Signature vs. Petite Sessions: Which Photography Session Is Right for You?

Sometimes you want to document the whole season.

And sometimes you just want to remember this one little thing.

Maybe your baby just learned to sit up and suddenly looks impossibly proud of herself. Maybe you’re pregnant and want a few beautiful portraits of this changing body, but want to keep things simple and focused just on you. Or maybe you’re welcoming a new baby and want photographs that tell the bigger story — not just what your newborn looks like, but what it feels like to be your family right now.

Those are different things to photograph. And they don’t necessarily need the same kind of session.

That’s why I offer two ways to work with me for maternity and baby portraits: Signature Sessions and Petite Sessions.

The Signature Session: when you want the whole story

Signature Sessions are my full portrait experience and are designed to give us time to slow down, settle in, and create a varied gallery of your family.

For a newborn session, that means photographs of your baby alone, siblings together, each parent with the baby, your whole family, and all of those tiny in-between moments that happen along the way.

For maternity or baby sessions, we have time for different combinations of family images, wardrobe changes, and plenty of room for little ones to warm up without feeling rushed.

Signature Sessions include wardrobe styling guidance, access to my studio wardrobe for mothers and babies, and a hand-edited gallery of 40+ images to choose from.

There’s no hard time limit. Most sessions run about an hour to an hour and a half, and newborn sessions go as long as needed to allow for feeding, soothing, and those sleepy baby poses.

Signature Sessions are the right fit if:

• You’re booking a newborn session.
• You want your whole family included.
• You want time for different groupings, interactions, or wardrobe changes.
• You want a relaxed session without watching the clock.
• You want the widest selection and the most flexibility in your image gallery.
• This feels like a chapter you want to document fully.

INQUIRE ABOUT A SIGNATURE SESSION

The Petite Session: when you want to remember one little moment

Petite Sessions are intentionally smaller.

These 30-minute weekday studio sessions are designed for one person. They’re perfect for maternity portraits or for documenting your baby anytime between 3 and 12 months — whether there’s a particular milestone to celebrate or you just don’t want this stage to slip by.

Think: the bump. The sitter stage. Those delicious baby rolls. The first birthday. That sweet little expression you know isn’t going to last forever.

Petite Sessions still include access to my studio wardrobe and the same gently guided approach and hand editing as my Signature Sessions. The difference is simply the scope: less time, one subject, and a smaller gallery of approximately 20 images.

Petite Sessions are the right fit if:

• You want to document one specific stage or milestone.
• The focus is just on you or your baby.
• You prefer something short and simple.
• You don’t need a large, varied gallery.
• You still want beautiful, thoughtfully created portraits without a full session.

INQUIRE ABOUT A PETITE SESSION

Still not sure?

Here’s the simplest way to think about it:

One person → Petite
More than one person → Signature

That’s genuinely it most of the time. If you’re an expecting mom who wants gorgeous maternity portraits of just herself, or you want to capture your seven-month-old’s chunky-roll phase without the whole production, then Petite is your session.

If you want your connection to your partner and your baby included (my specialty!), or you’re welcoming a new baby, Signature is the one.

And if you’re still on the fence after reading this, just reach out. I’m always happy to help you figure out what makes the most sense for where you are right now.

Contact Me for Details and Availability

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Christy Johnson Photography serves maternity, newborn, and baby’s first year families in Wake Forest, Raleigh, and the surrounding Triangle area.