During this time of year there are a plethora of photographers offering mini sessions. These are quick photo sessions, lasting anywhere from 5-15 minutes, often at low prices. The focus of these sessions is volume, aiming to book as many clients as possible within a set number of hours in a single day.
In the early 2000s, I worked at a national portrait studio chain. Their business model was built around mini sessions. Each session was allotted five minutes of photography time, with a list of required poses. A whopping five minutes, regardless of how many in the family would be photographed. There was no time to learn personalities or allow customers to have a few moments to feel relaxed in front of the camera. If a child cried, those would be the photos parents received, because there was no available time for soothing. At times, customers requested to skip a specific background or pose, but we had to enforce the predetermined session structure decided by corporate, or risk losing our jobs.
After the session, we had about ten minutes to present the images to the customer, with the goal of getting them to purchase more than just the “$10 special.” Failing to do so could result in losing our job.
Needless to say, this business model often caused the studio’s schedule to fall behind by 2-3 hours. Children were screaming, parents were angry. It was an awful experience for everyone – including me.
Parting ways with that company ended up being the best thing to ever happen to me. A few years later, K. Moss Photography was born. After experiencing the business model at that previous company, it became crucial for me to build a business that offered the kind of experience my clients truly deserved.
Rather than focusing on volume and dollar signs, it meant more to me to build relationships and offer experiences. I had no interest in packing my schedule tight or running myself exhausted,. Instead, I chose to build my Berks County photography studio with the focus of eliminating the rushed feeling, and most importantly, leaving clients feeling valued – rather than feeling as though they were a dollar sign.
Instead of focusing on volume and dollar signs, it was more important to me to build relationships and offer meaningful experiences. I had no interest in cramming my schedule, constantly checking how much time I have until the next client arrived, and exhausting myself beyond burnout.
Instead, I built my Berks County photography studio with the goal of eliminating that rushed feeling and, most importantly, making sure my clients feel valued—never just like a number.
While mini session models may work for other photographers, and maybe they suit your family too, my Sinking Spring studio has no plans to offer them. K. Moss clients deserve the full experience.
