I’ve been working with Caroline and her beautiful family since the birth of her first child, Slade. I blogged about her second maternity session with me at the field location earlier this month, and you can see the images from that session by clicking here.
Caroline has worked with one of our HMUA’s for every portrait session with me, and this time was no exception. Add on hair and makeup services are available! Just ask when you inquire. Adding this on does not lengthen your session because I am photographing your baby while you’re being prepped. So, you might as well pamper yourself instead of twiddling your thumbs during that time! Caroline has worked with Margaret for her other sessions, but Brielle was her HMUA this go round. Trust me when I say that you’re in for a treat with ANY of our HMUA team members because it’s like hanging out with great gal pal the whole time.
When Caroline arrived with Kyden, she settled into the hair and makeup chair. Blair and Slade went for a little adventure on their own beforehand that wasn’t too tiring for Slade. We have toddlers wait to come to the studio with dad or a grandparents until it’s time for them to be photographed, but since the family drove from over an hour away and didn’t have anyone else to help, Blair just took her for a quiet walk to explore.
Caroline and I looked through the studio dresses and I had one specifically in mind for her that I knew would look amazing with her skin tone. She immediately loved it, and pulled out the shirts she’d brought for Blair. At her maternity session, Slade had not wanted to change her dress to a second option, so I pulled that dress we’d never used and it fit perfectly into the mix! We don’t have an extensive wardrobe for children, and stick to the basics, but in a pinch we are often able to help toddler moms with what we have on hand if they don’t have something that works! I know how hard it is to shop when heavily pregnant or right when you’ve had a baby!
Brielle got started with Caroline and I took Kyden back to the newborn shooting room. He was fast asleep, and didn’t love being moved. He woke up during the session, which allowed me to photograph some open eye images. While he slept well, he was a pretty light sleeper, so his solo portraits involved a lot of patting and shushing, and a few nursing breaks. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with being on his belly. I do not force babies into positions that they don’t want to be in. I’ll try a few times as sometimes it’s a matter of them being in a deep enough sleep, but it was clear that Kyden just didn’t like it. He was fine with being on his side, so I worked around his preferences. The comfort of your baby is my top priority, and each baby is different when it comes to what they like as far as position. Every newborn session will look different because of that, and I love this because every baby is unique.
When I finished up, Blair and Slade had come back, and Caroline was getting dressed. Slade was still getting used to Kyden, and was fine with touching him but didn’t want to be alone with him. Caroline REALLY wanted a photo of the two of them together, so we tried several different things.
If your child isn’t super excited about their new sibling, please don’t stress. I have many techniques in my bag to get your toddler close to the baby for some sweet and natural interaction, and we’ll talk about those when you arrive. Leave all expectations at the door, and I’ll create a no stress and low pressure experience for your older child. I have found that toddlers are much more receptive when they see that their feelings are respected and that they are being given the space they need. I consider children as my clients too, and I want them to have a great time!
I knock out the images that include toddler siblings as quickly as I can since their attention span is limited. Once they’re over it, they are OVER it. And sometimes babies are over it too…. one of my favorite photos that made us all laugh and laugh is in this gallery… I’ll let you guess which one it is!
After I finished with the family images and siblings, we moved on to parent and baby ones. I think second babies should have some images with just their parents because their older sibling did too. While it’s pretty much impossible to give perfect equality to every subsequent child after the first in all areas, this is one that I make sure of. Since Caroline and Blair didn’t have anyone on hand to help with Slade, they had brought some activities to occupy her when she was finished being photographed. She happily played right on the floor next to us while I wrapped up the session.
Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Kyden’s session! I can’t wait to see her again for her six month milestone!
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.
