Laura contacted the studio in her second trimester to book a newborn session for her second baby. She was so excited to have found us. She really loved that we include family members in our session, since others she had contacted did not. I don’t photograph just your newborn, because your baby deserves to have photos with their family too. My session galleries are always a combination of your newborn alone for solo portraits and family/parent images!
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY BABY’S NEWBORN SESSION?
If you know you want to work with me, now. It’s never too early! Here’s why: Reserving your newborn session does NOT mean you are booking an exact date for your session. This is impossible since birth dates are unpredictable! When you reserve, you are guaranteed a session for your baby! When your baby arrives, you simply let us know when they have arrived and we will go from there in scheduling the date for your newborn photos.
I know you’re most likely very busy with all the baby prep checklist, but do yourself a favor and don’t put this off! The majority of our clients contact us early in their second trimester to guarantee getting on our calendar. We can only take a certain number of newborns due in each month. We do this to ensure we are able deliver our unparalleled level of service that you deserve. Once I’m full, I’m full.
Has your baby already arrived? All is NOT necessarily lost. Our booked newborns tend to arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, so there are some months that we DO have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Get in touch with us right away, and we might be able to fit you in!
NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER INVOLVED
Laura let me know that her toddler daughter, Elle would also be participating in the session! I love and welcome older siblings, so no worries there! Dads plan to relax at home and to bring older siblings later once the newborn solo images have been completed.
When toddlers are involved with your baby’s newborn session, we will ask you what their nap schedule because we want to ensure they’re well rested. Studio newborn sessions are scheduled in the morning for a start time between 9 and 10 AM depending on the time of year. The 90 minutes of our time together is devoted to photographing your baby alone, which makes it the perfect time for you to take advantage of our add on hair and makeup services! Adding on our HMUA services does NOT extend your total session length as I’m actively photographing baby only while you’re being prepped…. so you may as well treat yourself since you’ll just be sitting on the couch anyway!
When Laura and Austin arrived, I took him out of his carseat and got started photographing his solo images right away.
Austin slept like a rock and and was a very snuggly little guy that curled up very easily for his wrapped photos, but did wake up towards the end and opened his eyes for some of the cutest eye contact images! As I was finishing up with his solo portraits, dad and big sister Elle arrived. Everyone got themselves dressed and ready, and Laura changed Austin into an outfit she had bought specifically for the family images. If you are planning to have your baby wear a special outfit, please be sure that it fits well and is snug. If your baby is dressed in an outfit that swallows them up, you will be fighting with the outfit the entire session trying to make sure their face is visible and not obscured by puffed loose material.
NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY
If your baby is awake during our time together, it’s no problem at all as long as they are calm! I LOVE when I have an alert baby, because then I have the opportunity photograph them with direct eye contact. It’s remarkable how different your baby can look when they’re peacefully asleep vs. wide eyed!
I started out the session photographing Elle and Austin together for sibling images. As long as it’s safe, I start with the sibling photos because these are usually the highest priority for clients. Most of the time, your toddler will be the most cooperative upon arrival to the studio - not 30 minutes later when the shock and awe of being in a new place has worn off. I work efficiently to photograph siblings, each parent with their children, and whole family before your toddler’s patience runs out!
My TOP priority in the studio is safety. I won’t place babies near their older sibling(s) if your toddler is not calm and still and capable of following direction. Each toddler is different, so I’ll make the judgement based on my assessment of your child. Elle was loving and sweet to her brother, and followed my direction well, so I was able to safely place Austin next to her. What you can’t see from these images is that both of her parents were just inches away ready to jump in if needed.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION
We make it super simple for our clients! About a week after their session, Laura viewed Austin’s proof gallery and chose her collection, which included an album. When the session images were completed, she chose which ones she wanted for her album! The digital files of chosen collection images are also included as well.
Most clients look through the different album options that we have available as samples in the studio and snap photos of the cover options with their phone before leaving. I handle album design and proofing virtually, and it’s a super easy process for my clients to log in and look through the proof! Most clients approve their proof immediately, and others ask for a couple of changes, but once it’s approved to print, I sent it off to be printed!
After your album is ordered, it takes about 4-6 weeks (due to their handcrafted construction) for it to be ready for pickup at the studio. If you’re interested in having your favorite image on the wall to enjoy instead of or in addition to an heirloom album, I have a stunning line of frame moulding for you to look at here at the studio as well. Ask about our design mockup service when choosing to purchase frames from - I am here to make your decision making a snap!
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
Are you expecting and interested in reserving a session with us for your baby's newborn session? We would absolutely LOVE to chat with you about your family, what we offer, and how we can best serve you. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone. We look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Austin’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.
