Atlanta Family Photographer | Fiona is six months!

Fiona first came to visit me as a newborn, and I loved photographing her then. I was so excited to hear she was coming in for a milestone session to celebrate six months AND that grandma was coming along! 

I was incredibly close to both sets of my grandparents growing up, and am lucky enough to still have a grandmother here with me (I'm almost 38 years old for reference!). I cherish the photos I have of my grandparents and I together. For the set of grandparents that I lost to cancer seven years ago, the photos are some of the only tangible memories I have of them. Being able to share them with my children (two of whom weren't born when they passed away and one of whom was too little to remember) is so important to me. So - when I hear that a family wants to include a children's grandparent(s), I am ALL about it! 

Grandma brought in her favorite book, and we took a few images of special grandma time. We then moved into some solo portraits of Miss Fiona (isn't she the CUTEST?!) and some with her mama. I absolutely loved shooting such a special session for this family! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Samuel is 100 days old!

I first worked with Muyun and Zihao for their studio maternity session, which can be viewed by clicking here. Muyun emailed me after the birth of their son, Samuel, to reserve a 100 Days Old session. I LOVE this special milestone and think it's so special how their culture marks and celebrates babies at this specific point of infancy.

When they arrived, they informed me that they wanted to dress the whole family in clothing from the studio wardrobe. While I don't have a wide variety of options for baby boys, I do keep a few on hand. Samuel is quite a chunky little guy and was already in 6-12 month clothing. After Muyun chose her dress from the wardrobe, she chose a knitted one piece for him to wear that complemented her dress .

Samuel was such a happy and smiley little boy! He was also very strong and had great head and trunk control for pushing up. Every baby is different and some aren't quite doing that at 3 months old. I modify all of my sessions around babies and where they are developmentally for this reason. We can still get beautiful images of your baby in your arms or on your lap if they aren't sitting unassisted (or just don't feel like it!). Milestone sessions are such a special way to document your baby as they grow, and I absolutely love them. We see a lot of babies come in for 100 days/3-5 months, and then 6-8 months followed by First Birthday celebrations. Every milestone marker is unique and it's so neat to watch the progression of babies over their first year of life in photographs. Several of our clients have opted to create an album of that first year and it's such a wonderful and treasured keepsake. 

Enjoy just a few of my favorite images from Samuel's 100 Day 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Henry is six months!

I was present as their birth photographer when Henry was born and his parents found out they had a son. I also photographed his newborn session, which can be viewed by clicking here. Michelle had gone ahead and reserved his six month session and one year session so that she would have the dates she wanted. Many of our clients choose to reserve their milestone sessions on our calendar for this reason! 

Michelle had added on hair and makeup services for her newborn session and knew without question she would be using them for every session with us. For milestones, our HMUA's will often travel to your home if they're within the travel radius to get you ready beforehand so you can all come to the studio together as a family. Some clients opt to travel to Margaret's studio (located less than ten minutes from mine) to get ready and then meet their husband and baby at the studio at their session time. 

Having worked with Michelle before, I knew what colors would look best on her and what would fit, so I had pulled aside a few options for her to look through. She loved a white floral lace dress and chose that. Initially, she had bought an outfit for Henry but wasn't in love with it. Even though Henry was only six months, he was already over twenty pounds and in 9-12 month sizing! I have several really adorable options that are timeless and neutral for baby boys in the studio. She absolutely loved one of our one pieces for baby boys, and we dressed him in that. The little baby blue elbow patches just kill me! 

We always start baby sessions with family and parent images. I want to make sure your child feels safe and secure during their time with me, and starting out in your arms helps ensure that. As they become used to the sound of the shutter and become comfortable with me, we'll move to baby only portraits and then mix it up from there. I often suggest that mamas bring their baby's favorite lovey or something that is meaningful so that we can incorporate that into the session as well. I also absolutely adore photographing chunky baby legs and rolls, so we will often undress your baby down to a diaper. I have several cloth diapers in the studio that we use to put on over regular diapers. If you choose to bring your own, I recommend the Honest Company's plain white diapers. Diapers with characters all over them are pretty distracting and take away from the focus on your baby. These are just a few of my favorite images of sweet Henry and his parents! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A Mommy & Me session with Holly, Oliver & Willow

I firmly believe that it's so important for mamas to be in the photos. So often, we are the ones who document the special family moments. And sometimes we just don't want to be in the picture because we don't feel pretty that day, or we have baby food stuck in our hair and it's just been a crazy week. I get it. I have three children six and under and they're all two years apart. While the selfie option is certainly better than nothing at all, I absolutely love it when mamas take matters into their own hands and come into the studio for a mommy and me session. 

Holly is a sweet long time client of mine! I've photographed her maternity and birth sessions, and I just adore working with her and her adorable children! She let me know that she was going to have her daughter wear a dress that belonged to her as a baby, and that her hairbow would be the one she'd worn for her newborn pictures. I absolutely loved the sentimentality and meaning of those items. Holly asked if I had anything in the wardrobe that she'd like and I send her a photo of one of the newest additions. We're always adding pieces to the wardrobe if they meet our standards for color and photographing well. She absolutely loved it, and we discussed ideas for her son's outfit as well.

The day of her session, she arrived at the studio and got into the hair and makeup chair. Our add on HMUA services are such a fun way to pamper yourself... most of our clients plan a date with their partner later that day to get the most mileage out of it! 

Mommy and me sessions in the studio are all about loving and interacting with your babies. It's as simple as that. We'll also take a few portraits of just your children too. This session makes me smile when I look at it because there is so much affection and joy! We really had such a great time creating these images. If you're considering a session for yourself and your children, I would LOVE for you to reach out to discuss your vision! 

Enjoy some of my favorites of this sweet mama and babes. 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Eden is six months!

The last time I had seen Ashley was during her studio maternity session, which can be viewed by clicking here. She emailed at the last minute asking if I had any availability for her daughter's upcoming six month milestone. Because she owns her own event planning company, she has a pretty flexible schedule and was able to make the one day that I had open work for her. Booking in advance is definitely key to getting the date you want, otherwise clients may find that I have very little or no availability at all. Many of our newborn clients schedule their six month and one year sessions so that they can be on the calendar and not have to worry about it later.

When Ashley and Eden arrived, she showed me the dress and cute headbead she'd brought along for her to wear. I asked her a few questions about her style preferences (I already knew which colors would look beautiful on her skin tone having already worked with her before for maternity) and I pulled out a couple of options. She loved one of the cream wrap dresses we had on hand and it looked perfect with her daughter's dress. For anyone wondering, her daughter's adorable dress came from Well Dressed Wolf, which is quite a popular clothing company for children. So popular, in fact, that it sells out within a few minutes whenever they have a new release. I've basically given up on ever being able to buy anything from them because I'm just not fast enough to snatch one up and complete the purchase before they're sold out! 

We started with mommy and me images. Many six month olds aren't quite sitting on their own yet and that's totally ok! There are so many things that they can do, and we work around what their current motor skills are. My favorite part of six month sessions is when moms and babies are snuggling and interacting. A mom loving her baby is one of the most beautiful things, and so many moms often don't get to see themselves and what they look like when they're doing that. I've heard from so many moms that looking at their galleries for the first time brought them to tears because it was the first time they'd seen what that interaction looked like. I love being the medium to show you! You are literally the center of your child's universe and they absolutely adore you. Someday, they'll be grown with children of their own and they'll reach for those pictures of you beaming at them and tenderly holding them. I know that's what I reach for with photos of my own mother and I. 

I absolutely loved little Miss Eden's spunky personality - from sticking out her tongue to chewing on her little toes. Enjoy the photos of this beautiful mother and daughter duo. If you have a baby and you're thinking about booking a mommy and me session for yourself, please reach out so we can discuss your vision! I would love nothing more than to work with you to create images that both you and your baby can cherish 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Adeline is ONE!

I first worked with Adeline's parents for their maternity session in the field and then again for Adeline's newborn session. When Carolyn came to the studio to pick up their newborn collection, she told me they were moving to NYC! I was so sad to say goodbye to them as clients....except we didn't say goodbye! I was able to photograph Adeline for her six month session in NYC and then again for her 1 year session on Long Island. My travel is limited to certain areas, but I DO travel for clients, and loved doing this for this sweet family. 

Carolyn and I exchanged a few emails discussing what to wear, and met up in July on Long Island. New York was going through a crazy cold snap when it was only 70 degrees outside at the time! I can't say that I was mad about it, because it made our session weather very pleasant and we didn't have to deal with hot muggy weather or bugs. 

We started our session with family and parent images and then plopped Adeline down on the ground to enjoy her cake! She showed off some of her standing skills and dove right in. First Birthday sessions can take place in any of our outdoor locations rather than in the studio. We suggest bringing a towel, lots of baby wipes, a jug of water, and washcloths. The cleanup for Adeline was pretty minor, but we've had babies COVERED in icing afterwards. :) 

I can't wait to travel to see this family again in 2018! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photography | Emma is ONE!

I first worked with Emma's parents for their maternity session, and then again for Emma's newborn session and have really enjoyed getting to know them over the past year and a half. They are such warm and wonderful people, and Emma is such a sweetheart who looks JUST like her mama! Yetsie chose to work with our HMUA team just as she did for her other sessions, and also worked with our private baker who is located near the studio for Emma's smash cake. When you choose to work with our baker, the cake is ready and waiting for you at the studio so you don't have to worry about the hassle of picking it up and transporting it. 

Emma's mom had ordered a darling little dress from an Etsy shop for her first birthday portraits. We always start sessions with family and parent images so babies and children can become comfortable with me. We then photograph just your baby alone and end with some cake smashing fun.

I really love when parents decide to get in on the fun during a cake smash! It's hilarious, and babies love to share. Icing may end up everywhere, but it's the end of the session, so it doesn't matter. I want you to look back on your images and smile when you remember how much fun all of you had that day. 

It's never too early to book your baby's First Birthday session! Many of our newborn clients reserve their date right after their baby's newborn session. 50% of our parents like to plan the session to take place on their baby's actual birthday. 25% prefer beforehand to use images for party decor, and others prefer afterwards. It's your choice! PS: you don't HAVE to include a birthday cake smash as part of your session, but 95% of clients do. We have a lot of clients tell us that their baby was completely underwhelmed with their cake at the party or simply wouldn't touch it. I think it's pretty normal for a one year old to take a look at a large group of people staring at them, feel the pressure, and decide they want nothing to do with it. In the studio, it's just us, and there is no pressure. Everything unfolds naturally, and sweet memories are made. 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | DJ is ONE!

DJ is one of my spunkiest and happiest little clients. I absolutely love seeing him and his beautiful mother in the studio! Senika booked a one year session with him, and brought along a banner and little outfit for him to include in the cake smash portion.

Senika opted to borrow a dress from the studio wardrobe, and sent over ideas of what she was considering for DJ's outfits. I think the outfit she chose for him is just darling, and completely timeless too! We always start our sessions with family and parent images to get your baby comfortable with me and the sound of the camera. When they're in your arms they feel safe and secure and naturally open up to me as we progress through the session. We then move to baby only portraits, and then end with the cake smash. Senika had actually forgotten her cake, so a quick run to Kroger solved that problem. I always strongly recommend a small and simple cake... and as we learned from this session - best to skip the edible chocolate candles lest your baby be most interested in eating that instead of their cake! :) 

Enjoy the cuteness of this little guy's session ... I can't help but smile every time I see his mischievous little grin and that little twinkle in his eye. 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photography | Isabella is ONE!

Isabell's first birthday session is the culmination of over a year of sessions!

• View her mother's studio maternity session by clicking here
• View Isabella's newborn session by clicking here
• Viewing Isabella's sitting up milestone session by clicking here

I was so excited to have these two lovely ladies back in front of my camera to celebrate Isabella's first birthday. Clarissa borrowed a dress from the studio wardrobe that she fell in love with, and brought special outfits with her for Isabella. We started the session with Clarissa holding Isabella, and this is how we typically begin all sessions with young babies and children. It gives them a chance to get used to me and the sound of the camera while feeling safe in the arms of their parents. As they become comfortable, we transition to solo portraits. For first birthday sessions, we end with the cake. Babies tire out easily and don't have super long attention spans, so we move quickly and keep things interesting! 

Enjoy the images of this little cutie! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Fraternal twins David & Sania

David & Sania are just the cutest brother-sister duo. I first photographed them as itty bitty newborns, and you can see their newborn session by clicking here. I was so excited to have them into the studio for a 6 month session and see how BIG they had gotten. Janell worked with our amazing HMUA, Megan, for makeup services and absolutely loved the final look. All of our HMUA team members are incredibly experienced and some of the best in Atlanta. They'll work closely with you to achieve the vision that you have for your makeup while also ensuring that it photographs beautifully. 

Janell loves being a mama, and it shows. Her two are just so cute, and she's a gorgeous and loving mother to them. I loved spending time photographing Janell and her babies, and capturing all the special in between moments that they had. Janell's husband was also present, but glad to have a break from being in front of the camera and just acted as an assistant baby holder for this session. 

Here are just a few of my favorites of the twins' six month milestone 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Peyton is ONE!

Peyton is such a little ham with big brown eyes and adorable dimples, and the whole family is lots of fun. 

For this First Birthday session, it was really important to Peyton's daddy to make his birthday cake for him. I thought this was just about the sweetest thing I've ever heard. His wife made fun of it (just a little!) but said that even though it wasn't the most beautifully artistic cake, the meaning behind it made it special. I think even the Cake Boss would agree. 

We started our session with family and parent images, which is how I typically begin sessions with little ones. It allows them to get used to the click of the shutter and to me approaching them while feeling safe in your arms. Once they're comfortable with me, we move on to solo portraits... and then the cake smashing fun begins. I always encourage parents to participate. I love capturing the look of anticipation on your baby's face as you present them with their cake. I've found that babies really like to share their cake with their parents - so I tell everyone to jump in near the end! Parents, you are part of your baby's story. Be in the images with them. We all make the very best decisions we can for our children, and want nothing but the best for them. Someday we aren't going to be with our children anymore, but they will forever have the images that we chose to create with them and always be able to SEE how much we loved them. Make being in the images a priority. Your child will be so glad you did. 

Here are just a few of my favorite images from Peyton's First Birthday 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A late summer park session

Abby contacted us to schedule an outdoor family session for the spring. Unfortunately, Atlanta went through a crazy cold snap during the week of their planned time with me and we mutually determined that the weather wouldn't work well. When babies are cold they are usually grumpy and uncomfortable, which doesn't make for the best images! A lot of things happened with Abby's family and personal life during the following months but we eventually were able to meet up in late August at the park location. 

It was definitely worth the wait! Abby chose outfits for the entire family based on clothing recommendations that I sent over, and everyone looked fabulous. We started the session by playing and exploring, and were lucky to have a very mild evening as far as temperature and humidity. The sun was also gorgeous that evening, and we had such a good time.

Family sessions are photographed year round, but the most popular times are in the fall and spring. As a note, outdoor sessions always begin one hour before sunset with no exceptions. If you're in love with the outdoor images you see here, that's wonderful! Every single outdoor session you see started one hour before sunset. It is known as the "golden hour" and the gorgeous light cannot be replicated any other time of day except the hour before sunrise....and even then, it doesn't have the same richness that sunset light does. 

 If you have a child who needs to be in bed at a certain hour and will be unable to function even with a late nap and a full belly, choose the best time of year for that. If you're interested in booking a family session, it's recommended to get on the calendar as soon as you have a date timeframe in mind. We fill up quickly, and already have quite a few sessions on the books for spring 2018.

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Lincoln & Mommy

Millini first worked with me for her studio maternity session when she was pregnant with her son, Lincoln. You can view those images by clicking here. I attended the birth of Lincoln as his birth photographer, and also photographed his newborn session. While I do not share birth images as my client privacy is my highest priority, you can view his newborn session images by clicking here.

Millini had her makeup applied by Megan for her session, and chose outfits or herself and Lincoln based on my recommendations for what to wear that I sent prior to their session. 

Lincoln is such a joy and such a happy little guy! We had so much fun playing peek-a-boo and blowing kisses in the studio. I love how expressive and joyful he is... I think babies with two bottom teeth sticking out are just the cutest things ever! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Haylen is six months!

I first worked with Sindi and Errol for their maternity session in the studio, which can be viewed by clicking here.  I was so excited to hear from Sindi when she emailed asking to schedule her daugher's six month milestone session! I love watching my littlest clients grow. We discussed what the family should wear and I sent over some links to vendors that I recommend as well as an inspirational visual .pdf with ideas. 

Haylen was the happiest little gal! We had so much fun playing peek-a-boo and she giggled with delight each and every time. She was just so giggly and squeezable, and her parents are just in love with her. It is so cute to see a daddy who is wrapped around the little finger of his baby girl. Milestone sessions are focused on your baby, but we include parent and family images too. I think it's so important for children to have images to look back on that show them just how very loved they were. These are the images that they'll reach for time and time again. Someday, you won't be here anymore, but these tangible memories that froze these moments in time will be. There is something so incredibly special and important about giving that to your child. 

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite images from sweet Haylen's six month 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Everett is ONE!!!

Everett came to the studio for his one year session, and I was so excited to see him and his wonderful parents, Jessica and Daniel. I first worked with Jessica and Daniel for their last minute maternity session in the field location, which can be viewed by clicking here. After their maternity session, I photographed them again for Everett's newborn session and he was just the cutest little baby (not much changed!). You can view his newborn session by clicking here.

Jessica and I discussed outfit options for their studio session and I sent her a list of suggested places for little boy clothing and an inspirational .pdf of outfits. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to do an indoor or outdoor session, but ended up opting for indoor due to the summer heat and how late outdoor summer sessions start. Some babies are very much in need of their routine and regular bedtime, while others can flex without any ill effects. Everett is a little guy that likes to go to bed at his regular bedtime! It's important for your baby to be well rested and well fed, so we'll schedule your session at a time and place that makes the most sense for your baby and their needs.  

Jessica and Daniel also opted for a blue cake from my baker that I work with. It's one less thing for parents to worry about, and will be waiting at the studio for you upon arrival should you choose to work with her for your baby's cake. Some parents elect to bake their own cake, use a cupcake, or order a cake from their own preferred vendor. No matter which option you choose, I'll give you specific recommendations for size, texture, and color for the most successful photographs! 

I begin most First Birthday sessions with solo portraits of your baby and then the family together before moving on to the cake fun. This keeps your baby interested and engaged since most one year olds have very short attention spans. When the cake is presented, I encourage parents to join in on the fun too. Congrats guys, you made it through the whole first year of parenthood! That is definitely something that all of you should celebrate! The First Birthday session is about so much more than just your baby turning one.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Everett's first birthday session. How cute is that little dimpled grin of his?! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Dudley is ONE!

Oh Dudley, you're the sweetest. Dudley is one of my long time clients, and he's actually much older now (as you'll see in tomorrow's post!) I've been working with his sweet family since his parents' maternity session and am just now getting around to posting images from his first birthday. 

Dudley's mom had great intentions and she baked him a cake all by herself. However, the cake didn't turn out the way she'd hoped and it fell apart the morning of. So, they reverted to plan B and grabbed a cupcake from a nearby bakery. I think it worked out just fine!

We opted to shoot Dudley's session on our paper backdrop. It's to clean up and contain the icing if babies go a little crazy - but mom and dad's job is to be a baby herder while I work. If your one year old is walking, they will often find the studio much more exciting than their cake and want to explore. This is why many of our First Birthday sessions take place in a high chair, but it's all a matter of your personal preference. And just because we get this question a lot: yes, we can also shoot a First Birthday session outdoors! Contact us today and we'll talk about your vision for your session. 

While Dudley showed initial interest in his cupcake, the container was far more fun. Some of the most hilarious moments that truly show Dudley's funny personality are included ... just scroll down and enjoy! 

PS - we work with an amazing baker located close to the studio. Her cakes are absolutely delicious and beautiful. If you'd like to remove that stress from your to do list, just ask for details when booking your baby's First Birthday Session. 

If you're pregnant and looking for a newborn or maternity photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Be sure to view this short 1.5 minute film 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Adeline is six months!

I first worked with this sweet family for Carolyn's field maternity session (click here to view) and then Adeline's newborn session when she was born. When Carolyn came to the studio to pick up their newborn collection, she let me know that they were moving to New York after a whirlwind couple of weeks in which a job opportunity for her husband presented itself. I was SO sad because I loved working with them and was disappointed that I wouldn't work with them through Adeline's first year of life.

Well.... life has lots of twists and turns! Once they were settled in New York, Carolyn emailed me to ask if I had any referrals up in the area. One of my dear friends is based in Manhattan (and it the only photographer I entrust with my own family images) so I referred them to her. Unfortunately Olivia was already fully booked, but suggested that I shoot the session in her Upper East Side studio when I was up there visiting. Carolyn LOVED the idea, so we scheduled it during my visit. It was definitely different shooting in an unfamiliar natural light studio but we still had a wonderful time. Greg opted not to participate in the session, so we turned it into a mommy and me six month session. It was so great to see them both and chat. I mentioned that I would be up again in July (when Adeline was turning one) and Carolyn immediately asked if we could schedule a one year session for then. So, it looks like I'll be working with this sweet families for many years to come and seeing them once a year when I'm up in NY! Funny how things work out sometimes, and I'm definitely not complaining! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Julia is ONE!

I last photographed Julia at her newborn session (click here to view) and was so excited to see her and her sweet family again to celebrate her first birthday!

The family chose to bring along their dog to participate also. I welcome non-shedding dogs to the studio that are small and well behaved.  Snack Pack is an important member of their family too, and one of my favorite dogs on the planet. He's such an easy going boy, and he and Julia are wild about each other.

Her mom, Caroline, had stopped by the studio a few weeks before their session to look at different options from the wardrobe for Julia and herself. In between the time they stopped in and the session took place, I added a dress to the studio wardrobe that I just KNEW Caroline would love. I was right - she fell in love with it the second she saw it and chose to wear it for their session! 

Caroline also brought two of Julia's favorite stuffed loveys to incorporate into the session, and chose a sweet little white dress from the studio wardrobe for her to wear. She also chose one of our tutus but Julia wasn't much of a fan, so that didn't last long. Your child's comfort is my priority, so sometimes it requires flexibility to default to a backup plan. When Julia was presented with her cake, she didn't want to touch it and she hated the high chair. So, we put the cake on the floor and let her approach. She was happiest in the arms of mommy or daddy, so we simply shifted gears and went with what worked for her. Every baby is so different and will react differently. As long as everyone is relaxed and goes with the flow, the resulting images will be perfect and unique to your baby and their personality! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family & Baby Photographer | A mommy and me session in the park

I was so excited to see Clarissa and her beautiful daughter, Isabella again. I first met Clarissa when I photographed her studio maternity session (click here to see some of those images!), and then met little Isabella when she brought her to the studio for her newborn session (click here to see some of those images!). I'll be seeing them again this coming weekend for Isabella's first birthday portraits complete with some cake smashing fun! I absolutely love watching my tiny clients grow and getting to know their families well over the first year and beyond.  

Prior to the session taking place, Clarissa dropped by the studio to look through the wardrobe and get inspiration for what to wear. She knew she wanted to use her own clothing, but wasn't sure on what she should wear. I offer all outdoor session clients the opportunity to book a styling appointment at the studio in advance of their session with me to go over options from their own wardrobe and see if there are any pieces they might want to borrow for their session. It's also a GREAT way to introduce your children to me in advance if you've booked a family session. 

For Isabella's six month session, Clarissa chose the park location. Clarissa also opted to add on makeup services with Megan for her session as well. When I arrived at the studio, I played with Isabella for a few minutes as Megan was finishing up Clarissa's makeup. Clarissa and Isabella got dressed and we headed down the street to the location! 

My sessions are about the emotional connection, so there are lots of snuggles and cuddles going on. I'll place you where I want you in terms of lighting, give you a few directions for natural interactions with some tips to make sure you don't accidentally give yourself the dreaded faux double chin, and then I step back and let the magic happen. Your children are happiest when they are with you and having fun. So, come relaxed and open to playing and having fun, and the rest will naturally follow. 

Without further ado, here just of few of the images from this session with this gorgeous mother and daughter duo. I can't wait to share images from Isabella's upcoming First Birthday 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Child Photographer | Rylee & Ross

Courtney and her family are long term clients of mine that I just love. I photographed the day of her son's birth as well as his newborn session. They came back in to the studio for some portraits to celebrate Ross turning one. The session was originally supposed to be a First Birthday session, but unfortunately Ross had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic which caused the session to have to be rescheduled. The reschedule date ended up being almost two months later because of their travel schedule, so Courtney decided to have it be a regular portrait session with no cake involved. Her goal for the session was for me to capture the unique personalities of her two children. Ross was quite the busy bee who had recently started walking. He ran all over the studio, jumped on the bed, played with toys, and was adorable. Courtney had showed up from the gym, so was not dressed to participate in the session. Because Ross was all over the place, I asked if she would mind putting on one of the studio dresses and holding Ross so that we could get him to be still for a little while. She agreed, and I loved the results. 

Big sister Rylee was just as adorable and sweet. I had a lot of fun photographing her... with her wispy curls and big brown eyes, what's not to love?! 

Here are just a few of my favorites from this sibling session. I can't wait to get them in front of my lens again soon! 

**this session was photographed before the installation of white studio floors**

If you're looking for a child and family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Be sure to view this short 1.5 minute film to hear about my philosophy and see how I work 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.