It was beautiful shooting at the Botanical Gardens! We were able to get snow on the ground, a dessert scene and some tropical backdrops…all in one location!
Maternity
Mini Sessions vs. Full Sessions . Ft. Wayne IN Family Photographer, Columbia City IN Family Photographer
I almost called this “Pro’s & Con’s of Mini Sessions vs. Full Sessions”, BUT it really just comes down to preferences. So I don’t want to say one way is BETTER than another way. It’s totally up to the photographer and client as to what they prefer. If you’re considering having your family portraits taken, this might be really helpful for you to find what fits your preferences best!

(Disclaimer: Every photographer is slightly different in how they price, shoot, and deliver their sessions. So this post is tailored to your experience with me specifically. This is how Valerie Joy Photography does sessions. But it may overlap to other photographers in various ways. I’d suggest clarifying with your photographer how they do things.)
Mini Sessions:
-Location is chosen by the photographer, not the client. Typically a themed session (Fall, Christmas, Snow, Sunflower field, Studio backdrop, etc.)
-Photographer chooses the dates that clients have to work around.
-$125. Lower total cost compared to Full Session. But not as good of a deal if you break it down per minute.
-15 minutes of shooting.
-Fast paced, to get the most photos during our time together. This naturally doesn’t leave much time for personal discussions, or breaks for fussy children. (It has happened that a child was fussy during their mini session, and the gallery was very limited because of that. If we’d had more time, we could have taken a break to have a snack, and I could have delivered a much larger gallery.)
-Approximately 30 images in final edited online gallery for download.
-Best for clients on a smaller budget, families with members who can’t make it through a full hour of shooting, clients who prefer multiple smaller sessions per year, or only want a handful of images for whatever reason.
(If you want to know when I offer Mini Sessions, be sure to follow me on Facebook & Instagram to see those announcements.)

Full Sessions:
-Location is chosen by client (based on photographer suggestions, if needed.)
-Client chooses the date and time which works best for them (within photographer’s availability, of course.)
-$250. Higher total cost compared to Mini Session. But a better deal if you break it down per minute.
-60 minutes of shooting.
-More casual pace, allowing kids to relax between poses, and photographer and client to get to know each other a little bit. This pace usually leads clients to be much more comfortable in front of the camera.
-Approximately 120 images in final edited online gallery for download.
-Best for clients who want a larger gallery with LOTS of variety to choose from, who want to have more of a say in when & where their session is, and who want an individualized, relaxing experiences.

If you’d like to book a Full Session with me, my favorite season for photos is almost here (FALL!!!!!) and my schedule fills up quick, so contact me ASAP!
Maddie’s Maternity Session (& nursery!!) . Ft. Wayne IN Maternity Photographer, Columbia City IN Maternity Photographer
Maddie & I met through a mutual friend a few years ago, and we’ve worked together on a couple creative projects since then. She’s such a lovely person to collaborate with! She’s certainly talented, artistic & resourceful! But also, and maybe even more importantly; she is kind, generous, and a hard worker! It’s always a pleasure to be with this lovely lady!
And now she & her husband, David, are expecting their first little miracle! They’ve decided to wait to find out the baby’s gender, which should be pretty exciting in the delivery room! (I wouldn’t know, I didn’t have the patience to wait with my own kids). But she did an awesome job preparing a nursery that will work with either gender, and can easily add in bits of masculine or feminine to this neutral palette.
You should also know that decorating & organizing is literally her JOB! So if you need help with parts of your home, give her a call! You will love working with her and the spaces she creates! Click here to visit her website, Maddie Butterfield Organization + Design!
Big brother-dog Bentley!
Baby Butterfield Announcement! . Ft. Wayne IN Family Photographer, Columbia City IN Family Photographer
I’m so excited for my friends, the Butterfield’s! They are expecting their first child in March 2019! And we had a fun little pregnancy announcement photo shoot to help them share the good news!
Eryn Maternity . Ft. Wayne IN Maternity Photographer, Sarasota FL Maternity Photographer, Warsaw IN Maternity Photographer
Eryn & Brett are expecting their first baby in just a few weeks! And we got some gorgeous photos amongst the evergreens with a little bit of left over snow!
Jessica’s Maternity Session . Ft. Wayne IN Maternity Photographer
Amanda’s Maternity Session . Ft. Wayne Maternity Photographer
Liz Maternity . Ft. Wayne, IN Maternity Photographer
Ft. Wayne, IN Maternity Photogrpaher
Columbia City, IN Maternity Photographer