Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | David is six months!

Dana contacted the studio to book a family/six month milestone session in the studio with her husband and son, David. She had been sent to us by a colleague that has worked with us many times over the past couple of years. We love word of mouth referrals, and are so fortunate that so many of our clients are sent our way by these personal referrals from existing clients. All that being said, we love our new clients who find us on other avenues like Google searches and Instagram too! ;)

OUR STYLE GUIDE AND ASSISTANCE WE OFFER

After Dana chose a date from what we had available on our calendar, we sent over her session paperwork. Once it was remitted, she was locked into our calendar, and we sent over our style guide for her to look through. Our style guide is a helpful short and sweet .pdf that guides you through best practices for dressing your family with color and pattern combinations. If you want more assistance with styling, you are more than welcome to schedule a complimentary style consult at the studio or to send over quick phone photos of what you’re considering! Dana requested to come to the studio and look through what we had available. When she came in, she fell in love with one of our white lace dresses, and we discussed in detail what David and her husband could wear that would coordinate well. I am here to help in any way that I can! I know as a mom of three that planning a session can sometimes feel overwhelming, and I want to alleviate that as much as possible for you!

MILESTONE SESSION FLOW

We discuss your priorities for milestone sessions, and the majority of parents want the focus to be on their baby, with family and parent images mixed in. Little ones don’t have a long attention span and can tire out quickly with all the stimulation, so I work very efficiently with a natural baby led flow.

9 times out of 10, six month olds need a little time to warm up when they’re getting used to the sound of the camera and to me. This is why I almost always start out milestone sessions with the family and parent images. Being in your lap and arms makes your baby feel very safe and secure, and once they start showing interest with me and start to interact, that’s when I start getting closer. David was such a sweet little guy and it didn’t take him long at all to warm up to me and start smiling! Once we had gotten images of the three of them together, I quickly moved into the solo portraits because David was really comfortable and SUPER happy.

Important note: If you arrive to your session and your little one is not feeling it, don’t stress. I have endless patience and empathy, and we will do whatever it takes to get them comfy. All I ask is that you come in ready to play and have fun to get the giggles going, and the rest will naturally work out!

Baby safety is paramount in my studio. David was still a bit wobbly at sitting up alone, so his parents were right outside of the frame ready to catch him as needed. I have SO many positions to put your baby in (parents mostly do the positioning at my direction with help from me if needed) regardless of where they are gross motor skill wise. So if your little one isn’t quite sitting up alone, that’s ok! There are a ton of other things that we can do and your gallery will still have a wide variety of images.

OUTFIT CHANGE: YEA OR NAY?

Dana had brought two outfits along for David from Feltman Brothers and they were just SO CUTE. I think two outfits for your little one in a session is just fine, but with the understanding that it might not happen. It all depends on your baby! I ask that if you bring two outfits we start the session with your baby in your most favorite first. That way we are sure to get images in that outfit no matter what. Some babies hate being changed, and others just get tired too fast to change - but we definitely can do our best to accommodate a second outfit! We can also use some of my tried and true distraction methods to make changing as seamless as possible if your little one usually protests.

Dana changed David into the most adorable blue knit overalls with no issues, and we were able to pick right back up with photographing his session. I used one of our studio chairs and then placed him on his back for some of those AMAZING feet grabbing images. As a mama to three children, one of my absolute favorite things was when my babies discovered their feet. I think it’s just the cutest thing ever, and I strive to get one of these images for all my mama clients when it’s possible. Most babies will not just spontaneously do this while in studio: but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get them to grab on for the photos that almost always work to get the shot!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from David’s milestone session. If you’re interested in scheduling a milestone session for your baby, we would love to chat with you! It is NEVER too early to get on the calendar - so even if your baby won’t be 6-8 months for a while, that’s ok! Our weekend dates routinely fill up 3+ months in advance, so go ahead and reach out now to see if we’re the perfect fit for your family’s needs.

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Meg & Isaac are six months!

Tiffany has been a client of ours for a couple of years, and welcomed fraternal twins into their family last year! Documenting milestones is very important to her, so she booked maternity, newborn, six months, and one year - we love our frequent flyers and have a First Year Collection available to those interested with lots of perks! You can contact the studio to learn more about the sessions we offer! We have quite a bit of experience photographing twins, and we include the whole family in the session too. We don’t limit our milestone sessions to just your baby, and strongly encourage parents and siblings to participate too. These are the photos that your children will reach for when they are older.

THE BOOKING PROCESS

When the twins were about four months old, we contacted Tiffany to set everything up for them. We sent some date options to choose from and then once she had decided on that, we sent over everything she needed to secure her date. Our booking process is handled entirely online and it’s a very simple and streamlined process.

Once Tiffany remitted her electronic paperwork, we sent over our styling guide and resources for her to review. Even though she’s worked with us for several sessions at this point, we always send it again just in case a client can’t find it in their email! It’s a short and sweet e-mail outlining best practices, and helps our clients dress the whole family for their session. Designing a beautiful and cohesive look for your session that also looks like YOU is easy when following our guidance. For clients who want more assistance with styling, we’re available to help! Clients can either schedule a complimentary short visit to the studio and bring all their options, and I’ll assist them in putting it all together with their clothing or a mix of their clothing and studio clothing. For those who cannot make an in person consult work for their schedule or would prefer virtual, they simply send over photos of what they’re considering and we go from there with an email exchange! Clients are constantly amazed at how quickly I can select from their options and put it all together. This is all part of the service we offer to those who have chosen to work with us. We work to make your session experience as stress free and as easy as possible, because your portrait session process should be enjoyable and fun!

SOME NOTES ABOUT milestone SESSIONS WITH SIX MONTH OLDS

Our sessions with any baby are photographed very efficiently, and some clients are surprised by how quickly I am able to shoot. There’s a really good reason why: and that is that most babies don’t give us much time! The majority of little ones under the age of one are easily tired out from being overstimulated, so moving quickly is essential in order to make the most of our time together. I block off an hour for non-newborn portrait sessions, but that’s just to ensure we have enough time if baby needs a diaper change or a feeding break. I work hard to get everything I need in the first 20-30 minutes of a session and then play the rest by ear depending on how your baby is doing. Some babies will give me 45 minutes of total shooting time, but that’s definitely not the norm and is often the result of an intermission snack break after the initial 20-30 minutes of a session! ;) If they’re happy and doing well, we keep going. If they are OVER.IT. then we stop as long as I feel we have what we need. . Don’t worry though - if your baby melts down at 15 minutes into the session and I don’t feel like I have enough for a great gallery, we’ll take some time to see if we can soothe them back to happiness again. Sometimes that means I put down my camera and play peek a boo, or they take a nursing/snuggle break, or we look out the window or in the mirror. The key is to remain calm no matter what so your child feels safe and secure even when they’re unsettled. I have lots of techniques and tricks up my sleeve when it comes to photographing little ones, and with collaborative teamwork we’ll figure it out together!

When Tiffany arrived at the studio, and she her husband changed and then set about dressing the kids in their outfits. We don’t recommend dressing your children for the car ride! Changing them when you arrive avoids the possibility of an outfit being unusable for the actual session if an accident with food or spit up happens on the way to the studio. It also eliminates the risk of badly wrinkled clothing from seatbelt straps for both kids AND adults.

I started with photographing just the twins. Meg had some stranger danger anxiety, and was more comfortable with mommy, so that’s what we did until she felt safe enough with me to be photographed alone! We also took the time to photograph the twins together and with big brother as well. What you cannot see in these images is that I had a parent on each side of the bed ready to intervene if they rolled over. It’s a queen sized bed, so it would take about two rolls to get completely off the bed from where I position babies - but we all know how fast babies can be when you least expect it, so we ALWAYS have a parent diligently spotting. Safety first!

Six month old babies are often just beginning to show their personalities and expressions. Meg & Issac were more serious babies who flashed grins at me every once in a while. Every baby is different when it comes to how much they smile during portrait sessions. No matter what, I will be photographing your baby (or babies!) just as they are right NOW at this moment in time.

After I finished photographing the twins together and individually, I moved on to photographing them with their individual parents and immediate family photos of all of them together. Big brother Abel was hamming it up for the camera, and we all had a lot of fun together during their session.

the big question: SHOULD WE PLAN for ONE OUTFIT OR TWO?

For twin sessions, I really recommend just one outfit for the entire session. If you want to try for two, we need to start with the most important outfit first. I always discuss with parents what their desired “must have” images are in order of priority and go from there. The MOST important outfit to you is the one that I will have you wear to start the session with, and then we’ll go from there! This is an insurance policy just in case your babies won’t tolerate being changed into a second outfit and are done being photographed before you get a chance to change. The truth is: babies are unpredictable little humans. We never know how long they’re going to give us with anything. Some little ones really don't enjoy being changed and it’s stressful for them and for you to change them into a second outfit. You know your baby best, so you can be the judge of whether trying for a second outfit is a good idea, or if you’d rather play it safe with one outfit! :)

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Meg & Isaac’s six month milestone session! As a gentle reminder: it is NEVER too early to get on the calendar for milestone sessions especially if you want a weekend date since those fill months in advance. Our First Year Collection members have scheduling priority and we take care of reaching out to schedule when it’s time to - one less thing to worry about in the whirlwind of your baby’s First Year.

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.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Viola is TWO!

Want to capture your family just as you are now before time completely slips away and you’re packing their bags for college? Contact us and we’ll chat about your session goals, your vision, and our approach to see if we’re the perfect match for your family photography!

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.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A summer family field session

Want to capture your family just as you are now before time completely slips away and you’re packing their bags for college? Contact us and we’ll chat about your session goals, your vision, and our approach to see if we’re the perfect match for your family photography!

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.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Elayna & Nadia

Aileen contacted the studio to learn more about milestone sessions. She was thrilled to hear that we had lots of experience photographing twins, and that the whole family could be included in the session. It’s true! We don’t limit our milestone sessions to just babies, and strongly encourage parents and siblings to participate too. Aileen was especially excited to learn that she could also have her parents come and participate for some generational photos as well.

The Booking Process

After we gave her a few of our available scheduling options, Aileen chose a date and time for her session. We sent over everything she needed to secure her date. We handle our booking process entirely online and it’s a very simple and streamlined process. Once Aileen remitted her electronic paperwork to secure her session, we sent over our styling guide and resources for her to review. This is a short and sweet e-mail outlining best practices, and helps our clients dress the whole family for their session. Crafting a beautiful and cohesive look is easy when following our guidance. For clients who might want more assistance, we’re available! Clients can either schedule a complimentary short visit to the studio and bring all their options, and I’ll assist them in putting it all together. For clients who aren’t able to make an in person consult work for their schedule, they’ll send over photos of what they’re considering and we’ll go from there! Clients are always amazed at how quickly I pick things and put them all together for them, and it’s all part of the service we offer to those who have chosen to work with us. Our ultimate goal is to make your session experience as stress free and as easy as possible, because we truly believe that your portrait session process should be enjoyable and fun!

Some notes about sessions with Three Month Olds

Sessions with any baby are handled very efficiently, and the reason why is that they don’t give us much time! Babies under the age of one are easily tired out, so moving quickly is essential in order to make the most of our time together. I block off an hour for non-newborn portrait sessions, but that’s to ensure we have enough time if baby needs a diaper change or a feeding break. I work hard to get everything I need in the first 20-30 minutes of a session and then play the rest by ear depending on how your baby is doing. And believe it or not… I’ve successfully managed to shoot sessions in less than 20 minutes with a baby that completely melted down at the 20 minute mark much to the amazement of their parents. Don’t worry though - if your baby melts down at 15 minutes into the session and I don’t feel like I have enough for a great gallery, we’ll take some time to see if we can calm them down and get them happy again. I have lots of techniques and tricks up my sleeve, and with collaboration we’ll figure it out together!

Some babies will give me 45 minutes of total shooting time, but that’s pretty rare and is often the result of an intermission snack break after that first 20-30 minutes! ;) Both babies were dealing with reflux, so Aileen waited to dress them until they arrived, which is our recommendation for all of our clients to begin with to avoid an outfit being unusable for the actual session if an accident with food or spit up happens on the way to the studio. It also prevents wrinkled clothing from seatbelt straps for both kids AND adults, so everyone wins.

I started with photographing just the twins. They were still working hard on developing their neck strength, and bobbled up and down, but with patience and a little help propping their little elbows up underneath the studio bed comforter, we were able to get what we needed! I had a parent on each side of the bed ready to intervene if they rolled over. Safety first!

Three month old babies are often just beginning to show their personalities and expressions. Nadia & Elayna were more serious babies who enjoyed taking in their surroundings with their pretty brown eyes. They responded to their parents and to me with very calm gazes, and occasionally just the hint of a smile. I’ve found that when parents delay photography milestones until 4 months, babies tend to be more smiley and responsive, but it just depends on the individual baby. No matter what, we’ll be photographing your baby (or babies!) just as they are right NOW in their first year.

After I finished photographing the twins together and individually, I moved on to photographing them with their individual parents and immediate family photos of all of them together. Aileen wanted two very different looks, and had planned to include the grandparents with the second outfit look, so we moved on to that. The girls both needed a bottle as they were starting to get fussy, and then they needed to be changed. Having the grandparents on hand was very helpful as it allowed mom and dad to get changed and then take the babies for grandma and grandpa to get changed… and then change the babies! Lots of changing going on during this session!

When I saw the outfits she had chosen for the second look I squealed - the little southern smocked dresses complete with bonnets were SO cute! And I love how this session shows that you can easily wear brighter colors or more muted pastels in the studio. It all comes down to your personal preference, and if you want two looks, you can totally do that. I would caution that if your goal is an album to keep the looks more cohesive in tones since an album with these particular two looks combined together would not flow well together from an aesthetic standpoint.

should we plan one outfit or two?

Because the girls were both getting pretty tired, I moved quickly to photograph them with their grandparents and then the entire family together. I always discuss with parents what their most important images are in order of priority and go from there. The MOST important ones are the ones that I am going photograph first, and then go from there just as an insurance policy.

Babies are unpredictable, and we never know how long they’re going to give us. It’s for this reason that I recommend only one outfit for milestone sessions that are not First Birthday sessions so that we don’t use up any of their “happy time” on an outfit change. Some babies hate being changed in general and it will instantly make them upset for a while. You know your baby best, so you can be the judge of whether trying for a second outfit is worth it or you’d rather play it safe with one outfit! :) If you decide on two outfits, plan to start with the one you REALLY want photos in just in case it doesn’t work out for the second.

We were very lucky that the twins lasted for as long as they did in this session especially given their age. As a note, we did inform Aileen of these recommendations when she first spoke to us before booking so she could make an informed decision. She was happy to take the chance and try for two outfits even while knowing that her girls might melt down and be done with it before we could get to the second outfit change. Taking the chance worked out in this instance, but it’s definitely not the norm.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images of these sweet little girls and their 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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Lucia & Zoe

I first met Saidie when I photographed her maternity session for her second daughter and newborn session following delivery! You can see their maternity session by clicking here, and Lucia’s newborn session by clicking here.

Saidie highly values photography and makes it a priority to schedule sessions with me to capture the important moments of her family’s life as they grow. She emailed to ask me if she could schedule a “quick 15 minute session” for some Christmas decor photos. I emailed her back to tell her that we don’t offer that in our studio. The only abbreviated sessions we offer each year are our Santa and Motherhood events. Please note that these events are only open to our previous full session clients, and are not open to the public. So if you have not worked with us before for a full session, you will not be able to book one of those as it’s a special perk for our LSP community! Once you become a client and complete a session with us, you’ll be added to the private client only Facebook group. For those inwardly groaning at “another mom group” - no worries, because It’s not a social group, and it’s only used for posting booking information for those two annual events each year!

I explained to Saidie that with what she was hoping for, 15 minutes would not be enough time to allot for a session with the ages of her children. I also know her older daughter pretty well at this point, and she takes time to warm up - at least 15 minutes (usually longer). I told her that a full session (1 hour) was what I could offer, and that I would be happy to collaborate with her on the Christmas decor theme that she wanted to incorporate. I also suggested that we include images of the girls together and separately for portraits within the session in non-themed clothing. She emailed back thanking me for my insights and agreeing that a full session would be perfect, so we scheduled a date!

What you won’t see in this blog post are the Christmas images as I’ve chosen not to include these. Saidie brought along a cute little setup and Christmas PJ’s because she wanted to have that be one of their outfits. While she was dressing the girls in their PJ’s, I went through what she had brought with her (miniature Christmas trees and metal ornaments) and set it all up on a white faux fur rug that I had in the studio.

I don’t do themed decor for sessions, nor do I offer mini holiday themed sessions with an elaborate set. Even our Santa event set is very simple and focused on the natural interaction between children and Santa rather than perfect portraits with an elaborate Christmas background. Sometimes parents will bring along special decorations for a First Birthday session that we can incorporate in, but the focus will alway be on my subjects.

My priorities are for every session are (in this order): light, my subject(s), and emotional connection. Everything else is just background. Sessions with me are about who I am photographing - not about the props, however cute they may be.

We started the session with the Christmas setup images, and when we finished, Saidie remarked that she completely understood why I didn’t offer themed setups! Between the two girls knocking over the Christmas trees, flinging ornaments every which way, and Lucia chewing on whatever she could get into her mouth…it was definitely a bit chaotic. Lucia also decided she was hungry when we finished with that portion and spent about 15 minutes nursing. No matter - because we had allotted an hour of time, we still had PLENTY of time remaining.

Saidie had brought along two of the sweetest little Zara dresses for her daughters, and we changed the girls into those for the next part of our time together. I simply set up the sisters in a natural way on the studio bed to interact - and what you can’t see is their parents hovering just out of the camera frame ready to swoop in if needed. Lucia was a pretty solid sitter, but the risk of toppling over is always there. Since this session, we have upgraded our studio bed setup to a real one - we now have a full queen sized bed on casters, so there’s a lot more room for toppling over than there was with our previous bed setup, which is what you see here!

Lucia absolutely adores her big sister, and the feeling is (mostly) mutual. As a mom with two daughters that are 22.5 months apart, photographing these two took me back to when my own daughters were at these stages. I remember how my oldest would do anything to make her little sister laugh, and once the two of them got going with the giggles, it was the sweetest sound. Today, my girls are 8 and 6, but they are still close and they still try to make each other laugh and do special things for the other. The sister bond is such an incredible thing, and I’m so thankful that my girls are close and enjoy each others’ company. I hope it always continues!

Lucia was OVER it by the time we were done photographing just her and wanted to nurse and take a nap, but Zoe was just getting warmed up! So, we ended our time together with solo portraits of just Zoe. To give you some background: when Zoe first walked in the door that day, she wouldn’t make eye contact with me. It took her about 30ish minutes to be comfortable enough with me to look at me and give me high fives and engage with my camera. This is why allowing for a full session is so important - it allows me time to get to know your children and get them comfortable with me if they’re going to be photographed for solo portraits. Children are little wild cards - and we always plan for the unexpected.

Enjoy a few images of these sweet sisters!

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.

Atlanta Child Photographer | Troi is TWO!

I’ve photographed Troi since she was an itty bitty newborn, and just absolutely love her and her awesome parents! Troi can be a stoic toddler, but she loves to have fun so once tickles and crazy voices are introduced, the smiles and giggles start. ‘Toya initially just wanted this session to be of Troi alone since they had just done their fall family portraits, but quickly realized that Troi needed some help warming up. Since Troy (her daddy) was dressed in an outfit that worked for photos, he stepped in - and it did the trick. I let them know I could just leave out the images with him that we took in their final proof gallery, but some were just too good to not include. Apparently, ‘Toya thought so too since she chose a few to keep!

'Toya expressed how amazed she was at the patience that I had because Troi was pretty grumpy for most of her time in the studio. I pulled out all the stops, and her parents willingly helped when I asked them to. The funniest part of the session was when I asked Troy to “laugh with a deep rumbling laugh” and he did - and that was what got the biggest smiles. They were astounded that it worked because he felt a little silly doing it, but hey… whatever it takes, right? When you look at this gallery, you really have NO idea that she walked in, crossed her arms, and mean mugged us all for a while. That my friends, is the magic of photography married with patience, a bag of tricks to try, and a fast shutter speed. ;) Grumpy babies and toddlers don’t faze me.

When I photographed Troi’s First Birthday session (view those images by clicking here), ‘Toya had chosen NOT to include a cake and later came to wish that she had. Who says a smash cake has to be for First Birthdays? Around here, there aren’t any such rules…. so out came a cake for the end of Troi’s second birthday. It was pretty funny to watch because Troi doesn't like getting her hands messy and didn’t want to touch the cake when she discovered how sticky the icing was. So, I handed her a spoon from our studio kitchen, and that did the trick.

Enjoy a few images from Troi’s Second Birthday!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Sophia is Nine Months!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Child Photographer | Elias is five months!

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.

Atlanta Child & Family Photographer | Finley is TWO!

I first photographed Finley for his First Birthday session, and just he and his dad came to the studio for that session. A few months later, Chrysten scheduled a session for big sister Kendall’s fourth birthday, and brought her and Finley to the studio. You can see the fun images from her high energy session by clicking here!

Chrysten emailed us to schedule a portrait session for Finley’s second birthday and let us know she’d be participating too! YAY! I love when parents want to be in the photos also. I truly think that it’s one of the best gifts that we can give our children - tangible memories of how much we loved them that they can hold on to forever even when we’re no longer with them. I know that most moms are the ones documenting everyday life so most of the photos end up being of dad and the kids! Don’t be the family ghost in photographs and end up with regrets twenty years from now.

We scheduled the date and sent over our style guide for Chrysten to review. When she arrived at the studio she brought along an armful of options. If you want to plan out wardrobe for everyone in advance, we can do that via emailed photos or we can set up a quick style consult in the studio. If you have a busy schedule and can’t make the time to come in or send photos, you can show up the day of your session with options (make sure they fit and are ready to put on and wear) and we’ll figure it out! :) Honestly, the style guide is very concise and easy to understand - all of our clients have expressed that it’s been incredibly helpful to them when planning what to wear! We’re here to help if you need extra input after reading through it though, so don’t hesitate to ask.

I pulled the best options from the pile of clothes that worked well together, and we got started! Chrysten is such a fun mom, and it’s clear that she adores her kids. The feeling is definitely mutual! Sessions with me are often centered around play. Little ones do not tend to follow direction, so we set the scene and I watch for the moments. A lot of clients are really surprised because they were expecting to walk in and be posed super specifically based on what they’ve seen on the website. Make no mistake: I will place you where you need to be and give you guided direction for what to do (along with some what NOT to do’s) and the rest organically unfolds. Every child is different, and every relationship is unique. I want to capture that beautiful dynamic in an authentic way, and with children I’ve found that play is the best way to go about it! So when you work with me, come prepared to PLAY, tickle, snuggle, and just have fun. It’s a low pressure environment here, so check any stress at the door - you will enjoy your experience so much more as a result, and the resulting images will be absolutely beautiful, joyful and reflective of who you all really are.

Enjoy a few of my favorites! I can’t wait to see these guys in a few weeks for our sold out Santa event!

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.

Atlanta Child & Family Photographer | DJ is THREE!

I LOVE working with Senika and DJ, and I have photographed them since Senika’s maternity session! Senika books a family session every year for DJ’s birthday, and comes to our Santa event every year also. Santa is currently sold out, but as of this blog posting, you can still get on the wait list for December 7th!

Senika loves our client wardrobe and let me know that she would be borrowing a dress for their session. We scheduled a time to come in the week beforehand, and she fell in love with a long purple dress with pretty ruching at the bust. We talked about complementary colors for purple, and she settled on yellow since it’s one of the colors that looks best with DJ’s skin tone and also matched her special hot air balloon idea. (keep reading!)

On the evening of their session, we met at the park . Senika had brought along a foil #3 balloon and a basket with a banner to emulate a hot air balloon! I loved her creativity, and we had a lot of fun setting it up. I will note that balloons are usually tricky: and that was definitely the case that evening due to wind gusts. While we were grateful for the wind providing cool air, it kept twisting and moving the balloon, but we did eventually get a few moments when it died down that we were able to shoot. I also ended up having DJ hold the balloon at the base rather than by the string so he had more control over it. It’s definitely different than last year when Senika ended up holding the ballon since he was only 2 and couldn’t quite master it!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from DJ’s and Senika’s session. Want to see his previous birthday sessions? No problem - click here for his second birthday, and click here for his First Birthday!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Baby Anjali is NINE months!

Anjali and her sweet family are some of my very favorite people. She’s the youngest of three, and I’m a mom of three kids myself. There’s a certain sort of organized chaos that always exists when you have three kids, and Nilam and I both understand (and love) it well. I first photographed Anjali at three months (click here) and then again at six months, and was excited to see her again for her nine month milestone.

If you’re wondering: most families schedule milestone sessions after the newborn session in one of two ways: 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, First Birthday OR 4 months, 8 months, First Birthday.

Nilam had come to the studio the week before their session with armfuls of clothing. She really appreciates being able to go through options in person and have me pull everything together for her from what she brings. All clients have the opportunity to do this! If stopping by the studio isn’t feasible for your schedule, you can send over some phone photos and we’ll exchange emails until we have just the right mix for your family. We pulled a few pieces from the studio wardrobe for Nilam and she loved one of our simple twist strap dresses that was a perfect fit for her. Nilam left my studio that day with peace of mind that everyone was squared away for Anjali’s milestone session the following week!

On the day of Anjali’s session, the family showed up with grandma in tow. I welcome and encourage grandparents to participate as well! Her mom had brought along a few different clothing options since she wasn’t quite sure which would be best with the family’s planned outfits. I took one look and selected the winner. As a photographer, I know what colors work well together. All I ask is that you make sure the clothing fits the wearer well and is clean and ready to wear.

So, milestone sessions are supposed to be about the baby, right? Yep! The baby AND the people who love them. The vast majority of my clients choose to structure the milestone session as a family session with solo portraits mixed in also to commemorate the milestone. At the end of the day, you have a proof gallery to choose from - so if you decide you want all the photos to be of the whole family, you can choose those. I see a pretty even mix between family/parent and baby images chosen by my clients, with most opting to upgrade and keep the entire gallery of photos. By this point, Nilam and Mitch jokingly told me not to bother sending a proof gallery because they already knew they’d want them all just like the last two sessions.

I started with just Anjali who is such a happy and smiley little girl. We added in her siblings, and then gave her a break to photograph some images of Grandma with her older grandchildren. We rotated in and out between groupings, giving kids breaks where needed, and we wrapped up the session in about 45 minutes including the snack breaks and diaper changes that occurred.

I never rush my sessions. But I don’t dilly dally either. Working quickly and efficiently is important in order to keep my little clients engaged and happy - and parents are thankful that sessions don’t drag on for two hours ending with very cranky little ones on the verge or beginning of an epic meltdown. Milestone and family sessions are laid back and fun, but they’re also clearly directed with intention so we can get the most out of our time together!

Before I end this, I want to tell you about Mitch and his amazing pediatric dental practice, Peachtree Hills Pediatric Dentistry in the Peachtree Hills area of Buckhead. Ever wish your pediatric dentist had weekend appointments?! HE DOES! He’s also dad to these three cuties, and one of the most loving and hands on dads I’ve ever met. Clients who have been to him report that he was wonderful with their kids. So, if you’re looking for a board certified pediatric dentist that has flexible hours to work with your schedule, definitely check out Dr. Vaughan (and tell him I sent you!)

And now…. enjoy this family’s fun session! Be on the lookout for Anjali’s First Birthday session at the gardens location soon - it’s a fun one!

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.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Priyanka is six months!

I’ve worked with this family since their first child was born. They booked the Birth Session the DAY before he was born, and I literally met them for the first time when I showed up to the hospital. Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed getting to know them and it’s always so much fun to have them in my studio!

I had last seen Priyanka at her newborn session, and was so looking forward to photographing her for her six month milestone session. You can see her newborn session images by clicking here. It’s always fascinating to see how babies have changed since their infancy, and to see whether or not they’ve retained their features. Priyanka definitely had, and she was such a joyful and bubbly little girl with lots of love for her big brother and parents. I loved all of her adorable expressions and her beautiful brown eyes.

Michelle had brought along an armful of clothes for me to look through. I had also pulled a few of my studio pieces for Michelle. When I work with clients for a long time, I get to know their tastes and preferences and I know what will work for their body type and skin tone. I was pretty sure that she would fall in love with one particular dress that I had just added, and I was right - she gasped when she saw it and it was the winner out of the few I had pulled aside. Once we had confirmed what Michelle would be wearing, I pulled from the options she’d brought for Priyanka & Henry and selected the best shirt for her husband Kaylan. TONS of my clients do this -so don’t be afraid to bring along multiple options if you’re not 100% sure on what to wear! We do send a helpful style guide over before the session, and we are here to assist however we can. If you’d like to email photos of what you’re considering, or set up a time to come by the studio in advance of your session for me to see the pieces in person we will gladly accommodate that. We want your experience with us to be fun and as stress free as possible, so please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you might need while we’re planning your session.

Since Priyanka was such a friendly little girl, I started with solo photographs of just her, and we added big brother Henry in as well. Toddlers are often short on patience, so it’s always my goal to get those images with them included done as early as possible in the session and to give them breaks as needed. I also love to snap a few photographs of just your toddler with you as well - just because they’re not the current baby of the family anymore, they will always be your very first baby. We moved into the family and parent images and had so much fun. A few more solo portraits of Priyanka, and then she started getting tired, which is normal. It’s actually NOT a bad thing because it allows me to photograph real moments of true snuggles with your baby. If your baby sucks their thumb or twirls your hair when they’re getting sleepy, I make sure to photograph those little details as well. I want you to have photographs to look back on that capture exactly who your baby was at that point in their life. After all, that’s the entire point of a milestone session!

Enjoy some of my favorites from Priyanka’s six month session! I can’t wait to see this sweet family again in December for our Santa Event (sold out, but you get on the waiting list!) and to celebrate her upcoming First Birthday in the studio!

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.

Atlanta Child & Family Photographer | Kendall is FOUR!

Milestone sessions aren’t just for babies! We have lots of mamas contact us to schedule portrait sessions for their big kids too around their birthdays. I love this, as I do it with my own children. There’s something so cool about being able to look back and see what your child looked like each year and how much they changed between the years.

Chrysten contacted us to schedule a session for her daughter, Kendall to celebrate her fourth birthday! We sent over the style guide for Chrysten to look through to pull clothing from their closets. I know how it is to be a busy working mom, so I am happy to provide assistance through emailed photos of clothing options if stopping by the studio just isn’t an option for you and your schedule. Please note that if you’re planning to borrow anything from the wardrobe, you will need to arrange to come to the studio for a visit beforehand though!

On the day of Kendall’s session, she arrived at the studio with her little brother Finley, and her dad, Nick. Nick is such a cool guy, but doesn’t enjoy being in photos unless it’s absolutely necessary. I did end up asking him to sit in for a bit because it was the only way to keep the two kids next to each other! :)

Nick had brought along a bouquet of flowers and a gold #4 balloon to use during the session. He also brought a bag of clothes for me to go through for each of them and I pulled together the best options and combos. Once I had that squared away, I began to photograph Kendall.

Kendall has a BIG personality, and an even bigger smile with the biggest blue eyes. She loves flowers and really wanted to take her picture with the bouquet that her dad had brought along. I was all for it - birthday sessions are meant to be fun and allow personalities to shine. Sitting primly and properly for the entire session just isn’t going to happen with kids, and that would honestly be pretty boring. Kendall broke out her “model” poses and did lots of jumping and running around. There were lots of giggles during our time together, and it truly was so much fun. By the end of our session, the kids were both bouncing off the walls, so I pulled Nick in for a few images as well.

When Chrysten saw Kendall’s gallery, she absolutely loved it and let us know that we had captured her daughter’s true personality perfectly. She added on several more images to her collection since she couldn’t manage to narrow them down to what it included. She then emailed to schedule Finley’s second birthday session, and opted to be in some of the photos with him this time! (yay!)

I’m looking forward to sharing the images from Finley’s second birthday session soon! In the meantime, enjoy some of my favorites of little miss Kendall!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Rylan's Sitting Session

I first worked with Sindi and Erroll for their maternity session with their first daughter (Haylen) in the studio. I went on to photograph Haylen for her sitting milestone and First Birthday sessions! You can see where it all began with their first maternity session by clicking here. Sindi emailed me to let me know they had added another little girl, Rylan, to their family and wanted to schedule her sitting milestone images!

I sent Sindi the style guide and Pinterest inspiration board just so she’d have them, but she’s worked with us SO many time at this point that I knew she wouldn’t need them. Sindi is definitely one of my most fashionable clients - she loves peplum tops, and looks amazing in them. The dresses she chose for Haylen and Rylan were also absolutely adorable, and everyone looked great together, as you’ll see below!

When the family arrived at the studio for Rylan’s session, I was so excited to see them! I couldn’t believe how big Haylen had gotten since her first birthday. Sindi and Erroll warned me that Haylen was full of energy and were worried about her “crashing” the session, but I told them not to worry. I’m a mom of three kids all two years apart give or take a few weeks. At one point I had three children under the age of 4… trust me, I can handle all the energy your children lob my way, and we’ll have a fun time too! At two years old, Haylen definitely had her own opinions and vacillated between wanting to participate and wanting nothing to do with it. That’s normal and expected! I simply work around it and create my flow based on who’s happy and wants to be photographed. Your job as a parent is to try not to stress (I know, easier said than done!) and smile no matter what. Kids know when you’re stressed and most kids enjoy pushing their parents’ buttons. Don’t give them any buttons to push, and you’ll be surprised!

I typically start my milestone sessions with the entire family if the baby is experiencing shyness or stranger anxiety. Since Rylan wasn’t shy AT all, we started with solo portraits and then added parents and family into the mix. I am very efficient when photographing sessions involving older babies and young children. Babies get tired out easily from stimulation, and toddlers lose patience, so I work quickly to make sure we have a varied gallery full of options!

Rylan is such a sweet little girl, and SO cute. I was amazed at how different she looked from her big sister! Genetics are such a crazy thing. It’s so fun to see whose features each baby has and to hear who they look the most like as a baby. It changes with age too - I’ve had parents tell me their newborn looks EXACTLY like dad, only to tell me at six months they look just like mom.

I really love to use our white Eames chair for a few images in each milestone session so that you can see how much your child has grown in between their sessions. Sindi also requested that we be sure to use it because Haylen’s sessions had included it also. It’s really an amazing thing to watch the progression of growth and have one object that’s exactly the same to really compare and contrast! If the modern style isn’t your peference, we have some classic linen options too. We’ll discuss your preferences when you arrive!

Real quick mention: when you see photographs of babies (and even younger kids!) in chairs and on the bed in my studio, mom or dad is right there next to them, just out of the frame. Baby safety is PARAMOUNT around here, and I have measures in place with every session to ensure it!

Isn’t Rylan just the most adorable baby girl?! I cannot wait to see her next month for her 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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby & Child Photographer | Twice the fun!

Every year we host our annual Motherhood Experience special edition sessions, and they’re usually held in mid to late April. Our HMUA is there to pamper mamas with light makeup application, and it’s such a fun time for all! I love welcoming mamas and their little ones to the studio and photographing them.

This particular mama has been bringing her fraternal twins to me since they were newborns, and I’ve photographed many full milestone and family sessions for them since. These images are from last year’s event, but I’m just now getting around to posting them! Janell comes every year for our Motherhood Experience and Santa sessions, which are the only two volume events the studio has annually.

The Motherhood Experience sessions last about 10-15 minutes, which is all the time we need. The focus is the emotional connection you share with your babies, and lots of snuggles are involved. I quietly direct mamas with simple suggestions to prompt natural interaction and document what unfolds. There are so many sweet and quiet moments - and some crazy and chaotic ones too! Here are a few from Janell’s session with the twins!

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.

Atlanta Family Photographer | DJ's Second Birthday!

I adore working with Senika and DJ, and I have had the honor of doing so since Senika was pregnant with him! Senika books a family session every year for DJ’s birthday, and comes to our Santa event every year also. I’ll be photographing DJ for his third birthday coming up in July, and I cannot wait. He is the happiest, smartest, most fun little guy - and his mama is just as amazing.

Senika asked to borrow a dress from the wardrobe for her session, and I pulled out one of our more relaxed pieces. Because DJ’s birthday is in July, it’s pretty hot outside in Atlanta, so I wanted her to be cool and comfortable. She LOVED it, and mentioned she had the perfect shoes to wear with it too. Because she had chosen a neutral dress, that left DJ’s outfit choice wide open. I like to call dresses that are solid neutral colors a “blank canvas” - because you can pair them with pretty much anything! She chose to dress him in lime green pants and a plaid shirt with some of the cutest little blue tennis shoes I have ever seen.

On the evening of their session, we met at the park location and Senika had brought along a fun balloon and a cupcake. DJ loves to run and play ball, and play with sticks, and Senika had also brought his favorite ball as well. Her goal with his birthday sessions is to capture his personality and the things that he loves to do. So, we incorporate those things into his sessions to make that happen! We had a lot of fun running around and playing, and of course….like most little boys, DJ found a stick. I went with it, and it ended up being one of Senika’s favorite pictures.

A quick note about balloons - I welcome them, but also remind my clients to bring their patience. Balloons have a mind of their own on a string indoors, and I can’t control the wind if we’re outdoors. We’ll do the best we can, but it may involve some creativity on our parts! Because of the breeze that evening, Senika had to hold the balloon so that the number would be the correct way, but we both loved how it worked out.

We ended the session with cupcake time… and all of a sudden as DJ was finishing up his cupcake, clouds rolled in. I had checked the forecast and there was no rain in it… but sure enough, those clouds ended up being a very fast moving summer thunderstorm! We ran to our cars just in time before the sky opened up. Fortunately, we were all finished with the session at that point so it was all just fine.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from DJ’s session. Such a big difference from his First Birthday Session! Oh, did you want to see those too? No problem - just click here!

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.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A session for sisters!

Not everyone who calls the studio to book a session is a parent! In this case, it was a very proud and loving aunt. Bethani called the studio from her home in Brooklyn, New York to ask if she could book a session for her two nieces who live here in Atlanta. She gushed about how much she loved the two of them, and how she wanted some professional photographs of them at this age. Caroline, our studio manager, said that we could absolutely do that (she has two nieces and a nephew herself, so she understood completely), and she coordinated the session date and time to work for the girls’ schedules. Aunt Bethani chose to book our smallest collection which is great option for clients who only need a handful of studio portraits.

We also sent her the studio style guide, and she went straight to Zara in NYC where she picked up their ADORABLE coordinating jumpsuits. I just about fell over at how cute the two girls looked when they walked in with their parents!

I had a lot of fun with the two sisters, who were ages 1 and 3. They were so sweet and had such wonderful personalities. I photographed their session in about twenty minutes, which is all the time I need for this type of session! I play games, sing songs (don’t judge me for my inability to carry a tune), and make silly faces - whatever I need to do to engage with the children in front of my camera. I also appreciate a serious gaze just as much as a big toothy smile since some young children are naturally more serious in nature than others. My goal is to photograph who your child truly is, and we’ll chat about that in advance of your session too!

Bethani absolutely loved the proof gallery and how perfectly the personalities of each of her nieces shone through the images. I had such a fun time working with them, and welcome all the proud aunts and uncles who want to book sessions for their little nieces and nephews!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Amelia's in home six month milestone session

Fact: I travel to homes too for lifestyle sessions. (but not if you have or had a cat in the home, because I will literally have to be taken to a hospital due to my severe allergies)

I first worked with Kristen and Dave for their maternity session at the field location with their two pups Riggs & Tink. You can view those images by clicking here. I was so excited to head to their home in Brookhaven and meet their daughter, Amelia!

Amelia is the most darling little thing! She is the perfect mix of her parents and has such beautiful blue eyes. When I arrived at the house, I looked around to see what kind of lighting I had to work with, and decided to photograph in 3 of the rooms there. Every home is unique, and because I work with the available natural light, every session will look different too. When we plan your in home session, you’ll send over some quick phone snaps of your home at a couple of different times during the day so we can determine the best time to schedule your session and know ahead of time which rooms we’ll be photographing in! I chose to photograph in one of their darker rooms in the house, and you’ll know instantly which two photographs in the below collage were taken in that particular room. Those photos prove that (a) you don’t have to have TONS of light and (b) emotional connection is what makes a beautiful photograph.

We started in the living room, headed to the master bedroom, and then upstairs to Amelia’s adorable nursery. Lifestyle sessions are all about having fun together as a family. You will play, you’ll tickle, you’ll snuggle in. Amelia particularly enjoyed playing peek a boo with Daddy on the couch, and he treated us to some singing as well which made Amelia so happy! (PS: I can’t carry a tune to save my life, so don’t worry if you can’t either - we’re in the same club) During our time together, I’ll make sure that you look great (no unflattering angles or self inflicted double chins) and give you simple guidance as needed. Your only job will be to have your home ready to go when I arrive (clutter cleared away, etc) and be ready to have fun!

Want to book an in home session? Contact us to discuss your vision and we’ll get to planning!

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.

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Anjali is three months!

Nilam and Mitch are parents of three fun and amazing kids. As a mom of three myself, I know just what to expect with multiple children of different ages, and I absolutely love it.

This sweet family had worked with another photographer for several years - for newborn and milestone and family sessions for their older two children. That photographer was scaling back on photography work to focus on other areas of her life, and chose to send them my way. I’m always honored when another photographer sends a client to me, especially when it’s a client they’ve had for over five years!

On the morning of their three month milestone/family session for their youngest daughter, Anjali, Nilam arrived with her three children in tow. She was a bit flustered and let me know her husband was on his way. She had thrown a few possible outfits into a bag but wasn’t sure what everyone should wear, and I could tell she was feeling stressed out. She let me know that Mitch had handled the booking process, and that she hadn’t known she could come in beforehand for a style consult. I told her not to worry, and pulled out multiple outfits from my client wardrobe and we had all three children dressed in no time. She looked through the options I had pulled out for her and picked one that she loved. Mitch arrived shortly afterwards, and he was all set with what he had brought from home. They expressed amazement that I had been able to dress 4/5’s of the family.

While I can’t always do that since my wardrobe for children is limited, I am more than happy to assist you with styling your family! If you’re a busy mom who just can’t make the time to come by the studio, no worries. We can chat through email and text, and we’ll get you squared away. We have a super easy to follow style guide that we send to all our clients too, and are available to answer any questions you have throughout the entire process.

We started their session with solo images of Anjali. Three month olds are limited in what they can physically do on their own since they cannot sit up unassisted, and will need to be held by other session participants for a portion of the session.

The rest of the session was very much like a carousel of organized chaos. I have a shot list in mind that I mentally tick off, but so much is dependent on if your other children want to participate. Arjun and Lakshmi thought I was hilarious, and we enjoyed playing games throughout. Nilam and Mitch remarked on how they could see I was a mom of three because I understood the dynamics and rolled with whatever the children were giving me at that particular moment. Listen, being a photographer with a focus on babies and children is not for the faint of heart. It requires endless patience, a loving heart, and adaptability for a constantly changing situation. Anyone who has a toddler knows how they can decide to throw a temper tantrum at any random moment over something that we cannot figure out. Anyone who has a baby knows that sometimes they get fussy for some inexplicable reason. I get it, I’ve been there - with my own children, and with my clients! So if your session feels like a runaway train because your child isn’t “cooperating” like you had hoped, don’t worry about it. Seriously, just let it go. Relax, and let ME do the heavy lifting. :)

Since this session took place, they’ve been back for Anjali’s 6 month and 9 month sessions, and we’re in the process of planning her one year session outdoors. I so love this wonderful family and am looking forward to working with them for years to come!

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.