Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Amy & Brian at the field

Amy moved here from Manhattan, and we actually met in a Facebook group when she asked some questions about registering her business here in Georgia. I had all of the information she needed in a document and sent it her way. When I found out she was moving to Atlanta, I told her to let me know when she was in town, and we'd schedule a brunch. 

Amy is a successful wedding planner (A Dream Woven Events) and has such an eye for detail and organization. She has planned and executed some absolutely stunning weddings, and is such a lovely person. If you know someone who needs a wedding or event planner, definitely contact Amy!

Once Amy was in Atlanta and settled in, she took me up on the brunch and we met at one of my favorite places: Homegrown. It's on Memorial Drive, and if you haven't been, definitely plan to go! The comfy chicken is my go to, and it's just a really cool place. At brunch, we got to know each other and then she asked if she could book a maternity session with me. I was surprised, as I hadn't invited her to brunch to turn her into a client! I told her I'd send over all the information later, and she emailed back asking to book a field maternity session. We scheduled a date, and then scheduled a maternity fitting as well. 

Amy chose one of the dresses in the wardrobe and opted to wear just one dress for her session since she liked it so much. When I look at this images, I laugh to myself, because underneath that dress she's wearing tennis shoes! Not everyone can get away with that as it depends on your height and dress length, but I love that she showed up in tennis shoes. It was a hot summer day at the field, but was had beautiful light and it didn't storm like we had been worried about. Brian, her husband, is a total sweetheart and madly in love with Amy. The two of them snuggled up to each other and I think they may have even forgotten I was there at times. 

After our session, Amy asked to book a newborn session as well for when their son arrived. I was delighted, and you'll see those pictures in a couple of days here on the blog! For now, enjoy some of my favorite photos from their maternity 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Margot

Carley contacted us to book a newborn session for when her daughter arrived. She asked to add on hair and makeup services, and mentioned that she didn't really love photos of herself, but wanted to be in them so that her daughter would have them when she was older. I reassured her that lots of moms feel this way, and that I'd work with her to create some gorgeous family and mom and baby images. 

Carley let us know that her little girl, Margot had arrived, and we scheduled her session for a couple of weeks later since she was still recovering from her delivery.

When the new family of three arrived at the studio, Carley showed me some bruises on her arm from her IV's and expressed concern about them appearing in the images. We take care of anything that's not permanent. If you have bruises from your IV or have a surprise breakout happen on your face the morning of the session from all those lovely pregnancy hormones, please don't worry or stress. If you're working with our HMUA team, they'll take care of covering up the sleep deprivation side effects of dark undereye circles and brightening tired skin. I'll take care of anything that's not permanent in post processing. Trust me, we've seen a lot! Carley sat down in the hair and makeup chair and I took Margot into the newborn shooting room. 

Margot was a tiny little six pound peanut and super, super cute. Carley chose to incorporate some tiebacks and headbands into the session for her as well. If you bring me your baby girl for a newborn session, we'll discuss whether you want headbands included in some, all, or none of the images. It's your choice! I'll select from my collection to best flow with the wrap I've chosen and that is also proportionate to your baby's head size. I don't do Texas sized flowers around here, as I want the focus to be on your baby girl and all her sweet and dainty little features. 

Margot was a great little sleeper and slept through her entire session. I finished up just as Carley was also finished. Carley was still having a hard time with her recovery, and found standing while holding Margot tiring, and was also dizzy. I am always asking mamas how they're feeling throughout. We have so many different ways to photograph, so if you need to sit during your session because you're feeling dizzy, that is absolutely not a problem! We used our studio chairs and couches for Carley, and had Brendan hold Margot for the majority of the parent and family images. When Carley stood, we had a chair nearby for her and Brendan at the ready to help. Everyone's delivery and recovery experience is different, and we'll support you through it all and modify it as needed! 

Enjoy some of my favorite images of sweet little Margot and her parents! I especially love her little swirl of hair at the top of her forehead... details like these are just so precious. 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Nicole & Jerry at the park

Nicole contacted us to book both a newborn and maternity session. She asked to add on hair and makeup services for both, and chose the park as her maternity session location. 

A couple of weeks before her session, she came to the studio to try on dresses from the wardrobe. She was so happy that she didn't have to go shopping for something to wear because she's a busy attorney and had a lot going on at work and with getting ready for her baby's arrival! We had fun chatting and getting to know each other as we went through the dresses. She chose two beautiful and feminine pieces, and we also discussed what her husband should wear. 

The evening of her session, I met her in the studio where our HMUA was working on her. I like to arrive a few minutes early so I can meet the dad to be and get to know him a bit before we start. Making dads comfortable is a big priority of mine. Yes: mom and baby are the real stars of the show, but dad has a pretty major role too. Maternity sessions for first time parents are so special, and I absolutely love photographing them. They're not just about you and your pregnancy, it's about the two of you and the love that you share for each other and your child. They will likely be the last photos of the two of you before you welcome your baby. 

Nicole changed into her first dress, and we headed down the street to the location within the park. Nicole used to be a ballet dancer, and I had a lot of fun photographing her graceful movement. The two of the were so sweet together, and even though it was incredibly hot and humid outdoors, the evening summer sunset light was amazing. I provided Jerry with direction for what to do, and Nicole is just one of those people who instinctively knew what to do in front of the camera. Even if you're not one of those, you don't need to worry. I walk all of my clients through the entire experience and will direct you and demonstrate exactly what to do for you! 

Enjoy some of my favorite images from this maternity 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Matthew

Ethel contacted the studio to inquire about newborn sessions and talk through some concerns. She and her husband hadn't had the most wonderful wedding photography experience, and felt that their photographer didn't capture them well or in the most flattering way. She was not alone, as I hear this from many of my clients. After explaining that I direct parents in my newborn sessions and have an arsenal of techniques (specific lens selection, guided direction for what to do, angles) to achieve gorgeous images of my subjects, Ethel was reassured that we'd accomplish what she was hoping for. Her husband? Not so much. He essentially agreed to go along with it out of love for his wife, which is honestly what many men do! 

A few weeks later, Ethel let us know that baby Matthew had arrived! She also asked to add on hair and makeup services because she knew she would be too tired the morning of. When she arrived at the studio, she had both grandmas with her along with her husband and Matthew. Grandparents are welcome in our studio! We ask that they only be present when it's their turn to participate as a quiet studio is essential for newborn sessions. Ethel chose a dress from the studio wardrobe, and I noticed that the grandmothers weren't really wearing clothing that would work well in photographs. So, I called them into the wardrobe room and we chose several options for them to try on. They were thrilled to be able to borrow from it, and both looked fantastic in what they chose! 

Ethel settled into the hair and makeup chair, and I took Matthew into the newborn shooting room. He was a chunky little guy at over 8.5 lbs, but such a good sleeper! He even flashed a few sweet grins, opened his eyes, and yawned. I love when I'm able to photograph these things. Every baby is different: sometimes babies don't wake up during their sessions, and smiling is 50/50.

After I finished with Matthew's images, we moved on to parent and family images. It was so special to be able to include both grandmas! Matthew truly has some amazing women in his life, and is so incredibly loved by his family. 

Joe was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing because of their previous bad experience, but I reassured him that things would be just fine. I've found with dads: they really just want to know what to expect and be told exactly what to do. Joe is a pretty stoic guy to begin with, but by the time we were finished, he was genuinely having a good time and laughing. When Ethel emailed me after the session to tell me that he admitted that it was fun and he was glad that he had done it, I knew I'd done my job. Enjoy some of my favorite images from 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | David & Sania are ONE | a twin cake smash

I first met this beautiful family when their twins came in for a newborn session (view it here), and have photographed them several times since then for milestone sessions, our annual Mother's Day event, and Santa sessions! 

Janell loved working with our HMUA during her Mother's Day session, so she added on makeup services for the twins' first birthday portraits. When Janell arrived, she showed me what everyone else was wearing, and I pulled a few dresses from the wardrobe that I knew would work well. She fell in love with a floral off the shoulder dress as soon as she saw it, and it fit her perfectly. We started with family portraits to get the twins used to the sound of the camera shutter and to me, and then moved to baby only images. David and Sania are just the cutest babies, and I can't get over David's little cheesy grin! I personally think he still looks so much like he did as a newborn - with his chunky cheeks! 

Parents are often surprised by how short our First Birthday sessions are and at how quickly their babies tire out. The majority of our babies last 45 minutes at the max, and I move very quickly to keep them interested and engaged. I work efficiently so that I can create all the images needed before moving on to the cake smashing fun. As a note: we have many families opt to skip the cake part, so if you're considering first year portraits, don't feel like it's a requirement to have a cake. 

I work with a wonderful baker located close to the studio, and she delivers the cakes to my clients at the studio. When you're trying to get out the door and remember everything, taking the cake off your list is a major relief. Her cakes are absolutely delicious, and photograph so beautifully to boot. Janell had requested pink and blue for the twins with floral rosettes for Sanai and a simple texture for David.

With twins, in order to eat their cakes together, we place them on the studio floor. Parents are the baby herders while I sit back and capture the mess making fun! The twins were immediately interested in their cakes and enjoyed exploring and tasting the icing. After they were finished with their cakes, their parents cleaned them up while I took care of cleaning up the studio. We always recommend bringing a couple packs of baby wipes from home (the wipes cut through the buttercream perfectly) as well as some towels and washcloths if your baby requires some more heavy duty cleanup! 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Emily & Dustin in the gardens

Emily contacted us to schedule an outdoor maternity session. She wasn't sure which location she wanted, but after viewing images on our website for the gardens location, she fell in love with it. She also asked to add on hair and makeup services with Margaret, so we set that up for her as well. We scheduled a time for her to come by during the week for her maternity fitting, and she brought along her mom to help her decide. Her mom told me that Emily brought her along for prom dress and wedding dress decisions too!

Emily expressed some concern that her bump was on the smaller side. Part of that reason why is because she's a personal trainer and has an incredible set of abs! When you have abdominal muscles that strong, you tend to have a smaller baby belly as a result. I reassured her that she wasn't too small, and that she would look noticeably pregnant in her images. I will direct you throughout your time with me for the best hand placement, angles, etc. I've got you covered - all you have to do is show up! The dresses that Emily chose also highlighted her bump well, and looked absolutely beautiful on her. 

Emily's husband, Dustin, was unable to come to the fitting, so we talked about options of what he should wear. I always ask about your husband's personality and style preferences. If your husband is a casual kind of guy, there is no sense in asking him to wear a suit. I want your portraits to be authentic to who you are as individuals and as a couple, and for the experience to be a fun and relaxing one for both of you. Let's be honest: the majority of men don't love participating in photo sessions and agree to it because they love their wives. I'm married to such a man myself.

However, I do believe that the photographer and the experience that your husband has with them shapes how they feel about photos in general. I can't tell you how many times I've heard grumblings about how long an an engagement session lasted and how many outfit changes there were. I've also heard horror stories about wedding photographers driving dads crazy. It's for this reason that I let dads know exactly what to expect at the beginning of a session and keep things moving efficiently. I've been high fived many a time at the end of a session by the dad, who admitted that he might actually have had a little bit of fun. So if you're married to a guy who hates having his photo taken, I promise to make it easy on him. 

The day of the session, we met at the gardens and Emily changed into her first dress. The sun was behind clouds for a bit and then broke through as it lowered in the sky. We had lots of fun walking around the gardens, and the two of them were just so cute together! They've been together since high school, and got married when they were just 18 and 20. It's been quite a few years since then, and during that time they've built their own business together, and were so excited to welcome their baby boy! 

Here are a few of my favorites from their gorgeous maternity 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Maverick

Angela contacted us at the beginning of the year to inquire about newborn sessions and was thrilled to find out that we take care of everything for our newborn moms between our wardrobe and add on hair and makeup services. When you arrive at the studio, you can literally walk in wearing sweats and a comfy t-shirt. We don't judge (and believe me, I know what it's like to have a newborn at home in those first weeks). You'll come in, look through the studio wardrobe to see what catches your eye, and then sit down in the hair and makeup chair  to relax with some bottled water (or LaCroix if you prefer), while your HMUA gets to work. I'll whisk your baby off to the newborn shooting room to start with their solo portraits while you're being pampered. Where is dad in this picture? Two options exist for them: if they'd rather come on in later, they can come about 90 minutes into the session. Or, they can come with you and hang out on the couch. Totally up to you and your preferences! If you have an older child that will be participating, dad and big brother or sister will arrive later. We have the whole routine down to a science here!  

Angela contacted us to let us know that her son, Maverick, had arrived, and we sent over a couple of dates for her to choose from. She chose one, and we sent over the newborn prep packet for her to review. It covers best practices for the morning of, what to bring to your session, and what other session participants (dad, siblings, grandparents) should wear in order to keep everything cohesive. If you have any questions at any point in the process, we're here to help! 

I took Maverick back to the newborn shooting room while Margaret started working on Angela's makeup application. He was a sleepy little guy, and loved being curled up in someone's arms. Babies need to be warm to be relaxed, and we keep our newborn shooting room at a toasty temperature for this reason. Babies also like to feel secure, so wrapping them snugly helps with that, and once they're in a nice deep sleep, then we can move into the less wrapped images where they're sprawled out. When you have a newborn, you'll notice that they sometimes startle and their arms and legs will fly out. There are certain phases of sleep in which this is more likely to happen, and I am always carefully watching and observing your baby during their session to see where they are in terms of sleepiness. Baby safety and comfort are paramount in my studio! 

After I finished up with Maverick's solo images, Margaret was putting the finishing touches on Angela's makeup. After a diaper change and a quick nursing break, we moved on to the family and parent portion, which is my favorite part. I love capturing the quiet moments of awe and wonder, where you can see the incredible love and emotional connection between parents and their new baby. This is the start of your family, one of the most amazing chapters of your story. I'm so honored to be invited to photograph that for my clients, and it's an opportunity  I don't take lightly.  

Below, you'll find just a few of my favorites from Maverick's session! His parents chose to mat and frame 16x20 image (fourth one up from the bottom, if you're curious!) to display in their home as an add on to their newborn collection. We have a varied studio frame line and will take care of getting your artwork ready for you so you don't have to deal with taking your prints to a framer. Adding on mats and frames is completely optional, and is just one part of the complete service that we offer to all clients should they choose to utilize it! 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Briana & Will in the gardens

Briana contacted us at the last minute to see if we had any availability for a maternity session and requested the gardens location. She was in luck because all of our weekends were already booked... but the gardens are typically only available on weeknights, and we had two weeknight dates remaining in our calendar for her that very next week. There are some months that we are completely booked for outdoor sessions and cannot fit anyone else in. It makes us so sad to have to turn people away, but it does happen. If you're reading this and you've waited until the last minute, contact us to see if we have availability. If you're not due for a few more months, now is the time to reserve your session to make sure you can schedule a date that's within your preferred timeframe. 

Briana and her husband, Will, came to the studio for a maternity fitting. Will gave his opinion on each dress and she chose two dresses that looked beautiful on her. While she was trying on dresses, Will and I chatted about what he should wear and then the conversation turned into life details. I truly enjoy getting to know my clients on a personal level and am so fortunate to be able to work with such wonderful people - many of whom become friends. I learned that Will was a former athlete who was now a self taught painter. Painting has always fascinated me, and I asked him lots of questions about which canvas size was his favorite, how long it takes to create a portrait, what type of paint he used, etc. Full disclosure: I'm no expert on painting, but I love hearing the thought process behind art! I have my own thought process when I create portraits for my clients, and am always thinking through each session about how best to capture my clients in true authentic form while making adjustments if necessary.

We said our goodbyes and agreed to make the call on whether to shoot the session on the morning of due to a very unpredictable weather forecast that seemed to change every hour. The morning of the session, I was convinced that rain would be in the forecast before I checked it and to our great surprise, it was not! Briana elected to work with Margaret for add on hair and makeup services, and headed to see her prior to our session. 

We met up at the gardens, and it was a pretty warm winter day. I love shooting on overcast days just as much as I do on sunny days. For winter sessions, overcast days add to that winter feel in the tones, and I think they're just as beautiful as sun drenched images. Each session I photograph is so unique when it comes to the couple being photographed, the weather that day, and the season.

Will and Briana were so much fun to work with. Because Will is an artist, I knew that they'd be up to trying whatever I asked, and they were! I love when clients give me the stamp of approval to play a little bit creatively during their session just to see if we create something amazing from a new idea. Just to clarify, I don't mean crazy ideas like standing on your head or asking for something super cheesy and awkward. My creative ideas always boil down to where I have my clients go within the location and the angle from which I shoot at. So, it's more like "How about we go over there?" My goal is for our time together to be relaxing and fun and to create beautiful images of this incredibly special time in your life that only happens once! 

Here are a few of my favorites from Will and Briana'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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Amir

When baby Amir and his family arrived at the studio for their newborn session after driving all the way from Hampton, Georgia, they handed him to me and I took off his little hat to reveal QUITE the head of hair! He was such a sweet and snuggly little boy, with the most adorable chunky cheeks and features. His mama had followed the prep packet that we send ahead to all clients before their session, and it paid off. 

He slept well for the first twenty minutes and then began waking up, so I wrapped him up like a little burrito and took him to mom for a nursing break. Whether you nurse or bottlefeed, you may need to feed your baby during our time together. A lot of clients worry that their baby is "taking too long", but there's no such thing. I only schedule one newborn session per day and allocate time in my schedule so that we will have plenty of time. Being a newborn photographer requires endless patience and slow movements. Your baby's comfort and safety are my top priorities! 

After Amir was finished eating, he was sound asleep and we resumed the session. He stayed in deep sleep until almost the end, and then started entering a lighter sleep cycle. You can tell when your baby is doing this by how their eyelids will "flutter". As a photographer, I am on the lookout for this because this stage of lighter sleep is the best opportunity to catch a smile if they flash a few grins. Many parents have told me that they couldn't understand why I was standing frozen in place over their baby for several minutes until they see their final gallery! It's never a guarantee that a baby will smile or open their eyes to "look" directly at the camera, but I'm always waiting and watching to capture that if it does. 

Here are just a few of my favorite newborn only images of this sweet little peanut! 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | A Mommy & Me session with Allison and Rhodes

I was present for the birth of Allison's first baby, Rhodes, and was so excited when she let me know that they were expecting another little boy! She booked me for The Birth Session again, and she and Rhodes set up a time to come into the studio for a mommy and me maternity session. We talked about colors and the best choices for what to wear beforehand.

I knew that Allison would bring classic Southern clothes for Rhodes because that's what she loves. While most of my families prefer more modern clothing, I think Southern style can be quite sweet! Smocked dresses, one pieces, and Peter Pan collars are adorable... and you can really only manage dressing your children this way when they're small before they develop their own opinions about style. 

I had last seen Rhodes at a family session when he was 10 months old, so I was super excited to see him again! He sure does love his mama, and we had a lot of fun in the studio playing and snuggling. 

A couple of months after this session, baby brother Campbell arrived, and I was on hand for his birth as well. It was such a joy to document Rhodes and Campbell meeting for the first time, as well as the reactions of proud great grandma, grandma & grandpa, aunt and uncle. Wondering where the birth images are? I don't share them. Client privacy is paramount, and I only share specific sessions where permission has been granted. Clients interested in the Birth Session come to the studio for an in person meeting to determine if we're a good fit, and view the birth work I have been given permission to share in more detail at the studio during our time together. 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Glenn

Whitney contacted us to see if we had availability for a newborn session for her third child and "warned" us that she had two older boys that would be coming along. While I appreciate moms giving me the heads up on their children, I'm a mom of three very energetic children. Very little fazes me! I love working with children and am experienced with children who are extremely shy to kids who have never met a stranger. I am very good at assessing a child and meeting them where their level of comfort is. 

Whitney arrived at the studio with Glenn first, and we went through the studio wardrobe. She told me she hadn't had time to find shirts for her boys. Not a problem! We have several really cute shirts for 12 months through 5T that lots of moms borrow. Moms of boys very rarely buy light colors since boys love to get dirty. We'll provide you with the wardrobe, and we'll even do the laundry for you afterwards! ;) We had a quick discussion about whether she wanted me to use headbands in all, some, none, or most of Glenn's newborn images. It's ALWAYS up to parents when it comes to this! We don't have bows the size of Texas in our studio, and I choose what I use to be proportionate to each baby's head size. 

Whitney had elected to add on hair and makeup services as well, so she slipped into the chair while I started photographing Glenn. Glenn was big girl at over 8 pounds, and a very deep sleeper, so we moved through that portion of the session rather quickly. I just loved her chunky cheeks and little lips. She was such a sweetheart!

Whitney's husband and sons arrived, so we moved right into photographing the siblings and dad images while Margaret finished working on Whitney. Whitney joined in for some of our family images, and then the boys enjoyed some snacks from the studio basket while I photographed some parent and baby images. The boys departed with dad, and we wrapped up with baby and mama images. Each newborn session has a different flow depending on how things are going. Sometimes a big sibling needs a little more time to warm up, so we'll photograph parents only first. I customize each session workflow to each family and their unique dynamic It never looks the same, and I love that! 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Ryan

Lindsey called the studio to see if we could accommodate a last minute newborn session. Her son had spent a little bit of time at the hospital after his birth to deal with some reflux, so she was worried that it was too late to schedule one. We had availability, and reassured her that it was most certainly NOT too late as we frequently work with older newborns, and we have had lots of babies with reflux come through the studio for sessions. Working with babies and children requires a high level of patience, and we definitely possess that! 

Lindsey brought along a fur because it was a meaningful gift from very close family friends out in Wyoming. Most families do not bring along anything as we provide everything, but I will always do my best to incorporate one meaningful item into an image. It's best if the item does not take away the focus from your baby, and is a neutral or pastel color. The fur that Lindsey brought along happened to match one of my wraps perfectly and was very easy to work into the session flow. While I started photographing Ryan, Lindsey tried on a handful of studio dresses and fell in love with a lace sheath dress. Her husband, Jarod arrived as I was finishing up Ryan's solo portraits. We have lots of dads who pop in for the 30 minutes or so that they're needed and then head back out. It's not necessary for both parents to be in the studio the entire time unless they want to be there! 

We had such a great time during their newborn session and I enjoyed chatting with Lindsey and Jarod and getting to know them. They chose a collection with a wall gallery that included a 24x24 frame flanked on each side by a 20x24  frame.  and have a large 20x20 framed print of the image of Ryan with his eyes open. Wall gallery collections can be displayed together as a grouping or split up into different areas of your home. We've even had some clients keep one framed print for themselves and gift the other two to each set of grandparents. There are lots of options to meet your needs. 

Here are a few of my favorites from Ryan'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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A Mommy and Me session with Benjamin and Sabrina

Sabrina came in for our special Mother's Day session event last year with her adorable little guy - who has the cutest dimples. I just love him! Benjamin was full of energy and all over the place, and I could tell Sabrina was a bit worried that it would be difficult to get pictures.

I embrace and welcome energetic children! Asking a child to sit stoically and smile is not the way that I do things. If your child is naturally playful and full of energy, why would you want images of them that don't show off that aspect of their personality?  I like to interact and play with your child and give you guided direction for what to do so we can get those images. The reality is that I only need a shutter button press worth of time to grab that image. There are so many in between moments in the wild and crazy times that you'll be shocked actually happened. I can't tell you how many moms have told me they can't believe I was able to take any useable photos at all. 

I'm so excited for our next Mother's Day event coming up next week! They sold out very soon after booking, but we frequently shoot full mommy and me sessions, and would love to photograph you and your little one(s)! 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Clara

Megan was referred to me by another long term client of mine. She is new to the area, and asked around for recommendations on a newborn photographer. When she initially contacted me, she let me know that she was waiting to find out if her baby was a boy or a girl. I love this, as I did this with my three children. It's a surprise no matter when you find out, but I always love meeting other moms who chose to wait like I did! 

When I got the email from Megan telling me that baby CLARA (a girl!) had arrived, I was so excited! She asked to add on hair and makeup services as well since she knew she would be busy as a new mom of two. I sent over the newborn prep packet to her so she'd have all the information she needed. Our newborn packet also has helpful suggestions for what the other members of the family should wear. Most clients grab a few things from their wardrobe and bring them along, and I help select the final choices at the studio. We have a portable steamer on hand to help with any wrinkles, so no need to iron everything perfectly before you leave your home.

The morning of her session, Megan arrived with just Clara. When we have families who have an older child, we like to plan for dad and older kids to arrive later in the session. Babies do much better in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, and it's no fun for bigger kids to have to sit still for a long period of time. Splitting it up like this makes it so much more fun for everyone. Megan looked through the wardrobe and settled on a gorgeous textured lace dress. I always ask moms of baby girls if they would like me to use our studio headbands/bonnets for all/some/none of their newborn portraits, and she asked for a mix. I rarely use bonnets, but I think she looks absolutely adorable in it! 

She hopped up into the makeup chair while I took Clara back into the newborn room. Clara was born at over eight pounds, so she was a hungry little thing. I took her back to Megan a couple of times during the session to nurse. This is never a problem, and most of our babies do need to eat at some point during sessions! We have a nursing pillow in the studio that fits perfectly on your lap in the makeup chair, and Margaret will keep working on you while you nurse or bottle feed your baby. 

When we were finished with Clara's solo newborn portraits, dad and big brother Caleb arrived. It was perfect timing, as Megan still needed to get dressed in the dress she had chosen. I started out with sibling portraits and then moved on to dad with both kids and then daddy daughter images. Megan came back in and stepped in for family portraits.  We then moved to parent and baby images, and send daddy and Caleb on their way and finished up with mommy and baby images. 

My workflow is never the same when it comes to the family portion of my newborn sessions... we just go with the flow based on what's happening, who's available to be photographed, and who's in the mood to be photographed. Everyone needs a break sometimes, and I'm pretty good at reading who could use one. 

Here's a few of my favorite images from this adorable 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Roxanne & Jay

Roxanne contacted us at the last minute to see if we had any room for a maternity session. Since she was able to make what we had available work, she was able to book for the park location. 

Roxanne came to the studio for a maternity fitting, in which I learned that she likes purple. I pulled out some options for her, and she chose two which she looked absolutely stunning in, and which had purple tones. It's a common misconception that I only have and photograph neutral colors. On the contrary, I love color, and work with clients closely to choose the best colors and combinations for them if they choose to take that route with their palette. 

On the evening of her session, the sky was very cloudy and overcast. This is never a problem, as I love shooting on overcast evenings just as much as I do on clear and sunny ones. I have a lot of clients ask if it's going to be too dark without the sun: and the answer is no, not with the equipment that I use. When it's cloudy out, the light is soft and diffused and sometimes we actually have even more flexibility with where we can shoot since you can face the sun's direction without being blinded by it or too brightly lit. As we were coming to the close of our session, the clouds broke and the sun peeked out. I immediately pointed it out to Roxanne and Jay and asked if we could continue for a few more minutes to capture some with the sun. They were just as excited as I was about it and we were able to create some beautiful photographs with the setting sun as well. 

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Robert is ONE!

Oh, sweet little Robert! You're a serious little guy, but you eventually warm up to me when all is said and done. Robert came in with his family for his First Birthday session! His cake was a beautiful textured creation from a wonderful baker that many of my clients work with and that I recommend. If you don't want to deal with picking up the cake and getting it to the session, it can be here waiting for you on your arrival when working with my baker. Ask us for details when you book your session if you want to do that! (and plan to eat the leftovers, because I'm not kidding when I say her cakes are DELICIOUS)

We have an antique high chair in the studio that is gender neutral in design, and most of our cake smashes are done in this high chair. Why? One year olds are curious little things and like to walk (or crawl) all over new places. My studio proves to be more interesting than a cake in many cases, so having them sit in the high chair keeps them focused on their cake and encourages them to explore it. Robert had a little help from his big sister during his time with me - he was kind enough to share with her! I always encourage parents and siblings to get in on the fun if they want to! 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Fiona

Liz contacted me to schedule a newborn session in her second trimester, and let us know that she would also want to add on hair and makeup services. I checked in with her every now and then throughout the remainder of her pregnancy, and was so excited to get the email that her daughter had arrived! I always love hearing what my clients name their babies, and I just love the name Fiona! 

The morning of their session, our HMUA Margaret and I greeted them when they arrived. After looking through the studio wardrobe, she fell in love with one of the dresses. Liz slipped into Margaret's chair, and I took Fiona into the newborn room to begin her solo portraits. She was such a cute little thing, and had the sweetest head of fluffy brown hair. I always ask moms with baby girls if they would like to incorporate our studio tiebacks in some, all, or none of their images. It's completely up to mom! You won't find any boys the size of Texas here - we like to keep things dainty so that the focus is on your sweet baby's face. 

She flew through her newborn portion with me, and woke up right at the end to give me a very suspicious gaze. I just love the expressions that I see on the faces of newborns...they are often little glimmers of their future personalities! As I was wrapping up with Fiona, Margaret was putting the finishing touches on Liz. Liz looked absolutely stunning, and was so happy that she had chosen to add on hair and makeup services. Most newborn moms are struggling a bit in those early weeks, and the idea of getting dressed and ready to be photographed can feel overwhelming. Let us take care of everything so you don't have to worry about that. That's what we're here for! 

Margaret bid us goodbye, and we started with the family and baby portion of the session, which is honestly my favorite. It's so easy for new moms and dads! All you have to do is hold your baby and admire and love them... and you've been doing that from the moment they were first placed in your arms. I'll take care of making sure your placement looks great and make small adjustments as needed. If you freeze up in front of a camera, no worries - I've got you. I will walk you through your entire experience with me with gentle guided direction, and you'll be amazed at how easy and enjoyable the whole experience was. 

During the session, we had fun chatting and I discovered that Liz used to work with another client of mine. Such a small world! I also learned that Ian is in the process of writing a book, which I found to be so cool. I love to read, so I asked him to let me know whenever it was published. We finished up the session, and I sent them off to have a lunch date. Most of our moms who choose to have their hair and makeup done for a session want to go somewhere afterwards to show it off, and with good reason! 

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from adorable little Fiona's newborn session. I cannot wait to see her in a few weeks during our special Mother's Day event! 

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | The Primmers

Katie contacted us after being referred by another one of our clients who is a work colleague of hers. She had loved her friends' maternity images with us and wanted to book a family maternity session in the field. When she came in for her fitting, she let me know that they had never had professional family photos taken, and were a little bit nervous about the experience. I reassured her that quite a few of my clients are in the same boat, and not to be nervous because we'd have so much fun!

At her maternity fitting, she chose two dresses that she really loved, and we talked about wardrobe options for her husband and son as well. The weather forecast for their session date didn't look so great leading up to it, but I always encourage clients not to stress about this. We live in the South, after all! The weather forecast is almost always all over the place in spring and summer, and I usually will not call the session until 24 hours beforehand, or the day of.

In this particular case, we waited until the morning of to make the call, and decided to proceed. It turned out to be some of the most beautiful and gorgeous weather, and was such a fun session! During our time together, Katie told me that she really loved what she was wearing and didn't want to change into her other dress midway through, which was perfectly fine! We had such a fun time together in the field, and the resulting images perfectly reflect who they are as a 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Parker

Sarah contacted the studio when her baby girl was three weeks old to ask about a newborn session. She told us she knew that she'd waited until the last minute, and didn't think she would want newborn images but changed her mind as she saw how quickly her little girl was changing each day. This is not the first (nor will it be the last) time we've heard this. We fortunately had availability to fit them in right away, and scheduled them to come in within a couple of days. If this is you, and you regret not scheduling newborn images but are afraid your baby is too old now, give us a call and we'll discuss options!

Sarah also decided to add on HMUA services and worked with Megan who gave her one of the most beautiful smokey eye looks I've ever seen. Don't worry - makeup is applied to your vision and tastes to best flatter your features! Our HMUA team welcomes inspiration photos and will work closely with you to achieve the best look that you feel beautiful and confident in! Sarah also chose to wear a tunic piece from our studio wardrobe that she loved. Her husband Raj, is a more casual guy - so he elected to wear a casual white v-neck tee. Dads should dress how they feel most comfortable. I want parents to feel true to who they are when they look back at images. So if that's a casual t-shirt or a pinstriped suit... you can't go wrong either way. 

Baby Parker was a little six pound peanut and just SO cute. We flew through her solo images because she was such a good little sleeper. She opened her eyes a few times and I just had to laugh at her funny little expressions. I love to capture babies naturally as they stretch, yawn, and look around. We then moved on to the parent and family images with a special appearance by Tiber, of of the cutest Frenchies you'll ever meet.

Sarah came back to the studio a couple of weeks later to look through her newborn images with me and we designed a newborn album together. She also added on a couple of grandparent albums as well, and chose which images she wanted as prints. Ordering can be done online, but many clients elect to come in since it's actually much easier and faster to walk through the process in person when it comes to an album or wall art if you choose one of those! 

Enjoy some of my favorite images from 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | Benjamin and his parents

Oh Benjamin... you have the richest brown eyes I have ever seen, and your dimples kill me. I absolutely loved photographing this adorable little boy and his wonderful parents for a family session at the park! 

Sabrina added on hair and makeup services to her session and popped by the studio to check out the options. She ended up really loving one of our studio dresses and opted to use it for her session! I thought the white lace looked beautiful against her complexion, and suggested sandals to dress it down a bit. We went over ideas of what her husband and son should wear as well! Clients are ALWAYS welcome to contact me before their session to run things by me. I will offer as much input as you need or desire. We know that planning for a session can be stressful - and it doesn't need to be. We're here for you every step of the way! 

We met up the evening of their session and started the session with some family hugs and fun. Tickle fights, games, and silly faces all take place during family sessions. Your child determines the session flow and my approach. I want them to be as comfortable as possible and feel safe and secure. You'll see how Benjamin really warms up towards the end of their session as you look through their images! 

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

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