Hong Kong Family Mini Sessions | Fall 2026

I have photographed at well over 100 HK locations, so I consider myself bith somewhat knowledgeable and picky about locations.

For that reason I do them at two basically ‘No Fail’ locations: The Botanical Garden in Central and Repulse Bay Beach.

i run the weekend session on Saturday mornings, as that is the only time on the weekend you can almost guarantee a fairly quiet experience.

I have added one late afternoon mid-week option at each location as well. If you wanted a true beach look for your session, the Wednesday at Repulse Bay Beach is it.

For Repulse Bay Beach, I don’t always do them on the beach, I use the pier and around temple. We photographers avoid the direct sun in order to make flattering photos. So if you are doing a weekend session and absolutely want beach shots, grab one of the first tow or three slots.

Feel free to contact me about locations and timing if you are not sure.

I hold these Mini Fall Photo Sessions on Saturday mornings on several select dates in October and November. They take place at Repulse Bay Beach (by the Tin Hau Temple) and at the Botanical Gardens in Central.

Because these sessions are run tightly back-to-back, please arrive a few minutes early, and leave a little extra time to find parking if you are driving!

During the session, I start with getting full family photos, then several combinations. if time allows I like to let the kids play for five minutes so I can do my signature “Kids Being Kids” style of photography and capture a bit of personality.

That said, Mini Sessions are mostly posed for maximum efficiency.

Mini Sessions are strictly designed for one immediate family, up to a maximum of 5 people.

To put it in perspective, a family of 6 broken down into all possible groupings (singles, doubles, triples, etc.) equals 63 different combinations. In a 15-minute window, that means chasing one specific shot every 14 seconds.

In other words, not doable!!

Even a group of 5 whittles down to 31 combinations, or about 30 seconds per shot. (I am not trying to take every combination in a 5-person Mini Session!)

But you still need a bit of time to get actual personality into the photos. (Fifteen seconds is a mugshot!)

In my experience, a Mini Session is absolutely perfect for Mom, Dad, and a kid or two.

If you want to include grandparents, cousins, or extended family, please book a Regular Session.

Yes!

Actually, in the USA, where the fall Mini Session is big business, ten minutes is normal, usually with five hi-res files.

In those sessions the photographers usually follow a strict ‘template’ of what shots to get.

I don’t do that, I get the full family photos out of the way and then try to get a little bit of my style in there, letting the kids play around a bit.

I have photographed thousands and thousands of kids, I am ridiculously efficient. My approach is perfect for the Hong Kong Mini Session.

Mini Sessions run on fixed date blocks, so I make the call on whether conditions allow the session to go ahead as planned.

If not, I have a designated specific rain-date in the schedule. If that date doesn't work for you, your payment will be credited toward a future session.

Simple, neutral clothing is best.

I like soft tones, minimal patterns, and coordinating rather than matching outfits.

Everyone should be comfortable in their wardrobe, esp. the kids.

More wardrobe info here:

https://www.iantaylor.ca/wardrobe

Absolutely. Dogs are family, too!

Available only at Repulse Bay Mini Sessions.

Fifteen minutes is actually the absolute sweet spot for dogs (and kids)—long enough to get great portraits and action shots before their attention span runs out.

If you’re bringing a pup, just make sure they remain on a leash, and try to arrive 10 minutes early so they can burn off some excess energy and get their sniffing out of the way before your clock starts.

(Note: Your dog counts toward my 5-subject limit per slot!)

Within 10 days of your session, I will post a private online gallery with roughly 25–30 proof images featuring basic light/color adjustments.

• Selection Window: You have one week to make your selections. After one week, the gallery is automatically deleted (a HKD 250 fee applies to re-upload).

• Final Delivery: Once you select your 10 included images, I fully retouch them and send a high-resolution download link. Files must be downloaded within two weeks.

Optional Upgrades:

• Full Gallery (all proofs, fully retouched): HKD 1,250

• Additional Retouched Photos: HKD 250 per image

I retain full copyright of all images, and you receive a private, personal-use license (no commercial use or alterations).

In practice, I use very few current photos in my portfolio, I lean heavily on older work and don't blog every shoot the way some photographers do, so the odds of your session appearing are low.

That said, if you'd rather your images not be used in my portfolio or promotions at all, that's available for a HKD 500 opt-out fee.

Mini Sessions are non-refundable and cannot be canceled outright.

However, if you need to reschedule and give at least 48 hours' notice, your payment will be credited toward a future session.

Requests made less than 48 hours before your session forfeit the fee.