Auckland Petite Studio Sessions | Everything You Need To Know

Beautiful, No-Fuss Portraits You’ll Love Forever

Petite Studio Sessions – Quick, Easy, and Beautiful

Life moves quickly, and children seem to change in the blink of an eye. Petite Studio Sessions offer a simple, stress-free way to capture beautiful, professional portraits without the time commitment of a full session. Whether you're updating your child’s portraits, capturing a small family moment, or celebrating motherhood, these sessions provide a timeless way to preserve this stage in your life.

Little boy sweetly smiles at the camera at an Auckland studio shoot

What Exactly is a Petite Studio Session?

My Petite Studio Sessions are the perfect middle ground—more than a quick, themed mini session but without the length and investment of a full storytelling session. Designed to be efficient, relaxed, and beautifully curated, these sessions provide professional-quality portraits without the overwhelm.

You’ll get a streamlined experience with expert guidance, perfect lighting, and a focus on capturing genuine, timeless images—all in a way that fits effortlessly into your schedule.

What They’re Perfect For:

✔ Updating your child’s portraits – because they grow and change so quickly.
✔ Beautifully lit family portraits – stress-free and effortlessly professional.
✔ Celebrating motherhood – capturing the love, connection, and fleeting moments.
✔ Marking a milestone – birthdays, first steps, or any moment worth remembering.
✔ A timeless gift – a heartfelt way to surprise grandparents or loved ones.

Petite vs. Full Session – Which One’s for You?

Choosing between a Full Session, Petite Session, or a Mini Session? Here’s how they compare:

Full Sessions – The Storytelling Experience

A full session is all about variety, depth, and time to let moments unfold naturally. We move through several distinct scenes, each offering a fresh backdrop, different light, and a whole new feel—capturing a beautiful mix of playful, quiet, and scenic moments that tell your full story.

With the flexibility of multiple outfits, different locations, and a relaxed pace, these sessions allow for the most authentic, magical images. They’re my absolute favourite because we get to hang out, let go of any awkwardness, and truly capture you as you are—connected, real, and unforgettable.

Mini Sessions – A Few Times a Year, Theme Included

Mini Sessions are short, fast-paced, and only happen a few times a year—I’m looking at you, Mother’s Day and Christmas! They’re themed, scheduled in advance, and booked back-to-back. A great way to grab a quick seasonal portrait but without much customisation.

Petite Sessions – The Perfect In-Between

Petite Sessions are snuggled in between these two. In the studio or on our Helensville farm, just one perfect scene of your choice—The Green Couch, The Soft White Space, or one of my beautiful backdrops. Beautiful photos with no fuss.

Even with a Petite Session, you still get the full range of images—individual portraits, each child with each parent, fun snuggled-in close-ups, and, of course, the all-important classic family portrait. Every shot is carefully guided to feel natural, relaxed, and truly capture your connection.

A mother touches her sons face during a studio shoot

The Studio Experience

Just two minutes from the heart of Helensville, my studio sits on our family farm, surrounded by rolling hills and open skies. It’s not just a studio—it’s a space where creativity, connection, and a little bit of magic come together to create truly unique portraits.

Inside, you’ll find gorgeous natural light streaming through custom-made windows and state-of-the-art studio lighting to make sure every shot is beautifully lit. The vibe? Cosy, relaxed, and completely stress-free—so you can just enjoy the moment while I take care of everything else.

For Petite Studio Sessions, we keep things simple and stunning. One perfect setup, whether that’s the green couch, The Soft White Space, or one of my signature backdrops. We’ll mix natural and studio lighting to create a variety of looks in no time, giving you a gallery full of beautiful, effortless portraits.

And just steps outside, we’ve got the whole farm to play with. If your little one has just taken their first wobbly steps, we’ll capture the moment. If your farm-obsessed tamariki want to tear through the long grass, I’m all for it. Whether it’s a smash cake, a moody studio-lit portrait, or a snuggly family moment, we can make it happen right here.

This space is where imagination runs wild and your family’s story unfolds naturally—exactly the way it should.

A black and white image of a father gently kisses his sons forehead during a studio shoot in auckland

Why not turn your family photo session into a delightful day out?

The Helensville area is steeped in history and offers a lot to explore. After all, you’ll be dressed for the occasion!

Take in the atmosphere at The Butcher Baker, a destination eatery and a jewel in the Northwest Auckland foodie scene. Their wild mushroom doughnuts on the lunch menu are nothing short of epic.

Browse the wonderful clothing and gifts available at the beautiful boutique store Eleventh Hour. So many top NZ fashion labels to choose from, as well as a wonderful selection of accessories and homeware. Always worth a look before your session as there might be the perfect accessory to finish off your outfit!

If you’d like to explore some of the rich history of the area, Helensville Museum on Mill Road is a must see. A great opportunity to learn more about the heritage of our charming town.

If you are feeling more adventurous, head to Country Grind in Kaukapakapa for some amazing takeway fish and chips and milkshakes. Then make your way to Omeru Reserve where you can choose from two stunning waterfalls as your backdrop for your al fresco meal.

Make a day of it!

A little boy pokes his tongue out with a cheeky face at the camera at an auckland petite studio shoot

Pricing & Packages

Your Petite Studio Session is $600, which includes a beautifully guided studio experience and 10 stunning, high-resolution images. After your session, you’ll receive a private online gallery where you can select your favorites—or upgrade to receive them all.

What’s Included:

  • ✔ A relaxed, professionally guided studio session
    ✔ 10 beautifully edited, high-resolution images
    ✔ A personalized prep & style guide to help you feel confident and prepared
    ✔ Access to a curated selection of backdrops & setups
    ✔ A private online gallery to choose your images

    Want More? Upgrade Anytime.

    Once you’ve seen your full gallery, you’ll have the option to upgrade:

    📸 Extra images: $40 per image
    📸 Full gallery upgrade (30-40 images): +$400

    This way, you can choose the images that mean the most to you—whether it’s just a few favourites or the entire collection. No pressure, just beautiful portraits you’ll love forever.

A mother and son share a moment during a petite studio shoot

Petite Studio Sessions are only available a few times throughout the year, with a limited number of spots each time. To keep these sessions relaxed and personal, I only open bookings every few months—once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Ready to book? Simply click the button to grab your spot now. It’s quick, easy, and secures your session instantly.

Spots are limited, so don’t wait—book your Petite Studio Session today!

Limited Availability – Book Your Petite Session Now

What they’ve been saying!

Featured
Sarah Pengelly
Sarah Pengelly

Aisling made our whole photography family shoot easy, enjoyable and fun. She is skilful at coaxing smiles and laughter out of children and adults alike, and makes a sometimes daunting process a relaxed and candid experience!

She captures the essence of each child, is professional and talented. It was very difficult to pick which photo was our favourite, we loved them all!

We would highly recommend using Aisling O’Brien Photography.

David South
David South

Aisling made us feel fully at ease and a great time was had on our family shoot in Helensville.

The shoot itself was great. But the end product is astounding! Truly beautiful pictures, better than I could have even hoped for.

I can recommend Aisling with the utmost confidence, and if you're here, you're considering it.

Consider no more, give her a ring or drop her a line.

Amazing work Aisling. Thanks.

Zoe Hood-Hogan
Zoe Hood-Hogan

Aisling came to our home to do a newborn shoot and made us all feel so comfortable and at ease. Nothing felt posed or awkward, it was just as though we were all hanging out, chatting while Aisling subtly snapped away.

The images really encapsulate us, a moment in time, enjoying a regular morning, which makes them that much more special. Even my husband who only begrudgingly agreed to a couple of photos ended up relaxing and enjoying the experience.

Aisling brought along such beautiful, neutral textured fabrics to nestle baby into and also some gorgeous garments to style me in. Nothing over the top - just comfortable yet elegant pieces that made me feel beautiful.

At the time I was just coming through PND and om receiving the images, my heart was so full. Every time I look through them I love them even more and notice new little details & emotions that Aisling has captured and that I will treasure always.

Michelle O’Gorman
Michelle O’Gorman

From the moment I enquired about a family photoshoot working with Aisling was a pleasure. We received a detailed pack prior to the shoot giving us full direction on the type of clothing to wear, direction on hair and makeup etc.

The day itself was very relaxed and easy and Aisling even managed to make it fun. I have two young boys so keeping there attention for the hour in its self was an achievement.

The pictures that came back were amazing, we absolutely love them. I cant believe how well they turned out. Aisling is a true professional, very creative and super at what she does. I would highly recommend Aisling. Thank you Aisling for helping us create special moments x