Rebecca had completed a maternity session at our field location with us and she loved the experience so much that she asked to reserve a newborn session for after her son arrived. We fortunately still had room for another newborn in the month he was due, so we were able to get her taken care of! If you want to see the pictures from their maternity session, just click here!
WHEN YOU SHOULD BOOK YOUR BABY’S NEWBORN SESSION
Your baby will grow SO quickly, and the newborn stage is incredibly fleeting. It’s amazing how much your baby will change in appearance from their first days to weeks, to months. Preserving exactly how they looked when they were at their tiniest is what I specialize in, and I absolutely love being able to give parents these memories in tangible form for a lifetime! You will never regret having these photographs taken.
If you’re wondering when you should book your baby’s newborn session, the answer is NOW. Don’t wait until your baby is born to try and find a photographer. You will be tired, sleep deprived, and not in the best frame of mind to make major decisions. Who you entrust with your baby’s and your family’s first photographs is a pretty big one!
To reserve your newborn session, you need to reserve a spot on our calendar in advance because I have limited space for newborns due in each month, and I book pretty far in advance. To give you an idea: more and more of my clients are choosing to reserve their sessions in their first trimester or right at the end of it to ensure they have a guaranteed spot.
Once I reach my monthly newborn capacity, there are no more available spots. This policy is in place to ensure we can provide the excellent experience and service that you deserve! Reserving your session is NOT scheduling the exact date since it’s impossible to guess when your baby will actually be born. When your baby arrives, you will let me know and we will then schedule your session to take place here in the studio! Typically, clients can expect to be scheduled to come in between the first 8-21 days of life, depending on how much their baby weighed at birth, if they were early/late, and if there were any delivery or postpartum complications that necessitate some extra recovery time at home.
If you’re reading this and your newborn is already here, you can always check with the studio to see if we have availability for a last minute newborn. There are times throughout the month that we have the space to take on an additional client if we’ve had a lot of our reserved newborns arrive early and they have already been photographed that month. You’ll never know unless you ask!
SONIC’S NEWBORN SESSION
On the morning of their session, Rebecca and Bo arrived to the studio with Sonic in tow. Rebecca was a bit concerned about how their session would go because she said that he sometimes would get fussy and take a while to calm down. I reassured her that I have seen it all at this point (I’m in my ninth year of business!) and that it wouldn’t be a problem even if he was fussy. I have all sorts of tricks up my sleeve and am very skilled at assessing a baby and what they might need to calm down. If your baby is fussy at times, know that this is NORMAL and we will get through it! There is no such thing as a “good” baby or a “bad” baby. When your baby is fussy or cries, it’s because they need something, and it’s our job to figure out what it is! I have a four hour chunk of time allotted for your newborn session to allow for calming and soothing your baby, as well as diaper changes and feedings just in case we need that much time. It will be fine, I promise! And just so you know: most newborn sessions are accomplished in 2-2.5 hours - the 4 hour chunk is just my “insurance” policy if your baby needs a lot of soothing time!
Sonic was a BIG boy, born at nearly nine pounds, and had the squishiest cheeks. Rebecca already knew we had tons of options available in our client wardrobe from when she had tried on options for her maternity session, and had a pretty good idea of which dress she wanted to wear for her newborn session. She felt both beautiful and comfortable in her choice of a mauve cap sleeved dress, which is exactly what the goal is when choosing what to wear.
Baby Sonic was a super sleepy guy, and he slept right through his solo portraits. He had the cutest little nose and head of black hair, and was just a chunky love bug!
WHY I USE NEUTRAL COLORS IN MY NEWBORN SESSIONS
You will notice when looking through my blog posts and portfolio that I primarily use neutral colors for newborn sessions. There’s a few thoughtful reasons for this!
Neutrals are timeless. They will stand the test of time and be impervious to being dated by trendy colors.
Netrals keep the focus on your baby and all their unique details. There are no loud colors competing for attention with your baby.
Neutrals look good on everyone! While the specific shades I use for your baby will depend on their skin tone, I have quite a few that are versatile and will work with pretty much every baby’s skin.
FAMILIES ARE INCLUDED IN NEWBORN SESSIONS, NOT JUST YOUR BABY!
After we finished up with Sonic’s solo portraits, Rebecca and Bo changed his diaper and gave him a bottle. He was alert at this point and looking around with a very serene gaze. Rebecca asked if we needed to get him back to sleep, and I told her it wasn’t necessary for the next part as long as he stayed happy and calm. I actually ADORE when babies have their eyes open during the parent and family portion because I’m able to capture that connection between parents and babies taking each other in. If this is your first baby and you didn’t have a lot of hands on experience prior to your baby’s birth, you might feel a little nervous or unsure of how to hold them. I will guide you and show you just what to do for your family portraits, so you don’t need to be concerned about figuring it out on your own. A lot of my clients have told me that a newborn session with me was like attending a Baby 101 class and that they learned things they wish had been covered in all their birth and baby prep classes! I have three children of my own, and have photographed hundreds of newborns over the past nine years of being a professional family & baby photographer. Prior to being a mom, I was a governess and overnight baby nurse so parents could get more sleep - in my tenure as a baby nurse I had NINE sets of twins. With all this combined professional and personal experience of being a mother myself, I have a LOT knowledge to share, and I am more than happy to be a resource for you if you ask! Don’t worry though: you won’t get unsolicited advice from me or be told you should do XYZ!
MAKING NEWBORN SESSIONS EASIER SINCE 2013
Not only will I guide you though how to hold your baby and what to do throughout your session, I’ll also make sure to tuck back any stray hairs. (Postpartum baby hair is REAL and sets in quicker than you think!) I pay attention to the little details, and adjust clothing and all those little things as needed. You just had a baby so the last thing you need is to deal with anything complicated. My client experience requires minimal brainpower from my clients, and we strive to make everything as simple as possible for you from first contact to final product delivery!
During your time with me, I want your focus to be holding and admiring your new baby. The family portion is typically the “easiest” part of our time together ! All you have to do is admire this amazing little human that you’ve welcomed into your family while following my gentle prompts for natural interaction with your baby and as a new family.
If you're expecting a new baby, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I’m so thrilled for you, and would love to be considered as your trusted photographer for your newborn and family’s first portraits.
We will work together to create images that you will treasure for a lifetime and pass down through generations, and you’ll never regret taking the time to have these moments photographed. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio, and contact us to learn more about our client experience!
Enjoy a few of my favorite photos from Sonic’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.
