled with moments - all day long - that a lot of photos were taken. If you watch all the way to the end, you'll see the pictures end pretty abruptly. That's because all the adults were so wiped out after the busy day.
Could we all just pause a moment and appreciate the hard work parenting is? Mommies and daddies have the hardest job, especially in those early years. And when it's coupled with babies who don't sleep, well, it really shows the love and sacrifice parents do, every day.
Mommy M and Daddy M are doing such a wonderful job with their family and their young children. It was a joy to spend a day with their family!
Enjoy the movie!
The M Family - Day In The Life (New Hampshire)
Earlier this month I had the privilege of spending a day with the M family in New Hampshire. They are a wonderful, wholesome, inspiring homeschool family of five, with children ages 9, 7 and 4. About two months ago mom was diagnosed with cancer. An aggressive one that is large and spreads fast.
Mom writes a blog (click here), and in September she wrote:
Emotionally yesterday and today have been the hardest. A short conversation with my oncologist revealed that i have a life expectancy of 4-12 months. Needless to say that that pretty much knocked the breath out of me. I hadn’t realized how insufficient the chemo is with my particular cancer. I have 1% chance of a miracle, so I going for that 1% and I am not stopping.
The day I spent with the M's, mom was feeling good. Dad was home from work, and grandma had come to stay for a couple of months from Finland. And a friend from Texas was there to help with a healthy, organic diet.
I hope the pictures will speak for themselves, but you could imagine a day in the life of young mom diagnosed with a serious cancer would have been a depressing day. Instead, there was an amazing peace and joy in the house, all day.
In the beginning of her blog mom writes:
I am a daughter of a mighty and compassionate God. He is the God of gods and Lord of lords, mighty and awesome, He is my refuge. I am the bride of my considerate, ever-understanding, and oh so breath taking husband. I am a mother to our three sweet, rambunctiously giggly and happy children, they are my everything. I am also a 36-year old woman who is about to take on cancer! This is our story.
And yes, I completely sensed the presence of God in this household, and the many, many prayers people are praying all over the world. This family is in for a fight, but they have God on their side, and they are not alone!
Would you join the prayer forces?
Holiday Schedule Is Filling Up!
It's October, and Christmas will be here before we know it. If you've been thinking about getting your family pictures done, it's time to book your session with Stories of Joy!
My specialty is Day In The Life. I have four more sessions available for 2016. Contact me for details! I would love to document your life as it is right now. I cannot imagine a better gift to you and your family than a documentary of your family!
Stories of Joy Fall Special is Mini Sessions for $150 - an easy and quick way to get your family pictures (or your children's pictures) taken. November is all book up for families, but October still has some availability, and maybe for the last minute people we can squeeze a December session in, too!
November weekends are all booked up in Florida for the One Hour Documentary Sessions as well, but I am still booking for October and early December in Florida. The Fall special for the One Hour Session is $250 - normally $350, so make sure to take advantage of my Fall pricing.
And if you miss this season, ask me about gift cards for 2017 sessions! Gift cards for a photo session make a wonderful present for anyone!