Kelly contacted the studio in her second trimester to schedule a newborn session for her second baby on the way. The number one question we are asked about newborn sessions is: “How do I schedule a newborn session in advance when I don’t know when my baby will arrive?” When you schedule a newborn session with us, you are reserving a guaranteed spot on our calendar, not penciling in a specific date. Once your baby has arrived, you’ll let us know and we’ll schedule the date from there based on information you give us about your baby’s weight, date of birth in relation to their expected due date, and any complications we should know about!
When Cameron was born, Kelly let us know she had arrived and that baby Cameron was NINE pounds with lots of rolls! She asked to add on hair and makeup services to her newborn session because she knew she didn’t want to have to worry about getting ready while wrangling a newborn and toddler. You don’t need to decide whether you want these add on services until you contact us to let us know your baby is here. We’ll take care of checking on artist availability and give you dates that you’ll have their assistance. One less thing for you to worry about - we take care of the coordination for you! After we looked through our calendar and checked with our HMUA team, we gave Kelly a couple of dates to choose from. Please note that weekend newborn sessions are sometimes available, but cannot be guaranteed. She chose a date for the family to come in for her newborn session and we sent over the easy to follow newborn session prep packet for her to review.
On the morning of their session, Kelly arrived first with Cameron, and we looked through the studio wardrobe together for her older daughter and herself. We found the perfect options for each of them, and Kelly got herself settled into the hair and makeup chair.
I started with just Cameron for her solo portraits in the newborn area and she was sound asleep. She started waking up a bit, but so was calm and content. I always take the opportunity to photograph calm and awake babies to get those pretty eyes. A lot of my clients request that I photograph their newborn looking at the camera. While I wish I could promise this to everyone, whether this is possible is totally dependent on your baby. There are some babies who come in and they never open their eyes the entire time. Other babies will wake up but they’re not happy or calm while awake and start screaming. Because every single baby in my studio is unique, their resulting gallery images will also be one of a kind too!
Big babies (as a general rule) are pretty deep sleepers, and Cameron was no exception. When babies are truly conked out, the more pliable and flexible their bodies are. I will never force a baby into a position and prefer to arrange the wrap around their body in whatever position they naturally assume. My goal for newborn solo images is for their parents to be able to look at them and remember every detail about their baby. Memories fade, but photographs don’t.
As I finished up Cameron’s solo images, Kelly’s husband and older daughter arrived. We have other session participants arrive later on for a good reason! Toddlers and dads are much happier not waiting around in the studio, and it gives moms a chance to really relax. Kelly and her daughter got dressed and we moved right into the family portion of our session, which was a lot of fun. As we chatted during the session, I learned that they were my neighbors - just a few blocks away! It’s always so much fun to realize what a small world we live in. I’ve had so many neighbors in the studio this past year as clients and always find out at their sessions with me. Since our session together, I’ve seen them around the neighborhood a few times, which is always fun.
Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this sweet family’s 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.
