I first worked with Abby and Charlie for their FREEZING cold field maternity session when they were expecting their first baby! You can view their gorgeous images by clicking here. Charlie contacted us to schedule a maternity session for baby #2 as a surprise birthday gift for Abby! Isn’t that the sweetest? We love when dads gift their wives with sessions - it’s truly a gift that is appreciated and cherished forever.
Abby was so excited when Charlie surprised her with the gift on her birthday. We scheduled the session to take place in late spring since she wasn’t due until the summer. We often shoot at our mountain location, and while it’s not “officially” up on the website, it’s an option for our clients should they wish to shoot here. Just ask about the mountain when you inquire! As a note: everyone in your family should be in good physical condition with no pregnancy complications as you will be hiking with a moderate incline on rock for a while. Dads will have to carry their child(ren) at points! My children are easily able to hike it alone, and my son did so at the age of 2. However, because we must be to the top at a certain time, sometimes you’ll have to carry a child to help move us along at a quicker pace!
Abby emailed and asked if she could add on hair and makeup to her session. She wanted to relax beforehand and let Charlie be the one to handle their daughter. We said “Sure!” and set it up for her. We also scheduled her maternity fitting, and she came in a couple of weeks before her session.
I hadn’t seen Abby since her last maternity session, and it felt like greeting an old friend. She is such a warm and sweet person, and the first thing she said was “Wow! Your wardrobe grew!” Yep…. it sure did from the time she was last pregnant! We are constantly adding new pieces to the wardrobe every couple of months, and love curating beautiful things for our clients to choose from to wear for their sessions. We went through the options and she narrowed it down to about five that she loved. I always encourage clients to snap a photo of themselves in the mirror if they can’t decide the day of our fitting. This allows you to go home, show your friends and family, and make a decision a few days later. We do have a deadline though, as we want to make sure your choices are clean and ready to go for your session! Abby opted to do this, and emailed me a couple days later with the photos of her final two choices attached.
The day of their session, we met at the mountain, and everyone changed into their outfits. We started our hike, and I photographed as we made our ascent. Charley Rose was just the cutest with her big blue eyes that she definitely got from her daddy. We made it up to the top, and it was such a gorgeous evening with beautiful sunset light. I gave Abby and Charlie some guidance on what to do with their daughter, and then stood back and let it all unfold. Abby and Charley Rose changed their dresses midway through our time together, and we continued to explore the mountaintop. Sometimes Charley Rose needed a break, so I photographed Abby alone or just her parents together during those moments. It never fails during a family session: toddlers will declare they’re all done and walk off, and I’ll start photographing just their parents. They’ll see it happening and they don’t want to be left out!
After the sun had set, the sky was the most beautiful mixture of sherbet colors. I never stop photographing as soon as the sun disappears, since we usually another 5-10 minutes of beautiful soft light for a completely different look that we can work with! On the mountain, I don’t stay too much longer past 10 minutes since we need to get back down to the base before it’s too dark to see where we’re going.
Enjoy a few of my favorites!
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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.
