Erin contacted the studio to inquire about booking her baby’s newborn session when her daughter was already a week old. We were able to fit her in right away as we happened to have an opening that week. Erin also asked if hair and makeup add on services were also available at the last minute, and to her luck - we had someone available! While we strongly recommend reserving your newborn session in advance, we understand that sometimes life and circumstances get in the way. We can’t guarantee we will have availability, but definitely check with us if this is you!
The morning of of their session Erin and her mother in law arrived at the studio with tiny six pound Natalie Wren. She had such delicate features and her name fit her so perfectly! Erin and I quickly looked through the wardrobe and she chose a simple blush dress to wear. She expressed relief that she didn’t have to worry about going out and finding something that would fit. We hear this all the time from our clients and have a wide variety of sizes 0-14/16 to choose from.
Natalie’s husband arrived a bit later, and when he started talking with his mother, I immediately recognized their accent…. Pittsburgh! I know it when I hear it immediately and said, “Wait a minute…. do I hear Pittsburgh?!” My dad’s family hails from Pittsburgh. I was born in Pittsburgh and am a Steelers fan by default. It was so much fun to feel like I was back home as we chatted while Natalie took some nursing breaks. Mike doesn’t love having his photo taken. When I asked him what he was wearing he said he didn’t know and gestured towards a bunch of button downs that Erin had brought from home. I said, “Well, why don’t you wear what you have on?” He looked at me incredulously and said, “What, are you serious? I can wear this?” When I told him “Absolutely!”, I think I might have been his favorite person on earth in that very moment. Moms, there’s nothing wrong with your husband wearing a comfortable cotton t-shirt. The color is what is most important, and it should be free of logos and pocketless. Our newborn prep packet will give you ideas of the color palette to choose, and your guy will love you for it. If button downs are more his style, have him go with that. Ultimately, my goal is for everyone to feel comfortable and like themselves. This seems so simple but it affects your entire session.
Natalie was a curly and sleepy baby and stayed asleep for the majority of her solo portraits. She needed to take a couple of nursing breaks and then went right back to sleep, Babies dictate the flow of my sessions. What works for one baby won’t necessarily work for another, so every newborn session in the studio is unique to each individual baby.
After we had finished with our session, I noticed that the blanket they’d brought from home was the perfect match to the dress Erin was wearing. I asked if they’d like to use it for the family portion, and they loved the idea. I welcome the use of blankets from home. This particular blanker was a soft muslin blanket from Amazon with blush and gold accents. I pulled a gold headband from my stock, and the whole look was perfection! You’ll notice it throughout the photos below. I love being able to tie in a personal piece for that extra touch. If you’re thinking about bringing a blanket, we’ll give you tips and suggestions about what kind to bring. If it’s a blanket that was knitted by a loved one, it might not work for all of the images but we can definitely incorporate it into an image or two.
Here are my favorite photos from Natalie Wren’s newborn session!
If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby 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.