I first worked with Josalin & Robin when they were expecting their first baby for their maternity session at the old studio location, and was thrilled to hear from them again requesting to book another maternity session at the field for their second baby! After their second baby arrived, Robin called the studio to ask if we had any last minute availability. She wanted to surprise her wife with a newborn session, and fortunately, we did!
I adore working with clients for both maternity and newborn photos! The maternity session serves as a great get to know you warmup, and by the time your newborn arrives, we’re friends, and you’re super comfortable with me and with being in front of my camera.
WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE OUR SESSION?
Simply put: It is NEVER too early to book!
I know most pregnant mamas are busy with all the baby prep, but it’s important to not put off scheduling your session! The majority of our clients reach out to us early in the second trimester to make sure that they have a spot on our calendar. Some of our clients inform us in their first trimester if they’re comfortable doing so.
I take a limited number of newborns due in each month. Doing this ensures that I am able deliver my unparalleled level of service to each of my clients. Once I reach the monthly newborn cap, I maintain a wait list.
Don’t panic if you’re reading this and baby is already here! Our reserved newborns often arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, so there are some months I have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Contact us right away to see if we can squeeze you in!
NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH AN OLDER SIBLING INVOLVED
When older siblings are participating in a newborn session, we always check on what their nap schedule (if they take one) is! We want them to be well rested and happy. In this case, big brother was well past napping age, so it wasn’t something we had to plan around.
I start newborn sessions in the morning between 9 and 10 AM, with the first 90 minutes of session time devoted to photographing your baby alone. This is the perfect time for you to take advantage of our add on hair and makeup services since you’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway while I photograph your baby. So, you might as well treat yourself to some pampering. ;) Robin and Joslin opted to both add on services - makeup only for Josalin and both services for Robin!
Older siblings and partners arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve gotten started with baby only. In this case, because both mamas were receiving HMUA services and they didn’t have any help in town, the whole family came along with quiet entertainment planned for big bro.
When the family arrived, I took Liam out of his carseat and got started right away while Josalin got settled into the hair and makeup chair for her makeup services. She already knew which dress she wanted (she loved it when she tried it on during her maternity fitting) for her newborn session, so it was all ready to go! I had pulled a few options for Robin to have for her to look through as well. Once I’ve worked with clients a couple of times I have a very good sense of their style and know what will work well for them skin tone and fit wise! I’ve even been shopping for studio dresses and thought of very specific clients when purchasing it for the client wardrobe. 9 times of out 10 at their next session I pull it out and the client LOVES it and choose to wear it.
Liam was the most handsome little guy, and such a great sleeper! He looked SO much like his big brother too. About halfway through his solo portraits, Josalin was finished with her makeup and it was Robin’s turn. Robin went through the dresses that I had chosen and jumped into the hair and makeup chair for her turn. After everyone was dressed, we transitioned right into the family and parent images that included big brother Keegan.
NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY
Liam was in and out of sleep at this point. Don’t stress if your baby is awake! I love alert babies for family images and sometimes we get luck with a family shot of everyone actually looking at the camera (rare, but it does happen sometimes!). Awake babies are no problem at all to photograph as long as they’re also calm. If your baby is awake and NOT calm, don’t stress. We’ll figure out how to get them there. Sometimes they just need another feed, a diaper change, or some extra snuggles.
Baby safety is the FIRST priority during sessions. I will not place a baby near their older siblings if they are not calm and still. Every child is different, and therefore every session will look different. I’ll assess how your older child is doing when deciding which types of photos are safe to do. Since Keegan was already 4 at the time of the session, and was listening and able to be still while next to his baby brother, I was able to safely photograph a few different setups. What you can’t see in the photographs is that his mothers were inches away from them ready to swoop in and intervene if the need arose. Taking risks is not something I do when it comes to client safety.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION
We keep it simple! About a week after their session, Robin & Josalin viewed their proof gallery and chose their collection. They knew they wanted to keep every image and have one as a large framed print for their home just like they had chosen for their maternity collection.
When their final images were completed, they chose which one they wanted for the large piece of artwork. The print size ended up being 16x24 surrounded by a 3 inch mat with a substantial moulding as well. Framed artwork is a client favorite around here!
THE PROCESS FOR CHOOSING FRAMED ARTWORK
Framed artwork is USUALLY ready within 2-4 weeks as long as there aren’t any shipping delays due to the pandemic. Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed! That’s right, no frame shops are involved - I handle the entire production process from print to frame. After you choose your favorite image to be framed, we’ll discuss the best size for where you plan to hang it in their home.
Once you choose your image size, the print is ordered! After it arrives at the studio, you’ll choose your moulding (frame). I will make suggestions on the best frame choices for your image and home decor/personal style preferences. We’ll also decide on the mat width - I’m a fan of 3-5” inch mats depending on the size of the print and the moulding width.
The larger the print is, the larger the mat should be so it’s balanced aesthetically. Once that’s decided, I then order the moulding, mat, and GORGEOUS museum glass. Museum glass is absolutely stunning and will make your framed artwork that much more beautiful. You can hardly see the glass in the frame looking at it because of how crystal clear it is, and I love the UV protection that it affords the printed artwork. Our framed prints here at the studio all have museum glass for you to see for yourself when you’re here!
When everything arrives at my studio (typically within 2 -4 weeks of ordering!), I mat the print, and assemble the entire piece. The last step is to finish the back of the frame with paper and hanging hardware. That means that all you have to do is hang it up on your wall and then enjoy looking in in your home.
For clients who order framed art from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print, we deliver their finished artwork right to their front doorstep within a 20 mile radius of the studio. If you don’t have large framed artwork as part of your order, you’ll come to the studio and pick up your order when it’s ready. Each week I send out an email to my clients who have orders ready for pickup. The email outlines the designated pickup days for the week ahead (I only send pickup availability out one week at a time) and time windows throughout the week and pickup is safe and contactless. Clients simply click to make their reservation!
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 chat on the phone. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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.
