Mini Sessions
What is a Mini Session, and Who is It For?
Mini sessions are a great way to capture beautiful, high-quality photos in a short and convenient time frame! Unlike full sessions, these are pre-scheduled events held on a specific date, at a set location, and booked back-to-back with other families. I carefully select the location, theme, and timing—often creating unique setups that wouldn’t typically be available for a single session. I.E. if I rent a vintage truck for $700, it only makes sense when I can book multiple families in a row!
Mini sessions are perfect if you love the theme or simply want a quick update for your walls. These sessions are typically 15-20 minutes long, providing just enough time to capture a handful of stunning images of your immediate family.
If a mini session sounds perfect for you, check out the upcoming themes and book your spot before they fill up!
What to Expect
1. Decide if a Mini Session is Right for You
Mini sessions are a great way to capture beautiful, professional photos in a short and convenient time frame, but they aren’t the best fit for everyone. These sessions are not ideal for extended family photos, outfit changes, or little ones who need extra time to warm up to new faces. If you’re looking for a fully personalized experience with flexible scheduling, multiple backdrops, or extra time for your child to get comfortable, a full session may be the better option.
If a mini session sounds like the perfect fit, you can find all available dates and themes on my booking page. Minis are typically released 3-6 weeks before they take place, with a couple of exceptions:
Holiday Minis: Pre-sale runs the last two weeks of July, with a second release in September.
Fall Minis: Released in August.
Both Holiday and Fall Minis sell out every single year, so don’t wait to grab your spot! To stay in the loop, join my newsletter and follow me on Facebook and Instagram for announcements.
2. Booking Your Session
To officially reserve your spot, a signed contract, completed questionnaire, and $100 retainer fee are required.
The questionnaire is more than just paperwork—it’s a way for me to truly get to know your family. The details you share help me connect with you (and specifically your kids) from the very first hello, making everyone feel seen, valued, and comfortable in front of the camera. This connection is what allows me to capture your family's true personality in a way that feels natural and genuine, so I encourage you to take your time filling it out. I promise, this isn’t just busy work—it’s the secret to help create photos that feel like your family.
3. You Session Date
Get ready for a fun, relaxed, and laughter-filled experience! During our time together, you can expect high energy, lots of funny noises, and probably a few happy squeals as I capture your family’s connection.
I’ll guide you into natural, comfortable positions—never stiff or overly posed—making small adjustments as needed to ensure everything looks just right in-camera. From there, I’ll use playful prompts to encourage genuine interactions, allowing your family's true personalities to shine.
I take plenty of photos to make sure we capture the perfect moments—both the beautifully composed shots and the in-between, candid magic that truly tells your story.
4. choose your favorite images
Within three days of your session, you'll receive an email with a link to your online proof gallery. This gallery will include 2-3 fully edited images, giving you a preview of the final look and feel of your photos. The rest of the gallery will feature unedited proofs—straight-from-the-camera images where you’ll focus on composition and expressions rather than final edits.
From here, you’ll select your favorites! The number of photos included in mini sessions vary, but most will include between 5-8 images of your choice. But you’ll also have the option to purchase additional images for full editing. If your proof gallery contains 25 images, you can even choose to upgrade and receive the entire collection.
5. Receive & Enjoy Your Final Gallery
Once you've selected your favorite images (don’t worry, I’ll guide you through this simple process!), I’ll get to work perfecting them. Your fully edited gallery will be delivered within two weeks, ready for you to download and cherish.
If you loved your experience as much as I did, I would truly appreciate a Google or Facebook review—it means the world to my business! And don’t forget to share your experience with friends and family—word-of-mouth referrals help me continue capturing beautiful moments for amazing families like yours.
The final step? Planning your next session! Whether it’s holiday portraits or making family photos an annual tradition, I can’t wait to see your family again and create more unforgettable memories together!
The Details
Pricing
Photography isn’t just about pictures—it’s about preserving the love, laughter, and fleeting moments that make up your story. These are the images you’ll look back on years from now, the ones your children will treasure, the ones that remind you just how beautiful this season of life truly is.
Prices vary depending on the mini session. See all current mini sessions below
What's New on the 'Gram
Today is the LAST day of the Christmas in July Sale.
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The LAST day to get $50 off your session fee and the LAST day to get your preferred time slot before holiday sessions go back in the vault!
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After today, bookings for holiday sessions will not be available to booked again until September 1st and will be back at FULL PRICE.
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Sessions SOLD out by the end of September last year and I had to turn clients away! Stay off the naughty list this year and get your family booked before the leaves begin to fall.
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https://book.usesession.com/i/XpHwEW2Nz
Aug 1st means Fall Mini Sessions are NOW AVAILABLE to book!!!
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Limited spots available! Please note the rain dates as well while booking.
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So excited to capture your family during Mother Nature`s most beautiful show!
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https://book.usesession.com/s/P9a7vHjUK24
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TO VIEW ALL AVAILABLE MINI SESSIONS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE:
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https://book.usesession.com/i/XpHwEW2Nz
That feeling you get when you realize the Christmas in July sale has been extended!
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I have heard from a few clients that they missed or didn`t get the Christmas in July email. I know how hard it is to miss out on a good sale so I decided to extend it thru Tuesday, August 5th. This will be your LAST chance to take advantage of $50 off your session, as well as get your pick of the best time slot for you and your family.
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Holiday sessions will go "in the vault" on August 6th and will not be available to book again until September 1st when they will be selling at full price.
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Promo pics are starting to trickle in and I can`t wait to share them with you in the coming days! As mentioned previously, if you book a session now and decide you like another session better after seeing the promo pictures, I am happy to move you to another available time/theme.
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See all available sessions at the link in my bio
IT`S TIME!
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It`s the second most wonderful time of the year! Christmas in July Sale is NOW!
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By booking your session now, you`ll be locking in your preferred time, AND you`ll get $50 off your session balance.
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Sessions take place in October and November. I`m so excited to have 7 different themes this year...indoor and outdoor sessions...some for the full family and others specifically designed for kids!
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Get yourself booked NOW so you don`t even have to think about it until the leaves have started to fall =). Holiday sessions SOLD OUT last year and I had to turn clients away. Don`t let that happen to you!
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Sale available until 7/31/25 and then Holiday sessions go "back in the vault" and won`t be bookable again until September...when they will be listed at FULL PRICE.
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For more info on each session and to book:
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https://book.usesession.com/i/XpHwEW2Nz
5 MORE DAYS!!!
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Are you ready to book your holiday session? Christmas in July sale starts on 7/15/25 and runs until the 31st. During that time, you will be able to take advantage of $50 off your session balance as well as lock in the best date/time for your family!
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On August 1st, the Holiday sessions go back in the "vault" and will not be bookable again until September 1st. At the time, they will only be available AT FULL PRICE. So do not wait!
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Promo pics WILL be coming soon. If you decide you like a different theme more once you have seen the promo pics, I will be happy to switch your session to that theme (to an available time slot of course).
Wowzers!!! I am BACK from 3 weeks worth of travels and adventures. What a whirlwind! But it’s July 1st which means it’s Christmas in July month!!
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Holiday sessions will go on sale 7/15/25 to the public! Clients that booked a spot back during my Black Friday sale will get first dibs before they go on sale to the public. Please be watching your email if you were one that took advatage of that sale!
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But because of my silly schedule, I am behind on getting promo shots of each set done. I will post the theme and backdrop and a mood board for each set next week. With that being said, if you book a session and decide on a different theme after you have seen the promo shots; I am happy to switch you to another open slot with your theme of choice.
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I have 7 themes coming at you this year so lots of options to pick the perfect one for your holiday card :)
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email : knovellaphotography@gmail.com
follow me on Facebook and instagram @novella.photos
located in warrenville, il
serving Naperville, warrenville, Wheaton, winfield, aurora, Lombard, downers grove, Lisle, glen ellyn, Woodridge, oak brook, elmhurst, and other surrounding western suburbs of Chicago