Tag: Indiana family photographer

Indiana Fall Mini Sessions: Real Smiles in 20 Minutes

corrieleeannsphotography

Discover how a 20-minute fall mini session turned into 60 candid, joy-filled photos. Learn why short sessions create real connection and timeless memories.

You know those sessions where you go in hoping for 25 solid shots and somehow end up with 60 you just can’t part with?
Yeah. That was this one.

Meet Rachel, her husband Drew, their sweet little Lola, and Rachel’s parents, Paul and Sharon, who, by the way, came fully prepared to steal the show.

From the moment we started, I knew this was going to be fun. Everyone was dressed in soft, muted tones (my love language for natural light photography). These tones let the fall colors do their thing and make the skin tones buttery smooth. It’s the secret sauce for those timeless, mantle-worthy images you’ll love for years.

And then there’s Lola. Sweet, spunky, full-of-life Lola who completely turned on the personality halfway through the session and had us all cracking up. Those are the moments you can’t pose or plan. You just have to keep the camera ready and ride the wave of pure joy.

But let’s talk about Paul for a second because every family session has that one moment. I jokingly asked him and Sharon who’s been the most stubborn in their marriage all these years. Without missing a beat, Paul threw her under the bus. 😆 Cue laughter, side-eye, and the best candid smiles of the day.

That’s what I love about minis , they’re short enough to keep everyone fresh and long enough to capture real emotion. We stay in one location, move through easy prompts, and spend just enough time together for everyone to “thaw out” in front of the camera. No stress, no overthinking, no “what do I do with my hands?” energy. Just connection.

Here’s the truth:
The classic, mantle-worthy shots are why you come to the session.
But the real gold? That’s in the emotion, the in-between moments, the laughter, the little girl who leans in for one more kiss before you can even tell her to.

That’s what makes a mini session feel big.

Photographer Takeaway

Minis don’t have to feel rushed. Keep your clients moving, your tone light, and your prompts playful.
Ask questions that spark emotion (and laughter), and don’t chase perfection,chase connection.

Client Takeaway

A mini session is the perfect sweet spot: short, fun, and relaxed. It’s proof that you don’t need an hour to capture memories you’ll treasure forever.

Ready to Book Your Own?

I’ll be hosting a snow day mini and spring mini in 2026, if you’ve been waiting for that “just right” session that feels easy, natural, and fun… this is it.

👉 Contact me through my facebook page for booking details

Manuel Family Mini Session

corrieleeannsphotography

I absolutely love finding the spots that we can get so much accomplished with as few steps as possible. This fall, Cataract Falls has been that unexpected place for me. Yesterday I was joined by the Manuel Family during the magical golden hour and in just 15minutes we were able to capture some pretty precious images. The light, the family, the lens…. it was all magic working together to capture these gorgeous images. Bonus this was my first weekend with my new 85mm lens and it’s completely transformed what I can capture in an image. I’m in love.

Laura is a dear work colleague of mine and this is our second photo shoot together for their growing family. The first was when Ruby first arrived and in just 6 short months, she has changed so much. I always get such a blessing from taking this families photos. Hazel, Jonah, and Graham have the sweetest personalities and their posing is always on point. Skylar and Laura do a wonderful job raising their precious tribe.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the shoot. Enjoy!

XOXO – Corrie

Herrmann + Pierce Families | Mini session at Cataract Falls

corrieleeannsphotography

A gorgeous fall afternoon in Owen County made for the perfect time for this farmhouse style Christmas Card photoshoot. Bethany reached out about the Christmas card mini session that I posted a couple of weeks ago and I was thrilled to receive her message. This family has such a special place in my heart for so many reason. Pastor Allan and Susan Pierce have served at Northern Park Baptist church for over 20 years and have been a huge influence in my family’s life. Now their daughter, Bethany and her husband, Matthew are serving as music and youth ministers in the church. To say it was an honor to capture a legacy moment of this growing family is an understatement.

During a mini session my goal is to get 10-30 high quality images that give my clients a variety of poses that will assist in the creation of collages for social media, gifts or wall art. I’m always amazed at how much variety we can get from just a few minutes. I was able to capture over 60 images for these families in such a short amount of time.

Bethany had her crew coordinated to a tee and they were ready to go as soon as they stepped out of the car. 🙂

Beckham (the star of the show) even let us interrupt his nap time for the occasion.

The joy captured in these photos comes from a very authentic place for this family. Light hearted, stories of ministry adventures and lots of laughs. Thank you Herrmann and Pierce family for letting me be your photographer this weekend…. My heart is full.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from the session.

XOXO – Corrie

The Martin Family Fall Mini Session at Cataract Falls

corrieleeannsphotography

This photoshoot was STUNNING! I was thrilled when I got the facebook message from Adrian that they were looking for a fall session photographer. We had messaged back and forth briefly about styling options. She shared this gorgeous dress with me and I just knew the colors of the trees would compliment it wonderfully.

Roger, Adrian and I were already acquainted through ministries we are all involved in. As a matter of fact, the Barnett Trio (the music ministry I travel in) met Roger and Adrian separately many years ago and it was awesome to see how their paths crossed which lead to marriage and of course, the most adorable 6 month old you’ll find this side of Owen County, Evangeline

It’s a joy taking pictures of families I know and love. It makes it easy to tell their story through our session. The story of this session embraces the glow and warmth you see all around them. Thier love for God, each other, and their community is present in all their conversations and actions. It was great to get to know them just a little better.

The sun and the colors on the trees showed out beautifully for our session. I have to say one of my favorite places of the day was near the end of the session at the Upper Falls but honestly, when the lighting is right, there is no such thing as a “bad place” for photos. That’s why I love meeting my clients 2 hours before sunset so we can hit that golden hour just right.

Thank you, Martin Family for giving me the opportunity to capture part of your journey together. Sweet memories that make up a legacy.

Please enjoy a gallery of my favorites from our session.

PS: Adrian, we need the link to your dress. 😉

XOXO – Corrie