Planning Mini Sessions (for photographers)

A few weeks ago I spent the Saturday in Nashville shooting six mini sessions with Marc of Vera & Harper . We had been planning for these sessions for almost three months, and learned a lot in the process of planning AND during the day of our sessions. I thought it may be beneficial for you guys if I shared how we did things, and what I learned along the way.

Planning:
Marc and I started planning several months ago for these sessions. Marc is an event designer, so she was in charge of all the props, and I was in charge of the photos- editing and delivering them to our clients. The first thing we did was set up a secret pinterest board and pinned away tons and tons of ideas. Marc was wonderful to take those ideas and run with them. In the end she had about three different "scenes" our clients could choose from- all running in the same color scheme. She was smart enough to bring props and toys for the older kids to play with, so they would enjoy the session.

Another part of the planning involved securing a location where we didn't have to have a permit to shoot. A local park worked great for us, and the clients LOVE IT. The day before our shoot, we realized that there was 90% chance of rain the day of our sessions. At the last minute we were able to secure an alternative inside location as well. We ended shooting 3 sessions outside, and 3 sessions inside. In hindsight, we wish we would have stayed in ONE LOCATION, and had our clients just come to us there. It ended up being A LOT more work on our part to set up in three different locations, AND a lot of headache communicating time and location changes to our clients the night before.

We also determined our price: $95, which we would split 50/50. Our clients had to sign up for a 30 minute time slot and pay a $25 dollar reservation fee to secure their slot. This made it so that people wouldn't drop out at the last minute. As a photographer, I have learned it is ALWAYS in your favor (and the clients favor) to take a deposit for any type of session. 

The Session Day:
We arrived to our first location (the local park) an hour before any of our clients would arrive. We had time to determine exactly where we wanted our shoots to take place, set up, and make sure all of my gear was in order for the quick sessions.

We promised our clients 30 minutes of shoot time with at least 15 edited, high resolution images. For each session I ended up taking about 200 frames (some more than this) so I could make sure I was giving everyone the best images possible. In the end, I ended up editing around 30-40 high resolution images for each client. I always try to under promise and over deliver.

For each client it was important to have them sign a contract (which included a photo release for me to use their photos) and a contract of the price they paid ALONG with their address and contact information. 

After we finished at the park, we rushed to our indoor location for the families who didn't want to bring their kids out in the rain. We set up quickly and had two different set-ups for the clients to choose from. Again, trying to give them as many options as we could.

Next we rushed to another clients house to do a quick session with her 7 day old newborn baby. (PRECIOUS!) All in all, we shot from 10 am until 5 pm. It was a long and tiring day.

What I Learned:
1. It was wonderful having Marc with me to worry about all of the decorations and session styling, during and beforehand. I really don't think I would have been able to do all of this alone. She thought of EVERYTHING, and allowed me to focus on posing our clients and taking the perfect photos.

2. We undercharged for the sessions. Not only did we spend over 30 minutes with each of our clients, but all of the time that went into making the props, editing the photos, and putting together beautiful packages almost made these sessions not worth our time. Next time we will know how to make things more efficient.

3. Advertising for the sessions on facebook was a great move. I was able to target our audience, and our reach was a lot farther than just our friends and family.

4. We will only shoot in one location next time. It was too stressful and too expensive to shoot our sessions in three different locations. We will make sure the location we choose has an INDOOR and OUTDOOR option.

5. Mini sessions are a great marketing tool. People who passed us in the park asked for our cards, our clients have requested more mini sessions and also full sessions as well. Our business cards got in more hands than they would have other wise, and we were able to make a good impression in our community as we are beginning both of our business. It was a win-win situation for US and our clients.

All of the sessions are now live at m. newsom photography , so head on over to see each session in it's entirety!

Good News Santa Barbara

I'm happy to introduce you all to Nicole of Good News Santa Barbara today! She's such a sweetheart, and I know you guys will be blessed by her and her blog! She's here today to tell us a bit more about herself, her journey and Good News Santa Barbara.

Hello! I'm Nicole and you can find me over at Good News Santa Barbara. I blog about my life and things that interest me, like healthy living, fun places, and good food. Thank you Meghan for asking me to be a part of Eat Live Make this month. I'm honored.

Blogging is something new in my world. I decided to start blogging after selling my clothing boutique of 12 years, which was a bittersweet ending. I grew tired and wanted to focus on my health, as I was not taking great care of myself. I decided to sell my home, my business, and move to Santa Barbara, where I began to journal (blogging), about my everyday musings. Blogging became very therapeutic for me. I started to actually enjoy my life, one day at a time. Not that I didn't have a great life before, but I started to experience something like never before, calmness, peacefulness, serenity. I was falling in love with life all over again.

Not long after moving to Santa Barbara, I met my husband, fell in love and got married, in 2011. We have been trying to start a little family, but have had a few setbacks. God-willing we will be blessed one day. For today, we live a very low key, slow-paced lifestyle, which is so different than how my life was. I feel so blessed that God has put me exactly where I am today.
Feel free to stop by and check us out. We'd love for you to say hi!
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Pinterest/blog

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In case you missed it, 

Monday I gave you guys TWO free watercolor print outs.

Tuesday, I shared one of my favorite recipes: Roasted Vegetables with Potato Pancakes and Vegan Pesto

On Wednesday you were reminded about HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE!

Have you entered to win Wheat Watchers over on Lacy and Meg GF?

Wheat Watchers Giveaway on Lacy and Meg GF

We've got a treat for you guys over on Lacy and Meg GF today! We are interviewing Lorna Foreman, the author of the cookbook Wheat Watchers  AND she's giving away three signed copies of her cookbook to three lucky winners!

Here's a little peak of one of the delicious recipes she has in her cookbook:

  

• Pineapple & Carrot Muffins
• 3/4 cup rice flour  
•  3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup soy flour   
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon   
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder  
• 1 cup grated carrots
• ½ tsp salt    
• 3/4 cup pineapple bits and
• ½ cup sugar     
• juice to fill 1 cup

• Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add oil, eggs, carrots, vanilla and pineapple.  Beat together and pour into greased muffin tins (I prefer using the paper muffin tin liners).  Bake in preheated 325F (160C) oven for 25-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Remember to head over to Lacy and Meg to read more about Lorna's story and enter to win a copy of her cookbook!

YOU are BEAUTIFUL

(source-wonderfully made)

I don't know if it is an epidemic among young women, or if it is something that I pick up on in others because I struggle with it every day of my life. 

The feeling that I am not enough, that I am flawed, that I would be better if I was somehow made differently..and I look to others to give me my confidence and reaffirm my beauty and self worth. 

Over the past few months, I have had several friends who have been rocked to their core.. wondering if their gifts and their voice and their bodies are of value. And my heart breaks because they can't see the beauty that is in front of them. Because of the voices that are all around them telling them they aren't enough, they aren't beautiful, they forget to look in front of them and see the beauty they RADIATE from within themselves. 

All of this has made me think of you, dear reader. That if I struggle with these insecurities, and my close friends do, than you most likely do, too. And it breaks my heart to think of you not realizing your worth. That circumstances, or people, or your relationship could make you think that you are less than what you were created to be. That your gifts are not of value. 

Today I want to speak into your soul and life and tell you that those things are not true. That you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you have purpose because YOU are YOU. Our God does not make mistakes, and he made no mistake when he molded your body and your spirit. 

(Source-Typographic verses)

He purposely put beautiful gifts inside of you to use for HIS glory and HIS purpose. Those gifts may not look like  you want them to look, or like your parents or friends want them to look, but they are YOU and they are PERFECT. 

So when you find yourself glancing at your reflection in the mirror, allow yourself to feel known in  your beauty. Remind yourself that our GOD DELIGHTS in your beauty. When you read a not-so-nice e mail from someone, do not let yourself dwell on their words.. because their words are not truth. 

I want you to know that you are created for a beautiful purpose. I want you to know and feel the Father delighting in every square inch of who you are.