Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Priyanka

I’ve been working with Michelle and her beautiful family since the birth of her first child, Henry. I blogged about her maternity session at the park location earlier this month, and you can see the images from that session by clicking here.

Fun fact: each time Michelle has had a baby, she always has something major going on. With Henry they were renovating their house. With Priyanka, they were moving to a new home right before her due date! Needless to say, nothing scares her. Michelle was originally scheduled for an induction, but Priyanka decided to surprise us all and come on her own terms a few days ahead of that date.

I was able to meet Priyanka the day after she was born when I stopped by Northside Hospital to visit and chat with Michelle and Kalyan. Priyanka was wrapped up in a bili blanket to treat her jaundice, so I wasn’t really able to get a good look at her while I was there. So many of my clients become dear friends over time, and I love being more than "“just a photographer” to so many. I am truly so incredibly lucky to have a job where I get to meet and photograph so many wonderful families, and to keep so many as friends! While I was there, we went ahead and scheduled her newborn session date.

Michelle has worked with one of our HMUA’s for every portrait session with me, and this time was no exception. Add on hair and makeup services are available! Just ask when you inquire. Adding this on does not lengthen your session because I am photographing your baby while you’re being prepped. So, you might as well pamper yourself instead of twiddling your thumbs during that time! Brielle was her HMUA this go round, and the two of them hit it off instantly. Trust me when I say that you’re in for a treat with any of our HMUA team because it’s like chatting with girlfriend the whole time. I’m always a little jealous that I don’t get to hang out with everyone else when I hear the constant laughter through the newborn shooting room door. (PS: there’s an observation window in the shooting room to look through if so desired!)

When Michelle arrived with Priyanka, she texted me and I came downstairs to help her with her things. I am always happy to assist my newborn clients who might need a bit of extra help and it’s no trouble at all! Kalyan and Henry were joining us later - we have toddlers wait to come to the studio with dad or a grandparents until it’s time for them to be photographed.

Michelle and I looked through the studio dresses and I had one specifically in mind for her that I knew would look amazing with her skin tone. She immediately loved it, and pulled out what she’d brought for Kalyan and Henry. The shirts she had for Henry didn’t quite work with the overall color scheme, but I simply grabbed one from our studio wardrobe that we have for little boys and it worked perfectly. We don’t have an extensive wardrobe for children, and stick to the basics, but in a pinch we are often able to help toddler moms with what we have on hand if they don’t have something that works! Plus, when you have a little boy, you don’t tend to buy light colored shirts for them since little boys tend to love dirt. ;) I speak from personal experience: my three year old son would sleep with his yellow Tonka dump truck in his bed if I would let him!

Brielle got started with Michelle and I took Priyanka back to the newborn shooting room. She was wide awake and calm, and eventually fell asleep in the warm room with lots of patting and snuggles. While she slept well, she was also a light sleeper, so her solo portraits involved a lot of waiting since she required a lot of soothing to fall back asleep.

When I finished up, Henry and Kalyan had arrived, and Michelle was getting dressed. Henry had experienced some jealousy when they had brought Priyanka home from the hospital and didn’t want to be around her, but had started warming up over the past few days. If your child isn’t wild about the newest family member, don’t stress out about it. I have a lot of little tricks to get your toddler close to the baby for interaction and we’ll talk about those in advance of your session! Leave your expectations at the door, and we’ll create a zero stress and no pressure experience for your child. Children are much more receptive when their feelings are respected and they are given the space they need, so that’s how I run my studio. I consider your children my clients too, and I want them to have a wonderful experience!

Henry didn’t want to take any photos alone with Priyanka, so we moved into parent and family images. We played games (remember the little tricks I told you about?) and had a couple of tickle fights. I knock out the images that include toddler siblings as quickly as I can since their attention span is limited. Once they’re over it, they are OVER it. The family didn’t have anyone on hand to help with Henry, so they brought some activities for him to occupy him while I finished up photographing Priyanka with just her parents. We did have a couple of nursing breaks for the little miss during this portion. I never want my mamas to be worried that feeding breaks are “taking too long”. There is no such thing. We want a happy and comfortable baby, and it’s okay if they take their time. Most newborns do!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Priyanka’s session! I can’t wait to see her again for her six month milestone!

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 Lennon

Kylie contacted the studio to schedule a last minute newborn session for her baby girl, Lennon, who had already arrived. They had gotten so busy over the holidays that they had forgotten to schedule a newborn session. When they visited the website, they loved what they saw - and Jordan was sold when he found out that the studio was only a five minute drive from their Kirkwood neighborhood.

A little backstory here, because it’s just too good not to share!

I live in the Kirkwood neighborhood also. It’s a fun neighborhood to go trick-or-treating in, and on Halloween I took my three children. They all dressed as the Incredibles, and were bouncing off the streets from all the sugar. On the first street that we visited, I noticed a pregnant woman dressed as an avocado. My dad, who was visiting and accompanying us, elbowed me and said I should give her my business card. I laughed because that is SO not my style and told him to quit it.

On the day of Lennon’s newborn session (which was two days after Kylie first contacted us!) the new family of three arrived at the studio. We went through the wardrobe and Kylie loved one of our simple white lace dresses. Jordan had brought a few options from home, and I left the final decision up to him between two that I pulled. Since he’s a laid back and more casual guy, he chose the t-shirt. I want dads to wear what is true to them and what they feel comfortable in. My main concern is fit and color - the tones need to mesh well with what everyone else is wearing, and the fit shouldn’t be too tight or overly large. If your guy is most comfortable in a three piece suit and that’s what he loves to wear, go for it! I just had an amazing family in my studio who opted to wear formalwear (think tuxedos for the guys and a black evening gown for mom). These are YOUR family portraits and you should love what you wear. My job is simply to make sure that it works in the setting of your photographs and is all cohesive from an aesthetic standpoint.

Baby Lennon wins the prize for being the most awake little baby that I have EVER had in my studio. She did not want to sleep and wanted to spend a lot of time nursing. During one of her nursing breaks, I asked where they lived, and when they responded Kirkwood - I said, “Oh, I live there too, right by the park.” Both of them looked at each other and said “No way, we live right by the park too!”

I can literally see their house from my bedroom window. First time I’ve ever had a client turn out to be a literal neighbor! I commented that we had gone trick or treating on the street, and that my kids had dressed as the Incredibles, and Kylie gasped and said “I remember them!”. They didn’t have a lot of foot traffic that year, and my kids are definitely little chatterboxes. Kyle then told me, “I was dressed as an avocado!” What are the chances? It really is such a small world we live in.

When babies are awake, we just work around them. If a newborn wants to be awake and is calm, I proceed with the session. If a baby is awake and crying, we will take the time we need to get them into a calm or sleeping state. Lennon was a wide eyed and expressive baby, and shockingly strong for her age. I don’t encounter many newborns who can lift and hold their head up like she did. We all joked that she was suffering from serious FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and that’s why she didn’t want to sleep.

For the parent portion of the session. Kylie opted to have Lennon wear a headband from the studio and dressed her in a knotted gown. Sometimes it’s easier to have a baby in a gown as opposed to wrapped in a blanket since there is much less adjusting to do and less fabric to deal with. We’ll discuss your preferences when you arrive when it comes to that and you’ll make the decision that best suits your taste!

With a lot of patience and waiting (and good conversation while we waited!) Lennon eventually did fall asleep. As you’ll see from the handful of photos below, it made for quite a varied gallery! Newborn clients receive their final gallery images in both black and white and color versions, so the gallery below is a mix.

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Mina

Where do I even begin? Steve and Irene have been coming to me since their first maternity session at the field location with their oldest daughter, Oona who is now three. Over the years, I have photographed them so many times for milestones, family sessions, and Santa. When Irene let me know she was expecting her second daughter, I was beyond thrilled for them! They chose the mountain location for their family maternity session, and you can view those gorgeous images by clicking here.

When Mina was born, Irene let me know she had arrived and we picked a date for the family to come in for her newborn session. Irene and her mother in law arrived first with Mina. I loved how she had chosen to do her hair and makeup! She had already chosen her dress for the newborn session back when we had our maternity fitting, which is very common for clients to do! She asked to see some of our options for little girls and we pulled a dress for big sister Oona to wear when she arrived, which was shortly afterwards.

I started with just Mina for her solo portraits in the newborn shooting room and she was wide awake for a little while, but so calm and content. A lot of clients ask if I can photograph their newborn looking at the camera, and I wish I could promise that but it’s entirely dependent on your baby. There are some babies who come in and they never open their eyes the entire time. Other babies are awake but they’re not happy or calm while awake. Every baby is unique, and their session gallery will also be one of a kind as well.

Because Steve could only be there for a little while before heading back in to work, we started with family and parent images and wrapped those up so he could be on his way back to work. Lots of dads plan to come to the session over their lunch break and plan for a longer than usual lunch break rather than taking the day off. Weekend newborn sessions are sometimes available, but cannot be guaranteed.

After Steve had left, I finished up with Mina. The family portion had worn her out and gotten her tired, and after a diaper change, a bottle, and some snuggling, she was conked out. When babies are in deep sleep, I’m able to do a lot more with them in terms of how they look while wrapped. Generally, the sleepier a baby is, the more pliable and flexible their body is. I never force babies into positions and actually love to arrange the wrap around the position they naturally assume when curled up. I want parents to be able to look back on their images and remember every little tiny thing about their baby. I wish I could say I remember exactly what my son’s toe looked like, but the memory is fuzzy. Having a photograph of his little feet is absolutely priceless and ensures I’ll always remember.

As a closing note, every portrait client receives their final gallery images in both black and white and color versions with the exception of our Santa images. I adore the black and white images from this session so much that I’m choosing to share all black and white images for this 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 William

Heather contacted the studio in her third trimester to schedule a newborn session for her son, William. She was excited to hear we had a wardrobe available and also asked to add on hair and makeup services. When you schedule a newborn session while you’re still pregnant, we don’t actually schedule a date in the calendar for you. Babies arrive on their own timetable, and there are so many factors we need to consider such as birth weight and how you’re both recovering if there were any unforeseen complications. Booking your newborn session simply means you’re reserving a guaranteed spot! You’ll let us know as soon as possible that your baby has arrived, and we’ll find out how everything went and how much your baby weighed at birth. If you’re adding on hair and makeup services too, we’ll then check with our HMUA team to see who is available when we are and give you a couple of dates to choose from. We handle all the coordinating for you so you don’t have to. That first week at home with a newborn is often one that involves very little sleep, so we strive to make your entire experience with us as easy as possible with nothing to worry about.

Heather arrived at the studio with William and we looked through the wardrobe. She found a dress she loved, and settled into the hair and makeup chair. She let me know that her husband wasn’t a big fan of having his photos taken and that when he arrived she hoped we could get him in and out quickly. I reassured her that I work efficiently and would have him out of there after we were finished. I also informed her that if William was fussy, needed to nurse, or would not sleep, that her husband would have to wait until it was resolved in order to continue. As anyone who has been around a newborn knows, there is no “Hurry up and finish!” when it comes to needing to eat!

William was sound asleep when I took him out of the baby carrier, and I thought his little onesie was just so cute, so I gently placed him on my shooting surface still dressed. I was able to take his onesie off without him waking up and continued through his entire session with him sleeping like.. well, a baby. ;) At the very end of his session he opened his eyes…. and decided he wanted to stay awake. He had a long staring contest with his daddy, and after a nice long feed and about 15 minutes of snuggling with his mama he conked back out and we wrapped up the session.

Are these not some of the most perfect pillowy lips you have ever seen?! He was such a little sweetie!

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 Sage

I first worked with Rachael & Dillon for their maternity session in the park, where we had so much fun! You can view some of the gorgeous images from their shoot by clicking here. The big question we all wanted to know the answer to was whether or not their baby boy would have red hair like his dad! I was so looking forward to hearing how it all went and getting to meet baby Sage at their newborn session.

Rachael let me know that Sage had arrived safely and asked to add on hair and makeup services again. She did not want to have to deal with getting herself ready for the session running on little to no sleep, and she already knew exactly which dress she planned to wear from the studio wardrobe. SO many of our newborn clients who work with us for maternity beforehand have a good idea of which dress they’re going to wear for their newborn session. Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting to see what fits well if their bust grows a bit due to milk production. It’s different for every woman.

When they arrived at the studio, I peeked inside the carseat and squealed when I saw that Sage DID indeed have red hair just like daddy! Rachael and Dillon both said that they weren’t at all surprised. We have had so many gorgeous redhead mamas in the studio but this was our first newborn with red hair that we could see! A couple of our newborns went on to have red hair when they were older.

I took Sage out of his carseat and into the dedicated newborn shooting room. I have it set up to be toasty warm and comfy for my littlest clients, and there’s an observation window for parents to watch through if they so desire. Rachael settled into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret for some pampering and fun conversation, and I got to work with Sage. He was a sleepy little thing and was very relaxed and curly, which made for a very easy session! I have endless patience, so if your baby is fussy or doesn’t want to sleep, I’ll keep working with them and we’ll still get beautiful images even if they refuse to close their eyes and sleep. (yes, this has happened!)

When I came out with Sage, Rachael will still being prepped. Sage needed to nurse, so it was perfect timing. He was also a quick nurser, so when he finished up I went ahead and started with daddy and baby shots. I always keep moving along when baby is calm and sleepy. Rachael joined in shortly after, and it was just the sweetest thing to see them holding their son. Rachael and Dillon had miscarried a baby prior to becoming pregnant with Sage, and were very open about it with others. They referred to Sage as their rainbow baby, and were very grateful to be his parents. It’s a strange place to be in: celebrating the baby you have while still grieving for the one you lost. If you are experiencing this, I want you to know that you are not alone. I have heard countless stories, given many tearful hugs, and supported both clients and friends along the way of navigating loss.

Enjoy some of my favorites from this absolutely joyful 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 Sophia

Melissa contacted the studio to schedule a newborn session for when her daughter Sophia arrived. After she inquired, she took some time to look over information and then went to browse the website again. She clicked on this video, cried, and then emailed to let us know she wanted to secure her spot. She was excited to hear that we had a studio wardrobe available as well as add on hair and makeup services! While Melissa was pretty sure she would wear clothing from her own closet, but was grateful to know that there was a backup option available to her.

On the morning of their session, Melissa arrived at the studio with baby Sophia. We looked through the studio wardrobe together and she showed me what she had brought from home for herself and for her husband and son. I loved what she had brought with her, and after hearing that she was hoping for a casual feel, told her I thought what she had brought would be perfect. She commented that the style guide we send to all clients was super helpful in knowing what to bring. Our HMUA Brielle was all set up for her when she arrived and spoke with her about what she wanted in terms of her look. Melissa loves makeup, and enjoys wearing a more dramatic eye, but also wanted to keep it more toned down than she would normally wear. Brielle nailed it, as always. If you’re someone who doesn’t wear makeup often (like me), have no fear. You will discuss your preferences with your HMUA and they will work with you to create a beautiful look that you feel gorgeous and comfortable in - you will look like yourself!

While Melissa was being pampered, I took baby Sophia to the newborn shooting room for her solo portraits. She was a sweet little itty bitty six pounder, and so snuggly! Melissa requested that we use some tiebacks for her during he solo portion, which is something else that I always ask my girl moms. Some moms prefer a mix, while others prefer none.

As I finished up, Melissa’s husband Tom arrived with Tommy. Tommy was the most ADORABLE big brother ever! He was so sweet and loving towards his baby sister, and so eager to participate! With older siblings I always assess their comfort level and how they’re acclimating to baby. There is no set game plan when it comes to the sibling portion of the session because it’s impossible to predict how a younger child will react or be feeling on that day. We have lots of little tricks that we use for young toddlers who aren’t wild about their baby sibling, but none were needed with this guy as he is almost 4 and was a great listener. After we finished with the sibling images, we moved into family and parents. This is when you snuggle together as a new family and I photograph what unfolds. Sometimes families aren’t quite sure what to do because of the camera, but I just give a few prompts of things that families do all the time, and once you’re engaged in that it all comes together.

You’ll notice that Sophia is wearing a darling little buttoned gown! We have a few alternatives to blanket wraps in the studio and I’ll discuss the pros and cons of each option. Every family will want a different feel for their images in terms of overall look, others will want to add in a sentimental touch by bringing their own blanket for the session. There is no right or wrong way! I loved her sweet little gown and it made moving her from parent to parent quite seamless as there was no readjusting of a blanket needed. If you want to bring something from home, we’ll discuss best practices to make sure what you bring photographs beautifully in terms of color and texture. We can also recommend specific places to shop at as well!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this precious little girl’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 Hank

Melanie contacted the studio to schedule a last minute newborn session after her son Hank had arrived, and was excited to hear that we had a studio wardrobe available as well as add on hair and makeup services! As brand new moms, sometimes the non-maternity clothes we have in our closets don’t fit right away, and who wants to go shopping immediately postpartum?! Our moms who have waited until the last minute also appreciate not having to rush around in a panic to find something that will work for them since we often have last minute requests come in within a couple of days if we have the availability and their baby is ready to be photographed.

On the morning of their session, Melanie and her husband Adam arrived at the studio with baby Hank. Melanie looked through the studio wardrobe and settled on a gorgeous off the shoulder dress that complemented her fair skin coloring perfectly. Brielle was all set up for her when she arrived, so she settled into the chair while I took baby Hank to the newborn shooting room for his solo portraits. We flew through his portion of the session and were finished before Melanie was! This rarely happens, as we usually finish right around the same time or a little bit after hair and makeup has been completed. In this case, Hank was ready to eat so he settled in for a nursing break while Brielle finished the final touches on Melanie’s hair.

After Hank was finished, we began the family and parent portion of the session. I always love watching new parents with their brand new baby! It can sometimes feel a little foreign holding a newborn when you’re a first time parent, and most of my clients are a little bit nervous. No need to be - my first priority is your baby’s safety and everyone’s comfort! We will adapt as necessary I guide you through each part, and make sure to help tuck stray hairs or adjust clothing as needed so you can focus on holding your newborn. The family portion is generally the easiest part of our time together - it consists of you admiring the amazing little human that you welcomed into your family. Since you’ve basically been doing that since you first laid eyes on them, you’re already a pro. I make sure you don’t give yourself a double chin while doing it. ;)

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this sweet little guy’s newborn session! Melanie and Adam loved their session so much that they chose to add an album and a framed 16x20 print alongside their digital files. Melanie wasn’t able to come into the studio to design her album, so we handled everything via email and phone. I absolutely love when my clients come in and bring their baby so that I can get some snuggles in, and visit with mama, but I totally understand how hard it can sometimes be to get out of the house with a new baby!

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!

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 Maternity, Newborn, and Family Photographer | Our Annual Blogging Break!

Every year we take a step back from administrative tasks to enjoy the holidays fully, and blogging is one of them! The studio is open for limited hours and we still have a couple of last minute spots remaining for sessions. Just contact us if that’s what you’re looking for and we’ll do our best to fit you in!

See you again on the blog in 2019!

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Clara

Caroline contacted the studio to schedule a newborn session, and was excited to hear that we had a studio wardrobe available. As brand new moms, sometimes the non-maternity clothes we have in our closets don’t fit right away, and who wants to go shopping immediately postpartum?!

On the morning of their session, Caroline and Michael arrived at the studio with baby Clara in tow. We discussed whether they wanted Clara to wear headbands or not (they chose a mix of with and without) and Holly looked through the studio wardrobe. She settled on a beautiful flutter sleeve dress with dot detailing that I just love and commented on how comfortable it was to wear. Caroline had also opted to add on makeup services for her session, so she settled into the chair while I took baby Clara to the newborn shooting room for her solo portraits. Clara flew through her portion of the session as she was a very sleepy baby, and we finished up just as Caroline’s makeup application was completed. After a short nursing break for Clara and a quick diaper change, we began the family and parent portion of the session. I always love watching new parents with their brand new baby! I guide you through each part, and make sure to help tuck stray hairs or adjust clothing as needed so you can focus on holding your newborn. The family portion is generally the easiest part of our time together - it consists of you admiring the amazing little human that you welcomed into your family. Since you’ve basically been doing that since you first laid eyes on them, you’re already a pro. I make sure you don’t give yourself a double chin while doing it. ;)

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this sweet little girl’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 Camden

When Amanda contacted the studio she asked for information about newborn sessions to be sent to her and let us know that she was exploring all of her options and was just in the information gathering process. We explained how we are different from others, our process, and sent our information over to her. She chose to work with us out of her options that she had researched because she felt that we were the best fit for her family based on our diverse portfolio.

When Camden was born, Amanda let us know that he had arrived and that he was quite a big boy at almost 9 pounds! She asked to add on hair and makeup services as well. We scheduled them to come in around the 10 day old mark, but this will not necessarily be the case for every baby. There are quite a few factors that determine when is optimal: the size of your baby, if you had a c-section and need more time to recover, if your baby was early, etc. All that being said, if you’re reading this and already have a three week old newborn it’s not too late for you! Just contact us right away to see what your options are.

Amanda arrived at the studio with Camden and her mom, and let me know that her husband would be arriving later. About half of our new dads prefer to do this, and that’s totally okay with us! Sometimes dads just don’t have much paternity leave and need to catch up on work, and other times they’d like to catch up on sleep before coming in. Amanda and I went through the wardrobe options and she loved a blush pink dress that was perfect with her fair complexion and blue eyes. She commented on how comfortable it was too. It’s one of my favorites because of that, and it’s also super nursing friendly so breastfeeding moms don’t have to take it on and off when baby needs to eat during their session. If you’re pregnant with your first baby ad planning to breastfeed, you’ll soon discover that the main litmus test of whether dresses and shirts make it into your wardrobe is the answer to the question: “Can I easily nurse in this?!” Many of our studio wardrobe pieces are nursing friendly for this exact reason. :)

While Amanda was being prepped, I took Camden into the newborn shooting room for his solo portraits. He was such a little butterball with an amazing head of hair, and so much fun to photograph. Bigger babies can sometimes be a bit of a challenge since their rolls can quite literally get in the way, but he was such a deep sleeper that he curled right up and made my job quite easy! I always let babies determine the flow of their sessions, and we wrapped up just before his daddy arrived when he started waking up. His dad took over with Camden and was such a doting and attentive father. Camden needed to eat, so after a diaper change and feeding, he went right back to sleep in his parents’ arms.

We moved into the parent and family portion of the session and included Grandma in a few images too. (Yep - grandparents are welcome and encouraged to participate!) Everyone was a bit nervous about what to do, but I reassured them that they were doing just fine. Many first time parents are still getting used to holding their babies while standing up, and I’m acutely aware of this. I’ll walk you through everything and your comfort will be my first priority. If you’re feeling tired or just dizzy (yes, this can happen!) we’ll simply modify things for you to be seated. You will still have the same look and feel in your images whether you’re sitting or standing, I promise.

After viewing her images, Amanda decided she wanted an album as part of her collection, and we had fun designing it together. We have beautiful neutral linen covers available, and the design process is super easy and streamlined. Prefer wall art? We have a gorgeous frame line too with options to work with a wide variety of home decor. I love both albums and wall art, and have both in my own home of my own personal images of my family and children. There’s something incredibly special about walking into my living room and seeing our family photos on the wall. I want my clients to print their images, and every newborn collection comes with a print credit and reference print box for this reason.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this sweet little boy’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 Joie

Have you ever heard those stories about how a couple thought they were having a boy and then ended up NOT having a boy? Yeah? I have too. But I’ve never met anyone personally that this actually happened to…. until now. I personally waited to find out what I was having with all three of my children until they were born!

So, how is this mixup even possible?! Great question. In their case, they had the tech put the sex of their baby in an envelope and sent to the bakery for a gender reveal.

Except…. either the tech or the bakery got it wrong. We will never know which (but we’re guessing the bakery!) Baby came out, everyone was expecting a boy, and the doctor said “Oh my gosh, it’s a girl!” Good thing that baby Joie’s parents are very go with the flow and are still laughing about it. Plus, doesn’t it make the coolest story?! Another bit of good news is that a nursery hadn’t been decorated yet in their new home, so clothes were the biggest thing that needed to be replaced.

When Marcus and Jazmyn arrived for Joie’s newborn session, I couldn’t get over how perfect her little features were! Jazmyn and I looked through the wardrobe and she chose a simple blush pink dress to wear. She sat down in the makeup chair as she had added on makeup services for her time with us.

I took baby Joie to the newborn shooting room to get started while her mom was being prepped. She was also one of the most alert and awake newborns I have ever met - and she was SO smiley. This is actually very rare for newborns, so smiles and eye contact should not be expected. I photograph newborns on neutrals (mainly creams and whites with some beiges) and will add in blush pinks for baby girls if moms are okay with that. I want the focus to be entirely on your baby and not have lots of other elements competing for the eye of the viewer. When it comes to headbands and tiebacks, I keep them very dainty and proportionate to the size of each individual baby’s head. In my view, if the first thing you notice is the headband a newborn is wearing, there’s a problem with the photograph. Some parents request that nothing be used at all, and it’s totally up to you! Joie’s daddy was VERY excited about headbands, so it was made pretty clear to use as many as possible. ;)

Joie woke up towards the end of her solo portraits, so I took the opportunity for some open eye and awake shots. I then took her to her mama to nurse, and we did some parent images and then wrapped her up to get her back to sleep. I finished up the parent portion, and then took her back into the newborn room to finish her solo portraits with her in deep sleep. While I do have a typical flow of how the majority of my newborn sessions go, they are entirely baby led. We switch things up all the time so that we don’t waste any of our time in the studio and so that your baby stays happy and comfortable! Lots of expectant parents ask how long a newborn session will take - and we can’t really answer that question with an exact time. So much depends on how often your baby needs to eat, if they’re sensitive to being touched or moved, how deeply they are sleeping, and how many diaper changes they’ll need. We don’t rush sessions, and our average time spent at the studio is 2.5-3 hours. That’s time spent: not time actually being photographed! :) Newborns can take quite a few minutes to nurse! We have our studio set up to be a serene and comfortable environment so you can relax during the "waiting periods” that happen during sessions.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from little Miss Joie’s session!I can’t wait to see them again in 2019 for a milestone session!

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

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

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.