Angela contacted us at the beginning of the year to inquire about newborn sessions and was thrilled to find out that we take care of everything for our newborn moms between our wardrobe and add on hair and makeup services. When you arrive at the studio, you can literally walk in wearing sweats and a comfy t-shirt. We don't judge (and believe me, I know what it's like to have a newborn at home in those first weeks). You'll come in, look through the studio wardrobe to see what catches your eye, and then sit down in the hair and makeup chair to relax with some bottled water (or LaCroix if you prefer), while your HMUA gets to work. I'll whisk your baby off to the newborn shooting room to start with their solo portraits while you're being pampered. Where is dad in this picture? Two options exist for them: if they'd rather come on in later, they can come about 90 minutes into the session. Or, they can come with you and hang out on the couch. Totally up to you and your preferences! If you have an older child that will be participating, dad and big brother or sister will arrive later. We have the whole routine down to a science here!
Angela contacted us to let us know that her son, Maverick, had arrived, and we sent over a couple of dates for her to choose from. She chose one, and we sent over the newborn prep packet for her to review. It covers best practices for the morning of, what to bring to your session, and what other session participants (dad, siblings, grandparents) should wear in order to keep everything cohesive. If you have any questions at any point in the process, we're here to help!
I took Maverick back to the newborn shooting room while Margaret started working on Angela's makeup application. He was a sleepy little guy, and loved being curled up in someone's arms. Babies need to be warm to be relaxed, and we keep our newborn shooting room at a toasty temperature for this reason. Babies also like to feel secure, so wrapping them snugly helps with that, and once they're in a nice deep sleep, then we can move into the less wrapped images where they're sprawled out. When you have a newborn, you'll notice that they sometimes startle and their arms and legs will fly out. There are certain phases of sleep in which this is more likely to happen, and I am always carefully watching and observing your baby during their session to see where they are in terms of sleepiness. Baby safety and comfort are paramount in my studio!
After I finished up with Maverick's solo images, Margaret was putting the finishing touches on Angela's makeup. After a diaper change and a quick nursing break, we moved on to the family and parent portion, which is my favorite part. I love capturing the quiet moments of awe and wonder, where you can see the incredible love and emotional connection between parents and their new baby. This is the start of your family, one of the most amazing chapters of your story. I'm so honored to be invited to photograph that for my clients, and it's an opportunity I don't take lightly.
Below, you'll find just a few of my favorites from Maverick's session! His parents chose to mat and frame 16x20 image (fourth one up from the bottom, if you're curious!) to display in their home as an add on to their newborn collection. We have a varied studio frame line and will take care of getting your artwork ready for you so you don't have to deal with taking your prints to a framer. Adding on mats and frames is completely optional, and is just one part of the complete service that we offer to all clients should they choose to utilize it!
If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!
Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.