How Long Does a Family Photo Session Take

As both a Virginia Beach family photographer and as a mama of four, I absolutely get all the things you are thinking when it comes to family photo sessions (one of those being TIME!). You are staring at your calendar trying to work out how your photo session is going to fit between nap time and dinner, and nobody has actually told you how long it takes. An hour? Three? Do you need to write off the whole afternoon?

I have had many Virginia Beach family photo sessions over the years and through my experience, I have lots of thoughts (and tips!) when it comes to the time allotted for your session. Through this blog post, I will share these to help you schedule your next session and get those memories documented.

Looking for tips on how long a family photo session takes? Sharing these below.

How Long Does a Family Photo Session Take?

In general, I offer three different lengths of family photo sessions. My full sessions (offered year round!) are up to 45 minutes of shoot time. These sessions are personalized to your family at the location of your choice selected from my location guide and a full session means that your family is the ONLY family I am shooting that morning or evening.

Full sessions give families the opportunity to get comfortable and really connect with each other, usually resulting in a wider variety of images in the final gallery. Full sessions do not mean 45 minutes of posing. My sessions (especially the ones with younger kids) are set up to include some games or fun prompts with lots of movement! I understand that no one wants to sit still and pose for almost an hour and truly would not love the photos that would result from that, anyways. 😉 Also, just because the session length states up to 45 minutes doesn’t mean that we always use it. Some families are done before that time and still end up with a gallery with a wide variety of beautiful images.

At different times of the year, I will also offer mini and/or half sessions. These are set sessions at pre-determined locations and with multiple families scheduled in the same evening. Mini sessions are usually 15 minutes long and half sessions are usually 30 minutes long. These will usually result in a lower amount of photos and given the smaller amount of time, will typically not have as many of the candid images that a full session would have.

The kind of session that is the best fit for your family really differs based on what kind of photos you are looking for, current stage of life, and any milestones you may be wanting to have documented during the session. For more information on choosing between a mini or full session, you can read this blog post!

What Actually Happens During a Family Photo Session?

After booking a family photo session with me, you will immediately receive a follow-up email with my Session Prep Guide and some other resources for planning. This will provide you with information on what to expect during the photo session (and of course, how to prepare for it!).

I always allot a few minutes (especially during sessions with kids) to chat with the little ones and to get them comfortable with me and my camera. This is obviously easier to do with a full session, so depending on your child and his/her personality, you may want to factor this into your decision of whether to choose a full session or one of the shorter options.

I always have my camera in hand and am always shooting. Even if you aren’t in a “pose” I have set up, I am most likely shooting. It’s those in between moments that often become my favorites in the final gallery.

I will move through different groupings and combinations throughout the session – including full family, mom/child, dad/child, sibling and sometimes individual photos. Again, this will depend on what kind of session and how much time we have to work with! 🙂

Why Do Some Family Photo Sessions Run Longer than Others?

There are definitely factors that affect the length of a session and what kind of session I would recommend for your family. Group size is a major one of these, especially when it comes to extended sessions – in which I only photograph for a full session (to get the best outcome!). Obviously the bigger your group, the more combinations, and therefore the amount of time needed.

The age of the children also will affect the time of the session. I often have toddler moms share that their “kids won’t make it a full session” but these sometimes are the exact families that I would recommend to book the longer session. Toddlers need time to get adjusted and having that additional time will enable them to get comfortable/be themselves and will result in more authentic photos.

Other factors could be a milestone you are wanting to be documented, whether or not you are including pets in the photos, or simply the amount of photos you are hoping for. Again, this blog post which focuses on the differences in mini and full sessions could be very helpful when you are considering which option to choose.

The Time Before Your Session Matters More than the Session.

Taking the time to prepare for your session matters just as much as the actual session itself. As shared earlier, I provide all of my clients with a Session Prep Guide before the session and highly recommend taking time before your session day to make sure you and your family are prepared.

Things to consider here include making sure all outfits/shoes are chosen (and that they fit!), knowing the time needed to drive to the session location, planning ahead to make sure everyone is fed, and also – talking to your kids and husband prior to frame this as the positive experience that I hope it will be.

For more information on this, you can read this blog post on tips for family photos with kids.

In conclusion, when booking a session with me – you can always choose the full session (with up to 45 minutes of shooting time!), or at different times of the year, I will offer mini and/or half sessions at shorter lengths. These sessions are usually announced first through my email list which you can join here, and you can also email me at ashleybricknerphoto@gmail.com to inquire more about a full session or ask any questions that you have. I hope to get the opportunity to work with you!

FAQs

Do we need to arrive early for our family photo session?

I always recommend that you arrive a few minutes early to make sure your family as time to get settled and comfortable, as your session is scheduled around the time that the light is the most ideal for the best outcome of the photos. I especially recommend arriving a few minutes early for mini or half sessions as those sessions are scheduled back to back with other families. Arriving late will result in less time (and therefore less photos!) and we definitely don’t ever want that. I will also remind you of this multiple times in my reminder emails before your session.

How much time should an extended family session take?

Extended session groups are typically larger and therefore I allot more time to these (usually one hour!). These sessions have more people, more groupings, and the extra time is beneficial.

How long after the session will we get our photos?

My editing turnaround time is 2 to 3 weeks. When your final gallery is complete, it will be delivered through email and you will be able to save, print, and share your images from there as you would like.