Part 3: Shooting the Mini Session (So You Don’t End Up Sweaty and Panicked)

🎧 This is Part 3 of my 4-part “Get Mini Rich” series. Today’s question: How do you shoot a 10–20 minute session without turning into a sweaty disaster whispering “please just smile once” through clenched teeth? If you missed it, here are the other parts:

Part 1: What Is a Mini Session? (And Why They Can Be a Six-Figure Engine)

Part 2: Marketing Your Mini Sessions (Fill Every Slot—On Repeat)

Part 4: How to Make Money From Mini Sessions with Gallery Sales (Spoiler: It’s Not the Booking Fee)

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Step 1: Scout Like Sherlock

Don’t just show up. Grab a practice family, take your sweet time, and find 2–4 “stations” you can rotate through. Think wood wall, white wall, random metal texture. Done.

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Step 2: Use the Mini Shot List

You need one of these, minimum every shoot:

1. Whole family posed
2. Whole family in motion
3. Each kid solo
4. Siblings together
   Optional bonus: Parents looking less tired than they feel. Ha!

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Step 3: Move Less, Shoot More

Your Fitbit doesn’t need to hit 10k during minis. Pivot them, rotate yourself, change backgrounds by turning 90°. Save the cardio for another day.

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Challenge Prompts

• Which stations at your location give you the most variety with the least movement?
• What’s your shot list (print it if you need it but it will become reflexive over time)?
• How will you keep it playful and on time?
• What signature move will you make (treat basket, a gift, etc) at the shoot that will create that ‘above and beyond’ experience for your clients?

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Bottom Line

Minis are not the time to “just vibe.” Minis are chess, not checkers. Plan, execute, deliver. Then laugh all the way to the bank.

👉 Grab my shot list cards + client pre-brief inside The High-End Mini Session Blueprint.