Candid Family Mini Sessions: Winter Family Pictures in Pittsford

The 2022 Candid Mini Session Events are off to a great start, albeit a very cold one.

We held our first set of winter family pictures on Birdsong Trail at Mendon Ponds. The morning sun reflected off the snow, giving a beautiful glow for these brave families at their mini sessions.

These mini sessions make it possible to have both posed and candid playtime at any time of the year, even in January! Interested in learning more? Check out the link below!

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.

Winter Family Mini Session Events: Rochester NY Photographers

In December, parents everywhere live behind their camera. They’re photographing every family party, every cute holiday cookie, every visit with Santa - literally everything.

How often do you think that parent gets in one of the holiday family pictures? Or rather, how often do you think that parent gets to truly ENJOY the moment? Think about it - are you that parent?

Here’s how we fix this problem: Our Candid Mini Session Events.

Boom. Done. Look at these moments that would have gone un-captured if mom or dad had been taking the pictures. This style of family photography is what every parent doesn’t realize they want.

Sure, we take your posed family portrait too, but these candid pictures are why these mini session events exist. These moments are the gold.

Check out pictures from our last candid mini session event of 2021 below - ice skating at Roc Holiday Village!

Holiday Candid Mini Session Event: Fairport NY Family Pictures

Our holiday mini sessions are ready to share! Oh what fun we had!

Our candid mini session events are not just about posed family pictures with a pretty background. We do our best to make them a family style fun event too.

This time around, we had a fire pit, hot chocolate, ornament making, lots of trees to decorate and a tire swing to play on.

And because we know you folks want a pretty setting too, we had a few trees pre decorated for our families to have a posed holiday family picture in front of.

These candid mini session events have evolved so much over the past two years, and we’re grateful for every family who has joined us.

As we wrap of 2021, we’re hard at work planning 2022 events - so if you have an idea, or want to partner on something, feel free to get in touch with us!

Family Portrait Mini Session Events

Candid Fall Family Portraits at Chase Farms

Our last October mini session event went on rain or shine. Because it was all about the Halloween costumes!

It’s a moment in childhood that parents can never do justice on their iphones in the dark on Halloween night. The kids are too hyped up to stand still. It’s dark out. The pictures are always a blurry mess. All of this is why this event is one of our most popular fall mini session events.

Our families are so creative when it comes to their Halloween costumes, and we love taking these unique family pictures.

Some families opted for a traditional candid family mini session (ie. sans costumes), and that’s ok too. Your family pictures, your call!

Want to learn more about our candid mini session events? The 2022 schedule should be dropping soon, so go check it out!

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!

Candid Mini Sessions in Fairport NY

Apple Farm Family Pictures

My son reminded me this morning that technically, according to the calendar, it’s still Fall until December 21st. So this blog post about fall family sessions is absolutely, 100% NOT late.

It might be a bit more blustery than these apple picking candid mini sessions in September were though. Apple picking is basically THE fall family activity in Rochester NY, right? We plan an apple picking candid mini session event every year, and it’s always one of the first to sell out.

This year we met a few new families and chased a few new kids around the apple orchard at Schutts Apple Farm and also at The Apple Farm in Victor NY. The family pictures we capture at these events are always some of my favorites, every single year.

If you’re interested in learning more about our Candid Mini Session events, we’d love to chat with you!

Candid Family Picture Mini Sessions

Kings Bend Park: Pittsford NY Photographers

When we set up these family mini sessions in Pittsford NY, we had no idea how just how great the turnout would be, thanks to Joanna from TotsinRoc.

10 wonderful families came to play while we photographed a mini session for each family. We captured candid family pictures of them playing on the playground, as well as updated a posed family picture for their walls.

On top of all the fun we collected canned goods and non perishables to donate to the Perinton Food Shelf. At the end of the event, we were able to donate 3+ bags of food!

We couldn’t have done it without TotsInRoc. We were so thankful to work with her on setting up these candid mini sessions - and on her birthday no less!

If you want to get in on the action, we host these mini sessions all year long, so go check out our event schedule and sign up for your favorite today!

Candid Family Portraits in Highland Park: Mother's Day Mini Sessions

I know every family photographer says it, but I mean it - our families are the best!

Because of rain, we rescheduled our Mother’s Day mini sessions in Rochester twice. When rain threatened again the third time, we nearly canceled it altogether.

But some of our candid mini member families said “Let’s play in the rain.”

And so, another mini session event happened despite the weather.

Honestly though, how cute are these family pictures in the rain?

What Type of Family Portrait Fits you Best?

Fairport NY Family Pictures

You sit down and google “family pictures in Rochester NY.” 

The results come back with a list filled with different descriptions by different family picture photographers. Do you want family portraiture? Candid family pictures? Documentary photography? What is a lifestyle family portrait?

You get so overwhelmed by this decision that you give up your search for a family photographer, again. 

So how do you know what style of family pictures you like best?

We can help you out here. Most photographers will describe themselves using at least one of three main family portrait styles:

 Traditional Family Pictures:

This is essentially an all encompassing title for a photographer who takes family pictures. But there’s a little bit more to it. 

A traditionally trained portrait photographer often focuses their efforts on quality posing and controlled lighting in their family portraits. This often happens in a studio setting with lights, backdrops and perhaps props or sets. However, not every traditional or fine art family photographer uses a studio. 

Oftentimes an extended family portrait falls into this style of family photography. The resulting images tend to focus on the family smiling and looking at the camera.

This may be the simplest category to explain, but it is often one of the hardest to master.

A posed, smiley family portrait is considered most traditional.

Candid Family Portraits in Rochester NY:

If you’re looking for the opposite, or real, authentic, unposed images, then you are looking for a documentary family photographer. Strict photographers in this realm won’t add any light to a scene, but rather evaluate what is available and use it to show emotion. These sessions are usually longer and allow for the most freedom of movement. They can surround an event, or just capture a “day in the life” at home. This is a newer, but growing genre of family portrait photography.

Real life, real play and letting moments unfold are what the documentary side of our membership is all about.

Lifestyle Family Portraits in Rochester NY:

If you want something in between the two, then perhaps you’d best enjoy a lifestyle family portrait session. Lifestyle photographers enjoy a bit more freedom in their sessions. They’ll often choose the location and general position of a group, but then they give they family a little freedom to play using prompts.

This allows for natural moments to occur, such as laughter, hugs, and play, while still controlling the situation in terms of light and background.

Typically lifestyle family pictures are taken in a natural environment (whether inside or outside) rather than a studio. This type of photographer may opt to use lighting, or not!

Lifestyle family portraits are the best way to describe our Signature Family Sessions.

We gave her the location and gave her some ideas - she created the lifestyle portrait.

And Then There’s Us: Lori & Erin Photography

When you love all three options, and you just have to have all of the above - you join our family. Our candid mini session events are part of a membership that essentially uses all three of these family portrait styles. How, you ask?

We plan a variety of fun events, at the perfect times for your family. Then we photograph them. It’s that simple.

We do our best to plan these events to optimize the lighting and space while you come and enjoy a real life event, in a real world setting.

Sometimes we step in and interact with your family to get a posed portrait. Other times we give you a prompt for a something that feels more like lifestyle family pictures.

Sometimes the events are specifically planned to create a more posed portrait, such as our Pandemic Portrait themed event.

In the end, we give all of these family moments back to you. Consider us your personal, “all in one’ shop for family photography in Rochester NY.

So if you can’t figure out which category a photographer falls into by peeping their portfolio, just ask them. They should be happy to give you a better idea of who they are and how they photograph a family portrait.

Find out why our membership makes sense for your family here.

If you’re ready to learn more about the Lori & Erin Family, we can’t wait to welcome you.

Candid Family Mini Sessions: St. Patricks' Day Scavenger Hunt

One thing’s for sure - the family pictures we take at our candid mini session events are nothing if they’re not real. We plan the events, and essentially hope for nice weather. While it was sunny for our Pot of Gold Scavenger hunt, it was also pretty windy.

But that didn’t stop our family portrait members from bringing their “A” game to the Leprechaun Trap contest.

One of the values behind the portrait membership program centers on the idea of doing something together.
While we couldn’t photograph each family at home making these amazing traps, we know it was an activity they’ll remember doing together. Especially when they look back at their family pictures with their trap, and on the scavenger hunt as a family.

Time spent together is more important to us than the perfect family picture. This is why we believe that our candid mini sessions make sense for your next family portrait session. You can actually read more about that here!

Congrats to the winners of our contest - The Miller family!

Check out our next event here, we’re going to give back for Earth Day and we’d love to have you join us!

Why Candid Family Picture Mini Sessions Make Sense for Your Family Portraits

Recently I shared a blog post full of tips for family portraits. As I wrote it I noticed, that many of the reasons parents dread family pictures, are the exact same reasons we formed our portrait membership program / candid mini session events.

So - below are my thoughts on why our candid event sessions a PERFECT fit for family pictures.

1) Your kids aren’t always “on” for the camera.

If you child has a bad day on the day of your once a year family portrait - that’s your memory of that day. With candid member events, you have chances all year long.

2) Your children get to know your family photographer.

When you book a different photographer for every session, it’s not a surprise that your kids won’t be their real self with them. The kids in our membership get to know us and our silly sides. They trust us more each time we see them, which allows us to capture amazing moments.

3) Real life happens all year long.

And it doesn’t happen in poses either. Sure, it’s nice to have a posed family picture once in a while. But that’s not real life. Our events are different every month, changing with the seasons. They give you a way to play, but also a way to remember that play.

4) Get in front of the camera.

Be honest, which parent spends more time taking pictures with their phone, and which parent is in more of the pictures? Wouldn’t you rather enjoy the moment without the pressure of capturing it? See? We’re solving a problem you didn’t realize you had! Be in the pictures!

5) Variety is the spice of life.

Did I mention you can get photos in all seasons? Prefer fall family fun to winter family fun? That’s fine, but you can have both. Heck, you can even have spring and summer fun too.

There’s no wrong answer when it comes to the kind of family portrait you like, and we offer more than one option. We just really believe in these candid mini session events. We have families that have been with us for years, and it’s amazing to see them grow. So if you want to know more about it - take a peek here.

And if you want to talk more? Hit that cute little button below.