This sweet family is near and dear to my heart, because I started working with them when they were expecting their first child who is now a sweet and rambunctious toddler. Olive emailed me to let me know they were expecting their second child and wanted to work with me again, but she was a little behind in the game and hadn't thought of anything to wear. I reassured her that we had plenty of options in the studio wardrobe and we made an appointment for her styling consult. She fell in love with a split front dress and a flower crown and was relieved that she didn't have to worry about finding or ordering a dress for her maternity session at the park location.
When we arrived at the park, Olive was worried that Dudley wouldn't be cooperative. This is a common concern with every client that has a small child. The best way to deal with this is simply to let the child lead and give them their space. Think about it...if someone you didn't know well was in your face telling you to smile and waving a big black thing around that made clicking noises, would you be excited about it? Probably not. Let me guarantee you something: I have seen it ALL. You may think your child is acting like a complete devil, but I've seen "worse". I have three children of my own, and have survived the on year old, two year old, three year old, four year old, and five year old stages thus far. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
The biggest "trick" is that at the beginning of your session, I hang back and let your family interact naturally together while giving you some guided direction. I wait for those moments to happen, and trust me...they do. Even if you feel like a session is going horribly and that I can't possibly be getting anything you'd want to frame - trust me and go with the flow. Relax, have fun - and your child will follow your lead. Once your child is comfortable, I'll approach to be closer.
We had a lot of fun during the session after Dudley warmed up to being photographed. He had a blast running and playing with his parents and loved snuggling with his mom. The light was gorgeous that evening, and I was so excited to edit and deliver the gallery to them!
When Olive saw the images from her session, she sent me a message to tell me that she had been so worried that I hadn't been able to get anything because of Dudley not being excited, but that the gallery brought her to tears because of all the moments captured. I love hearing this from my clients!
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.