“Wait, Why Are Mini Sessions Not Mini Priced?”
Let’s talk about one of the most common questions I get: “What’s the difference between a mini session and a full session?” And more importantly: “Why doesn’t the mini come with a mini price tag?”
Totally fair questions — and the answer comes down to value, time, and the kind of experience you’re looking for.
The Mini Session: Small but Mighty
Mini sessions at Paw Print Studio are short, sweet, and to the point. They’re 20-minute sessions, followed by 20 minutes to review the photos and choose your favorites on the spot — no gallery delivery, no back-and-forth. It’s for the person who wants a quick, polished portrait of their dog with minimal fuss and a much lower investment.
It includes 2 high-end digital images, professionally edited and it’s priced at $490.
Mini sessions are designed to be efficient and fun — but they’re also intentionally limited. They’re not meant to do everything, and that’s part of their magic.
Here’s what makes minis different from full sessions:
The session is fast-paced and focused on one great setup
Backgrounds are pre-selected to keep things simple
We stick to one dog per session
You’ll choose your favorite images right after we shoot (no option for a gallery to view later)
There’s no planning call — we keep it grab-and-go
Mini sessions are perfect for clients who know what they want and are excited to capture something playful, bold, and beautiful — without needing all the extras.
“But I Thought Minis Were Supposed to Be Cheap?”
You’re not alone — the word “mini” often gets confused with “cheap”
But here’s the thing: “mini” describes the length of the session, not the quality of the work.
Every mini session includes:
The same professional lighting, studio setup, and expert dog-handling help you’d get in a full session
My signature editing and retouching (which takes just as much time per image as any full session)
Guidance during image selection
High-end digital images that are fully finished and ready to print or frame
What you’re investing in isn’t just time — it’s expertise, polish, and a final product you’ll love forever.
So while the session is quicker and more limited in scope, the quality is anything but mini.
The Full Session Experience
If you’ve had one of my signature full sessions — or even just hopped on one of my phone consultation calls — you already know: this is a completely different kind of experience.
Full sessions are an experience customized for you and your pet. We chat ahead of time, dive into what makes your pet special and how we can capture all of it in portraits. We’ll pick out backgrounds, plan for artwork, and make space for those “OMG that’s so them” moments that take a little more time to unfold.
These sessions are typically around an hour long (or more if your dog needs it), and they’re designed to be low-stress, highly customized, and genuinely enjoyable — for you and your dog. You can include more than one pet, be in the photos yourself, and walk away with artwork that feels like it belongs in a gallery and your living room.
You also get:
A full in-home consultation to talk through your vision, space, and goals
Your choice of background colors
A relaxed pace to capture variety and connection
A separate viewing session where we review images together and plan artwork for your home
The opportunity to include multiple pets and family members
So Which One’s Right for You?
Mini sessions are perfect if you:
Want a polished portrait of only one pet
Don’t need custom artwork or backgrounds
Prefer quick and simple
Satisfied with only a few images
Full sessions are for you if:
You want to create heirloom artwork for your home
You’re looking for a truly personalized experience
You want to be in the photos with your pet
Your dog or cat is a little quirky and might need some extra time or patience
You love the idea of someone guiding you from the first phone call to hand-delivering your final artwork
Both experiences are built around the same high-quality photography and deep love of dogs and cats — it’s just a matter of how much you want to get out of your experience.
Still not sure? That’s exactly what our phone consultation is for. We’ll talk through everything, and I’ll help you figure out which option fits your dog (and your home) best. Get started now
Sara Huber us the owner and photographer at Paw Print Studio, a pet photography studio with locations in West Hartford, Connecticut and Norwalk, Connecticut. Sessions can be booked by reaching out for a free consultation: Book Your Pet Portrait Session
