Kathleen wasn’t so sure that she wanted to book a maternity session, but her friends and family kept encouraging her to do so. After speaking with me about the process and what she could expect from everything, she decided to go ahead with scheduling a session! If that’s you, and you aren’t sure - let’s talk about it! I hear a lot of common concerns and fears, and am more than happy to walk you through what you can expect and how we address those worries so they aren’t an issue anymore.
Because Kathleen’s schedule was pretty tight, and she didn’t want to have to worry about a weather reschedule, she chose the studio for her location. Our studio is super easy to get to from anywhere in the metro Atlanta area. It’s right on the Atlanta Beltline right next to Bully Boy & two.urban.licks, with free parking. Because of our huge wall of windows (11 feet high and 25 feet wide), we are able to photograph even on cloudy days with abundant and beautiful natural light. Sometimes we’ll augment natural night (it still looks natural!) with our Profoto strobe and light modifiers, but it’s very rare that we need to.
Kathleen also chose to add on hair and makeup services, and was so excited to come in for a fitting to borrow from the studio wardrobe. Kathleen expressed a strong preference for simple pieces, and wanted arm coverage as well. Pro tip: if you want to cover your arms, don’t rule out short sleeve or sleeveless dresses! Sometimes throwing a shawl on top is all that’s needed to provide that arm coverage and also creates a gorgeous layered look for a more textured aesthetic. We had a ton of fun going through all of the options that fit with her vision, and after trying on several pieces, she fell in love with two dresses. The dresses fit the bill of being simple in style, but looked absolutely beautiful on her skin tone and brought out her blue eyes. We also discussed what her husband, Ben, could wear that would work well with her selections.
Maternity fittings: they’re important!
I am often asked, “Do I have to come in for a maternity fitting?” You are absolutely NOT required to borrow from our wardrobe, but I’d still like to see you before our actual session together. Bring what you’re thinking of wearing, and we’ll look at them together. Maternity fittings do take some time from your week, but they’re important, and this is why: we are pulling together your look, AND getting to know one another! When we have gotten to know each other already, you will come in for your session much more relaxed and ready to go. So much of that initial nervousness won’t even exist, because I’m not a total stranger to you. We have a LOT of out of state clients: if that’s you, we schedule your fitting to take place right before or the day before the session if you’re in town. This enables us to spend some time getting to know each other before I actually start photographing you and gets you warmed up and comfortable.
On the day of her session, Kathleen arrived at the studio and settled into the hair and makeup chair along with an armful of options for her husband that she had pulled from his closet. While Margaret worked with Kathleen, I went through Ben’s wardrobe options and pulled out what would work best with her dress choices.
When clients bring options for their husbands, I ask for 3 things.
your husband should actually like the items
they should be pressed and ready to go (we won’t have time to spend steaming them)
they should fit.
LOTS of husbands gain that pregnancy sympathy weight - so make sure he tries on those items before you add them to the options you bring to the studio! ;)
After Margaret finished up with Kathleen, Kathleen looked absolutely gorgeous, and was excited (and a little nervous) to get started. She told me that she wasn’t quite sure what to do and felt a little awkward. I reassured her that the way she was feeling was totally normal, and that she didn’t need to worry about what to do and when - because I would take care of her. I guide my clients through the entire session experience from start to finish. At this point, I am in my seventh year of business, so it’s pretty safe for me to claim expert status at working with maternity clients. ;) From how to position your leg to where to place your hand and fingers, to subtle adjustments of your head angle, I’ve got it handled! I’ll also be on the lookout for a bra strap peeking out, stray hairs that can be tucked, lipstick on teeth, etc. The only thing you need to worry about is relaxing and having fun!
Kathleen’s husband, Ben, arrived shortly after Kathleen had gotten dressed. I directed him to what I had pulled from his options and started photographing Kathleen solo while he changed. Kathleen and Ben have such a fun relationship and we had a lot of fun goofing around and joking throughout. Both of them expressed that they were pleasantly surprised at how much FUN the entire experience was, and they absolutely loved their final gallery images. Kathleen thanked me for helping her decide to go forward with a maternity session even though she had been unsure, and told me that she would treasure the images forever and can’t believe she almost chose not to do it.
Enjoy a few of my favorite portraits from Ben & Kathleen’s maternity session! I can’t wait to see them again and their sweet baby for a milestone session this coming summer!
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.
