Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Sven

I photographed a newborn session for a sweet family with a baby boy named Maverick. Want to see that one? Just click here! As they were leaving his mom said, “By the way, I told one of my friends about you! She’ll be in touch.”

And so she was. Angela contacted us to schedule a newborn session for her son, Sven who hadn’t arrived yet. A lot of folks ask when they should schedule a newborn session with us. The answer? When you know you want one. We’ve had many first trimester bookings, and the majority seem to book in their early to second trimester - especially those planners who want to make sure they’re on the books! We don’t schedule an exact date in our calendar until your baby has arrived but you’re guaranteed a spot. You simply contact us when baby has arrived, and we’ll handle the rest.

Angela emailed us a couple of months later to let us know Sven had arrived safely, and that she wanted to add on hair and makeup services as well. We sent back a couple of dates to choose from. She chose one, and then we sent over the newborn prep guide for her review. It’s a short and sweet document that goes over how to best prepare everyone for your newborn session! Knowledge is power… and knowing what to generally expect makes for a much smoother experience for clients.

On the morning of their session, the new family of three arrived at the studio. Angela and I looked through the studio wardrobe dress options and she chose one of my favorite cream lace dresses. The lace dresses I have in the wardrobe are beautiful and subtle - to the point where many clients who aren’t big fans of lace fall in love with them. They add beautiful texture and visual interest to any photo and lend well to the tender aesthetic that naturally occurs during a newborn session. Angela headed to the makeup chair and I took Sven back into the newborn shooting room to get started on his solo portraits! Lots of clients ask if they can bring along something to include in a session and more often than not, it’s a hat or a small lovey that someone made or has special meaning for the family. The other most popular option is a special blanket that has been handed down or specially made for the baby which I will often incorporate in a whole family image by wrapping the baby in it while mom and dad hold them.

I will include one prop of my client’s choice should they wish to do that with the understanding that if the prop does not match the aesthetic, it’s going to look quite strange in the gallery when compared to the others! In this particular case, it was a cute little grey Viking hat to pay homage to his Swedish heritage. I laughed when I saw it, because it was just adorable. Hats are pretty easy to incorporate into sessions if baby is up for it. I unfortunately can’t guarantee that every baby will cooperate for it!

Sven needed a couple of nursing breaks during his part of the session, so I simply carried him out to his mama. We have two different types of nursing pillows here in the studio, and our HMUA’s are well versed in applying makeup around a nursing baby. We all support however you choose to feed your baby and have had moms nurse in the chair, give a bottle in the chair, and even pump in the chair. Whatever you need to feed - we’ll accommodate you!

I was finished with Sven’s newborn portraits just as Angela was finishing up, so we moved right into the family part of the session. Lots of clients tell me their biggest concern is not knowing what to do. The other big concern is being new to holding their baby. If you’re a first time parent, you’re still getting the hang of it in many cases - because up until your time in the studio you’ve most likely been sitting down or in your bed while holding your baby and not standing up. I’ll walk you through everything and your baby will be safe and secure the entire time. We have a few practices in place to ensure that, and I’ll verbally explain them to you when we start that. If at any point you need a short break to sit down, or you’d rather sit - we can also make that happen too. Your comfort level is just as important as your baby’s!

After giving the new parents some prompts and direction, we started the session and flew right through it since Sven had already eaten during his solo portraits. Sometimes the parent portion will take a bit longer if baby needs to eat - no two sessions are ever the same in terms of length and flow. Your baby basically leads the way when it comes to how everything goes, and I’ll read their cues to determine what their needs are and determine how to proceed and structure our time together.

Sven was actually wide awake when we started the parent portion, and I just loved the sweet eye contact he made with his parents. Eventually he started to yawn and after being bundled up fell right to sleep. I think he has some of the most distinctive features I’ve ever photographed - what about you?

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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Ezra

Yesterday’s post included this sweet little girl - she was inside her mama’s belly still. Click here to see her wonderful family’s park maternity session and read the backstory!

When Ezra was born, Jessica let me know right away and I was so excited for them! When her brother Everett was born, I happened to already be at the same hospital (Northside) photographing a birth and stopped by their room to meet him and say hi. This time I wasn’t, so I had to wait to meet her until her newborn session.

I love meeting new siblings of repeat clients. It’s so fun to compare and contrast what they look like as newborns and see the differences and similarities! My younger sister and I look absolutely nothing alike, but my three children very much look like siblings and share similar features - they all have the same eye color, but not the same hair color!

Jessica arrived at the studio with Ezra and settled into the hair and makeup chair. She loved her HMUA experience for her maternity session so much that she requested to add it on again. Fact: most of our repeat clients always request services for their subsequent sessions!

I started with Ezra’s solo portraits, and marveled at how chunky she was! Such big cheeks and so cute! She was an eight pounder and a solid sleeper. There were a few times she needed to eat, but she was also a very quick nurser! Jessica had let me know that she wanted a mix of headbands and no headbands for her images. I always discuss with moms what their preference regarding that is, and I choose the headbands used very carefully. I want it to flow well with everything else and also be proportionate to each baby’s head. I’m not a fan of giant bows or flowers because that takes away from your baby, and they should be the star of the show!

After I finished up, Danny arrived with big brother Everett. When older siblings are involved with sessions, we have them arrive later after we’ve finished photographing just your newborn. This keeps the studio calm and peaceful, and your toddler has much more fun at home until it’s time for them to come! Mamas also really enjoy the little break and quiet.

Jessica asked if we could borrow from the wardrobe for Everett because she didn’t have many options at home. Moms of boys don’t tend to buy lighter colored clothing because it just gets destroyed! We have several shirt options available for 1-6 year old boys so if you don’t have something, there’s no need to run out and buy something! We also have lots of dresses for big sisters in sizes 1-6 with some 8/10, so if you need help in that department, we may be able to do so!

Jessica opted to keep it simple with jeans and a pretty white tee. I always want my clients to dress however they feel best. If that’s a dress from the studio wardrobe, great! If that’s jeans and a simple white tee, perfect! There is no right or wrong way to dress for your newborn images - the only thing I’m worried about is the color and tone (ie: don’t choose neon colors!) of your clothing palette to make sure your images look like what you hired me for. We’ll help you out by sending you a style guide that covers exactly how to go about choosing clothing from your own wardrobe, so don’t stress about that!

After Jessica chose her favorite shirt for Everett we started with sibling images right away. I like to do these first as long as big brother or sister is up for it and not too wiggly. Some older siblings just aren’t able to safely participate in these types of images, so we’ll default to other tactics that involve mom or dad being in the image as well. Your newborn’s safety is my top consideration, and we’ll determine what will work and what won’t after I assess your older child(ren) and we discuss some things the day of your session. Everett was fantastic with his baby sister, and daddy was just out of the frame ready to help if needed. We then wrapped up with family images, which are so much fun. I’ll play simple and fun games with your older children to get them engaged and interacting with the newest addition, and direct you to do the same. Sessions here are fun and laid back, and I want to make sure your older children are enjoying themselves too!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Ezra’s newborn 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Liam

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post about Isabel & Macey’s maternity session in the gardens, I wondered if their baby boy would have lots of hair at birth. The answer? See for yourself in the images below!

Isabel had some pregnancy complications which led to an emergency early delivery. Liam spent a little bit of time in the NICU, but not for long - and with his mama being a NICU nurse for a living, they knew just what to do. He was five pounds when he was born at 35ish weeks, which is a pretty robust size for a premature baby! He came in for his session at just over three weeks old, because we wanted Isabel to have the time to recover. When your baby is born, you’ll let us know some of the details (baby’s weight at birth, when they were born, and how you are both doing) and we’ll send over a couple of dates to choose from.

Isabel asked if Margaret was available again for her hair and makeup services, and we provided her with dates that she was! Our HMUA artists are often busy on weekends, so if you’re hoping to add on HMUA services, you’ll most likely need to schedule a weekday date. We’ll do our best to fit you in before your partner needs to head back to work!

On the morning of their session, the new family of three arrived at the studio. Isabel settled into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret, and I look adorable Mr. Liam to the newborn shooting room for his solo portraits.

Why do we have a separate room for your newborn solo images? To keep your baby (and you!) happy! In order for your baby to remain comfortable and warm, we need to keep the room heated to around 82-85 degrees. This is a wonderful temperature for your baby to keep them warm when they are only wearing a diaper. Moms and dads don’t want to have to sit in that temperature for the session duration. There are observation windows as well so you can still be a part of the entire experience. The main shooting area is kept at a comfortable temperature for adults. When we move to the parent and family portion of our session, your baby will still be comfortable because they will be wrapped and being held by you.

Liam was a great sleeper and had so much hair. We moved pretty quickly through his solo images and then rejoined his mom and dad. Isabel wasn’t quite yet finished, so we took the opportunity to change Liam’s diaper and feed him. Once he was done eating, Isabel was also done so we moved to parent and family images.

Almost every couple in my studio tells me they’re not sure what they should do when I’m photographing them. In all honesty, much of what you’re doing is what you do naturally at home. I’m just here to make tweaks to the angles and how you’re standing. I’ll give you simple prompts for interacting with your baby if you freeze up a little, and I’ll reach in and brush hair out of your face if needed. We take our time during sessions, and they’re so laid back and fun!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Liam’s newborn 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Brody

Jamie contacted the studio to book a newborn session. One of her neighbors had worked with us for their newborn session and she’d seen the images on her Facebook page. She fell in love with the emotive style that we are known for, and knew that we were her top choice for her son’s newborn session when he arrived.

A few months later, Jamie let us know that baby Brody had arrived! He was a chunky little guy at over 8 pounds, so we opted to have him come in on the earlier end of our scheduling window for newborns. Typically we like to have newborns come in between 8-21 days of life, but a lot of factors influence what we ultimately choose. We take your baby’s weight into consideration, whether they were born earlier than their due date, if there were any complications for you or baby, and how you’re recovering. Please do NOT stress if it’s better for you to come in at three weeks because you need that extra time to recover. Your baby will still look like a newborn, and we will still be able to capture gorgeous images. There is no hard and fast rule about the “perfect” age to come in for a newborn session.

Jamie requested to add on hair and makeup services and let us know she would be using the studio wardrobe. We sent her the newborn prep packet which included guidance on what her husband should wear from his own closet and how to best prep the morning of.

The morning of their session, Jamie and Justin arrived with Brody and Justin’s mom in tow. Justin’s mom wasn’t participating in the session, but was on her way back to Ohio that day and had a flight after the session was over. I welcome grandparents in the studio, so if you have family in town, they’re welcome to come along. It’s important to keep the studio peaceful and quiet, so if your family members aren’t the type to preserve that type of environment it is best to have them remain at home and only come in if they are being photographed for the period of time they are in front of the camera. We’ll chat about best practices should you choose to include other family members outside of your baby’s siblings.

Brody was nice and full when he arrived, and sound asleep, so we got started right away with his solo images. Jamie chose a pretty white off the shoulder dress with lace detailing that looked amazing with her blue eyes and blonde hair. She sat down in the hair and makeup chair while I photographed Brody. Adding on hair and makeup services doesn’t add time to your newborn session by the way! I will be photographing your baby alone either way, so you might as well pamper yourself while I’m at it! ;) In all seriousness though, our HMUA team is comprised of some of the most talented artists in Atlanta. Our clients truly love working with them and request them time and time again for subsequent sessions. Another fact: I have worked with them myself for my own sessions when it’s my turn to be in front of the camera. I don’t wear makeup on a daily basis (I don’t even own any!) but they do an amazing job of keeping it super natural for me. They will communicate with you in depth about your preferences and create a look tailored to you that accentuates your best features and is at a level that you are comfortable with and feel beautiful in! With our artists you can be confident that you will wear the makeup - the makeup will not wear you.

After I finished up with Brody (he was so sleepy that we flew through his solo images), Jamie was still having her hair worked on. I photographed Justin with his son for all the daddy and son images, and then it was time for Brody to eat. Perfect timing! Justin left to go and pick up their family pet. Shortly after he left, Jamie was ready and Brody had finished nursing. I began photographing Jamie and Brody together, and when Justin walked in with Sonic (some of the the cutest doggie ears EVER!!!!) and we immediately moved to family images and images that included Sonic. Dogs are allowed in the studio on a case by case basis. Be aware that your pet will only be permitted in the studio for the time they are being photographed. You will either need to arrange to have someone bring them and take them, or go and get them and take them home depending on how close you live to the studio.

Please understand that I love all breeds, but our building has restrictions on the type allowed in the building due to insurance. So, because of that, “aggressive” dog breeds (pit bulls, bull mastiffs, Cane Corsos) or heavy shedders are not permitted. We will talk about your pet’s temperament as well. If your pet excites easily, jumps everywhere, or is a barker then they will not be able to come in the building. Cats are not permitted at all… unless you want ME to die during out time together. (Yep, severe cat allergies over here!) Our studio undergoes a very thorough cleaning after a dog participates in a session that includes full washing of any material they come into contact with as well as a full vacuum and mop of the floors.

One last thing I want to mention: lots of clients with furbabies have a vision of what they think life will be like with their newborn and pet. Sometimes that vision doesn’t line up with reality. You may find that your pet isn’t warming up to your new baby like you had hoped. Baby safety is my first priority, so I will not place your sleeping baby propped up on your pet, no matter how cute that image would be. We have lots of safe variations of things that we can accomplish with some dog treats and a lot of patience. Each dog is unique, and we’ll work together to find the best solution to include your pet!

Jamie absolutely loved her newborn images and chose to order an album and a 16x20 framed wall print to hang in his nursery. I so enjoyed working with her and love her sweet personality! Imagine my surprise when I started attending Lagree fitness classes at Stellar Bodies Midtown and discovered she was an instructor! So now I get to see her on a regular basis while she puts me through the best workout I’ve ever done. On a tangent: the Lagree method is really amazing, so if you’re looking for a super challenging workout that will make you strong and won’t bore you over time, check it out!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Brody’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 Newborn Twins Photographer | Kara & Leo

Nathalie contacted the studio when her twins were almost three weeks old after finding us on Google search. She was convinced we would already be booked for newborn sessions but decided to take the chance and ask anyway, and it paid off! Because the babies were nearly three weeks old, we suggested bringing them in two days later on the only available date we had for the next week. Nathalie’s husband did have to reschedule some appointments he had planned for that day, but reported back after their session that it was worth it. Nathalie was thrilled to hear she didn’t have to worry about what to wear and immediately asked to add on hair and makeup services. She was in luck since one of our HMUA team members was available at the last minute!

When the family arrived, Nathalie and I went through a few wardrobe options for her and I went through some of the clothing she had brought for her husband. She chose a simple and comfortable cream lace dress and got settled into the hair and makeup chair. I always wait for mama to choose what they’re wearing before I make the decision on what other session participants are wearing. “Dress mom first” is the rule around here for any type of session we photograph!

Twins are always fun to have in the studio! The biggest challenge is getting them to sleep at the same time. I typically start with the sleepiest twin for their solo images while a parent is getting the other to sleep. Then I bring them together for sibling images, and finish up with the other twin’s solo images. I really enjoy working with twin families, and have so much respect for parents with twins! Having ONE newborn is challenging, so I can’t imagine what it’s like to have two!

Kara and Leo are fraternal twins who could not be more different, Kara is tiny and delicate, with very little hair and her brother Leo has a full head of thick hair and weighs in at a whopping 1.5 pounds heavier. It was so funny to see the two of them next to each other! I just love how genetics work out with siblings sometimes. My only sibling is my younger sister and she and I look absolutely nothing alike (yep, same parents!). My own three children do share similar traits in appearance and look like siblings. Kara made some of the funniest expressions, and Leo opened his eyes once…. only to be dragged back down into sleepyland, It was comical watching him fight to stay awake, but he just couldn’t do it!

After I finished photographing the babies, we moved on to the parent and family portion. There are lots of variations with two newborns that we’ll walk through, and I’ll assess your comfort level in how you hold them. Baby safety is the top priority in the studio, so we won’t place babies in potentially risky positions even in your arms. I am always checking with you to make sure you feel that your baby is secure and that you have a good hold on them. We’ll be in constant communication during our time together about how you’re feeling and if you need a break to sit down and rest. Postpartum recovery is a process, and it’s normal to feel extra tired or to become a bit light headed after standing for a while. A six pound baby might not feel so heavy at first, but can feel like an anvil after ten minutes for a new mom. You and your family will be taken care of here!

Enjoy just a few of my favorite images from Kara & Leo’s newborn 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Calvin

I first worked with Carolyn and Craig for their maternity session at the park location. You can view those images by clicking here. They had scheduled their maternity and newborn sessions at the last minute so we didn’t have long to wait for baby Calvin to arrive!

Carolyn loved working with our HMUA team for her maternity session and when we asked her if she wanted to add it services again for newborn her response was, “Oh god, yes.” Coming home with a newborn is quite the shock to the system and most new moms cannot fathom having to get themselves ready for a photo session running on little to no sleep. The good news is that you don’t have to! Just show up in some comfy yoga pants, and we’ll can take care of the rest.

Calvin was such a little sweetie with the cutest little features. Carolyn chose a simple white dress that she loved from our studio wardrobe and settled into the makeup chair. I took Calvin to the newborn shooting room to get started. He was a very heavy sleeper and transitioned very quickly from each setup that I did. My main goal is to photograph babies beautifully wrapped in natural positions, and then depending on the baby I will branch out a little bit. Babies lead the way during their time with me, and I follow their cues. If they need a break to be snuggled or to nurse, we’ll take one!

We finished up with Calvin’s solo images and I took him back out to the main shooting room for a diaper change and a nursing session. Everyone in the studio 100% supports however you choose to feed your baby. We are comfortable with nursing mothers, and will continue to work around you. You are welcome to use a cover if you are more comfortable doing that - but we know how difficult nursing can be in those first weeks! If you’d prefer not to use one please feel free! Don’t make any decisions on whether you use a cover based on the comfort of those around you when you’re here, make it based on yours. We won’t stare or make you feel uncomfortable, we promise!

After Calvin was finished nursing, he was in a pretty deep sleep, so we started with baby sleeping on the shoulder images. Carolyn started feeling really dizzy and needed to sit down. This happens sometimes! New moms spend a lot of time laying in bed (as they should!) and sometimes standing up for longer than they have been can cause dizziness. If this happens during your session, it’s totally ok. We have so many variations that we can do - and in Carolyn’s case, we moved her to a chair. We also had dad hold Calvin for the family images, and kept Carolyn sitting or laying for most of the rest of the session with just Calvin. She was feeling up to snuggling him alone while standing towards the end, but we had a chair right there and Craig was standing nearby just in case. I always ask moms to let me know if they’re feeling tired during a session or need to sit down. There is absolutely nothing wrong with needing to take a break, sit down, drink some water, eat a snack. We are in no rush, and our main priority is the safety and comfort of our clients! You will be cared for while you are here.

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Calvin’s newborn session! Looking at this loving couple with their sweet little boy just makes me smile every time I look at the images, and it makes me miss the days of when my own babies were tiny.

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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Cecilia

Natalie contacted the studio a few weeks before her due date to inquire about reserving a newborn session. She was concerned that we might not have availability since we do become fully booked a few months out for newborns sometimes. We’d had a couple of our newborns arrive early that month, so we had room on our calendar to reserve her spot.

Reserving your spot doesn’t mean that we are scheduling your session date and time. It means that we are guaranteeing you a spot on our calendar when your baby arrives! Babies are unpredictable. We’ve had micro preemies, 32 weekers, 37 weekers, and up to 42 weekers! Even if your baby is born early or late - it doesn’t matter, you’re still guaranteed your spot with your reservation. You’ll let us know within 48 hours after birth that your baby has arrived, and we’ll respond with a few questions to help us determine the best dates for you. We’ll want to know the weight of your baby, how you both are doing, if you want to add on hair and makeup services, and if you had any complications such as a c-section delivery. These factors all affect the dates we send for you to choose from.

When Natalie, Scott, and Cecilia arrived at the studio they had an armful of clothes from their own closet. We send every client a newborn prep packet that goes over guidelines of what to wear from your own closet! The studio wardrobe is available to new moms as well should you want to do that. Natalie opted for a more casual look with white jeans and a pretty pink off the shoulder top. You should dress how you feel most comfortable! We also talked about Natalie’s preference for whether she wanted Cecilia to wear any headbands during her time with me. Some moms want every image to have a headband, others opt to skip it entirely, and some ask for a mix of with and without. I choose the headbands based on your baby’s skin tone and head size. We don’t do anything the size of Texas around here!

Cecilia was sound asleep, so I took her to the newborn shooting room to get started, and Natalie settled herself into the hair and makeup chair. Other than a couple of nursing breaks, Cecilia was a pretty sleepy and curly baby. I photograph babies with neutral colors (mainly creams and whites) and often bring in pale blushes and peaches for baby girls. She gave me a few smirks, and is just the cutest! As I was finishing up with her solo portraits, our HMUA was putting the finishing touches on Natalie. Cecilia needed to nurse, so Natalie took care of her while I set up our main shooting room for the family and parent portion.

Newborn sessions in the studio are anything but stressful. They are laid back, slow paced, and quiet. This is a time to enjoy being together as a family. I am here to guide you through every single step, and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. The studio fridge is stocked with an assortment of beverages, and we have quite a few snacks as well. If you need a break, we’ll take one. The parent and family portion usually only takes 30-45 minutes but it’s all dependent on your baby and how they’re doing! I love photographing awake babies, but if they are awake and fussy there isn’t much that we can do in terms of photographing until they calm and settle. Taking a patient approach is what works best, and I promise we’ll have fun too!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Cecilia’s newborn 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Parker

I first worked with Madeleine and Tyson for their maternity session in the gardens, which can be viewed by clicking here. I always LOVE getting the announcement that baby has arrived so we can schedule the newborn session!

Really quickly: we take a limited number of newborns due in a calendar month. Sometimes babies don’t arrive in their due date month, and that’s okay! When you reserve your session, you are guaranteed a spot. We don’t schedule your actual session date until your baby has arrived. Generally newborn sessions are scheduled between 8-16 days of life. However, there are many factors that will affect the dates that we give you as choices! Some of those factors are: baby’s weight, if there any complications for mother and baby, whether baby was born on the earlier or later side, and how mama is recovering! We see older newborns all the time for a variety of reasons, so don’t worry if your baby is older than 16 days old! It is NOT a “make or break” deal if they are.

When the new family of three arrived at the studio, Madeleine and I looked through several pieces that I had pulled and she chose a blue off the shoulder dress. Baby Parker was just the cutest and had a lot of his mom’s features. I loved his head of hair, and he was a sleepy yawny baby.

I headed to the newborn shooting room with Parker and we wrapped his solo portraits up pretty quickly due to how sleepy he was! We send a newborn session prep packet to all of our clients a few days beforehand, and Madeleine had followed it perfectly. While nothing will guarantee that your baby will sleep deeply for their session, following our instructions definitely gives us much higher odds!

I use mainly neutral colors for photographing babies. Your newborn is so perfect, and so precious! I don’t want anything distracting from their sweet little features, and want them to be the focus. I blend natural and organic posing with a few more involved poses as well for babies that are super sleepy. I don’t photograph babies in buckets or hanging from a sling - simple and timeless imagery is what we strive for at the studio!

After Parker’s solo portraits were concluded, I took him out to our main shooting room to his mama to nurse. Sessions are baby led! If your baby needs a break to eat or just to cuddle, we take one. The safety and comfort of my tiny clients are my top priority, so we’ll do what we need to do to accomplish that.

Once Parker was finished nursing, we started with the parent and family session. New mamas are often tired and need to sit down and rest from time to time. I build in breaks for mama throughout so she’s not standing the entire time, and you better believe I’m watching them closely! If I sense that a mama is getting tired, we take a break. The studio fridge is stocked with an assortment of beverages, and we have a snack basket as well! Recovering from childbirth is not always a walk in the park, and I want you to know that you will be taken care of too. I’ve had three babies of my own…. so I know how those first weeks can be!

Here are a few of my favorite images from sweet little Parker’s session. His mama sent me a recent photo of him, and I cannot BELIEVE how big he’s gotten and how much he has changed! I can’t wait to see him again as he grows.

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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Judah

Susanna contacted the studio to inquire about booking a newborn session. She was sent to us from a long term client of ours who is also a photographer! Susanna stated that she trusted their judgement and knew that if they would entrust us with their family portraits, she had come to the right place. We love when our clients send us their friends! There truly is no higher compliment.

Susanna asked to add on hair and makeup services, and let us know that she and her two year old daughter would be using the studio wardrobe. When toddlers are involved with newborn sessions, we have them arriver later with daddy or a grandparent/caregiver. They will be so much happier at home, and there won’t be any waiting around when they arrive. Plus, mamas enjoy the little break with some peace and quiet!

When Susanna and Judah arrived, we looked through the studio wardrobe options and she quickly selected a simple dress with some pretty embroidery that she loved. I pulled a few options for her daughter, Lila, and set them aside for when she arrived. Susanna made herself comfortable in the hair and makeup chair while I took Judah back to the newborn shooting room. Adding on hair and makeup services does not extend the length of your session. I photograph your newborn’s solo portraits while you’re being pampered! Either way, you’ll be sitting while I complete this portion of the session. Might as well spend that waiting time treating yourself, right?!

Judah was a sleepy little thing with lots of brown hair. We finished up with his solo portraits at the perfect time: Susanna was nearly finished and Lila and daddy had arrived. Judah was waking up and hungry, so Susanna nursed him while we chose Lila’s dress from the options I had pulled. Susanna had told me she wasn’t sure how Lila would do for the session and that she was crossing her fingers that she would “cooperate”. Expecting a two year old to sit perfectly still is pretty unrealistic. The best thing you can do is just hang back. Telling your older child to “say cheese” or getting irritated with them puts pressure on them and usually backfires. When we approach the session as fun and play some games, it’s WAY more enjoyable for them. They’re a valuable member of you family, and I want my little clients to have fun too! Miss Lila was the CUTEST little thing, and she was so awesome. We chatted and discussed her baby brother, and captured some of the most heart melting sibling and family images. Lila made her departure soon afterwards and we finished up with the parent portion of our session. No need to keep your toddler any longer than we need to!

Enjoy some of my favorites from this sweet family’s newborn 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Liya

I first worked with this absolutely wonderful family for their maternity session at the field location. Visit this post to hear their backstory and see their gorgeous images!

Each member of this family has such a wonderful personality - Busola is free spirited and fun, and Jude is grounded and the kindest and most encouraging person you’ll ever meet. Ayo is a mix of both his parents and just likes to have a good time! When Busola let me know that baby Liya had arrived, I was so excited for all of them AND for Liya! She’s truly been born into such a wonderful family. I would adopt them as my own family if I could - that’s seriously how great they are.

When Busola arrived at the studio with Liya she let me know she loved all the girly and pink things and to please incorporate them as I saw fit. We mainly photograph on neutrals to keep the focus on your baby, but we do keep an assortment of pale and blush pinks on hand too! Whether tiebacks are used on baby girls is entirely up to mom. I will often photograph a mix of with and without, but some moms request that one be used for all of their baby’s images.

Liya slept for a bit but did wake up during her session. When she was awake, I was struck by her serious and calm gaze. If ever a baby was an old soul, I think Liya fits the description! Busola nursed her back to sleep and we finished up our newborn solo portraits pretty quickly - just in time for the arrival of Jude and Ayo (and grandma!). Lots of families will bring a visiting grandparent along to help with older siblings when they are not being photographed during the family and parent portion, and sometimes even step in for a few images too!

I started with sibling photos immediately, and Ayo was so great with his little sister! We’ll talk about how your toddler is doing with the new addition and the safest way to proceed based on that input from you. Sometimes sibling images aren’t the two of them alone, but being held by a parent. However they are ultimately set up, they will show their relationship just as they were at that stage. The safety of your newborn is my primary consideration when it comes to sibling images, so we’ll make decisions about how to best photograph them with that at the forefront.

We moved on to family images, and I played the jump like a crazy person game with Ayo to get him laughing. It was quite effective as you’ll see below. I always try to get one or two images with everyone looking and smiling - more often than not, I am able to with no issues. Every toddler is a wild card though, so there are no guarantees. The rest of the family portion was all natural interaction - snuggling up nice and tight and making each other laugh. It showcases your family’s true dynamic and results in the most beautifully authentic images. When you look at them you’ll smile and you’ll think, “This is us.”

When Ayo was finished, he headed home with Grandma and we wrapped up the rest of the session with Liya and her parents. I’m so happy that Liya will have these to look back on when she’s older so she can see how incredibly loved she was from the very beginning!

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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Lance

Baby Lance decided to follow in his sister’s footsteps and arrive prematurely. (see this previous post on this family’s maternity session for the backstory!)

Because of his early arrival, he ended up with a NICU stay. We stayed in touch with Tonya for updates during his time in the NICU. If your baby arrives prematurely and you’ve scheduled a newborn session with us, please know that we are here to support you however we can. We are constantly thinking of you and your baby, and will check in with you to see how you are. We don’t expect responses since we know that having a baby in the NICU is scary and each day is unpredictable with lots of twists and turns. When your baby is released, we’ll talk about scheduling your session!

After a few weeks, Tonya let us know that baby Lance was finally coming home! We were so excited for their family and glad to know he was home with his family. We scheduled a time for them to come in for their session. When they arrived, I squealed over his head of hair, his cute little lips, and how perfectly tiny he was! I got started right away with his solo portraits while Tonya and Briana looked through the wardrobe to choose dresses for themselves.

NICU graduates are often very scheduled babies, and Lance was no exception. He slept through his entire session, and was very much still a newborn in size and curliness. Briana was such a loving and doting big sister, and I invited her to assist me in the newborn room by holding Lances’ pacifier and sitting next to me. If you have a much older child (10+) who is interested and capable of assisting me during your baby’s solo portraits I will always involve them. I want them to know how important and valued they are!

After we finished up, we moved into the family portion of the session and also took some time with just Briana and her baby brother. He reached his hand up and smacked her in the face, which surprised her and made us all laugh. He’s already letting her know he’s going to boss her around! :)

Here are a few of my favorites from this family’s newborn session - I am so happy for them and for baby Lance! He has an incredible family to love and support him as he grows.

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Clara

Megan was new to the Atlanta area and expecting baby #2. After her move, she became involved with Fit4Mom in Roswell, which is such a great resource for moms who want to meet other moms and work out! I wish there had been a chapter here in intown Atlanta back when I had my first child as it would have been such a great way to exercise and make lifelong friendships! She met Holly in the group, who is a long term client of mine. When she asked for recommendations for newborn photographers, Holly immediately gave her our information. She contacted the studio shortly thereafter, and chose to book a newborn session. Megan chose to wait until birth to find out if she was having a boy or a girl! It’s a surprise whenever you choose to find out, but I admit that I have a soft spot for fellow waiters like myself. I didn’t find out with any of my three children, and it was pretty much the best thing ever each time when I heard those words, “It’s a ____!”.

A few weeks later, we heard from Megan that her baby GIRL had arrived and was a big girl at over 8 pounds! One of the most common questions we hear from people is how it’s possible to schedule a newborn session before a baby has arrived. I’m going to touch on this really quickly because it’s an important one!

When you reserve your newborn session, you are holding your spot with us. We don’t schedule an exact date and time. We book a limited number of newborns due in each month so that we can fully serve our clients without being overextended or too busy. If your baby doesn’t arrive during their due date month, that’s totally fine! You’re still guaranteed your spot. You will let us know within 48 hours of your baby’s birth and we’ll provide you with some session dates to choose from that are generally within 8-16 days of your baby’s arrival when possible. The dates provided are affected by the following factors: whether you had a c-section, baby’s weight at birth, any complications for mama/baby, and whether you choose to add on hair and makeup services.

Megan chose to add on hair and makeup services for her session, because she didn’t want to add one more thing to do before leaving her house in Roswell that morning. When she arrived at the studio with Clara, we looked through the studio wardrobe and she chose a gorgeous textured lace dress to wear for herself. She mentioned she had brought jeans for her son but didn’t have a shirt that she liked for him. We stock shirts for little boys in size 2-5 T, and she opted for a simple organic cotton v-neck t-shirt from Burt’s Bees. They’re so comfortable and photograph beautifully. As a mom of a two year old boy, I know that most of us boy moms aren’t buying white shirts for the everyday wardrobe…. my little boy isn’t exactly known for keeping his clothes clean! We have other options in the studio wardrobe as well, so don’t worry if you don’t have something for your little boy that you like. Just bring a pair of jeans or khaki shorts and we’ll take care of the rest.

I started photographing Clara’s solo images while Megan settled into the hair and makeup chair. She was a good sleeper and flashed a few sleepy grins at me. Ass I was finishing up, Daddy and big brother Caleb arrived, and I got started with sibling images right away. Caleb was such a sweetie and a great listener for the sibling and family portion of the session. With toddler age siblings, I work very, very quickly. We never know how much time they will give us and I want to make sure that we have images in your gallery of your whole family together before they lose patience. Caleb did eventually lose all patience, and let us all know about it. Megan expressed that she was worried that I hadn’t gotten any good images, and I reassured her that I had. Sometimes when your child throws a fit, you only remember the frustration you experience in that moment and not the calm leading up to it. After getting Caleb squared away and content on the studio couch with some snacks and an activity, we moved on to the parent portion of their session. This is where I photograph each individual parent with their baby and then parents together with their baby. It’s honestly the easiest part of the whole session! I’ll help you get positioned just right, and then all you have to do is look at your baby and snuggle them. Which is pretty much exactly what you’ve been doing since they were first placed in your arms. You’re already an expert - I’m just here to make sure you look photogenic while doing it. ;)

Here are a few of my favorite images from this wonderful family’s newborn session!

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Thea

Stefanie contacted the studio during her second trimester to schedule a newborn session for her second baby. She mentioned that she was a bit nervous about the sibling portion of the session because her older son, Oliver, is very shy and doesn’t do well with strangers. We assured her that we work with LOTS of shy little ones, and have a tried and true approach to them in which we let them warm up to us on their terms rather than get into their faces.

When Stefanie contacted us a few months later to let us know that baby Thea had arrived, she asked if she could add on hair and makeup services. She was driving from over an hour away for her session and wanted to have less things to worry about on her way out the door. We checked with our HMUA team and sent over a couple of dates for Stefanie to choose from. After she confirmed her date, we sent her our newborn prep packet which is full of helpful tips and guidance on what to bring from home for the rest of your family.

When Stefanie arrived at the studio, we looked through the studio wardrobe at some options for her. She chose to wear a a beautifully textured cream lace dress that she loved. We offer a wide variety of sizes to fit 0-14/16 and they can accommodate lots of different heights as well. Stefanie commented how easy the whole process had been as she sat down in the hair and makeup chair. She was so glad that the only thing she had to worry about was getting to the studio and that we took care of the rest for her.

I got started with Thea’s solo images. She was wide awake when we first started. Wide awake babies are great - as long as they’re also calm! I always love to take that opportunity for some open eye photographs. Not every baby opens their eyes during their time in the studio though. I’d say about 50% of my little clients do. I always discuss mom’s preferences regarding headbands and tiebacks prior to beginning newborn sessions for baby girls. It’s totally up to you whether you want a tieback for all, some, or none of their images. I choose tiebacks from my collection that are proportionate to your baby’s head and also work well with their skin tone and the overall setup. We keep our sessions very neutral so the focus is on your little one and all their sweet features!

After I finished up, Tom and big brother Oliver arrived at the studio! Just as Stefanie had predicted, Oliver hid behind his parents and didn’t want to look at me. So…. I ignored him. I’ve found this is the absolute best way to get a child interested in you. It was effective because he wanted to know why this lady with the camera wouldn’t even look at him. He approached me closely and I said hello. I asked him if he would like to lie down next to his sister or hold her, and he was emphatic that he did not. I think it’s really important to respect the feelings and wishes of big siblings. If they don’t want to do sibling images, we are not going to force it. Forcing things makes the experience negative and stressful for them. Instead, we’ll work around it and focus on family and parent images instead. That’s exactly what we did, and Oliver thought that my silly faces were pretty funny. He gave me a few grins, and his parents were amazed by how well he was doing with me. Stefanie sent me an email later that day after she was home thanking me for taking time with him and for being so patient. It’s part of the job! I want every person in my studio - big or small - to feel respected and that they were treated with kindness.

When I sent over their proof gallery, Stefanie was so happy with the images! She kept saying she couldn’t believe how he was smiling and interacting, and that the whole experience was absolutely amazing. She hadn’t expected much from the family portion, so was absolutely blown away. I thanked her for choosing to entrust me with photographing her family. Choosing who to work with for your newborn and family photography is a big decision, and I am always so honored and excited to be chosen!

Here are just a few of my favorites photographs from their newborn session!

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Reese

I first worked with Kate and Trace for their daughter’s newborn session, which can be viewed by clicking here. I was thrilled to hear from Kate again letting me know she was pregnant with her second child, a baby boy! They loved their experience with us and wanted to work with us again for her son’s newborn session. I absolutely love seeing my clients throughout the years for different sessions as their family and children grow. 

Since Kate had worked with us previously, she knew exactly what to expect from our time together and already had outfits for her family chosen. While many families opt to have their newborn wrapped in a blanket, some parents choose to have their baby wear a simple white onesie or a sleeper for the family part of their session. I love either option, and encourage each client to choose the one that they like the best. There is no wrong choice here!

When Kate arrived at the studio, she made herself comfy on the couch and relaxed while I started photographing Reese for his solo images. He was wide awake when I started, but very relaxed and calm. I love capturing images of babies looking directly at the camera! Believe it or not, it’s harder than you think. Once I had these images, I wrapped him up nice and snug, and used some soothing techniques to lull him to sleep. He slept like a champ for the rest of his session, and as I was finishing up, big sister Meriwether and daddy arrived! We always have dads bring older siblings later into the session. This keeps the studio quiet and relaxed, and your older children will be much happier at home playing instead of sitting in the studio trying to be still and quiet. Moms alway tell us they really enjoy the little break too!

We moved right into the family and sibling images since toddlers have a limited reserve of attention and energy. She was wiggly little thing, but I used some of my tricks to get her to sit still for the sibling photos and she did SUCH a great job. She gave me such a hilarious face for one of her sibling photos with her baby brother. You’ll know it when you see it below! It ended up being her mom’s favorite photo of them together!

Kate and Trace are such fun-loving parents, and that shows in their final images. The family part of our sessions are relaxed and laid back, and I encourage families to snuggle together and interact just like they would on their couch at home. We’ll do a mix of sitting and standing during newborn sessions - it’s often much easier to hold a wiggly little one while sitting down! For those worried about not being able to get any images at all because their toddler never stops moving….just remember that all I need is 1/800th of a second! With patience and a positive approach, we will work together to document this special time in your lives with images you will always cherish and look at with a smile.

Here are just a few of my favorite photographs from baby Reese’s newborn photo session!

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Natalie

Erin contacted the studio to inquire about booking her baby’s newborn session when her daughter was already a week old. We were able to fit her in right away as we happened to have an opening that week. Erin also asked if hair and makeup add on services were also available at the last minute, and to her luck - we had someone available! While we strongly recommend reserving your newborn session in advance, we understand that sometimes life and circumstances get in the way. We can’t guarantee we will have availability, but definitely check with us if this is you!

The morning of of their session Erin and her mother in law arrived at the studio with tiny six pound Natalie Wren. She had such delicate features and her name fit her so perfectly! Erin and I quickly looked through the wardrobe and she chose a simple blush dress to wear. She expressed relief that she didn’t have to worry about going out and finding something that would fit. We hear this all the time from our clients and have a wide variety of sizes 0-14/16 to choose from.

Natalie’s husband arrived a bit later, and when he started talking with his mother, I immediately recognized their accent…. Pittsburgh! I know it when I hear it immediately and said, “Wait a minute…. do I hear Pittsburgh?!” My dad’s family hails from Pittsburgh. I was born in Pittsburgh and am a Steelers fan by default. It was so much fun to feel like I was back home as we chatted while Natalie took some nursing breaks. Mike doesn’t love having his photo taken. When I asked him what he was wearing he said he didn’t know and gestured towards a bunch of button downs that Erin had brought from home. I said, “Well, why don’t you wear what you have on?” He looked at me incredulously and said, “What, are you serious? I can wear this?” When I told him “Absolutely!”, I think I might have been his favorite person on earth in that very moment. Moms, there’s nothing wrong with your husband wearing a comfortable cotton t-shirt. The color is what is most important, and it should be free of logos and pocketless. Our newborn prep packet will give you ideas of the color palette to choose, and your guy will love you for it. If button downs are more his style, have him go with that. Ultimately, my goal is for everyone to feel comfortable and like themselves. This seems so simple but it affects your entire session.

Natalie was a curly and sleepy baby and stayed asleep for the majority of her solo portraits. She needed to take a couple of nursing breaks and then went right back to sleep, Babies dictate the flow of my sessions. What works for one baby won’t necessarily work for another, so every newborn session in the studio is unique to each individual baby.

After we had finished with our session, I noticed that the blanket they’d brought from home was the perfect match to the dress Erin was wearing. I asked if they’d like to use it for the family portion, and they loved the idea. I welcome the use of blankets from home. This particular blanker was a soft muslin blanket from Amazon with blush and gold accents. I pulled a gold headband from my stock, and the whole look was perfection! You’ll notice it throughout the photos below. I love being able to tie in a personal piece for that extra touch. If you’re thinking about bringing a blanket, we’ll give you tips and suggestions about what kind to bring. If it’s a blanket that was knitted by a loved one, it might not work for all of the images but we can definitely incorporate it into an image or two.

Here are my favorite photos from Natalie Wren’s newborn session!

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photography | Baby Noah

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photography | Baby Grant

I first worked with Brittany when her first baby was born! You can see big sister Ava's newborn session images by clicking here. I worked with them again for a fall family session when Ava was sitting up at our gardens location, and was thrilled to hear from her to let me know baby #2 was on the way and she wanted to schedule a newborn session for him.

Brittany asked to work with Margaret again for her hair and makeup - she's become such a big fan of our HMUA add on and has used them for all her sessions with us. When you've just had a baby, you're tired and sore, and sacrificing more sleep to try and get yourself ready sounds pretty much like the worst thing ever. Here in our studio, we take that stress away for new moms. I can't tell you how many of our clients have showed up in sweatpants and a comfy shirt. We'll get you settled with a snack, something to drink, and I'll whisk your baby to the newborn room to get started on the session. I want to clarify something that we are asked a lot: adding on HMUA services does NOT add more time to your session. I photograph babies alone regardless, and that's what I'll be doing while you're in the hair and makeup chair! 

Grant was a sleepy little babe, and only needed to nurse once during his session. However you choose to feed your little one - we support that! We have nursing pillows here in the studio for our mamas and our HMUA team are experts at working with new mamas. Your baby directs the show, so if they need to eat, I'll bring them to you to do so. 

I actually love when babies start waking up during their newborn solo portraits. If they're calm and not too hungry, they're usually wide eyed and curious, and make the cutest little expressions. I'm there at the ready to capture as many of those as I can. I love little yawns, stretches, tiny little sneezes, sleepy smiles, and puckered lips. They're just adorable!

As I was finishing up with Grant, Brittany was also ready to go. Daddy and big sister Ava arrived, and we got straight to work. When we have a toddler sibling, we always start right away with some family images and parent images. Depending on your toddler's personality and temperament that day, we'll take some sibling only images. Ava was a great listener and already used to "holding" Grant, so these images were very easy to set up and take in just seconds. We always have mom and dad right there for safety purposes. Sometimes a toddler just isn't feeling their baby sibling, and that's ok! We default to images of them together with a parent holding them. Our studio has a unique marriage of lifestyle and natural posing when it comes to our approach. During family time together in front of my camera you will often hear me ask you NOT to look at the camera. I want you to look at your newest addition, and to encourage your older child(ren) to interact with the baby. These are how we get the most beautiful and authentic images that really show who you are as a family and highlight the love that you all have for one another. It's the beginning of the wildest, and the best, ride of your life! 

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, or family photographer - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photograper | Baby Troi

Toya contacted us to book a maternity and newborn session with us. Unfortunately, baby Troi had other plans and decided to enter the world at 26 weeks. We stayed in constant touch with Toya throughout her extended NICU stay to get updates on Troi and how she was doing, and this sweet little fighter came home after a couple of months!

Toya let us know that she was being released, and we scheduled her newborn session to take place a few days afterwards. When moms who have booked a maternity session have their baby before their scheduled session, we transfer any funds already paid to a newborn session. Losing money should be the least of a preemie mom's concerns after going through one of the most emotionally difficult situations a parent can experience! 

Toya brought Troi in for her newborn session, and oh my! She was such a tiny and dainty little thing, and the sweetest. Troi also had a very independent personality and let me know when she didn't like being moved. She was such a deep sleeper once she settled and we flew through the newborn portion of her session.

Toya chose a simple dress from our studio wardrobe that she loved. Her husband, Troy (any guesses who baby Troi was named after?!) arrived during his lunch break and we completed the family and parent portion very quickly. I loved working with this sweet family!

Here are a few images from this amazing little fighter's newborn session! 

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Cedar

Lauren called the studio to find out if we had availability for her son who had already arrived. She had thought newborn photos weren't something she wanted, but as she watched her baby change each day she knew that she wanted to preserve all the tiny newborn details as much as she could. Cedar was quite the chunker, so we suggested coming in right away. Each baby is different, but generally speaking: the larger your baby is, the sooner we want to schedule your session. As babies grow they become less curly, and bigger babies usually tend to become less flexible more quickly. One thing that bigger babies do have going for them is that they usually always sleep like rocks! Cedar definitely lived up to that during his time with me!

Lauren and her husband arrived at the studio and I set to work with photographing Cedar alone for solo images. I photograph with neutral colors so that nothing distracts from your baby and all their precious little features. Your baby won't be competing with props or bright colors while they're here. Because Cedar was such a deep sleeper, we moved through his newborn portion pretty quickly. He woke up towards the end and I handed him to his mom to nurse. Babies are fed as needed while you are here. Our sessions are laid back and relaxed, so if you need to feed your baby four times during the course of your time here, or if your baby likes to eat very slowly - please know that this is perfectly okay! Your baby's comfort is our top priority, and that's what we will work around. 

Once Cedar finished eating, we moved into the parent and family portion. Lauren and her husband chose to wear more casual clothing from home and followed our newborn session prep guide when making their selections. While the newborn only session can take a while and is more "complicated" in terms of getting baby wrapped and positioned just right, the parent and family part is a breeze. I'll walk you through the whole thing and give you some simple "rules" to follow and the rest flows easily, I promise!

Here are a few of my favorites! 

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Joseph

Alecia and Michael were so excited for the arrival of their first baby - a little boy! Alecia requested to add on hair and makeup services, and when they arrived at the studio she was a little overwhelmed with all of the options available to her in the wardrobe. She had been worried about finding something that would fit her since she's on the petite side, but we assured her that it wouldn't be a problem. We were right - she absolutely LOVED the dress she chose to wear as soon as she put it in. If I remember correctly, there was a gasp when she saw herself in it. Michael had brought a few options, and we chose a plain t-shirt for him to wear. A t-shirt? You betcha! My number one goal for you is for EACH of you to feel comfortable in what you're wearing and to be happy with how you look. I have men in my studio who are most comfortable and confident in a three piece suit. I have other men who want to wear jeans and a t-shirt. Neither way is wrong - my concern is with color, not the level of dressiness or casualness. So if your guy wants to wear a cotton t-shirt with jeans, that's perfectly okay, and it's welcomed in my studio. 

For reference, our shortest female adult client was 4'10", and our tallest was 6'2". We have various lengths and sizes (0-16) and have yet to have a client not be able to find something they liked. Clients are also more than welcome to wear their own clothing if they prefer! We'll provide a super easy and to the point style guide, and we're available via email to go through things with you, or we can schedule a quick studio consult. Our goal is to make your experience as easy and stress free as we possibly can.

Alecia settled into the hair and makeup chair, and I got started with Joseph's newborn solo images. He lasted for about thirty minutes before he woke up needing to eat, so Alecia nursed him in the makeup chair while Michael and I chatted. Michael is a videographer, so it was fun to talk in technical terms since photography and videography share basic principles. He had a few questions for me about my equipment and expressed that he had no idea how much went into newborn photography in terms of getting the perfect images. I asked him a few about the video editing software he used. When Alecia finished Joseph was content and asleep again and we were able to wrap up the rest of his solo portraits quite quickly. 

We moved into parent and family images, and it was so sweet to watch Alecia and Michael with Joseph. You could tell how blissfully happy they were to be parents, and the images exude the feeling of calm and content that was present in the studio that day. 

Here are a few of my favorites from their session! 

If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, baby or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!

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