Atlanta Family Photographer | A Mommy & Me session with Clarissa & Isabella

Clarissa has been a long term client of mine over the years! I first met her when she contacted me for a maternity session and then photographed Isabella as a newborn. We've worked together for several milestone sessions over the past couple of years, and I'm so excited to see them again this summer in August for Isabella's two year session!

The love these two have for each other runs deep. Clarissa is such a warm and loving mother with her daughter, and Isabella is happiest in her mama's arms. The two of them came in for a mommy and me session in the studio, and wore their own clothing with the help of our style guide. Clarissa's makeup was applied by Margaret, our lead HMUA on the team. Add on hair and makeup services are available with any session type - just ask about them when you inquire! 

Mommy and me sessions are so easy for the participants. Your child adores you, and the images taken during your session will show just how much. Your only job is to hold and snuggle your little one and let things unfold naturally. Sometimes I'll suggest fun little games to play to get some interaction going, and I'll often make silly faces from behind the camera. We also have some other tricks up our sleeve to help children relax if they're feeling a little shy. 

Here are a few of my favorites of this beautiful duo! 

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 Photography | A spring maternity session in the field

When Rashida contacted me to let me know she was expecting baby number THREE (a girl after two boys!), I was so excited for her! I had worked with her beautiful family for their second child's maternity, Fresh 48, and newborn sessions and was absolutely thrilled to get to work with them again. Rashida and Jordache are such a lovely couple, and their boys are just the cutest! 

Rashida told me she was in love with the field sessions and that she knew she wanted her maternity session to be there. I also adore the field as the light is so gorgeous, and it's a fun place for family sessions as well. There are lots of thing to see and little things for the kids to explore with a beautiful background that doesn't distract from your family's dynamic and connection. 

Rashida lives right in the neighborhood where my studio is located in Grant Park, so she popped by one day to check out the wardrobe. She fell in love with two dresses, and we chatted about what her men should wear. After looking through our helpful style guide that we send to all booked clients, she pulled together the perfect look for her husband and sons. The style guide is super to the point and easy to read! If you're still concerned or need some extra help - just ask! We are here to serve our clients however we can. We want your experience to be stress free and easy, and work hard to ensure that. 

When we arrived at the field, everyone got dressed and we headed out to shoot. Family sessions are guided natural interaction with built in breaks for dad and kids while I photograph mama alone. They're so much fun and easy, and we keep moving so older siblings don't get bored. Be aware that I work VERY quickly during sessions to make sure that we have enough family images. You never know when a toddler will decide they're done with having their photo taken, so I like to be on the safe side with that. 

I just adore Rashida's session so much! The light was beautiful and the family all had so much fun together. Enjoy some of my favorite images from their gorgeous field 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 Photography | Baby Carson

Erica was referred to me by a friend of hers and let me know she was expecting her third boy and requested to schedule a maternity and newborn session! I photographed their family maternity session at the park in the fall, and we had such a great time together.

Erica let me know that the newest addition had arrived, and came to the studio the morning of her session with just baby Carson. When older siblings are involved, we always have them arrive later on. This gives mamas some time to relax by themselves, get their hair and makeup done by our HMUA team, and peruse the studio wardrobe. Some moms have even opted to just take a nap! 

Erica chose a pretty lace dress from the studio wardrobe that she commented was super comfortable to wear. The vast majority of our pieces are soft and stretchy, and flatter postpartum moms. I know when I was recovering from childbirth the last thing I wanted to do was go through my closet to find something that fit! 

While we are not a studio that utilizes props, we will do our best to work in one special something if baby cooperates. Erica brought along a little blue hat with pea pods on the top that both of her older sons had worn in their newborn photos. Other things we have incorporated have been special blankets knitted by grandmothers, special hats, and a little lovey. While every effort will be made to incorporate the one item brought, it depends on your baby, and it's saved for the end so we can ensure that you have a gallery that looks like what you've hired us for first! 

Daddy arrived with the boys as I was finishing up with Carson and we moved on to sibling images. Big brothers were just so cute and proud, and they were lots of fun to work with! From there, we headed into family and parent images, and then wrapped it all up. The family portion of your session is generally very quick and easy and only interrupted by baby potentially needing to eat! We will spend time getting your older children comfortable as well. It is a very laid back and relaxed vibe in our studio. Your children shouldn't feel stressed out or pressured by anyone. Taking our time and keeping things mellow will result in the best images of your children and family. Remember: even if your toddler is struggling with big feelings during our time together, we only need 1/400th of a second for a beautiful shot where they're calm and interacting. I can't even count the number of times I've received emails from clients exclaiming, "I can't believe you got what you did! I thought we got nothing because of how my children were acting!" Full disclaimer: these brothers were very excited about participating and no tantrums were thrown during their session. 

When Erica chose her final images, she also elected to add on grandparent albums to give as Christmas gifts as well as a large 16x20 wall portrait to frame and display in their home. We have a range of print sizes and absolutely gorgeous frames available to you should you wish to take advantage of them, and love helping clients make decisions about what to display. All of our frames and products are here at the studio and available for you to see and touch. 

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Carson'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 Newborn Photography | Baby Weston

Erika and Matthew drove from their home in Marietta to the studio. We schedule newborn sessions for after the majority of traffic has passed for our clients who don't live intown. For those who do live intown, it's a quick trip as we're located less than a half mile off the Zoo Atlanta exit on I-20. We have a lot of clients who drive from far away - we've had newborn clients from Macon, Braselton, Hampton, and Carrollton. All you have to do is get here and we'll handle the rest! 

When the family arrived, I pulled out a few options for Erika to look through. She didn't want to have to deal with finding something to wear and loved that we had a whole wardrobe available to her to choose from. Their new baby boy, Weston was absolutely ADORABLE and had the cutest little smirks and grins throughout his session. I started the session by photographing Weston alone for his newborn portraits. He woke up a couple of times during his session when he wanted to nurse, and I took advantage of his being awake and calm and took some photos. Not every newborn will open their eyes during a session, and sometimes they are not calm when awake. I can't always guarantee an image of your newborn with their eyes open making direct contact with the camera, but I definitely do my best when presented with the opportunity!  

After I finished up with Weston, we moved on to the parent and family portion. It was so sweet seeing Erika and Matthew with their son. I love watching new parents interact with their babies. The expressions of awe and wonder and ineffable joy are beautiful to observe and document. While I do help my clients get into the best positions for photographs, the emotion you see is all genuine and unforced. How can you not look at your beautiful baby and each other and smile? These are the moments I'm looking for as you interact with each other, and the reason why I love photographing newborns and their families so much. I want you to physically see how much you loved your sweet little baby right from the start... and I want you to be able to show your child so they can see it too. For me, that's the entire point of photography. It's the only true way we can freeze time and revisit the days that we will someday miss. 

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Weston'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 Maternity Photographer | A Mommy and Me studio session

Alex called the studio phone to ask if we had any availability for a last minute studio maternity session. She wanted to include her toddler as well.  Alex mentioned that she didn't love her first maternity session experience when she was pregnant with her first child and asked a lot of questions. We answered them all, sent her the information she needed, and then she dropped off the face of the earth. Bet you weren't expecting to hear that, were you? 

Sometimes our last minute maternity requests get so busy with preparations for the new baby, wrapping up work before maternity leave, and life in general that they completely forget about officially reserving their session.

We contacted Alex a couple of weeks later to follow up and she immediately chose a time and date. We had her come in for a studio styling appointment to try on pieces from the wardrobe and look through the little girl options for her two year old daughter.  Alex was worried that we wouldn't have things that would fit her since she is petite. We reassured her that we've had clients of all shapes and sizes in the studio! Our shortest female client was 4'10" and our tallest was 6'2".  She tried on several pieces and commented that she didn't know how she would narrow it down because they were all so pretty. She eventually did choose her dress, and then we moved on to choosing a dress for her daughter. 

The day of their session, they arrived at the studio. Alex was a little bit flustered because she didn't have a hair bow for her daughter. I pulled out a few options (yep, we keep some in the studio for little girls!) that matched her dress and we were all set. Mommy and me sessions are so much fun! Lots of mamas worry that their little one won't cooperate, but I like to make it fun for everyone. We play age appropriate games, make funny faces, dance, and sing songs. If your child is shy and needs space, they will receive it. We work around the needs of each unique client in the studio so a positive experience can be had by all. A low pressure and relaxed approach is best when working with little ones. If we're stressed out and worried about how things are going to go, toddlers can sense this. I know it's hard not to stress about how your session will go when you've invested so much time and want it to go perfectly! Ultimately, all I need is 1/800th of a second to capture each image.... and I'm a very patient person. It's a pretty major prerequisite for this particular career. 

Here are just a few of my favorites from this beautiful mother and daughter duo before they welcome a new baby girl into their 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 Baby Photographer | Samuel is 100 days old!

I first worked with Muyun and Zihao for their studio maternity session, which can be viewed by clicking here. Muyun emailed me after the birth of their son, Samuel, to reserve a 100 Days Old session. I LOVE this special milestone and think it's so special how their culture marks and celebrates babies at this specific point of infancy.

When they arrived, they informed me that they wanted to dress the whole family in clothing from the studio wardrobe. While I don't have a wide variety of options for baby boys, I do keep a few on hand. Samuel is quite a chunky little guy and was already in 6-12 month clothing. After Muyun chose her dress from the wardrobe, she chose a knitted one piece for him to wear that complemented her dress .

Samuel was such a happy and smiley little boy! He was also very strong and had great head and trunk control for pushing up. Every baby is different and some aren't quite doing that at 3 months old. I modify all of my sessions around babies and where they are developmentally for this reason. We can still get beautiful images of your baby in your arms or on your lap if they aren't sitting unassisted (or just don't feel like it!). Milestone sessions are such a special way to document your baby as they grow, and I absolutely love them. We see a lot of babies come in for 100 days/3-5 months, and then 6-8 months followed by First Birthday celebrations. Every milestone marker is unique and it's so neat to watch the progression of babies over their first year of life in photographs. Several of our clients have opted to create an album of that first year and it's such a wonderful and treasured keepsake. 

Enjoy just a few of my favorite images from Samuel's 100 Day 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 Photography | Baby Liam

Jennifer contacted the studio to learn more about newborn sessions and thought it was amazing that she didn't have to worry about what to wear and could borrow from the wardrobe. It can be overwhelming when you're pregnant to wonder what you have that will fit after delivery, and even more stressful thinking about going clothes shopping immediately postpartum. The good news is that with us, you don't have to! We have a large selection of beautiful and flattering pieces that will fit sizes 0-12/14. Many of our clients show up in comfy yoga pants and a tank top, and we take care of the rest. If you'd prefer to wear your own clothes, that's no problem at all! We send all of our clients a newborn prep packet that helps them choose the best options from their own closets for the entire family. 

When Liam was born, Jennifer contacted us to let us know and requested to add on hair and makeup services. You do not need to decide when you reserve your newborn session if you want to add this on. When you contact us to let us know your baby has been born, you can let us know at that time and we'll give you dates that a HMUA is available. It's such a wonderful way to treat yourself, and our HMUA team works magic on those undereye circles from sleep deprivation!

Margaret and I were waiting in the studio for the new family and welcomed them in when they arrived. Liam's grandma was visiting from Alabama, and she was such a lovely woman. She'd also dressed perfectly with help from our newborn prep packet! A lot of folks ask if grandparents are "allowed" to participate in the session. OF COURSE. I cannot imagine forbidding such important members of your family from participating in this once in a lifetime session. Grandparents are so precious and if you want them to be a part of the session, we welcome and encourage their involvement. Jennifer settled into the hair and makeup chair and I took Liam back to the newborn shooting room. His dad enjoyed watching the solo newborn portraits through our observation window. We keep the newborn shooting room at a toasty 85 degrees to keep our babies comfortable and sleeping. Liam woke up a few times during his session, and was very alert and calm. I love when babies decide to open their eyes since we can often photograph their cute little expressions. Not every baby wakes up during their session, but when they do we definitely take advantage of it! 

When I came out with Liam after we finished up his portraits, Margaret was applying the final touches to Jennifer. Jennifer "warned" me that she and her husband weren't that comfortable in front of the camera and often felt awkward, so they'd need a lot of direction. If I had a dollar for every time I heard this from clients....  Here's the good news! You're already an expert at what you need to do for your part in the session. Holding your baby, admiring your baby, loving your baby. You've been doing that since the moment you held them for the first time. Expert level status! I'll take care of the rest when it comes to the most flattering angles, and I walk you through the entire session. After about 5-10 minutes, you'll be comfortable and you'll actually have fun. If your baby needs to take a nursing break, or you need to sit down for a moment or have a snack, that's no problem. We're not in a rush, and stressing out isn't allowed in the studio. We want your experience to be calm, relaxed, and FUN. 

I'm happy to say that Jennifer commented as we finished up, "Wow, that was really fun! I wasn't sure what to expect, but we had such a great time today." That's always the goal for our clients. 

A few weeks later, I found myself back in the studio going through their newborn session proofs to create their album. They chose a 16x20 wall portrait of their favorite image to display in their home, and also selected some smaller prints to give as gifts to the grandparents. All collections come with a certain number of high resolution digital files with a personal print release too, so they left that day with their USB and proof box. 

Enjoy some of my favorites from Liam's newborn session! 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Camille & Daniel at the park

Camille called the studio phone to inquire about booking a maternity session at the park. She explained that her husband's job required him to travel a lot and that she had very limited availability to schedule a session. Fortunately, the date that we had available worked for them! 

Camille came in for a styling appointment, which is available to all booked clients. We will meet for about twenty minutes whether you want to borrow from the studio wardrobe or have me look over your clothing options and help you pull everything together. If you're not borrowing from the wardrobe for your maternity session, you're more than welcome to coordinate things via email or right before your session, but I much prefer to meet my clients and get to know them in advance. You'll be more comfortable too if this is the first time you're working with me! :) 

Camille decided on two off the shoulder dresses, and we talked about what her husband should wear. She later emailed me to ask where one of the dresses was from because she loved it so much that she wanted to buy one for her upcoming baby shower. 

The day before her session, the weather forecast looked absolutely horrible. I asked her if she'd like to change her session due to the heavy thunderstorms that were forecasted. Her response was that they didn't have any other availability, and they would take the risk, and we would get what we could get. When I arrived at the studio, Camille was sitting in the hair and makeup chair being worked on by Megan and a huge, ugly storm was brewing outside. Camille and her husband, Daniel didn't seem to be too concerned. They explained that when they had their engagement session, it also stormed and they ran out in between storms. Daniel also informed me that the radar indicated that the storm would move through pretty quickly, so we all crossed our fingers and waited. BOY, did it storm. The rain was insane... but just as Daniel had predicted, it blew through and we hurried outdoors to the park location, and had a truly magical session. The rain had a side benefit that none of us had thought about...it cooled the temperature off by quite a bit. Atlanta in the month of July is no joke, so it was definitely appreciated by us all! 

Here are a few of my favorites from their maternity session. Doesn't Daniel have some of the best hair ever? We joked that he was channeling Clark Kent. I loved working with this sweet couple, and they went on to have the most adorable little baby boy last fall! 

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 Griffin

I first worked with Jess for her maternity session in the field, which can be viewed by clicking here. She had tried on a dress in our wardrobe while in for her maternity fitting that she loved, so she knew she wanted to wear it for her newborn session. Jess had also worked with Margaret for hair and makeup add on services for her maternity session, and enthusiastically requested to work with her again for newborn. Once you've worked with one of our HMUA team members for your session, you won't want to do it on your own for future ones! Not only are they lots of fun to hang out with, but the experience is also wonderful, and they are experts at applying camera ready makeup. All of them welcome your ideas and inspiration and will work closely with you to create the best look for your features and your comfort level. They can and have done it all: a wide range of skin tones on women of every ethnicity, women with vitiligo, glamorous looks, "no makeup" makeup, and the list goes on and on. 

When Jessica arrived at the studio with sweet baby Griffin and her husband, we couldn't get over how roly poly and plump he was! Rolls on rolls, and over 9 pounds with the cutest little nose and head of hair. Despite his chunkiness, he was a deep sleeper so curled right up when I worked with him during his solo newborn portion of the session. As I was finishing up with Griffin, Margaret was putting the finishing touches on Jessica's makeup. We moved right into the parent and family portion, which is so easy! All you have to do is worry about holding and loving your baby. I'll take care of the rest and gently guide you through the entire thing. The family portion usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour depending on your baby. Some babies decide partway through that it's time for a snack break. This is never an issue, as your baby's comfort is our top priority. If they need to eat or be snuggled, that's exactly what will happen! 

Here are a few of my favorites from Griffin'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 Alexander

I first worked with Ann and her beautiful family for their field maternity session, which can be viewed by clicking here. When I heard from her that baby Alexander had arrived, I was so excited for their family! She asked if she could bring along grandparents and other family members, and I told her she was welcome to. Family members are always welcome to come along for your newborn session if they're in town and come by the studio when it's their turn to participate. Having a noisy and crowded studio is not conducive to the calm and relaxing environment needed for your baby's best session, so that's why we don't have anyone who is not being photographed present. 

Ann arrived with Alexander and we went through the studio wardrobe together to choose something for her to wear. She loved a blush lace dress, and cozied up on the studio couch for some rest while I took Alexander into the newborn shooting room. He was wide awake, but calm, and very alert. I'm always looking for babies to wake in a calm state so that I can capture their faces with their eyes open. Sometimes this doesn't happen during newborn sessions though if a baby just prefers to sleep or won't look towards the camera, and that's totally fine! After wrapping Alexander up and using a few tricks in my newborn photographer toolbox, I settled him into a deep sleep. We finished up the newborn portion fairly quickly once he was asleep and the rest of the family arrived.

The grandmothers both wore their traditional Vietnamese dress, which I loved. Grandpa was a retired Vietnamese Air Force vet, and put on his uniform at their request for a couple of images. Once we finished with the larger extended family images, the grandparents departed and we finished with parent, sibling, and immediate family photos. Big brother Andrew was SO sweet with his baby brother!  

I so enjoyed working with this tight knit and loving family, and I can't wait to see them in the fall for Alexander's First Birthday 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 Maternity Photographer | Abby & Justin at the park

Abby contacted us in her second trimester to schedule an outdoor maternity session, and chose the park location and added on hair and makeup services. She and her husband had just relocated from the New York area, and she chose to work with us because of our laid back approach.

When she came in for her maternity session, she "warned" me that she and her husband weren't naturals in front of the camera and didn't know what to do. Guess what? Most of my clients feel this way, and it's totally fine! Unless you're a professional model, that's 99% of the population. The good news is that I'll be walking you through the entire session and guiding you. A lot of my sessions are me putting my client together, and then stepping back for some natural interaction. If you freeze up, don't worry - I'll give you some prompts that are really easy to understand and do. 

The evening of their session, I met Abby and Justin at the studio and chatted with Justin as Abby changed into her first dress. We headed to the location, and got started. It was a hot and humid summer evening, but gorgeous sunset light always makes it worth it. I know my clients are already uncomfortable from being pregnant, so I keep my sessions efficient. I don't rush through them, but we're not going to waste time either. Lots of clients are worried about their makeup "melting" off, but with our HMUA team you needn't worry. They all use the highest quality products that can handle heat and humidity - all of them are in the wedding industry as well, so makeup that stands the test of a busy day is their specialty. 

At the end of our time together, both Abby and Justin mentioned how much fun it was and how much easier it was than they thought it would be. They were thrilled when they received their gallery, and have since welcomed their sweet little GIRL! They waited to find out whether they were having a boy or a girl until birth, which I just love since I did the same for all three of my own children. I met Grace at our annual Santa event, and am so excited to photograph her first birthday session this coming August! 

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 Ander

When Sara emailed to let me know that Ander had arrived safely, I was overjoyed for them. He's was welcomed after previous losses, and knowing that they had a baby in their arms now was so emotional for all that know them and their story. It's not my story to tell, so I'll leave it at that. 

The morning of their session, I had Sara's dress waiting for her. Because she had done a maternity session, she had already chosen her dress for her newborn session. Lots of my clients fall in love with multiple dresses and have a pretty good idea of what they'll wear when they come back with their baby. Those who don't know look through with me before we get started, and some clients elect to wear their own clothing. We send a newborn prep guide to all clients in the week ahead of their session that helps with choosing what to wear from their own closets and takes the guesswork out of that! 

Sara and Jay arrived with Ander and were a bit flustered. Jay had a huge work deadline, and they'd been up all night with the baby. Sara was tired and a bit emotional, and I recognized the overwhelm and the stress immediately. Margaret was also there, so I asked Sara to settle into the makeup chair, and took the baby. I directed Jay to a nearby coffeeshop and told him to go finish up work and come on back to the studio when he was done. I also told everyone that no stressing out was allowed in the studio, and that everything was all going to be just fine. I could feel the relief in the room and watched the stress lift. Jay went off to work, and I took Ander back into the newborn room. 

Everything did work out just fine! The deadline was met, Sara looked beautiful and refreshed, and everyone was happy and calm. I know firsthand what a jumble those first few weeks are with a new baby. It's not easy, and there's a lot to figure out. It can feel overwhelming, and being sleep deprived certainly doesn't help! The last thing you need is a stressful newborn session experience, and we know that. Newborn sessions in our studio are calm, relaxed, and not rushed. You don't have to worry about getting your house warm enough or cleaning it up for pictures, all you have to do is arrive at the studio, and we'll take care of the rest! The comfort of our little clients and their parents is our first priority. We want you to feel well cared for during your entire experience with us!  

When I photographed Ander, I stayed with creams and whites at Sara's request. I love the bright and clean palette. All of my baby setups are neutral, and I choose the best wraps and background drops based on your baby's skin tones. I love subtle textures, and simplicity is the name of the game in the studio. Why? Because your baby and their sweet features deserve to be the highlight of the images. They shouldn't have to compete with a giant bowl or elaborate setup. 

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Ander'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 Maternity Photography | Sara & Jay at the field

Sara contacted me to ask about booking a newborn and maternity session for her rainbow baby, and mentioned she'd been referred by one of my long time clients who did maternity, birth, and baby sessions with me for both of her children. I always love when new clients are sent to me with a vote of confidence from existing ones! 

She loved the field location, and asked to add on hair and makeup services to both sessions as well.

Sara was concerned about being able to wear anything from the wardrobe because she is very petite. I assured her that my shortest client is 4'11" and we have lots of options for petite mamas. When it comes to maternity sessions, it's not a bad thing if the dresses are "too" long. They pool around the feet and look gorgeous, and in the field location it doesn't even matter since the dress is tall.  When she arrived at the studio, she expressed surprise (and happiness!) that there were so many options that would work for her. She wanted an open front dress so she could have some bare belly images as well. Bare belly images aren't for every mama! The good thing is that it's your choice. If you want to have a few with the belly, you can definitely do that, or you can opt to leave the split front gown closed for all of your images. It's all about you and your preferences. 

The evening of the session, we met at the field, and I met her sweet pups! Pets are always welcome to be a part of outdoor sessions as participants. In studio sessions are on a case by case basis depending on size and training. You will need to bring along a helper to take care of your pets when they are not being photographed as they will not be in every image. I typically photograph clients with their pets for about 10 minutes during sessions, so it's not very long at all. 

Jay and Sara were so affectionate towards one another. When Jay learned he didn't have to look at the camera and smile, and that his job was to love Sara, he ran with it. And he nailed it too. These pictures make me smile because they take me back to that evening in the field with their quiet love for one another, the whispered secrets, and the laughter. It was such an incredible session to photograph. Here are a few of my most favorite images from our time together. Doesn't Sara look absolutely gorgeous? I love the beautiful braided updo that Margaret created for her! Check back in a couple of days to see their beautiful baby boy's newborn session! 

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Liam

Amy's son Liam arrived before his due date, and decided to scare everyone a little bit, so he stayed in the hospital for a few days. Once he was cleared to go home, we scheduled his newborn session. When they arrived, Amy looked through the wardrobe and I showed her a couple of dresses that had just arrived. She ultimately chose one of those new dresses, and then hopped into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret. Hair and makeup add on services are such a fun way to really treat yourself to some relaxation and pampering. You'll be tired from the sleep deprivation, and our HMUA is literally magic when it comes to brightening up tired eyes and skin. Lots of our newborn moms have a little extra pep in their step when they leave from loving their hair and makeup, and head out to lunch to show it off. Hint: some of our moms have been gifted HMUA services as part of their push present or instead of flowers from family members! ;) 

I took Liam into the newborn shooting room and began photographing his solo images. About halfway through, he decided he was hungry, so I took him to Amy. Our entire HMUA team is very supportive of nursing moms and they don't skip a beat. We have a nursing pillow available in the studio to use, and it fits perfectly on your lap in the chair. They'll keep applying makeup as you feed your baby until your baby is ready to come back with me to continue their session. Every newborn is different! Some may never need to eat during the entire course of their time with me, but the vast majority will need to eat at least once. Newborn sessions are not rushed in my studio, and you will be the only newborn client scheduled for that day. We want your experience to be relaxed and stress free! After Liam was done eating, I took him back into the newborn room to finish up his solo portraits. 

When we were finished up, Amy was still having her hair done. We knew it would take a bit longer because Amy has incredibly thick and curly hair that needed a blow out. So, I started with daddy and son images, and by the time we were finished with those, Amy was ready to step into the images. I want to note that many of the father and son images were not directed other than, "Just hold your son and love him." That's it! Newborn sessions are really so easy for parents because your job is to hold and love your baby, which you've been doing from the second they were placed in your arms. So you already have lots of practice and can consider yourself an expert at this point. ;) I'll step in from time to time to smooth back an errant hair, or ask dad to get a little closer, etc but for the most part, I place you where I want you, and the rest is all you. Worried that you'll freeze up in front of the camera? Fair enough, because some clients do. I'll walk you through it with guided direction for natural interaction.  Before you know it, you won't need me to tell you what to do while holding your baby. Promise! 

I loved working with Amy and Brian and seeing them as new parents. Liam is absolutely adorable, and so very loved. I'm so happy for them, and so glad that Amy and I met by chance. As a reminder: she's an amazing wedding and event planner, so if you know anyone looking for someone with incredible taste, organization, and an eye for all those little details that make things stunningly gorgeous, definitely visit her website at www.adreamwoven.com.

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 | 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.