I’m always honored to be chosen as a family’s photographer, but there’s something special about being asked to travel out of state for a session! I don’t accept these requests often due to my busy studio schedule, but it’s hard to say no to heading to the Big Apple if my schedule allows! ;) I’ve been up to NYC several times over the past few years to photograph clients for family, maternity, First Birthday, Fresh 48, and newborn session. This particular newborn session took place in New York, and was a mix of lifestyle and posed. When I travel to homes for sessions, I do a very limited number of posed images. These are kept to a white/cream/beige color palette, and we often incorporate a onesie for many images as well.
While I bring studio lighting in case we need to augment the lighting, it wasn’t necessary for this session due to the windows of the house facing north and south. We had plenty of abundant lighting in the two rooms we used. The family did not have a nursery set up just yet, so you won’t see any images of his nursery here!
T was a sweet little boy with big brown eyes and perfect little lips. He looks like such a sleeping angel in these images, but rest assured: he made me WORK for it. Some babies are more sensitive than others to being touched or moved, and I adapt my session flow to accommodate their needs. In T’s case, I had to move him very, very slowly, and we slowly rotated from on the back, to the side, to his tummy before moving on to the lifestyle portion in his parents’ arms. We moved into his parents’ bedroom for this part - and I just love all the gorgeous detailing in their home - from the floors to the crown molding and original doorknobs. They had let me know in advance that they wanted a true lifestyle approach and they were fine if he had a pacifier in his mouth, and also wanted images where they were giving him a bottle.
I have always said that my photography style for newborns is the perfect marriage of lifestyle and posed. My lifestyle images are very much client led - but I am tweaking things along the way. I’ll correct positioning, fix wayward hair, and make sure parents aren’t giving themselves a self inflicted double chin.
Believe it or not - I photograph the EXACT same way whether I’m in your home or in my studio. There are some big differences between the two though! Once of the differences is is that in my studio I know that I’m getting exactly what I need in terms of light and positioning, and in homes it takes a bit more effort to find the light and best place for shooting. The other MAJOR difference is that in my studio the background is designed to be neutral and free of distractions, and is a very controlled environment in terms of temperature. In your home, you may not have a neutral background, and we will likely spend some time moving things out of the way that would be really distracting in the background. Some great examples of that: the diaper caddy on the changing table with all the tubes of ointments, or an Owlet cam hanging out above the crib - and all the odds and ends you might have laying around that just don’t quite fit into the overall setting. Getting your home to a comfortable temperature for a newborn session might prove difficult (and not comfortable for you!) if you don’t have a way to just heat one room. We can talk about the differences and what type of session is the best fit for your family!
I loved traveling up to NYC for this session, and am so looking forward to photographing this family again as T grows. Enjoy some of my favorite images from their time with me below.
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.
