Fall Candid Mini Sessions: Family Pictures in Rochester NY

2022’s Fall Candid Mini Family Sessions were gorgeous - every single one of them!

There were three opportunities for families to update their family pictures last fall. Our Tinker Park Family Sessions, a Halloween costume party at Chase Farms, and a late fall family mini session day at Abraham Lincoln Park.

Check out our favorites from each one below! Which will you join us for?

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Tinker Park

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Chase Farms

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Abraham Lincoln Park

Apple Picking Mini Sessions in Rochester NY

What is it about apple picking that makes for such fun candid mini session pictures? These family portrait sessions are always our most popular of the year.

Is it the fun of grabbing an apple and munching on it right there in the orchard? Is it the kids running up and down the paths? Is it the excitement when Mom or Dad lifts a child up to get the apple that’s all the way up on top of the tree?

We’ll never know for sure, but these families made the most of their apple snacks AND their family pictures.

Apple picking mini sessions for the win!

Summer Candid Family Mini Sessions: Fairport NY Family Pictures

Pro tip: Kids are often much more excited to have their picture taken when they know something fun is about to happen.

Which is why our Candid Mini Sessions often include an activity!

For example, we go mini golfing! Along the way, we capture some adorable family pictures. In between the family portraits, they get to play, and so do you!

That’s why Candid Family Mini Sessions are perfect for kids who never sit still.

It really is that easy and fun.

Another fun place to explore in the summer is the Webster Arboretum. This location has so many great settings, not only for family pictures, but for kids to explore, run, and climb. Check out some of the fun we had below!

If you’ve hesitated on booking a Candid Mini Session in the past because you think your kids won’t cooperate, we get it. We hear that a lot from parents who have signed up in the past. But the pictures speak for themselves. Give it try, we’d love to meet you!

Rochester NY Family Pictures: Highland Park Mini Sessions

In the first few family pictures below, you can see everything you need to know about a Candid Mini Session Event. Highland Park in May during peak Lilac season was the perfect setting for this particular event.

The first family portrait is a shot we set up. We picked the angle, the back lighting, and even asked them for a little bit of the action you see. The result - an all smiles, golden hour family picture.

The family picture below that is far more candid in nature. We let them be, and allowed them to play on the playground together. The result - joy in a real moment as a family.

Real life doesn’t happen in posed pictures alone. That perfect blend of both types of family pictures is exactly what we aim for at every single Candid Mini Session.

Spring Candid Family Pictures

Family Pictures in Rochester NY

Spring definitely brought us a variety of weather for our various candid family mini sessions. One day was the perfect sunny evening, and the next was chilly with a chance of rain.

But that’s ok, because our candid mini sessions can withstand any temperature, and so can the families who joined us for candid family pictures.

For example - At Kings Bend Park, the golden hour light was perfect for portraits of the kids at play on the playground, or throwing rocks from the edge of the nearby water. Parents could relax and enjoy the time with their kids at the playground, or step back and let them play while we captured their laughter and smiles.

On the day of our first May event, it was sunny and gorgeous ALL day. But right around the time our Candid MIni Sessions with Jardin Terrariums got underway, the sun faded and the rain began. Thankfully, the families who joined us for terrarium building with their families were flexible, and went with the changes seamlessly.

They still got to experience an activity, and create a memory with their kids - and we were still there capturing the candid family pictures, so they didn’t need to take their phone out once to take a picture themselves.

So what do you think? What Candid Mini Session on the upcoming calendar catches your eye?

Northampton Park Family Pictures: Rochester NY Photographers

Family pictures just feel different when there’s no pressure to get the perfect posed shot. Great family pictures without the stress of perfection is our goal at every candid mini session.

So we set up what we call “playground parties. This one at Northampton Park was so much fun. We had the park nearly to ourselves the whole time, and the kids climbed and ran and played. I chased them around, being silly and letting their playful personalities shine.

Want to know more about the candid mini sessions?

Candid Mini Family Sessions in Fairport NY

The weather was chilly for our first playground Candid Mini Session of 2022, but it didn’t stop the kids from having a blast. And it didn’t stop us from capturing some family pictures while the kids played.

We love the Egypt Park playground, both for it’s proximity to Lollypop Farms, and it’s cute barn theme. There’s also a great paved path for scooters, and the playground area is padded which helps avoid muddy playground pictures in March.

We’ll have family mini sessions at playgrounds ALL year long, so if you missed out on this one - check the schedule below for the next one!

Candid Family Mini Sessions in Rochester NY: Hipocampo Children's Books

When it comes to family mini sessions in winter, we get creative. We don’t use a studio and a painted backdrop.

We use your real life.

For example, we recently partnered with a great business like Hipocampo Children’s Books. We woredk together to create a family picture experience. In this case, Henry and Pamela at Hipocampo provided a story time for families to come and enjoy.

How does photography fit into this?

While story time was happening we captured candid family pictures. When story time wrapped up, we took a few posed family pictures as well. We used the colorful book background as the perfect setting for family pictures of book loving families.

Other examples?

• Bright lights and pinball game backgrounds for game loving families.

• Playground family pictures at your favorite playground.

• Halloween costumes and pumpkin picking for fall family pictures.

So what background fits your family? Maybe we have the perfect family mini session for you already on the calendar!

Why Candid Family Portrait Sessions Are For You

Fairport NY Family Pictures

When you hear the term “mini sessions”, you probably think of designated 15 time slots and perfectly placed props - am I right? If that’s what you’re after, that’s great! More power to you! But that’s not exactly how our mini sessions work.

Our Candid Mini Session Events are unlike regular family mini sessions. While we do set aside time for each family to have a few posed family portraits, the focus of these events is on capturing real families at play.
So how do you know if it's right for your family? Here’s a few thoughts:

1) You have kids that never stop moving.

Seriously, NEVER. You chase your toddler all over creation, so you know they won’t sit still for a posed picture. That’s fine with us! The idea with our candid mini sessions, is that we’re capturing them while they play with you - moving or not.

2) Family pictures stress you out.

”My kids don’t smile for the camera, they are hard to photograph.”

We’ve been taking great pictures of hard to photograph kids since before we had our own babies. We’ve got tricks, we play games, we have an activity for them to enjoy. We are there, but not in your faces for 15 minutes straight, begging for smiles. We give them time to play and get to know us. The results are real smiles and relaxed parents.

3) You want to be in the moment AND the pictures.

You feel like you're never part of the fun because someone has to take the pictures. Well, put your phone down because we’re here to capture this little slice of life that includes you, for you.

4) You like family pictures that are more than posed photos.

Believe it or not, it is possible to have the best of both worlds when it comes to family pictures. You may have a milestone to celebrate, but you also know that little moments happen all year long. There’s life to live, and you want to live it - but also, you want to freeze it in time too.

There's activities and opportunities every month, so if you want the schedule - get the details here! Or if you want to talk and ask questions, check out that little purple button below.

Mini Sessions at Long Acre Farms: Fairport NY Family Pictures

Next up on our “fall family pictures” fun tour is our mini session event at Long Acre Farms!

We had a handful of families come and play, while we photographed them playing together as a family. One of the highlights at the farm were the tractors. Many family pictures were taken while the kids played all over them.

We took a few minutes with each family to grab that posed family picture for their holiday cards. However, for the most part these candid mini sessions are all about the play, which is why our Fall mini session events are so popular.

Join us next time by picking a mini session event from the schedule to sign up! The 2022 calendar is coming soon!