***In-home sessions have been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 situation and it is not known at this time when they will resume.***
Stephanie contacted us for a last minute newborn session when she was in her first trimester. She and her husband had a very long road to have a baby and were so thrilled to be expecting. They opted to wait until baby arrived to find out if they were having a boy or a girl. I love this approach… I’m a little biased since I also chose to wait to find out with all three of my children!
Stephanie requested an in-home session because she loves the decor in Jude’s nursery and wanted it in the images and didn’t care as much about having the solo portraits of Jude. Please note that I do not bring my wraps, lighting equipment, or posing surface to home. I work with whatever is available within your home.
As a note: I am fully protected with the Pfizer vaccine as of April 12, 2021 when full protection kicked in after my second dose on March 29, 2021. I always wear an N95 mask when I am with clients regardless of their vaccination status.
WHY RESERVING YOUR NEWBORN SESSION EARLY IS THE BEST PLAN
I accept a limited number of newborns due each month. You deserve an incredible portrait experience from start to finish, and limiting the number of monthly newborn sessions is how we make that possible for all!
Reserving your newborn session means you are guaranteeing a newborn session for your baby on the calendar. It does NOT mean that you are scheduling the specific date.
No one can accurately predict your baby’s birth date. Sorry, Aunt Matilda. When your mother gave birth to you has no bearing on when you will give birth. Doesn’t matter when your mother-in-law did either. I’ve had so many moms tell me they were absolutely going to deliver the baby early because of a variety of factors and end up having baby at 41 weeks. I’ve also had the reverse! Welcome to motherhood: also known as the wild ride where nothing is absolutely certain anymore except for the incredible love you have for your child!
“What if I have a scheduled delivery because I’m high risk?” Also doesn’t matter. I’ve lost count of the number of reserved babies born before their scheduled induction or c-section date! I’ve also had mothers show up to the hospital for an induction and be sent home with delivery happening a week later than planned for whatever reason.
When your baby does arrive, you will notify us via phone or email as soon as you’re able to - preferably within the first 48 hours. We’ll you ask a few questions and based on the answers, schedule your session date! There are quite a few factors that go into determining the best time to schedule your session. Some of these factors include (but are not limited to) the length of your partner’s paternity leave, any delivery complications for you or baby, how you’re feeling post delivery, how much your baby weighed at birth, etc.
WHICH TO CHOOSE: IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSION OR STUDIO SESSION?
If you are deciding between an in-home or studio newborn session, let’s go over the major differences between the two to help you determine which is best for you! If you’re still not sure after reading through this blog post, please call the studio and we’ll discuss the options at length with you!
If you choose an in-home session, you will need to:
Understand that your images will be lifestyle oriented with baby in your arms for the most part.
Be ready to start your session upon my arrival.
Ensure you have ample natural light in your home.
Have neutral colored walls in your home.
Be ok with not having access to our studio wardrobe that is complimentary to our clients.
NOT be married to the idea of shooting in a particular spot within your home. I will assess your home upon arrival and we will be shooting where the best light is available.
NOT have cats living in your home. I am highly allergic and cannot travel to homes with cats, but dogs are totally fine!
Tidy your house and declutter. You will need to be willing for things to be moved at my direction if they are distracting in your images.
Unplug lamps, clocks, etc in the rooms and hide the cords so they are not in the photos.
Understand that there will be fewer solo portraits of your baby and that they will be wrapped in a blanket on your bed or in your arms. There will not be wrapped solo portraits like what you see for my natural posing.
So, as you can see, it is actually NOT “easier” to choose in-home for your newborn session, and it limits the types of images that will be taken.
Many clients tell us the reason they want an in-home session is because they want to showcase their baby’s nursery. (1) We may not be able to use your nursery if the lighting does not work. (2) Your baby is completely unaware of their surroundings as a newborn. An in-home milestone session for your baby’s 6 month session when they can sit unassisted on the floor of their nursery and hold on to the side of their crib while standing is such a fun way to show off the nursery with your baby actually aware of everything and interacting with their toys! Just something to keep in mind when making your final decision! Ask about our First Year Collection for the perfect way to photograph your baby for their first year including their newborn, siting, and First Birthday milestone sessions.
The studio is the perfect setting for my blend of lifestyle meets posed, and all you have to do is worry about getting here. It’s also a nice break and gets you out of the house to a safe, private, and zero pressure location where you don’t have to worry about if your baby is crying or needs to eat. Once you’re here, everything else is taken care of for you!
If you choose a session here at the studio:
All you have to do is show up.
Your images will be consistent and like what is shown on my portfolio (which is why you’re hiring me!)
The studio is all neutral and intentionally designed to be a blank canvas so that your newborn and family are the focus, and your session images will look beautiful in any home.
You can add on hair and makeup services to your session, so you don’t have to worry about getting yourself ready while managing everything at home.
You will not have to stress about cleaning your house after just having had a baby.
You’ll have access to our studio wardrobe.
The studio will be heated to the perfect temperature so your baby is comfortable.
You will have solo and naturally posed portraits of your baby intermixed with family and parent images.
ALL your needs will be met, and you will be very comfortable! We have everything you need here - elevator access for recovering c-section mamas, a full kitchen, private bathroom, Nespresso coffee machine, nursing pillows, extra diapers and wipes…..the list goes on!
You’ll have a gallery that is a perfect mixture of lifestyle blended with posed images.
You won’t have to worry about whether the lighting is adequate enough.
You can take a nap on the couch, or connect your laptop and work remotely with our studio Google Fiber
If you have older children, they will most likely better behaved at the studio than at home. It’s true! Ever notice how your children are always perfect angels at school or when visiting another household? The expectations are different! When I go to client homes, toddlers are really comfortable in their own environment. Because of that, they are easily distracted, and often much more difficult to work with. When they come to the studio, it’s a new place with far less distraction, because they have nowhere familiar to run off to for escape or toys to distract them.
IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSION FLOW
If you choose an in-home session, here's what you can expect.
I will arrive and when I come into your home, I will do a quick walk through to see where the best light is and where the best places to shoot are within. If you need any input on what to wear from your closet, I’ll go through your options quickly and pull it all together for you if we haven’t already done this in advance of your session via virtual consult. I’ll rearrange decor and furniture as necessary and may ask you to move things for the best images. We’ll transition through the different areas in your home that are adequate for lighting and composition.
I will photograph your family the EXACT same way I would if we were in the studio - you’ll just have your home interior as the background! If there is an area and surface (ie: bed, ottoman) with adequate light that I can photograph your baby alone on, I will wrap them in a blanket you have on hand for some simple solo images!
Stephanie and Gene lived in a small townhouse, but had the benefit of the nursery and living room being incredibly well lit. The living room had a sliding patio door so was essentially a giant floor to ceiling window. The images taken in front of that window look pretty much EXACTLY like they would here in my studio. Due to a very firm shaped couch in their home located right by that window, I was able to accomplish some of those posed solo portraits with Jude as well even though that’s typically NOT the norm.
When we finished with the downstairs photographs, we headed upstairs to the nursery. Stephanie changed into a another outfit (also available in my studio wardrobe!) and brought in their white fluffball shepherd for some sweet images including her.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR IN-HOME SESSION
After I leave your home, you can expect your proof gallery in about 7 business days beginning the day after your session! You’ll look through it, decide on your favorites, and choose what best fits your needs! Stephanie and Gene loved all of Jude’s images and it was impossible to narrow them down, so she chose the full collection of images so she wouldn’t have to!
Enjoy some of my favorites from Jude’s in-home 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.
