Kylie contacted the studio to schedule a last minute newborn session for her baby girl, Lennon, who had already arrived. They had gotten so busy over the holidays that they had forgotten to schedule a newborn session. When they visited the website, they loved what they saw - and Jordan was sold when he found out that the studio was only a five minute drive from their Kirkwood neighborhood.
A little backstory here, because it’s just too good not to share!
I live in the Kirkwood neighborhood also. It’s a fun neighborhood to go trick-or-treating in, and on Halloween I took my three children. They all dressed as the Incredibles, and were bouncing off the streets from all the sugar. On the first street that we visited, I noticed a pregnant woman dressed as an avocado. My dad, who was visiting and accompanying us, elbowed me and said I should give her my business card. I laughed because that is SO not my style and told him to quit it.
On the day of Lennon’s newborn session (which was two days after Kylie first contacted us!) the new family of three arrived at the studio. We went through the wardrobe and Kylie loved one of our simple white lace dresses. Jordan had brought a few options from home, and I left the final decision up to him between two that I pulled. Since he’s a laid back and more casual guy, he chose the t-shirt. I want dads to wear what is true to them and what they feel comfortable in. My main concern is fit and color - the tones need to mesh well with what everyone else is wearing, and the fit shouldn’t be too tight or overly large. If your guy is most comfortable in a three piece suit and that’s what he loves to wear, go for it! I just had an amazing family in my studio who opted to wear formalwear (think tuxedos for the guys and a black evening gown for mom). These are YOUR family portraits and you should love what you wear. My job is simply to make sure that it works in the setting of your photographs and is all cohesive from an aesthetic standpoint.
Baby Lennon wins the prize for being the most awake little baby that I have EVER had in my studio. She did not want to sleep and wanted to spend a lot of time nursing. During one of her nursing breaks, I asked where they lived, and when they responded Kirkwood - I said, “Oh, I live there too, right by the park.” Both of them looked at each other and said “No way, we live right by the park too!”
I can literally see their house from my bedroom window. First time I’ve ever had a client turn out to be a literal neighbor! I commented that we had gone trick or treating on the street, and that my kids had dressed as the Incredibles, and Kylie gasped and said “I remember them!”. They didn’t have a lot of foot traffic that year, and my kids are definitely little chatterboxes. Kyle then told me, “I was dressed as an avocado!” What are the chances? It really is such a small world we live in.
When babies are awake, we just work around them. If a newborn wants to be awake and is calm, I proceed with the session. If a baby is awake and crying, we will take the time we need to get them into a calm or sleeping state. Lennon was a wide eyed and expressive baby, and shockingly strong for her age. I don’t encounter many newborns who can lift and hold their head up like she did. We all joked that she was suffering from serious FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and that’s why she didn’t want to sleep.
For the parent portion of the session. Kylie opted to have Lennon wear a headband from the studio and dressed her in a knotted gown. Sometimes it’s easier to have a baby in a gown as opposed to wrapped in a blanket since there is much less adjusting to do and less fabric to deal with. We’ll discuss your preferences when you arrive when it comes to that and you’ll make the decision that best suits your taste!
With a lot of patience and waiting (and good conversation while we waited!) Lennon eventually did fall asleep. As you’ll see from the handful of photos below, it made for quite a varied gallery! Newborn clients receive their final gallery images in both black and white and color versions, so the gallery below is a mix.
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.
