Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Aiden

I have so many clients return year after year as their children grow or they add another baby, and this family is no exception. I LOVE getting to see the newest addition to families and seeing if they look like their siblings or not. I first worked with Adrienne and Dave when they were expecting their first child for their studio maternity session, then again for newborn and his First Birthday, then for his second birthday…and then heard from Adrienne that they were expecting baby #2! She scheduled both maternity and newborn for their second baby, opted to add on hair and makeup services with Margaret as she always has for previous sessions.

You can see their studio maternity session when expecting their first by clicking here, the newborn session of their first child by clicking here, fall family photos at the field by clicking here, and their park maternity session with their second child by clicking here. Whew, that’s a lot, right!? I don’t think I ever blogged Logan’s First Birthday session, so I should probably dig that out and post it sometime since it was such a cute one! That list doesn’t even include all the Santa sessions they’ve come to as well. What can I say? We have lots of long term clients and we LOVE it!

On the morning of their session, Adrienne and Dave arrived at the studio with baby Aiden! They had waited until birth again to find out if they were having a boy or girl (just like I did with all three of my own children) and were so excited that Logan was a big brother. As soon as I looked into the car seat carrier I was amazed at how CUTE Aiden was, but also at how different he looked from his brother as a newborn. There were definitely some similarities and time will tell - but I think they’re going to look pretty different from each other!

When I took Aiden out of his carseat, he was sound asleep, so I got to work right way with his solo portraits. Adrienne hopped into the hair and makeup chair, and Dave took the time to relax on the couch. Mamas - adding on hair and makeup doesn’t extend the length of your session time in the least bit. I’m going to be photographing your baby solo for the first 90 minutes or so of your time here, so if you’re worried that it’s going to make your session longer, don’t be!

Aiden slept for most of his time with me, but he did open his eyes to look around once. I always jump at the opportunity to photograph awake newborns as long as they’re calm and content. I love his quizzical expression in the photo I took, and then he drifted back to sleep. As I was finishing up with Aiden, big brother Logan arrived with his grandparents. Aiden woke up, but stayed really quiet and calm, so I kept photographing him while awake! Adrienne nursed him and then we got started with the family portion of the session.

We get a lot of requests for sibling photos. I want to address this because every older sibling is different. My first and foremost priority is the safety of your newborn. If I deem your older child too wiggly or too excited to calmly lie next to their sibling and follow direction, I will not put your newborn at risk by attempting it. We have LOTS of other ways to capture siblings together that involve a parent holding baby to keep them safe. Some older siblings are simply not willing to get that close to their sibling or don’t want to touch them. I always want my clients to have a realistic view on what to expect from their time with me and understand that sometimes the hope of a specific image just isn’t safe to create.

When we started the family portion, Logan was very excited and kept running back and forth between his parents and grandparents. Sometimes it’s totally fine for grandparents to remain in the studio, but in this case it was causing too much distraction. His grandparents were totally fine with stepping out and heading to our building lobby to hang out for a bit to see if that would help. It did - within minutes of their exit, Logan was participating and listening again. Sometimes having too many adults on hand can be overstimulating and distracting, so if I notice that happening, I will ask those not participating in the session to exit the studio for a bit to see if it helps. On the flip side, I’ve had so many kids do better with grandparents in the studio! Every family and kid is different, and we’ll play it by ear and see how it goes.

When I have toddlers involved, I get all of the family images and sibling images done first. That way they are free to go and enjoy their day and aren’t running around the studio or making their parents crazy. ;) Logan left with his grandparents to head home, and I ended the session with parent and baby images. Aiden was such a little squishball with the most delicious baby rolls - see for yourself!

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 Darcy

Emily contacted the studio after her daughter was born to inquire about a newborn session and see if we had any last minute availability. Fortunately, we had one day available that week! After speaking with Caroline, our studio manager, and reviewing the information sent over with her husband she snapped up the spot. We scheduled the date, and sent over our short and sweet newborn prep packet for them to review. It covers the basics of how to prepare for your session, what to bring, and what to wear if you’ve opted to wear your own clothing from home. The studio wardrobe is available to our mamas, but it’s totally a matter of your personal preference whether you want to borrow from it or wear your own. Emily also asked to add on hair services with our HMUA team, so we coordinated that for her as well. You have enough going on at home with a brand new baby, so we make it super easy for you to add on hair and/or makeup services to your session. We will take care of matching you with a member of our team and connecting you with them so you don’t have to worry about any of that.

Let’s talk about when to book your session with us real quick since this is a topic we cover a ton. Most of our clients reserve their newborn sessions while they’re still pregnant to ensure that they have a spot on our calendar. It’s never too early to book with us and sometimes we are the first to know about a pregnancy before the clients’ extended family. But don’t worry, keeping secrets is one of our specialties. ;)

One of the most popular questions that our clients is: “How do we book our newborn session date in advance when we don’t know the exact date our baby will arrive?” Answer: We don’t schedule the exact date when you book before your baby is here! Booking a newborn session with us before birth simply means that you’re securing your guaranteed spot on our calendar. We take a limited number of newborns due in each month so we can ensure that all of our clients have the best experience from start to finish. Newborn sessions take more time than regular portrait sessions, and take far more time to edit due to the complex skin work that newborns need. (ie: skin flakes, jaundice, baby acne, purple feet - just to name a few) Once you’re on the studio calendar, you’ll let us know when your baby has arrived! We’ll ask you a few questions about your baby and your recovery and schedule your session based on the answers to those questions. In general, we photography newborns in between 8-21 days of life and usually schedule for 8-12 days when possible and factors make sense for that. We’ve photographed up to 6 weeks, but it’s not ideal for true newborn photos unless your baby was born prematurely. So if you’re reading this now while holding your three week old and kicking yourself for not scheduling a newborn session, just contact us to see if we have room to fit you in! You will not be the first last minute client, and you definitely won’t be the last. The number of last minute newborn sessions from moms who initially thought they didn’t want one and then changed their minds is much higher than you’d think! Every one of those moms has expressed how happy they were that they decided to contact us and come in!

When Emily and Kevin arrived at the studio with Darcy, I couldn’t get over her full head of hair! She was SO adorable, and slept throughout her solo portraits! Emily hopped up in the hair and makeup chair with Brielle for her hair services, and Kevin took some time to relax while I photographed Darcy. After Emily’s hair was finished, she looked through the studio wardrobe and found a pale pink dress that she loved.

When I finished photographing Darcy, she was in need of a diaper change and was hungry. Her parents took care of her, and we spent some time chatting about what would happen next while she was being fed.

My clients are never left hanging during sessions with me. I will guide you through the entire experience with clear and easy to follow prompts. Much of what you will be doing is completely natural interaction, but I’ll be adjusting things a bit for the best photographs. I’m always fixing hair, turning dad a half an inch (yes, that half an inch adjustment really matters!), and rearranging baby’s wrap, etc. All of those little details are important, and I’m constantly looking for them. Clients don’t need to be worrying about all of that - so I ask them to leave it to me and just enjoy their session!

After Darcy had finished eating, we continued on with the family portion. Darcy was one of my newborns that I’ve had in that never opened her eyes the entire time she was here. Some babies are sleepier than others! :)

Parent and family images are usually the easiest part of newborn sessions. Every once in a while I’ll have a baby that decides they’re going to be fussy after their solo portraits. If this happens, no need to stress. I have a bag of tricks up my sleeve of things to calm them, and they’ll be in your arms the whole time. It’s far easier to calm and work with a baby during the family portion than it is for their solo portraits!

Because Darcy was so sleepy, the family portion didn’t take long at all. I work in a very efficient flow and have dad step in and out of the photos, mom eventually hands baby to dad, and then she steps in and out of the photos. Sessions here are relaxed with a laid back vibe because there’s no room for stress! :)

Enjoy some of my favorite photos of this beautiful baby girl and her loving parents!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Malcolm

I first worked with Kayla & Johnnie for their studio maternity session, which you can view by clicking here. They were such a fun couple to work with, and I was so excited to meet their son when he was born! I ran into Kayla at our neighborhood Target while shopping less than a couple weeks before she gave birth, and she looked absolutely amazing. She told me how much they loved their maternity photos and how much they were looking forward to the newborn session! I wasn’t surprised when she emailed me less than two weeks later to let me know that their son, Malcolm, had arrived, and we scheduled his newborn session.

As many of you know, we moved from our studio in Grant Park to our new (much larger and amazing) studio here on the Beltline by Ponce City Market at the end of summer 2019. So, their maternity session took place at our old studio, and their newborn session took place at the new one!

When they walked into the new space, they were absolutely amazed by how gorgeous and spacious it was, and any uncertainty they had about being somewhere new for their newborn shoot immediately went away. They immediately plopped down on the couch and helped themselves to the snacks and beverages available for clients. Our goal is for parents to relax during their newborn session when just their baby is being photographed, and we’ve set up our studio to allow for that! If you need to work a little bit (we know some of you just don’t get much paternity leave) we also have Google Fiber for you to use while here.

Our old studio was cozy and lovely, and in a quaint old church building. We were there for five years, and it served us so well in that time. However, the client experience is paramount for us, and we had been looking for a new space for a while. Our studio now is 1,000 square foot with over quadruple the shooting space, and has a giant wall of windows that measure 25 feet by 11 feet. The en suite bathroom (complete with a shower and bathtub!), full kitchen, and elevator access in the building are just the icing on the cake.

I know some of you might be thinking “Why would I need a shower or a bathtub during my session?” Well…. let me share a couple of real life instances where they were used! (a) Dad took a walk with his toddler on the Beltline during the solo portion of the newborn session. Dad exerted much more energy than he thought he would and came back dripping in sweat. I handed him a towel and pointed him to the soap, and he jumped right in. (a) Toddler was in the wrong place at the wrong time during the family portion of his baby sister’s newborn session. Baby sister spit up what seemed like her entire feeding… right on top of big brother’s hair. Bathtime! (c) One year old got REALLY into their birthday cake and baby wipes just couldn’t cut it… into the bathtub they went! The bathtub and shower are sanitized after every use as well just so you know. It’s there for clients, along with towels and basic toiletries if they need it!

Malcom was a BIG boy at almost 9 pounds! Kayla let me know that he had been awake a lot, and she was concerned that he wasn’t going to sleep for his session. I reassured her that she didn’t need to worry about it, and that even if he didn’t sleep I would work with it and we would still get beautiful photos that reflected his personality and alertness! Turns out that Malcolm is a champion sleeper… at least he was for me that day! :) He was sleepy when they arrived, and I just worked with him and snuggled with him, and managed to capture a sweet baby yawn too! He was OUT after that and we flew through the newborn portion. As I was finishing his solo portraits, he started waking up and it was pretty evident that the little guy was hungry! Kayla took care of feeding him, and then we moved on to the family portion of the session. When Kayla had come in for her maternity fitting, she had fallen in love with a dress that she tried on and knew that she wanted to wear it when it came time for the newborn photographs. I had the dress ready to go for her! Many of our clients book both maternity and newborn together and they have a pretty good idea what they’ll be wearing when they come back for their newborn session. The vast majority of our dresses can fit both expectant and postpartum mamas and have a bit of stretch in the bust if more room is needed after delivery.

I so loved watching Kayla & Johnnie together with their son. They were so content and so joyful, and the photographs reflect that so beautifully. When Kayla saw her gallery she told me she didn't know how on earth I’d managed to make them look so well rested! Good lighting and post processing helps a lot with that! ;)

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Malcom’s newborn session! I can’t wait to photograph 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 Nirvaan

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 Zipporah

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 Zoey

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 Twin Newborn Photographer | Olivia & Natalia

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 In Home Newborn Photographer | Baby Lily

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 Nuri

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 Lillian

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 Dallas

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 Harper

Allison contacted the studio to reserve a newborn session for her daughter, and at the time she was living overseas due to her husband’s job. I remember thinking that she must be having a really hard time sleeping while pregnant since she was emailing at crazy hours of the night until I learned she was across the world in a different time zone!

When Harper arrived, Allison emailed us to let us know, and we scheduled her session. She asked to add on makeup services as well. Adding on hair and makeup services is super easy. You simply let us know you want it, and we’ll check with our team to see who is available for you and connect the two of you. You don’t need to worry about trying to coordinate different calendars and schedules - you have enough to worry about with a brand new baby! Our artists are all incredible and very experienced. They’ll work with you to create the look you want - most of our newborn moms ask for fresh and clean beauty. Others want a little more drama with the eye. Save a few photos of looks you like on your phone and show them to your artist, and they’ll work with you to create a look that enhances your features and is amazing. Even if you don’t wear makeup (ahem, that would be me), know that they do such a great job of not making you look overdone or not like yourself. I don’t even OWN any makeup (unless you count Chapstick) and I always tap one of my artists when I have my own photos taken. Some clients are worried that adding on hair and makeup will make their session last even longer - but that’s not the case. I’m going to be photographing your baby alone for the first 90 minutes regardless. So… you can sit on the couch or you can sit in the hair and makeup chair and be pampered until it’s time for the parent and family portion!

We also sent over our newborn prep packet for Allison to review. In it you’ll find best practices for the morning of, a short list of what to bring from home, and styling recommendations if you’re dressing anyone from home. Allison opted to bring her own comfortable dress from home, and styled DJ perfectly as well!

When the family of three arrived with Grandma in tow, Allison settled into the chair and I started with Harper’s solo portraits. Harper was a sleepy little thing and just so beautiful with a full head of black hair. Because she was such a good little sleeper, we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. When I brought her out, Alison was finishing up and I handed Harper over for a diaper change and a feeding. Once Harper was clean and dry with a full belly, she fell right back to sleep and we moved into the family and parent portion.

I don’t have a set flow for my sessions - they are very baby led. If baby is comfortable in one position, I’ll work with that and we go from there. We’ll segue and transition through different placements of parents, and I’ll guide you both through everything - I will literally tell you exactly where to look. I promise you won’t be left standing there feeling awkward and wondering just what the heck you’re supposed to do next. The emotions during my session are very real: but I do set up my clients where I need them to be, give them direction for what to do next, and then step back and let their interaction unfold naturally. At the end of the day, your job is to admire and love your baby… and by the time you’re at my studio, you’ve usually been doing that 24/7 for at least a week straight. So, you’re already an expert at it!

One last thing about this session that I want to mention… when Allison was holding Harper while sitting on the chair I noticed that she was in a lighter sleep pattern and was responding to high pitched voices. I called in Grandma to see if we could evoke a smile… and Grandma said a lot of things but guess what she said that got the REALLY big smile? “We’re gonna go shopping!!!!!!” Daddy, you might be in trouble.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Harper’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 River

Jessica emailed me to let me know that her second baby BOY, River had arrived! I was so excited for their family and we confirmed their newborn session date. We’d actually reserved a date for their newborn session based on her scheduled c-section date and history of being “overdue” because of her husband’s travel schedule. Typically we will not schedule a firm date until babies have actually arrived, but because of those extenuating circumstances, that’s how we handled it! The reason why is because babies don’t tend to arrive when we expect. If your baby came two weeks earlier, the date we had scheduled based on their due date would likely be later than needed. If they came a week later than expected, we would have to push the date out. However, since the weekday we scheduled was the ONLY date that would work for their family, we knew going in that it would be the day regardless of whether baby came earlier than expected. We like to schedule our newborns to come in between 8-21 days of age. There are a few important factors that we take into consideration when scheduling: the size of your baby, when they arrived relative to their expected due date, and how the both of you are recovering.

The morning of River’s newborn session, Jessica and her mom arrived at the studio with River in tow. Big brother Griffin and daddy stayed at home to play! We have big kids and dads arrive about 90 minutes after I get started with baby. This allows moms to have some quiet, and in Jessica’s case: pampering in the hair and makeup chair as she’d elected to add on those services!

I took River for his solo portraits while Jess settled into the hair and makeup chair. River was smaller than his brother was at birth, and it was quite a different experience photographing him since he was much easier to wrap and work with. Griffin had rolls on rolls which made it a little more complicated! ;) If you want to see Griffin’s newborn session, just click here to see those images! River was a little sweetheart and flashed a few grins for me. When babies smile in their sleep, I know we are approaching wake up time. Every baby is different: some wake up and are immediately angry and hungry, while others slowly rouse and take in their surroundings.

River was totally calm while awake and gave me some very quizzical expressions. I love when newborns are awake and calm as it gives me an opportunity to photograph those open eye and eye contact with the camera shots. Once I finished with those, I took him back to Jessica and she nursed him while I pulled out options from the studio wardrobe for her. I had an off the shoulder cream lace dress in mind for her that I knew she would look beautiful in, and was pretty sure she would love it. My instincts were on the mark, and she kept commenting on how much she loved the dress and how pretty she felt in it.

Daddy and Griffin arrived shortly after, and we started with family and parent images. Griffin was such a sweet big brother and was interested in participating at times and other times not so much. This is never a problem - I just let toddlers do their own thing. Griffin would drift over to his grandma and then jump back in to join us, and it all worked out perfectly. I have parents ask big siblings to do things like “Show me baby’s toes” or “Can you give baby a kiss?” and am right there to photograph whatever naturally happens. Sometimes they’ll say no or run away, and that’s ok! The most important thing we can do is to have patience and not try to force a child to do anything. (A) Forcing toddlers to do anything almost always backfires and (b) it’s not fun to be forced to do things. I have all sorts of techniques in my bag of “tricks” from the past six years of photographing newborns and my own three children - so come relaxed and ready to play a few games, and we’ll get beautiful images of your children interacting naturally with the newest family member!

Enjoy a few of my favorites - I can’t wait to see River again when he comes to meet Santa next month! (PS: we are totally sold out and have been for a couple of months, but you can hop on the waiting list and cross your fingers!)

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 Claire

I first worked with Sean, Charmaine, and their beautiful daughters for their field maternity session. You can see those images by clicking here. They wait until birth to find out what they’re having - and I was so excited to hear from Charmaine that their third little GIRL had arrived!!!! Fact about me: I also waited with each of my pregnancies to find out what I was having. We have two daughters, and we thought we would have a third for the perfect little trifecta of sisters… but instead we had a little boy who completed our family of five.

We scheduled a time for them to come in for Claire’s newborn session when she was 10 days old and sent over the newborn prep packet for them to review before their session. It’s a short and easy read, and covers best practices for the morning of the session, what to bring with you, and what to wear from your own closets if you aren’t utilizing the studio wardrobe.

We are often asked how we schedule newborn sessions. When you reserve your newborn session with us, you are getting a guaranteed spot on our calendar. We only take a certain number due in each month to make sure that we have enough time to dedicate to each of our clients. If your baby arrives earlier or later than their schedule due date and end up being born in a different month than their “due” month, that’s totally ok too! We’ve planned for that as it tends to happen for at least one or two babies on our calendar each month. ;) Once your baby has arrived, you let us know within 48 hours of their birth. I tend to schedule newborn sessions to take place between 8-16 days of age but have photographed babies up to 26 days old. When you contact us to let us know your baby has arrived, we’ll ask a couple of questions about their weight and how you’re both recovering from the birth and schedule the date from there!

Charmaine arrived at the studio first with Claire. When older siblings are involved, we have dad or a grandparent bring them in later. It’s much easier and stress free for the whole family for older kids to only be there when being photographed! Being told to sit still and be quiet isn’t fun for anyone, and for the first portion of the session the studio needs to be a very quiet environment as I am photographing baby only. I got started with Claire’s solo portraits while Charmaine looked through the wardrobe to see what was available for her to wear. She loves lace, so quickly settled on a pretty cream lace dress with lots of detail and texture.

Claire was a sweetheart and slept well for her portion of the session. She did need a short break to nurse, so while Charmaine was tending to her, I pulled a few of our studio dresses for little girls to go through with Charmaine. We settled on a white dress from the studio wardrobe for her older daughter, and decided to put her middle daughter in a dress she had brought from home. All of their dresses were now in the same tonal color palette but different enough to contrast well and flattered each individual’s skin tone!

Sean and the girls arrived as I was finishing up with Claire, and we moved right into the family portraits. The girls were just so excited about their new baby sister and eager to hold her and participate in the session. At 5 and 3 years old, they were definitely quite easy to work with and direct! Sarah (3) was a little hesitant at first, but because she already knew me from our time together at the family’s maternity session she relaxed quickly and had a lot of fun. We wrapped up with a few parent only images and then the family went on their way home.

I loved working with this family and can’t wait to see them again in the future! If you’re expecting a new little family member and interested in learning more about a Fresh 48 hospital or newborn session to document those first weeks as a newly expanded family, contact us to discuss your vision and learn more about what we offer!

uIf 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 Willoughby

I first worked with Katharine and Howard for their winter maternity session at the park location when they were expecting their first child. You can view those images by clicking here. To view his newborn images, click here. When they found out they were expecting another baby, they contacted me to schedule maternity and newborn again, and we had such a great time at the mountain location for their maternity session. You can view those gorgeous mountain images by clicking here.  Katharine chose to add on hair and makeup services again for both sessions and worked with Margaret each time.

FINALLY, baby Willoughby arrived! We scheduled her newborn session and sent over our easy to follow prep packet for the day of. Newborn sessions that involve big siblings are a bit different. We have dads and older children arrive later in the session so that they don’t have to be contained for 90 minutes. They’re much happier at home! We’ll work around your toddler’s nap schedule if that’s needed, so no worries there.

When Katharine and Willoughby arrived, she was fast asleep in her car seat. Katharine let me know she would be borrowing from the studio wardrobe and I told her I had a specific dress in mind for her that I was pretty sure she would love. I was right, and she chose it without hesitation. When I work with clients for a while, I know what colors and styles will look great on them, and I’m usually on the mark with my suggestions from the wardrobe! I began working with Willoughly for her solo photos while Katharine settled into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret. Willoughby was the sweetest little thing and so relaxed. I loved photographing all of her little details, and was amazed at how she curled up in my lap while I was wrapping her. I never force babies into poses, and just wrap them as they naturally position themselves. She was definitely an easy baby and a great sleeper.

After I finished with Willoughby’s solo portraits, Howard and Henry had arrived. I moved on parent and family images. Katharine is so in love with Howard and her children, and is just radiant and beaming. Howard is such a fun guy, and he's a wonderful dad. It’s so fun to watch my client families grow, and I have I loved getting to watch these guys grow!

The family portion is easy and a lot of fun. I never force toddlers to do anything they don’t want to do, and I approach each session differently. Some toddlers are more than capable of laying still next to their new baby brother or sister and others aren’t. Safety is paramount, and there is always a parent right there out of the frame spotting for any images like this. Sometimes it’s clear that it’s not going to happen, and we get images in other ways. Henry was SUCH a sweetheart with his baby sister and quite generous with the hugs. He has some of the most beautiful blue eyes, which I think Willoughby will also have. Only time will tell!

Here are some of my favorite images of sweet Willoughby and her amazing family! 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Cameron

Kelly contacted the studio in her second trimester to schedule a newborn session for her second baby on the way. The number one question we are asked about newborn sessions is: “How do I schedule a newborn session in advance when I don’t know when my baby will arrive?” When you schedule a newborn session with us, you are reserving a guaranteed spot on our calendar, not penciling in a specific date. Once your baby has arrived, you’ll let us know and we’ll schedule the date from there based on information you give us about your baby’s weight, date of birth in relation to their expected due date, and any complications we should know about!

When Cameron was born, Kelly let us know she had arrived and that baby Cameron was NINE pounds with lots of rolls! She asked to add on hair and makeup services to her newborn session because she knew she didn’t want to have to worry about getting ready while wrangling a newborn and toddler. You don’t need to decide whether you want these add on services until you contact us to let us know your baby is here. We’ll take care of checking on artist availability and give you dates that you’ll have their assistance. One less thing for you to worry about - we take care of the coordination for you! After we looked through our calendar and checked with our HMUA team, we gave Kelly a couple of dates to choose from. Please note that weekend newborn sessions are sometimes available, but cannot be guaranteed. She chose a date for the family to come in for her newborn session and we sent over the easy to follow newborn session prep packet for her to review.

On the morning of their session, Kelly arrived first with Cameron, and we looked through the studio wardrobe together for her older daughter and herself. We found the perfect options for each of them, and Kelly got herself settled into the hair and makeup chair.

I started with just Cameron for her solo portraits in the newborn area and she was sound asleep. She started waking up a bit, but so was calm and content. I always take the opportunity to photograph calm and awake babies to get those pretty eyes. A lot of my clients request that I photograph their newborn looking at the camera. While I wish I could promise this to everyone, whether this is possible is totally dependent on your baby. There are some babies who come in and they never open their eyes the entire time. Other babies will wake up but they’re not happy or calm while awake and start screaming. Because every single baby in my studio is unique, their resulting gallery images will also be one of a kind too!

Big babies (as a general rule) are pretty deep sleepers, and Cameron was no exception. When babies are truly conked out, the more pliable and flexible their bodies are. I will never force a baby into a position and prefer to arrange the wrap around their body in whatever position they naturally assume. My goal for newborn solo images is for their parents to be able to look at them and remember every detail about their baby. Memories fade, but photographs don’t.

As I finished up Cameron’s solo images, Kelly’s husband and older daughter arrived. We have other session participants arrive later on for a good reason! Toddlers and dads are much happier not waiting around in the studio, and it gives moms a chance to really relax. Kelly and her daughter got dressed and we moved right into the family portion of our session, which was a lot of fun. As we chatted during the session, I learned that they were my neighbors - just a few blocks away! It’s always so much fun to realize what a small world we live in. I’ve had so many neighbors in the studio this past year as clients and always find out at their sessions with me. Since our session together, I’ve seen them around the neighborhood a few times, which is always fun.

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

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Brannon

Sydney contacted the studio to inquire about booking a newborn session. She let us know that she and her two year old daughter would be using the studio wardrobe and that she was a little bit nervous about her daughter not cooperating. Caroline (our studio manager) reassured her that we have a lot of experience with toddlers. While we cannot make a toddler cooperate, we do have a bag of tricks to implement to help it happen in a fun way for them! As a note, 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 for that first part and there won’t be any waiting around when they arrive. We will also take their nap schedule into consideration when planning your session so we can have the best possible time scheduled in the morning for them to arrive.

When Sydney and Brannon arrived at the studio that morning, we looked through the studio wardrobe options and she quickly selected a pretty blush dress with floral embroidery that she loved. She mentioned how helpful it was to have access to the wardrobe since it would have been stressful trying to find something she liked with a newborn in tow. I pulled a few options for her daughter, and set them aside for when she arrived. I got started with Brannon and Sydney enjoyed relaxing on the couch.

Brannon was a a big boy, and very sleepy with a head of brown hair. He also had the most delicious cheeks! Because he was such a good sleeper, we got through his solo portraits very quickly and he didn’t wake up durig that portion. Sydney changed his diaper and fed him when I was done, and it was perfect timing as the rest of the family arrived right then.

Sydney showed her daughter the dresses we had pulled, and they settled on one. Once they were dressed had told me she wasn’t sure how she was going to be 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 stay back and give them space to do things on their terms. Telling your older child to “say cheese” or becoming noticeably irritated with them will pressure on them and almost always backfires. When we approach the session as fun and play some games, it’s WAY more enjoyable for everyone involved. I know the feeling of wanting everything to go perfectly when you’ve invested so much time into planning your session. I have three kids of my own and am armed with a lot of patience and professional experience. While we may not be able to get the image that you envisioned in your head of your toddler sweetly cradling their baby brother or sister (safety first!) we will still get beautiful and organic images that capture their special relationship.

Enjoy some of my favorite photos from this 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 | Charlie & Annie, identical twin girls!

Alana called the studio to see if we had any availability for her twin girls to come in for a newborn session. We sent her the information and then didn’t hear back for a while…. until a week before the twins’ due date when she was on hospital bed rest. Things had gotten a little crazy, so she had simply forgotten to get back in touch to confirm her session with us. Fortunately, we still had availability and were able to schedule a session based on her nearing induction date.

I typically have a few sets of twins every year and I love it! As a note, twin sessions CAN take a bit longer than a single newborn, but that's not always the case. It really just entirely depends on the set of twins. I knew that even though these two girls were identical, there was a 1 pound difference between the two. The biggest visual difference was in their head size as you’ll see in the images shared! We also chose different colors for each of the girls as well to further eliminate any potential confusion on which was which, especially for the up close and individual images.

When she booked, Alana asked to work with our HMUA team and added on hair and makeup services. She also borrowed a dress from the studio wardrobe, because hello... nobody has time to try and go find something to wear with one baby, let alone two!

While Alana was in the hair and makeup chair with Brielle, I was photographing the girls. I don't use an assistant for twin sessions, but I do often use dad's help. Dad was absolutely amazing in bringing me each baby as I photographed them individually and then together and we laughed about how Annie was being a bit finicky about where she wanted to be positioned and how. Photographing twins together is either really easy or really challenging - in this case, it was more on the challenge side because Charlie was not having it. She didn’t like being next to her sister at that moment, and kept trying to break free, which was disturbing Annie. So, I asked dad to take Charlie so I could focus on Annie’s solo images. When I finished up with Annie, Charlie was sound asleep and Annie was still sleeping, so I was then able to get the images of the two of them together! After those, I handed Annie to dad, and finished up with Charlie’s solo images.

Once I was finished with the twins, we moved on to sibling photos. Big brother was SUCH a sweetheart and such an amazing kid! For a three year old, he listened incredibly well and was gentle and patient. Dad still stood right next to him just out of the camera frame ready to swoop in if needed. After the sibling images, we moved into family and parents and it was a pretty smooth session conclusion as both babies slept like rocks.

I loved working with this sweet family, and can’t wait to see them at our annual Santa event and see how big they have gotten! As a note, our Santa event sold out within a few hours, but you can still get on the wait list in case a spot opens up.

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 Winnie

Let’s say….. you booked a session with a photographer for your newborn session months in advance of your baby’s arrival and you were looking forward to it. Let’s say you also kept in touch with the photographer throughout your pregnancy to keep them updated on how things were going. Let’s say your baby arrived later than expected (since most babies don’t tend to arrive on their “due” date). Let’s say when you contacted the photographer to let them know after months of keeping in touch, they let you know that they’d be unable to photograph your session after all, because they were on an extended vacation with their family.

::silence::

(That. Actually. Happened.)

When this sweet mama called our studio and explained her situation and what had happened, we immediately looked through our schedule to find a date and time that might work for them. Fortunately, we had ONE day open that week and they were able to make it work for their schedule as well!

Note: we take vacations too, but we are able to fit our schedule newborn clients in to the 8-21 day window that we have even if they’re born right before we leave or during our vacation. If we did have a vacation scheduled for longer than a week during a particular month, our clients would be made aware of this when requesting to book.

On the day of their newborn session, they arrived at the studio with baby Winnie. She was just the cutest little thing with some of the best hair ever. I love when newborns have hair that has a mind of its own. It’s a feature that you will remember with fondness in the future, and you’ll laugh when you talk about it. I never try to brush a baby’s hair down, because I want to photograph them as they naturally are to preserve them that way for you forever. Her parents loved her hair just as much as I did and asked that I keep her gallery very simple with no tiebacks used and mostly white with hints of blush pink. I love keeping the focus entirely on babies, and we typically only photograph with neutrals anyway - so that was not a problem. I always ask mamas for their preferences when it comes to whether they want headbands to be used. Some don’t want them at all, and some want a mix. The headbands I select for your baby are small and dainty, and proportionate to their head size. I am not a fan of Texas sized flowers around here!

Winnie slept like a rock during the solo portion of her session, and we were finished pretty quickly as a result. Her mama had brought a bow swaddle from the Beaufort Bonnet Company, so we incorporated it into the session as well. Fair warning: mamas tie the bows on these in my studio on the rare occasion that one is brought along. It’s harder than you would think to make these look good and stay that way!

Lots of people ask - “How long does a newborn session take?” I WISH that I could give an exact answer, but the truth is: it depends on your baby. If your baby is fussy or awake, we have to work around their needs. I can absolutely work with awake babies who are calm: but not awake babies who are angry or upset. So if your baby is having a rough time of it, it will take a little longer. Come prepared to hang out for a bit - up to 4 hours. The average session is 2.5-3, but if you plan for 4 and make sure you don’t have anywhere you need to be, you will be much happier. The studio is relaxing with comfy couches to sit on, and snacks. We are actually moving in a couple of weeks to a new and larger studio over in Poncey-Highlands very close to Ponce City Market, and there will also be coffee available for clients as well as internet access provided by Google Fiber if anyone needs to get some work done while not being photographed.

When I was finished with solo portraits, Winnie needed a diaper change and something to eat , so her parents tended to her while I set up for the parent and family portion. Once she was content again, we got started! The parent and family portion is easy and I’ll walk you through the entire process and explain exactly what I need as we go through. The safety and comfort of your baby is my #1 priority, so I over communicate when your baby is being moved from person to person. Basically, I don’t let go of your baby when handing them to you until we’ve made eye contact and you’ve verbally confirmed to me that you have them. And even then, I release my grip on your little one very slowly. ;) During this portion of the session, all you need to do is love and admire your baby. I’ll make sure you’re standing where you need to be in terms of light placement, and I’ll adjust anything necessary. Sometimes I’ll fix a twisted engagement ring, tuck a piece of hair, tuck in an errant clothing tag, or move a client’s head or hand ever so slightly. Whatever it takes to produce the most beautiful images! I truly love what I do and have years of experience doing it. It’s such an honor when a new family chooses me to document some of the most precious moments in their lives.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Winnie’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 Carter

I first worked with Sara & Jay for a maternity and newborn session when they were expecting their first baby. You can see their maternity session images by clicking here, and big brother Ander’s newborn session by clicking here. When Sara emailed me a few months before her due date to let me know that they were expecting baby #2, I was SO excited for their family! Lots had changed for their family since the birth of their first baby: new jobs for both, and a move to a new house. Sara knew she wanted to add on hair and makeup services for her newborn session since she had loved having that service for her two previous sessions.

When Carter was born, Sara emailed me to let me know. Carter had been born a bit early at 35.5 weeks and would be spending some time in the NICU for his lungs to develop. Since he was on the smaller side at birth, so I suggested waiting until he was around 3 weeks old to give them a chance to get settled in at home after NICU discharge and for Carter to have a chance to fill out a bit. Sara was in complete agreement with my suggestion, so we set the date to be when he was just over 3 weeks old.

Sara and Carter arrived at the studio first that morning. I always have dads bring big siblings later on since there’s no need for them to be there in the beginning. I will be photographing your newborn alone for their solo portraits, and you’ll just be sitting and waiting. In Sara’s case, she was doing her sitting and waiting in the hair and makeup chair, and Ander & Jay were at home until it was time to join us.

Ander was a sleepy little thing, and quite easy to work with as a result. We flew through the newborn portion of the session, and the timing worked out perfectly since he needed a diaper change and a feeding when I was done. Sara attended to his feeding while in the makeup chair, while we discussed what she would wear. When I have worked with clients in the past, I often know exactly what will work for their skin tone and body shape without even having to see it on them. I knew that a gorgeous blush pink lace dress would work for her perfectly, and when I pulled it off the rack for her to look at, she fell in love with it. Even though it’s a lace dress, it’s understated and not “frilly”. She let me know that big brother Ander would be wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, and that she had also opted to have her husband in a short sleeved casual button down. With that in mind, I suggested we dress Carter in one of our studio onesies for the family images since it would look better with the outfits than having him wrapped in a blanket. I’m a fan of onesies for a more casual approach, and honestly… what’s more classic and timeless than a white onesie?! Holding and moving your baby is also much easier when we don't have a blanket to contend with. I leave the choice up to mom and dad and we’ll work with whatever your preference is.

Jay and Ander arrived, and we immediately got started with family images. Three year old boys are a wild card (trust me, I know this because I have one myself) and I always work as quickly as I can while I still have their attention and cooperation. Jay and Sara were great with rolling with whatever Ander was willing to give us in the moment and I photographed him whenever he was willing to be in the images. When he wanted a break, I simply switched to photographing Carter with just his parents. Photographing toddlers and young children is not for the faint of heart and requires flexibility, quick thinking, and patience. I have an abundance of all of those, so you’re in good hands! ;)

Enjoy some of my favorites from Carter’s session! I really loved working with this family again, and I can’t wait to see them and how big the boys have gotten when they visit the studio again for our upcoming Santa event in December!!! (We are sold out, but you can still get on our waiting list)

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.