Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Sara & her boys

Sara is a loooooong time multiple repeat client who was sent to me by another long term repeat client! I first worked with her when she was expecting her oldest son, and have proceeded to photograph her growing family over the past few years. One of my favorite parts of what I do is being able to develop long lasting relationships with my clients who return year after year for all their important moments. I deeply appreciate the trust families place in me when chosen to be their photographer and do not take it lightly.

WHAT TO WEAR: MY OWN CLOTHING OR THE STUDIO WARDROBE?

The choice is yours! We send all our clients a style guide and offer the use of our studio wardrobe, as well as my personal assistance in styling the family. We can set up an in person visit at the studio in advance of your session to go through our wardrobe options, and you can bring things along with you that you’re considering. I’ll go through all the choices with you and make suggestions after listening to your feedback and preferences. If you don’t have the time to come to the studio, or would simply prefer a virtual visit, we can do that as well. I’ve exchanged many an email with clients going over options!

In Sara’s case, she has worked with me so many times that she didn’t bother to schedule a studio visit or come in beforehand. She knew without a doubt that I’d have something she could wear even though she’s barely 5’1”. I’ve dressed mamas who are heights of 4’10” all the way up to 6’2” and have a wide range of options that can fit sizes 0-16 in our studio collection. When she arrived at the studio with her boys, I already had some neutral options pulled out that I knew would look great on her skin tone and that would fit her well. Sara looked through them, picked her favorite, tried it on, and boom - done.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR MOTHERHOOD SESSION

Motherhood sessions in the studio are centered around the relationship and loving bond that you have with your little one(s). You get to be their favorite person and break out the snuggles, tickles, and fun games. Sara is a long time repeat client! I first worked with her when she was expecting her oldest son, and have proceeded to photograph her growing family over the past few years. So many of our clients are long term repeats! One of my favorite parts of what I do is getting to develop long lasting relationships with my clients who return year after year for all their important moments.

If you have more than one child participating, we will be sure to have entire group photos as well as you with each child alone. There’s a big variety in galleries, and I have a tried and true workflow that is adjusted based on the personalities of your kids and how they’re responding to the session. All you’ll need to do is follow my directions for interaction with your children! I’ll also give you some tips on how to avoid the dreaded self inflicted double chin. ;)

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SUPER HIGH ENERGY OR DOESN’T WANT TO COOPERATE?

There is something that I say to clients a lot around here and it’s this: “The more chaotic the session feels, the more amazing the end results are.” It’s the truth. Sometimes during a session, it can feel like your child is bouncing off the walls and that there is no possible way I’m getting anything from it. Let me reassure you with this fact: it takes 1/800th of a second for me to freeze a moment. All those little moments that happen so fast in between the craziness are where the magic happens and your gallery is created. We can often tone down the craziness too once they’ve gotten some energy out with some techniques that I use. Don’t worry, I promise that all you need to focus on is being in the moment with your little ones, and I’ll take care of the rest!

If you're considering a session for yourself and your children, I would LOVE for you to reach out to discuss your vision and we can get you taken care of.

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from this family session with Sara and her sweet boys!

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 | 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 Family Photographer | Dawn & Cady

::clears throat and steps up onto my soapbox::

It’s so important for MAMAS to be in photos with their babies. That means you, mama, if you’re reading this.

So often, we are the ones who document the special family moments. Sometimes it’s because we don't want to be in the picture. We don’t feel pretty, we haven’t lost the baby weight, we don’t prioritize ourselves as being important enough for photos… and the list goes on and on for all the reasons why. I get it. I have three children and they're all two years apart and I’m just as guilty of it as most. While the selfie option is better than no photos at all with your little one(s), I absolutely LOVE it when mamas take matters into their own hands by deciding to prioritize being IN the photos and book a session with me.

Dawn is such a fabulous long time client of mine who drives nearly an hour to Atlanta from her home in the north metro suburbs for her sessions. I first started working with her when I photographed her maternity session, and have gone on to photograph yearly sessions of her and her daughter, Cady. It’s been such a joy to watch Cady grow from a tiny baby to a big kid with a personality to match.

WHAT TO WEAR: IS COLORFUL CLOTHING OKAY?

Dawn emailed to ask if I thought wearing brighter colors for their session would be “too much”. She had fallen in love with a mommy and me set of dresses, but wanted to be sure they would photograph well. We get this question a LOT. While there are some colors that we will steer you clear of (ie: neons) because of color casting, color is GREAT if that’s what you want to do. The majority of our clients to prefer to stay in the neutral range since it’s very timeless, often the most flattering to skin tones, and much easier to coordinate multiple family members. We are here to assist you with making suggestions of what to wear, and are more than happy to look over what you’re thinking and give you our honest assessment of how it will photograph. Our studio is designed in neutral tones, so your colorful outfit won’t clash with our studio! As you’ll see from the photographs - their dresses looked amazing and oh so cute!

MOMMY AND ME SESSIONS: WHAT TO EXPECT

Mommy and me sessions in the studio are all about loving and interacting with your child(ren). It really is just as simple as that. You get to be mom and have FUN. We’ll play some fun games designed to draw out natural interaction, you’ll dance together, you’ll have a tickle fight. The possibilities are endless. I’ll be behind the camera waiting for the magic to unfold - and it will, it always does. We have a saying here in the studio, and it’s this: “The more chaotic the session feels with your little one, the more amazing the photos are.” It’s true, I promise. Sometimes it feels like your child’s energy is a bit amped up, and that we can't possibly be getting anything good. Let me take this opportunity to remind you: it takes 1/800th of a second for me to create a beautiful image. All the little microburst moments in between the wildness are where the magic happens. You worry about having fun and present with your little one(s), and let me handle the photos!

This session makes me smile when I look at it because there is so much love and joy! We had such a wonderful 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 and we can get you taken care of.

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from this family session with Dawn & Cady.

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 | A mommy & me session at the studio

A lot of my clients like to be as “equitable” as possible with their children, so it was no surprise when this mama contacted us to schedule a mommy and me session with her second child like she’d had with her first around the same age. I’m always a fan of mommy and me sessions, because it’s just a wonderful opportunity to spend some snuggle time with your little one in front of my camera. We have a lot of fun playing games together, and it’s a very quick (think around 30ish minutes) session depending on your little one.

We schedule sessions with little ones to take place at a time of day that’s best for them - usually after a great nap and a full belly! Currently we are only scheduling ONE session per day in the studio as per our COVID safety protocols. This may change months from now, but for now it’s what we think is best to ensure proper sanitation of the studio and for the air purifier to have adequate time to run to take care of any aerosols in the air. Have more questions about our specific COVID safety procedures? We’d love to answer them, so just head over to our inquiry form and we’ll give you a call to discuss.

This little gal looks a LOT like her big brother did at that age with the same big beautiful blue eyes, and her mama hasn’t changed one bit since that session either. Oh, did you want to see that session? Just click here - it was photographed in our old Grant Park studio a couple of years ago!

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 | Lauren & Milly

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 | The M Family at the park

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 & Family Photographer | Vivian

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 Mommy & Me session with Aya and Emilia

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 | River is seven months!

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 | 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 Family Photographer | The M Family

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 | When the kids are grown up and in college....

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 | An In Home Lifestyle Session with Jessica, Danny, Everett & Ezra

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 | The B Family in the Studio

I first worked with this family when they brought their daughter in for a studio newborn session, and again for an in home lifestyle milestone session (you can see those images by clicking here). Tiffany initially contacted us because she wanted to book a session for a few images of her daughter…but she eventually decided to do a full family session, since Christmas was on the way and so was a NEW baby! She made it clear that she wanted a family session with the focus primarily being on her daughter and family, rather than maternity. We do this a lot when mamas don’t want it to be a maternity focused session, and we always discuss what your vision and preferences are as we plan our time together!

When the family arrived the day of their session, Tiffany had Joe and Noa’s outfits ready to go but had not brought anything for herself. She knew we had plenty of options for her to wear in the studio, and trusted that we would have something based on her previous times working with us. I pulled out several pieces for her to consider that I knew she would look beautiful in and that would work with what the rest of the family was wearing. After trying on a few, she chose one of our more glam options, which was a perfect fit and could not have worked better with her skin tone and the rest of the family’s wardrobe.

Tiffany dresses her daughter in the prettiest neutrals, and she’s actually the one who introduced me to the amazingness that is Zara! I LOVE Zara clothing for kids and moms, and we have a few pieces in our wardrobe for babies & kids, as well as a couple for mamas. Zara has a store here in the Atlanta area, but their online selection is also great if you’re looking for some gorgeous, neutral, and well made options that photograph beautifully.

We got started with the session, and started with full family images first, and then moved to the rest. While my session flow varies , I almost always start with full family so that we can get those images done first before your little ones(s) lose interest or patience. That way we’ve checked those images off the list and don’t have to worry about them anymore. It’s much easier (and efficient) for me to get a child’s attention back for solo portraits than for the entire family together! Another benefit of that is that it allows my youngest subjects time to get used to my presence and the sound of the camera shutter while safely in your arms. It’s a great way to build trust and rapport gradually before I’m one-on-one with them. Every child is different - sometimes I have an outgoing little one that has never met a stranger, and other times I have a child who won’t let a parent out of their grasp. We’ll work with whatever we’re given, and it will all work out! :)

One of the things that I LOVE about Tiffany is that her favorite images from her galleries tend to be the real ones. She loves the “perfect” ones too - but the ones that show Noa’s true personality and the moments of fun are the ones that she gravitates towards and chooses to print. I love that - our studio is very focused on capturing our families just as they are rather than arranging everyone in stiff lines with perfectly folded hands and perfect expressions. That’s just not real life, and that’s not how my clients want to look back and remember their families. They want to remember the joy, the laughter, the silly faces, and the FUN that happened during their sessions, and sure… they’ll pick one or two of those “perfect” images to send off to grandma or one image on the Christmas card.

Want to capture your family just as you are right now before the time has slipped away and you’re getting dressed for their high school graduation? Contact us and we’ll chat about your vision and goals as well as our approach to see if we’re the perfect match for your family photography needs! Can’t wait to chat!

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 | Sunrise in the gardens

I first photographed Ramsey for his First Birthday session at the studio, and was so excited when Angela emailed us to set up a family/second birthday session at the gardens location. You can view his First Birthday images by clicking here to see how much he grew in just over a year! You’ll notice how much his hair grew and how curly it is now. The changes that happen from year to year are always just so amazing to see, and I love when families make it a priority to schedule annual portrait sessions so they can look back and see it for themselves.

We scheduled their session to take place in September - and as most of you will remember, we had an incredibly HOT end of summer and fall in Atlanta. I mean, soooooo hot. We had originally scheduled their session to take place at sunset, but when I saw that the weather would literally be 25 degrees cooler the morning of their session at sunrise, I emailed Angela to see if they’d be open to switching the time to sunrise. I only photograph outdoor sessions the hour before sunset or immediately at sunrise. We do not offer any other times - as the light is not optimal.

Her response was an immediate: OMG YES. If you have a child who rises on the earlier side and is happiest in the morning, a sunrise session may be the perfect fit for you! If you hate early mornings and your child is dragging until 10 AM, it’s probably not for you. When you contact us, we’ll discuss what the best fit for you is! The time of year will also be a factor: a sunrise session in the winter is not an option since it’s sometimes below freezing outside.

The morning of the session, we met at the gardens location. While it was warm, it was not unbearably hot, and the light was gorgeous and soft. Angela and her husband both expressed how glad they were that I’d suggested we change the time to sunrise. Bonuses to an early start: no worrying about juggling naps or sleepy babies when it’s almost bedtime, and then you have the rest of your day wide open!

We explored the gardens and I photographed Ramsey alone, with each of his parents, and the whole family together. David had bought matching father-son tennis shoes that he was super excited about, so Ramsey changed his outfit mid session so we could include that. I thought it was so sweet and really special that he had done that.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this family’s 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 & Family Photographer | Ava is six months!

I first worked with Heather & Jason when they were expecting their daughter, Ava, and again at Ava’s newborn session. You can see their maternity images at the field location by clicking here and Ava’s newborn images by clicking here. I’ll be seeing them again this spring for Ava’s First Birthday - I adore working with clients for all the special milestones over the first year!

I was so excited to see them for Ava’s six month session! Heather had asked to add on hair and makeup services again, and had requested the park location for this session. One of the fun things for my clients about repeatedly working with me is that they become more and more confident with each session. They’ve learned all the basic “rules” I have for flattering posing and don’t need very much direction from me. We also have a relationship at this point and they trust me to photograph their family and KNOW that they’re going to walk away with gorgeous images that they love. I’ve had clients come for a session and have one of their children have a full on meltdown. They don’t get frazzled or stressed, because they’ve learned from their previous sessions with me that we’ll work around it and that I’ll spend the extra time help their child calm or settle however I can - whether that is me engaging with their child or stepping away to let mom and dad do it.

In Ava’s case, she’s the happiest baby on the planet. There was no fussing or needing to settle - she was so happy to be outside with her parents. We did have one outfit mishap when Ava spit up all over her goldenrod romper that she was wearing. Heather had heeded our advice to have a backup outfit on hand, so a quick outfit change to a gorgeous cream bodysuit took care of that with no problem! Plus, who doesn’t love chubby baby legs?! The outfit change showed those off well!

I don’t have a set session flow for babies and families and change it up for each individual client based on what the baby needs. Since Ava was so friendly and happy, it didn’t matter how I structured it. We moved through the whole family together, Ava with each of her parents, and some with Ava by herself. Ava was a pretty strong sitter, but her daddy was hovering just out of the frame to catch her if she tipped over. Safety first!

How cute is this little gal and her family!? I can’t wait to see them all in April to smash some cake and celebrate Ava being 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 | The G Family in the studio

Leila contacted the studio to book a family/milestone session in the studio with her husband and daughter, Raine. We sent over the style guide to her and set a session date. Our style guide is a helpful one page document that guides you through best practices for dressing your family with color and pattern combinations. If you want more detailed feedback, 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!

A couple of days before their scheduled session, Leila reached out to let us know that the whole family was sick with an upper respiratory infection. We know that life is unpredictable with little ones, so if this happens to you - don’t stress. We want everyone to be happy and healthy at their session! We looked through the studio calendar and rescheduled for a couple weeks out on a date that worked for both of us.

A funny story …. on the reschedule date, guess who woke up with NO voice. Yep, yours truly. I had zero warning that this was about to happen, and just woke up that way. I wasn’t sick with anything, but literally just did not have a voice. Never in my life have I had that happen, and to this day, I still don’t know why it did.

Because of how I run my sessions, having a voice is absolutely essential. I talk to babies, give direction to parents, and NEED my voice. My studio manager, Caroline, had to call Leila and let her know that I couldn’t speak and we needed to reschedule again. Leila understood completely, and was glad that I was erring on the side of caution just in case losing my voice was the precursor to actually being sick with something. Turns out that it really was just me losing my voice for no reason. I’m not kidding when I tell you that I was silent for three entire days until it came back. It was very, very strange to not be able to talk or communicate verbally… but my husband and kids seemed to love it! ;) My voice did return after that, and when Leila came in for her session she mentioned that when we had rescheduled she didn’t fully understand why I needed to be able to talk but that she 100% understood why afterwards! :)

Raine was a shy baby, so we began our session with family images and in parent arms. It took a lot of goofing around and trying different things, but I figured out that if Raine’s parents “dropped” her by bending their knees quickly and tilting her backwards she had a BIG smile and was laughing. So… guess what her parents did for the entire session? Yep. Your workout class is included free with sessions. ;)

After all the fun, Raine was feeling a lot more comfortable with me and the studio and we were able to sit her alone on a chair for some solo portraits. If you arrive and your little one is not feeling it, don’t stress. I have TONS of patience, and I’ll do whatever is help to your child feel comfortable. Come in ready to play and with a willingness to try unorthodox things to get the giggles going, and everything else will work itself out!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this family’s session!

Want to capture your family just as you are now before the 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!

Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Baby Lulu

Thomas called the studio to learn about milestone and family sessions, and asked to book a session to take place in that next month. He requested to add on hair and makeup for his wife, Noi, and scheduled a complimentary studio visit as well to take place a week before their session. We sent over the style guide for his review, and an overview of what to expect.

When Thomas and his family arrived for their style consult, I welcomed them into the studio and we spent a bit of time getting to know each other. They wanted to look through the studio wardrobe and potentially borrow from it, but were coming more for inspiration and to meet me in advance. Noi and I went through lots of different options available, and looked through the limited baby wardrobe as well. I’ve found that the majority of my clients prefer to use their own clothing for their babies - but we do have a limited wardrobe for babies 1 year and under if you’re in a pinch! I welcome and encourage my booked clients to come in to the studio beforehand for a style consult to go through what we have and talk, so if you can make the time - please do! :) The family left feeling confident about how to proceed with their wardrobe and excited about our session in the coming week.

On the day of their session, Noi arrived and settled into the hair and makeup chair. Thomas and Lulu came a bit later, and I started photographing just Lulu since she was curious and friendly. If babies are a bit shy, I’ll have them in your arms instead until they warm up. Lulu was 5 months old at the time of their session, so not quite sitting unassisted, but had great head control! She was such a smiley little thing… and then she fell asleep!

I LOVE when my milestone babies fall asleep during sessions, so if this happens to you, do NOT stress. It’s cause for celebration! This is a wonderful opportunity to photograph their sweet sleeping faces and their lush eyelashes. I even joked that we’d get a few “newborn-esque” images since she was sleeping SO deeply for her short nap!

Thomas and Noi are such doting parents to little Lulu, and the whole family was just so sweet together! When I have a younger baby that can’t sit unassisted, I shoot these sessions with baby in the arms of their parent(s) for the majority of the time. If a parent just wants to document the milestone and doesn't want to be in the images at all, we'll work around it by shooting from above while on the floor, or have a parent hold their baby and not photograph the parents' face. I strongly encourage parents to participate though! You will love having these images of yourself with your baby when they fly from the nest someday (and that will happen sooner than you think). I can't keep them little for you forever, but I CAN freeze time in a tangible way with portraits of them at this stage. 

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.