Linda contacted the studio when her baby girl was almost two weeks old to see if we had any last minute availability. They were still getting used to being a family of four and hadn’t gotten around to securing a newborn photographer before she arrived. We were already booked for that week, but did have some availability the following week! We assured Linda that we have lots of babies come in between 2-3 weeks old and it wouldn’t be a problem. For some reason, a lot of new parents are under the impression that their newborn has to be 10 days old or less for a newborn session. While we do schedule babies to come in as early as 8 days in some cases, the vast majority are scheduled between 10-16 when possible. As a mom of three children, I’ve been through the newborn stage three times and I still remember what it’s like. I like to give new moms the time they need to recover a bit and get into somewhat of a rhythm before coming in with their new baby!
Linda’s husband was already back to work, and so they asked if he could be there for just a short time. We have a lot of dads come in over their lunch breaks, and we work around schedules and toddler sibling naptimes as much as possible! We’ll discuss specifics with you when scheduling your session - but the long and short of it is: don’t worry, we’ve got you!
When the family arrived with baby Presley, I pulled out a few dresses from the studio wardrobe and she fell in love with a gorgeous pale peach hued dress with embroidery. It fit her wonderfully and was absolutely perfect for her skin tone. She expressed how happy she was that we had a studio wardrobe available to her and how much less stressed she was knowing that she would be taken care of in that area.
We started right away with family images. Barron was just the sweetest big brother and so eager to participate! Every toddler who walks through the studio door is different, and I tailor my approach to each individual child. What I love about being a family photographer is that no session will ever look the same. Each family, child, and baby are unique, and their final gallery will reflect who they are. After we finished with Barron, we moved to daddy and baby shots, and wrapped up with parent and baby shots. Barron and his dad left at that point, and Presley was awake and ready to eat.
After a diaper change, and a nice long feed, I took Presley into the newborn shooting room for her solo images. She was SUCH a doll baby, with the most beautiful head of dark hair. I did have to take my time with the little miss though, because she was what I call a “touchy” baby - which means that she woke pretty easily. She was also a little chunk and going through a growth spurt, so we had quite a few nursing breaks in between! I never want mamas to worry about how often their baby needs to eat. Some newborns eat quickly and only once or twice while they’re here, and others take their sweet old time and want to nurse every 30 minutes. We’ll work around the needs of your baby! I enjoyed chatting with Linda during these nursing breaks and getting to know her. Don’t worry - I won’t ask for your life story, but we won’t sit in uncomfortable silence either!
After I finished up with Presley’s solo images, we wrapped up with mommy and baby. While this is not my typical workflow (I prefer to start with baby only since they are typically sleepiest first thing in the morning), because of the family’s scheduling needs, that’s why we mixed it up.
Linda loved her gallery, and we worked together to choose some of her collection images for a wall gallery to display and enjoy in her home! Framed artwork is probably one of my favorite offerings to clients and something that I have displayed in my own home. I can’t explain how wonderful it is to have photographs of your family on your walls in a beautiful arrangement for everyone to enjoy on a daily basis. It’s the first thing I see when I come into my home and the last thing I see on my way out - and makes me smile every single time. Clients who are interested in this can peruse our framing catalog, or come into the studio to see the frames for themselves. I will work with you to suggest the best sizes and arrangements for the space you’re thinking of hanging your artwork and will provide you with a to scale proof of what it will look like on your actual wall.
Enjoy some of my favorite images from Presley’s newborn session!
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.
