Heartfelt, candid children’s portrait photography in Toronto

For a limited time, Mighty Mini Sessions at portrait events are free. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required for each booking that you can put toward the purchase of a digital collection.

A session includes a 10-minute portrait session for 1-2 children and a curated gallery of 20+ photos. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase digital photo downloads, prints, framed fine art prints, and custom photo books after you receive your gallery.

Yes! I offer Mighty Mini Sessions by appointment in my studio in Roncesvalles Village at a date/time of your choice. These sessions are 30 minutes and can accommodate up to 4 children. The price starts at $495 which includes 5 photo downloads of your choice from a gallery of 30+ photos. To book, contact me at info@melaniegordon.com.

Deposits may only be refunded if you notify me of a cancellation request within 24 hours of booking.

If you need to reschedule to a different time, email me at info@melaniegordon.com at least 7 days before your session and I can reschedule and transfer your deposit to another available spot.

If you need to cancel, please let me know at least 7 days before your session so I can make that spot available for another family.

One to two kids can be included in one Mighty Mini Session. If you have three or four children please book 2 back-to-back sessions, which will have slightly different digital collection pricing that you can see on the booking page for date you want.

A Mighty Mini Session is ideal for children from 6 months to 18 years. If your child can sit on their own, the experience is better and you’ll get more variety of photos. That said, I have photographed many babies with the help of parents’ supportive hands and we have gotten beautiful photos that show the variety of expressions of a baby.

Yes. I will photograph your children individually and together in the same session.

It depends on the temperament and age of your child how close by you will want to be. I’m great at connecting with kids and I’ll ask for your support if I feel it’s necessary. Please do not bring out any screens during your session. I’ll engage your children in conversation, with music, and with invitations to play. The best photos are ones where your children are naturally engaged in play or conversation with me.

Yes. I usually deliver a 50/50 mix of colour and black and white photos in your viewing gallery. If you would prefer all colour or all black and white photos, you need to let me know before you leave your session.

Before I send your viewing gallery, I hand edits each photo to optimize for colour, contrast and cropping. I believe that kids should look like kids and edit your photos as natural to life as possible. I don’t do any airbrushing or “beauty” editing. That said, if your child happened to get a scrape or bruise I can digitally remove this upon request for purchased photos, provided it isn’t too extensive.

Unlike many photographers, I don’t make specific clothing recommendations because I want your child’s photos to represent them as authentically as possible. If your child is old enough to dress themselves, involve them in the excitement of getting ready for their photoshoot. You can ask them what clothing they love to wear and how it makes them feel.

When you invite your children to dress themselves, their clothing becomes an expression of who they are and they feel empowered. And, these photos will tell more of a story about who your child is right now.

If you can avoid logos, characters, and text, please do, but if your child is passionate about wearing their Frozen shirt to their session, for example, let them. Please avoid wrinkles and stains if you can.

Make sure your child has had a snack, and that your session time isn’t too close to nap time.

Please wipe your child’s face and clean their nose really well before your session begins, preferably at least 10 minutes before in case the nose wiping is upsetting. The camera reveals dry skin and nose crusties like a magnifying glass, so please be extra diligent.

Please bring wipes, lip balm, and a snack. You may also want to bring a special toy or stuffy and a change of clothes in case of a last minute spill.

Arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled start time so your children can transition into the space.

If an upcoming portrait event is sold out, please join the waitlist on the booking page. I will notify you if a spot becomes available.

A week after your session I’ll send you a link to view your photo gallery. You’ll have two days to make purchase decisions and will receive your photo downloads a day or two after you place your order.

Yes, yes, and yes! Your viewing gallery comes with your own print shop where you can make prints and order wall art and custom books. Using my pro lab for printing will give you the best results and highest quality for your photographs. Consumer labs are often unreliable. Email me at info@melaniegordon.com for a preview of what’s in your shop.

A Mighty Book is a 20-page custom photo book that pairs photos of your child from their Mighty Mini Session with empowering messages. It is included as a bonus when you purchase the full digital collection or it can be purchased separately through your gallery.