Heather was referred to us by another long term client of ours. We love working with referred clients! Heather and I had actually met briefly at a party at that client’s house the year before, so we weren’t total strangers to each other. She contacted us in her second trimester to schedule a maternity session at the field location because she loved the look and feel of what she had seen on the blog and portfolio. She also opted to add on hair and makeup services and was paired with Margaret. Most of our clients reserve their maternity sessions when they are in their second trimester. To clarify: they are booking their session when they are in the second trimester: not scheduling their session to take place in the second trimester. Maternity sessions are scheduled during the third trimester -generally between 28-34 weeks! Reserving your session early helps with having more date options to choose from - especially if you need a WEEKEND date outdoors! I only photograph outdoor sessions in the hour before sunset, hence the limited availability on the weekends. Weeknights are also available as well.
Heather came to the studio for her maternity fitting, and we discussed her style preferences. She mentioned that she wanted to go ahead and reserve her newborn session as well, so I sent Caroline a quick message to get that taken care of for her. After she tried on multiple pieces from our studio wardrobe, she chose a gorgeous off the shoulder dress and a taupe backless dress. Before she left, we discussed what her husband Jason should wear and I made some suggestions based on what she told me about his personality and style preferences. Caroline followed up later that day by sending her our style guide so that she could refer to it while going through Jason’s clothes! The style guide is super simple and SO easy to follow. If you have any questions or want more input, I’m available via email. Many of my clients bring some options with them to their session if they’re not sure, and I make a quick decision to pull it all together. Every client decides the level of support they need from me, and I ensure they get it!
On the evening of their March session, it was sunny and gorgeous. Mild late winter days are another reason why I love living in Atlanta so much - I photograph sessions outdoors all year round because it’s rarely cold enough to not be able to shoot outside.
Heather had told me at her fitting that she and her husband weren’t pros in front of the camera and that Jason was a little camera shy. If this is you, know you’re not alone. I’ve had a few clients that work as professional actresses or models, and even they sometimes feel a bit nervous in front of a camera. It’s completely normal. Don’t stress - I’ll take great care of you. My direction for what to do during your session is very straightforward. I’m known to demonstrate exactly what I want my clients to do, and we’ll have a lot of fun during your session. Just come ready to have some fun and connect with your partner, and I’ll handle the rest.
During the session I asked how brave they were, and they said, “We’ll do whatever you ask!” So we made our way through tall grass and briars to get to a little spot that I love, and the resulting images were absolutely gorgeous. I love when clients are willing to go outside of the box a little bit for creative purposes, because it’s always worth it. Jason was a little bit nervous at first, and I could tell by how he was standing. About 15 minutes in, he started having fun, and that’s when I started REALLY photographing them together. I usually photograph mom a bit by herself and have dad jump in and out until I can see that they’ve both relaxed and let their guards down. I get it: being yourselves as a couple can feel weird and awkward at first when someone you don’t know all that well is standing and literally watching your every move. As you’ll see from their gallery, by the end of the session they had all but forgotten I was there and were totally comfortable and at ease. I adore the images - the way they look at each other is just so loving and beautiful.
Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this beautiful session at the field. As previously mentioned, Heather’s look was created by our lead HMUA, Margaret. Serious hair goals here: her hair is so thick and gorgeous! She commented on how much she loved her makeup and truly felt like herself, and made sure to let me know she wanted Margaret again for her her newborn session. Check back in a couple of days to see images from their beautiful little girl’s 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.
