Cirleen contacted us to schedule a maternity session at the very last minute. She hadn’t planned to have maternity photos taken, but friends convinced her that she should and would regret not having them. After speaking with Caroline, our studio manager, she decided on the studio as her location. Caroline scheduled a maternity fitting for her a couple of days out and also scheduled her to work with Margaret for add on hair and makeup services. Cirleen had her own eyelash extensions already in place, so Margaret did not work on her lashes.
When Cirleen arrived at the studio, I was immediately struck with how tall she was! I am six feet tall, so when I meet other women who are taller like I am, I immediately notice their height. :) We spent some time chatting about her preferences, and started going through the wardrobe together. Cirleen had been concerned we wouldn’t have anything she’d like but she found herself with an armful of dresses that she loved. She left armed with photos of her options and emailed a couple of days later with her final choices after getting her husband’s input.
On the day of her session session, Cirleen arrived and I was absolutely in love with the updo that Margaret had created for her! Donnie arrived with some clothing options that I went through and I chose the best complement to what Cirleen had chosen and he went to get dressed and then came back. While Cirleen was getting dressed, I spent time chatting with Donnie and getting to know a bit about him since this was our first time meeting. He was a fun guy to talk to, and I could see how much he loved his wife.
Once Cirleen was ready, she came out in her first dress, which was a strapless split front ivory gown with a sweetheart neckline. We have a few split front gowns in our wardrobe that can be worn both open or closed. Cirleen wanted to wear hers open for some images, and this is completely up to each individual client. If you have some stretch marks or a belly button ring piercing hole that you’re worried about, we can absolutely make those go away in post processing (if that’s what you want!) so don’t let that be the reason you skip baring the belly. If you’re just not a belly baring kind of gal, no worries at all!
I could tell Cirleen was a bit nervous as we got started. She had previously mentioned during her fitting that I’d most likely have to tell her what to do since she didn’t know how to go about a maternity session. If this is a concern for you also, please don’t worry - I expect this! Unless you’re a professional maternity model, why would you know anything about how to stand or where to place your hands? It’s my job to get you comfortable and help you relax and have a good time. I’ll make sure there’s no lipstick on your teeth, ensure your hair isn’t out of place, and that you’re not accidentally self inflicting a double chin.
I always start off my sessions pretty slowly to get my clients comfortable in front of the camera and to get a grasp for the “rules”. I explain everything as we go along, so you will never be wondering what to do next. Once we’re on a roll, then I add in dads.
The vast majority of my clients talk about about how they really appreciate the love and connection they see between expectant couples on my website and then say, “But my husband would never do that… he’s just not that romantic.”
Guess what? They still ended up with those kinds of images! My “secret” is to save those super close and personal images for the end, when you’re both relaxed and comfortable and have almost forgotten that I’m there. Nothing is forced or contrived between my couples. I simply position two people in love (ie: the two of you!) close to each other and gently give verbal prompts that lead to unique and natural interaction. Voila. That’s when the magic happens - and my clients are just as much a part of creating that as I am! The looks that you see exchanged between couples in my images aren’t faked, they’re very real. I love being able to give that to my clients.
Can I just say how much fun I had with these two during their time with me? I really enjoyed getting to know Cirleen & Donnie, and loved their sense of humor and personalities. Enjoy some of my favorites from this wonderful couple’s maternity session! I’m looking forward to seeing them again in the future and meeting their little boy!
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.
