Katie contacted the studio and let us know that we had been highly recommended by one of her co-workers who is a long-term client of ours. She had expressed uncertainty over whether she should book a newborn session during the time of COVID, and he (yes folks, this was one of my DADS recommending me!) told her that she shouldn’t let this special time go by without having her baby professionally photographed. He and his wife actually had an upcoming session with me for their third baby, and he told her all about our COVID safety precautions and protocols. Katie liked what she heard, so she reached out for more information…. and after reviewing everything, she and her husband decided to reserve their newborn session with me!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESERVING AND BOOKING MY NEWBORN SESSION?
Great question: there isn’t one. If you are booking your newborn session before your baby is born (which most of our clients do!), you are reserving your guaranteed spot with us. Your actual session date is not scheduled until after baby has arrived. Once baby arrives, you’ll reach out to us via email or phone and let us know along with their weight and how you’re doing. If there were any complications, we’ll want to know about that too. You’ll also let us know whether you want to add on hair and makeup services to your session, and we’ll get back to you with some weekday dates to choose from. We do not schedule newborn sessions for weekend days: families with older school-aged children treat the session just as they would a doctor or dentist appointment and arrange for their children to leave school early or go in later.
NEWBORN SESSION FLOW
When Katie and her husband arrived with Owen, she made herself comfortable in the hair and makeup chair since she had decided to add on hair and makeup services. Roughly 95% of our newborn mamas do! It’s such a great way to pamper yourself after just having had a baby, and will probably be the first time since giving birth that you’ve felt put together! Sleep deprivation with a newborn is real and often accompanied by undereye circles and other skin concerns - but not to worry! Between our hair and makeup artist and my post processing when I edit your photos, you will look well rested and your skin will not have any blemishes. Adding on services does not lengthen your session time, since I spend the first 90 minutes of every session photographing baby alone anyway!
I took Owen from Katie as soon as they arrived and got started with him over in my newborn shooting area. I keep my studio warm for my newborns during this part because they’re dressed in their diaper and whatever I am wrapping them in, so they need the warmth in order to stay comfortable and asleep. Owen was a pretty sleepy guy and very curly and snuggly, so his newborn portraits were all finished up just as our HMUA was putting the finishing touches on Katie.
I handed Owen to his daddy and pulled a few dresses from our studio wardrobe for Katie to look at, and she fell in love with a white lace dress. It worked perfectly with what her husband, John, had brought with him to wear - AND with what her mom was wearing as well! Katie’s mom came to be in a few generational photos, which I absolutely love! If you are hoping to include grandparents in your session, we are happy to accommodate and we'll chat with you at length about how we handle that and when they come during the session, etc.
Once the whole family was dressed and ready, I moved into the family portion. If you’re worried about not knowing what to do, you can stop now. As soon as we get started, I show you EXACTLY what to do with visual demonstrations and gentle guidance, and I even explain why I’m asking you to do things a certain way. My first priority is your baby’s safety, and we will work together to transfer baby between people gently and securely for your photos. You will never be left standing wondering what to do next. Many first time parents have told me that their baby is the first one that they’ve ever held or handled for longer than a minute or two - and that is at the top of my mind. If you ever don’t feel like you’re confident in how you’re holding your little one, I will be able to tell from your body language and will step in to make adjustments to get you to that place. If you’re a recovering c-section mama and not feeling up to standing, I can work around that too. We will work together to ensure the needs of everyone are met and create beautiful images of your family!
Enjoy a few of my favorites from Owen’s newborn session! We are currently booking February and March (yep March already!!!) as of this blog post, so if you’re pregnant and considering a newborn session, it’s NEVER too early to reach out and get information! Contact the studio by filling out our website inquiry form or giving us a call - we can’t wait to chat with you!
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.
