Pup-Up Portrait Event Updates | Mini Sessions by Megan Hoffer

Momentum and motivation were high during the first few weeks of conceptualizing, refining the details, and bringing everything to life for my newest project: Pop-Up Portrait Events, which are essentially mini sessions for families, pets, and headshots in the Lancaster, PA area. These events make portrait photography both more accessible and affordable, and they allow my family and me to give back to the communities we serve in our daily lives. We’ve already held our first event at our local dog park: Dog Park Mount Joy! It went extremely well, and I already have another event scheduled for August 16th! The positive energy, however, didn’t last forever…

After all the preparations and excitement for that first event, I’ve noticed that the energy and momentum faded a bit while waiting for responses from some of the organizations I contacted. It’s often during these moments that I start second-guessing myself and my ideas. Is this really a good plan? What if no one else is interested? Can I still call them “Pop-Up Events” if I only hold them at the local dog park? I love hosting these events, but I wonder how they impact my upscale wedding photography brand. The questions and doubts spun in my mind until I finally received a response from the local library.

When I saw the name in my email inbox, my heart skipped a beat and then started beating fast. I was thrilled to begin planning this next event. I mean, I already created the flyer! Let’s go! Then, devastation: they turned me down, simply saying that my events aren’t a good fit for the library. I went from the highest high to the lowest low in an instant. This let-down was especially heavy because it was my original idea to host these events to raise money for the library, inspired by attending one of their events with my dad a few weeks ago. I learned they rely heavily on donations to keep the library running, so I wanted to help. Plus, they have the perfect location with the most ideal light right on their property. The whole thing was so perfect! It had to work… until it didn’t. I’m glad I had the win with Dog Park Mount Joy first, or I probably would have scrapped the entire idea after getting that blatant “no.”

I haven’t heard back from The Candy Factory about the pop-up headshot events for their members, so I assume that not being a member anymore has ended that possibility. They support their paying members, so I truly understand that. I still love you, TCF!

The event idea I was most excited about was “Pictures and Pints” Pop-Up Portraits at your favorite local brewery. The goal is to make picture day fun for Dad (and Mom!). Attendees who reserve their spot and pay online will get a token for a beer after their “short and sweet” shoot. This serves as a little reward for those who usually grumble about getting ready and putting up with a family photo shoot. It’s quick and easy—get your photo taken, then relax and have fun.

To my utter delight, after discussing with their entire team, our favorite brewery, Tröegs, in Hershey, PA, said yes! They even enthusiastically invited me to be part of their The Art of Tröegs Market event in September, where I can hold the first session. They mentioned they are aiming to make the event more interactive, and they believe this will be a great way to do it. Next week, I’ll have the chance to walk through the property with their event coordinator to find the perfect spot to set up. Stay tuned for more updates about that!

I might also organize an event as casual mini sessions without a specific cause to donate to and host a quick one at a local park while waiting for feedback from the Tröegs event.

Tonight, I get to visit one of my favorite spots: The Barn at Stoneybrooke in Atglen, PA, for an engagement session with one of my Stoneybrooke couples planning their 2026 wedding. I’m so excited to be back “home” at The Barn. Sneak peeks will be hitting socials tomorrow and the blog soon after. I can’t wait to share the magic from Jessica and Nathan’s engagement shoot!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Megan