Keyianna contacted the studio to book a session for her son’s third birthday. She returns every year for a family portrait session, and I love catching up with them and seeing how much Ethan has grown since the last time I saw them! Ethan is hilarious and quite the busy bee. Keyianna is always a little nervous that he won’t cooperate before our sessions, and I think that’s a pretty normal concern. I always remind her that the more the chaotic a session feels while she’s in it, the better the images usually are. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s 100% true! I only need 1/1000th of a second to create a beautiful image. You do NOT need to stand still like a statue for this to happen. She and Randy are wonderful about following my direction and guidance, and all of our sessions together have resulted in gorgeous images of their family.
I will go into greater detail later in this blog post about what you can do to help set your family up for a fun session with me too!
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY FAMILY SESSION WITH YOU?
I have a lot of clients who book their family portrait sessions to take place around their child’s birthday so it doubles as a yearly birthday milestone with some updated family photos! Other families book an annual fall or spring session, and some do bi-annual photos. It really comes down to what your personal preference is and what your goal is for the session. If you know you want to book and you have a specific time of year you have your heart set on…. I recommend reaching out right now to get on the calendar. One of my recurring yearly clients books her session an entire year in advance. She literally pulls out her phone as we are ending her fall family session and gets on the calendar for the following fall. Crazy? Not at all. Booking in advance ensures that you’re on the calendar before we book up. To give you some background, in 2020 we were 100% booked for our outdoor weekend dates by the end of July. In 2021, as of the publication of this post (end of May) we only have three weekend dates left for September-November. We do still have a handful of weekNIGHTS available for outdoor sessions though, so if you’re able to be flexible and don’t require a weekend, you have a great shot at being able to schedule. The big bonus to scheduling on a weekNIGHT as opposed to a weekend is that it will be FAR less crowded especially during the fall!
THE BOOKING PROCESS
I want to make readers aware of two great resources available to them right here on this website. Firstly, our Experience Page, which walks you through exactly what to expect from first contact through post-session. Secondly, our FAQ page, which has so many of our most commonly asked questions and answers! I’ll summarize our process in a nutshell version though below!
Contact the studio for short phone chat and to receive all the information and dates available!
Choose your date, remit your session paperwork online through out secure and streamlined process! We’ll send you pertinent information regarding your session, what to wear, etc.
Show up for your session! Have a great time
Choose what you love from your proof gallery that best fits your needs, remit your invoice, wait for images to be finished in post-production.
Pick up your order with our contactless pick up process at our studio!
WHAT TO WEAR GUIDANCE AND STYLING ASSISTANCE
The biggest stressor for most clients is figuring out what to wear. We want you to be comfortable and look like yourselves, and we KNOW how hard it can be to pull a look together. The good news for you is that we’ve created a short and sweet (and EASY!) style guide for you to follow! I am here to help you as much as you would like. Some of my clients will text over photos of what they’re thinking about wearing, or they’ll make an appointment to come to the studio with bags stuffed full of options, and I’ll help them pull it all together perfectly. We also have an extensive studio wardrobe available to mamas if they want to borrow from it and it can also serve as great inspiration as well even if you end up not borrowing from it. I have a treasure trove of resources and can point you in the right direction if you’re using your session as an excuse to buy some new clothes. ;) No matter which direction you choose to go here, I’m your biggest cheerleader and will help make sure you feel and look fabulous at your session!
FAMILY SESSION FLOW WITH YOUNG TODDLERS
If you have young children, you already know firsthand that it’s can be stressful when you’re having your photos taken. You’re worried they won’t be in a good mood, that they won’t nap well the day of, or that they’ll randomly get sick the morning of your session. First of all: please know that if someone gets sick the day of your session, all you need to do is call the studio and let us know. We will take care of you. So scratch that off the list of things to worry about.
Here’s the MOST important thing you need to know for a successful session.
Be on time. I always start my sessions a little earlier than we actually need to, because I want to allow for some warm-up time if your child needs it. There are times that a child really just needs to get to know me a little bit before I pull out my camera to feel comfortable. If you are late, this cuts into our time together and doesn’t leave me a buffer to be able to work with your little one(s) to get them comfortable with me.
Don’t threaten your child in attempt to get them to cooperate. I’m not referring to your parenting and discipline if your child is being disrespectful to you. You do what you need to do as their parent during our session! However, telling your child beforehand that there will be negative repercussions if they don’t behave and do what I say starts off our time together in a not so great way. It puts a lot of pressure on young children before they even meet me. I have three of my own children and am constantly working with children of all ages from all sorts of backgrounds with unique personalities. Instead, tell your child that you’re going to go play with Lauren and have some fun and that she’s going to have a camera and take photos.
Show up ready to PLAY and have fun. Your children look to you for the example of how to feel about whatever you’re collectively experience. If you are happy and positive and playful, that is how they will feel. If you’re stressed out and snapping at each other, and tense… well, you get the point. We are going to have FUN. We are going to play. We’re doing to dance, we’re going to snuggle, we’re going to have tickle fights. We’re going to check out that cool tree over there. We’re going to hunt for four leaf clovers. My approach is about capturing your family dynamic. I want to capture you as you really are. I want to create images that are full of authentic JOY. I want you to smile whenever you look at them and remember how much fun you had together as a family that day.
When you show up to your session, I’ll lead the way and give you prompts for what to do. I’ll make sure you’re not giving yourself a self-inflicted triple chin or making awkward faces. We’re going to have a great time!
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION
The session is over, now what?! You can expect your proof gallery in 7-10 business days after your session, and you’ll look through it and decide what best fits your needs. You’ll choose your images and send them back to me. 7-10 days after your invoice remittance, you’ll get your images back in a final gallery. Every image chosen will be given to you in both color and black and white versions. If you are ordering any prints or products, you’ll do so from the final gallery and then come to the studio to pick them up along with your USB containing your digital files from the studio.
I send out a weekly email with pickup dates and times, and it’s completely contactless. Super convenient and easy! If you’re ordering one of our gorgeous framed prints for your home, I’ll deliver it directly to your doorstep if you live within 20 minutes of the studio.
Enjoy some of my favorites from this sweet family’s session! I can’t wait to see them in October for their next family portrait 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.
