So I’m starting something new…  And here’s why.

For a while now I’ve had two problems…  First of all, mini-sessions grate on me.  Big time.  There has always been something that didn’t quite fit how I view people and their stories.  It was one location that I picked and I felt like the experience left people feeling like a number and not a person who was loved, treasured and seen – which is the antithesis of what I desire in documenting someone’s story.  Secondly, my sessions are a big investment that many people might value but not currently be able to afford…

So enter my new idea:  Shared Story sessions.

These are sessions that are shorter in length – but instead of filling a time slot in a location that may have nothing to do with your story or what you love – it’s a shared session with someone you love in a location we picked together.  So in a sense – it’s literally a story session that is shared between 2-3 groups.
Let me explain…
A set of two or three friends/families work with me to pick a day, time and location.  Each family has a 25 minute story session. (by the way, family could also be a married couple or single amazing person or set of college friends – hopefully you get that it’s not a limited definition I’m using)  We capture love and kids and skipping and joy and everything else that goes with.  Then their friends join us for their time slot.
At that point – we get to have up to 10 minutes together.  To document play-date friends, former college roommates that now have babies close in age, current college roommates who are about to spend a summer overseas…whomever it is they signed up with – and we have those precious moments allotted to work together.  To laugh.  And twirl/flex muscles and make some awesome-ness together.  Then the first “family” can head out to get their celebratory – “we just made beautiful memories and now have pictures to bring us joy for a lifetime” – treat – whether it be Starbucks, ice cream or movie night.  While the other “family” now gets to have their 25 minutes of memories and laughter and stopping to really SEE the beauty of themselves.
The really fun part?  It’s an incredible deal.  For this share the love session – it is $275 for each “family” which includes our time together and the DIGITAL MEDIA from our session.  Yep.  You can go all kinds of print crazy at mpix.com …
And…when 3 “families” book together (same day, with time slots back to back, in the same location…) it’s $250 per “family”.

PS:  if you’re wondering what we can do together in 25 minutes (and 10 joint minutes with your other loved ones)…I’d be happy to show you examples…

These sessions are GREAT for:
Families with younger kids  (Though I LOVE lifestyle shoots in home capturing some of your favorite moments of the day AND pairing that with the adorable outside pictures, this is a great option for families who currently cannot commit to a full session.  The kids have a blast, it’s a short burst of awesome and then you get to relax.)
Families with older kids
Best friends
College and high school students (if a full senior session is out of their budget)
Amazing singles who realize that their story is very much worth documenting
MARRIED COUPLES.  (Seriously…we should not only have wedding pictures in our homes!)

These sessions are NOT great for:
Newborns…they need more time and I feel those sessions belong in their own home with the flexibility to eat when needed and to capture their house at that stage in life)
Engagement sessions.  (I LOVE to capture at least two looks and feels in those sessions and can’t do that in 25 minutes in one location.  Unless they are speed dressers, I guess…)
Families with more than 4 children.  (During these 25 minute sessions we are getting individual shots AND family shots and with more than 6 people in that time, it’s very difficult to make sure EVERYONE gets time individually as well as a group)
DC friends – these will be available for the trip I’m tentatively planning June 13-15.
DENVER friends – these will be available to you July 3-6
Southern California friends – I really want to come see you.  So much.  So if you’re reading this, email me and we’ll start planning dates!
Kentucky and Tennessee friends – I will be coming your way soon.  But if you’d like to be a part of picking those date – email me and let’s start a conversation!
And Atlanta friends – email me and we can schedule a date for your session…

Finally – you rock.  And if you read all of this, you totally deserve a gold star.