When it comes to mini sessions, posing can make or break not only your final images but also your profits! Whether you’re a seasoned professional photographer or just starting to offer mini photography sessions, having a solid posing strategy will set you up for success.

In this blog post, I’ll share how you can create a posing sequence that boosts your confidence and makes your mini session upsells irresistible. Let’s dive in!

Why Posing Strategy Matters in Mini Sessions 💡

There are countless types of mini sessions—from family portraits to Santa sessions to headshots. The trick isn’t trying to cover every single type of mini session in one strategy. Instead, it’s about building a posing sequence that works for you and your style, and more importantly, delivers a diverse gallery of photos that your clients will love (and purchase!).

What is a Posing Sequence? 🤔

A posing sequence is simply a plan for how you’ll pose your clients to ensure you capture enough images for your mini session gallery. For most mini sessions, you promise a certain number of photos. Let’s say your mini session package includes five images. Your posing sequence should aim to deliver at least double that number!

Why? Because this strategy gives you the opportunity to under-promise and over-deliver—which is key to wowing your clients and encouraging upsell purchases.

How Posing Affects Your Bottom Line 💰

When done right, posing can dramatically impact your mini session profits. The more variety you offer in your gallery, the more likely your clients are to purchase additional images or upsell packages. And who doesn’t want to get paid twice for one session?

Let’s break it down. If you’re offering 5 images as part of your mini session package, your posing sequence should include at least 10 poses. This gives your clients more options to choose from and increases the likelihood of them wanting more than the original package.

Example Posing Sequences for Popular Mini Sessions 🎯

Here are some practical examples of how to build your posing sequence for common mini session types:

Family Mini Sessions 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

For family photography mini sessions, aim to capture a variety of images such as:

• A wide shot of the whole family
• A close-up of family members
• Parents looking at each other
• Individual portraits of each child
• A playful, candid shot of the family interacting

This creates a gallery that offers both posed and candid moments, which clients LOVE!

Santa Mini Sessions 🎅✨

During Santa sessions, you can capture:

• A full-body shot of Santa
• A close-up of Santa and the child
• An image of the child playing with a toy
• A moment where Santa and the child are interacting
• A shot of the child looking at Santa in awe

These subtle changes in positioning will give you a diverse gallery, making it easier for clients to fall in love with more images!

Headshot Mini Sessions 👔📸

For headshot mini sessions, which typically come with fewer images, focus on:

• A full-body shot
• A mid-body shot with hands in pockets
• A close-up headshot
• One with arms crossed
• A shot with any props they bring (like a realtor holding a “Sold” sign)

Remember, variety is the key to making your clients want more than what you promised!

Practice Makes Perfect 🏆

If you’re new to mini sessions or posing, practice is essential! Whether you’re working with family portraits, children’s mini sessions, or any other type, practice your posing sequence ahead of time. Grab your own kids, borrow a friend’s, or even hire models to go through your posing plan.

This practice will not only give you confidence but also ensure you’re prepared for any unexpected hiccups during the actual session. A solid plan will make your session smoother and boost your mini session profits!

Why Under-Promise and Over-Deliver? 📈

I cannot stress this enough—under-promise and over-deliver! This is the secret to growing your photography business. When clients see they’re getting more than expected, they’re more likely to purchase extra images, refer you to others, and book future sessions.

This approach works particularly well for upsells. You can create beautiful galleries that your clients simply can’t resist. Upsells are like getting paid twice for the same session—what could be better than that?

Ready to Boost Your Mini Session Profits? 🚀

Now that you have the tools to create an effective posing strategy for your mini sessions, it’s time to put them into practice! Whether it’s a family portrait mini session, Santa session, or headshot mini session, remember that posing isn’t just about making beautiful photos—it’s also about building trust and boosting your profits through upsells.

And hey, if you’re looking to dive deeper into mini session strategies, check out my Mini Session Blueprint! As a YouTube subscriber, you get 50% off with the code YouTube at checkout. This course is packed with all my secrets for running successful mini sessions, including email marketing and social media tips that will help you sell out every time!