Lilly contacted the studio at last minute after her daughter was born to ask if we had any last minute availability for a newborn session. She had found us by searching Google, and thought we were a perfect fit for her family. Because our reserved babies had all already been born, we did have availability to schedule them to come in. She also requested to add on our HMUA services since she knew that trying to get ready at home juggling a toddler and newborn would be unnecessarily stressful. We make it easy for our clients! You deserve to be able to enjoy your baby or toddler's first days, weeks and months without worrying about anything, so booking is an easy and streamlined process and is all handled securely online.
You should take care of yourself, not spend time figuring out the ins and outs.
WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY NEWBORN SESSION?
Can you believe it's never too early to reserve your newborn session once you know you’re pregnant? As an expecting or brand new parent, I know that there are so many things on the radar. But don't put off these memories and get your session reserved as soon as possible.
When you reserve your newborn session, you are NOT scheduling your exact session date.
Scheduling your specific newborn session date is impossible, since due dates are just an estimate!
We want to provide excellent service for each and every client, so we limit the number of newborn sessions that are available in a month. This way we can be certain that all of our clients are well taken care of at the level they deserve. Once we reach our monthly newborn limit, our newborn schedule is closed for that month and we maintain a wait list.
If you’re like Lilly and reading this after your newborn has arrived and is still less than 21 days old right now, don’t panic! It is not unusual for our reserved babies to come “early” or “late”. This means that some months we have the ability to take on a last minute newborn clien or twot. Contact us right away, and we might be able to schedule you in our calendar, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.
NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER SIBLING INVOLVED
A newborn session is an event that is be so special for the entire family. The big siblings are such important members of your family, and they should feel included in this process too! When toddler siblings are involved in newborn sessions, we ask what their schedule is so we can plan for the most successful session! We want them to be happy, well rested, and fed at the time they arrive for their portion.
Newborn sessions in the studio have a start time that is between 9 and 10 AM depending on the time of year. The first 90 minutes of session time is set aside for photographing your baby solo.
The beginning of the session is the perfect time for you enjoy pampering yourself with our add on hair and makeup services since you’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing during your baby’s solo portraits! Our HMUA team is fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and are lots of fun to talk to. They’re also complete magicians with makeup and will ensure that you look like yourself, minus the sleep deprivation. ;)
Older siblings and dads arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve started photographing your baby’s solo portraits. I am usually finished with these by the time mama is done in hair and makeup, and will transition to the sibling and family portion of the session. My goal is to get all of the photos with your toddler in them done FIRST so that they don’t have to sit around any longer than necessary! :)
Once your toddler is finished with being in photographs , they are free to play until we’re finished with dad/baby and baby/parent images. Some parents will have Grandma whisk them away to take them back home, but if you don’t have family help, no worries!
Some families ask if we can start with family photos. The answer is generally no. I have found in my 9 years of experience working with newborns that changing the flow of starting with newborn solo images usually backfires. What usually ends up happening is your baby becomes overstimulated and fussy from the start with all the activity and noise, and never quite settles. As a result, I will not be able to get as varied of a gallery in our allotted time.
HOW THE SESSION DAY WENT
Lilly and Harper arrived, and we looked through the studio dresses. She loved one of our gorgeous mauve dresses in the client wardrobe and settled into the hair and makeup chair for some pampering time while I got started photographing Harper!
Harper was absolutely adorable and very alert when she arrived! She was such a great sleeper, and we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. When I finished up, big brother Hudson and dad weren’t there yet so Lilly put on her dress, and dressed Harper in the outfit she had brought along for her. Most mamas do not bring an outfit for baby, but if you have one that is important to you, we can definitely use that. The outfit should fit your baby well and not be too baggy, otherwise it will cause you more stress than it’s worth.
I have quite the assortment of soft, textured, and beautiful neutral blankets to wrap your baby in for the family portrait, as well as a few onesies and gowns. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of blankets vs. gown/outfit, but the ultimate choice is yours! Using a blanket is always classic and what the majority of my clients choose, but larger or fidgety newborns can be difficult to keep in the wrap. Putting those babies in a onesie or a gown takes care of that issue, and still looks timeless and adorable!
When Hudson and daddy arrived, we moved right into the family portion!
TYPICAL NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY
It is my goal to photograph sibling images first, followed by each parent with their children, and wrapped up with the whole family together.
Sibling images are often the most important to my clients! 9 times out of 10 your toddler will be the most cooperative as soon as they arrive at the studio, so I take advantage of those first few minutes by making sure we’re ready to go! I move very quickly and transition seamlessly between each image, while respecting your child’s interest and cooperation level too.
For our newborns, safety is the number one priority. I make sure that your newborn is not near any older siblings alone if they cannot be calm and listen to instructions. Every toddler has a different energy so I will assess how they're doing when deciding which types of images are safely possible.
Hudson was a VERY sweet and attentive toddler who was so excited about his baby sister! As I was photographing Hudson and Harper together for their sibling images, their parents were mere inches from the pair of them ready to swoop in and intervene if necessary.
Once we had finished all of the photographs with Hudson and Harper together, we transitioned to the family and parent portion.While I do have a pretty typical flow, sometimes your older child will need a break, and I’ll adjust things to accommodate that. It's important that everyone in your family is included and has a good time, including older siblings!
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION
We make it easy and stress-free for our clients! After you’ve had a baby the LAST thing you need is to contend with anything that is overly complicated.
About a week after their session, Lilly and Josh viewed their proof gallery and chose their favorite images for their desired collection.
CREATING FRAMED ARTWORK FOR YOUR HOME
Our framed artwork is typically ready in about 2-6 weeks. Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed so you’re aware of it and can change to one in stock if having it quickly is important to you. When you choose the image(s) your want framed, we’ll discuss the best size for where you plan to hang it in your home.
Once the the size is chosen, the print is ordered! After it comes in, we then “dress” the print together with the moulding (frame). We’ll choose the best frame from our line 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.
As a virtual appointment for choosing frames, we’ll have a text message conversation where I'll help you decide on the perfect frame to fit your image tone and then send over some photos of suggested frames next to your print. Most clients are able to choose their favorite pretty quickly. If you’d rather come into the studio to see the frames in person with your image for yourself, I can do that too!
After you’ve chosen your frame, we’ll talk about the mat. The mat size depends on your frame! I'll determine the best one that complements both it and your print. The larger the print, the wider my mat should be to balance it out - but this will also depend on what width of frames you can hang from a wall or in an oversized space.
Once that’s nailed down, I then order your frame, mat, and GORGEOUS museum glass. I am absolutely obsessed with museum glass! It might seem strange to describe glass as being stunning, but it really is. You can barely see the glass in the frame when looking at it because of how crystal clear and transparent with very little glare. I also love that 99% UV protection which makes sure there’s no fading or discoloration on my artwork! If you aren’t sure what museum quality framing looks like, you will once you’re in the studio - there are plenty of pieces hanging right up on these walls for your viewing pleasure!
When the frame, mat, and museum glass arrive at my studio, I mat the print, and assemble the entire piece. The last step of framing is to finish the back of the frame with paper and hanging hardware. This means that all you’ll have to do is hang it up on your wall. Once it’s there, you will find yourself standing in front of it and be transported back to the time it was taken. Your children will love looking at it also. How do I know? From personal experience! I have a gallery wall in my own home with treasured family images. I find myself standing in front of the framed prints marveling at how quickly my children have grown in the years since they were taken even though it feels like it was just YESTERDAY. My kids really love them too. They have commented that seeing these portraits makes them feel loved, and asked if I could frame their favorite images to hang on the walls of their rooms as well!
If you order framed artwork from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print, I’ll deliver their finished artwork right to your front doorstep within a 20 mile radius of the studio. If you reside further away than this radius, you’ll need to make pickup arrangements. 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. I send a weekly email to clients with a link to schedule on designated pickup days and time windows throughout the week. Your order pickup is safe, contactless, and simple.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
Are you expecting a new baby and interested in reserving a newborn session with us? We would LOVE to chat with you about your family, what we offer and how best we can serve you! Please contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone. We look forward to hearing 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.
