Atlanta Family Photographer | The Q Family

I first started working with Erised & Dan for their maternity session in the gardens location when they were expecting their son. You can see their maternity images by clicking here. I went on to photograph their son’s newborn session and six month milestone session (view by clicking here) in the studio. Erised wanted an outdoor fall session at the field for family Christmas cards and to further document Benicio’s growth. I’m so looking forward to photographing Benicio’s First Birthday session in a couple of weeks!

We sent over the studio style guide to Erised, and I encouraged her to have everyone wear color if she wanted that. She debated for a while on which direction she wanted to go for wardrobe, but ultimately decided on a more casual look for everyone. I absolutely LOVED the colors she chose! When they arrived at the field, she pulled out a couple of different options for Benicio because she wanted my opinion on which would be best with what she and Dan were wearing. Lots of families will bring along different options if they’re not 100% sure, and this is totally okay to do! I’m also available via email or a quick 15 minute studio appointment to go over your choices for everyone and offer my input and suggestions on anything to mix up or change. Your family portrait experience should be FUN and not stressful, and I’m here to help!

Benicio is pretty much one of the happiest little babies I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. He loves his parents, and he loves people in general. I just love his cute little yellow moccasins that picked up the yellow from his mother’s dress. His little bottom tooth and bright blue eyes are just absolutely adorable. (His other bottom tooth broke through just days after our time together!)

Babies love being outdoors and are always interested in their surroundings. It’s very easy to keep them happy and distracted for outdoor sessions, and we always have a lot of fun. I direct parents as we go throughout our session, and the things I direct you to do are very likely things that you do with at home. SO much of a family session is play based, regardless of your child’s age. Sometimes families freeze up when a camera is on them and they’re just not sure what to do. So many parents express relief (and amazement!) that a session with me is as easy as it is! Show up ready to play and goof off with your kids, and we will get those real moments filled with laughter, real grins, and sparkling eyes. When you’re having fun, you relax, and your individual personalities shine through - which creates the optimal environment to capture your family’s unique and beautiful dynamic!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this lovely family’s family session at the field!

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

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

Atlanta Hospital Photographer | Atlanta Medical Center Fresh 48 Session

I first worked with Rashida for her maternity and newborn sessions when she had her second son. They were surprised with baby #3 and thrilled to find out they were having a little girl! She immediately contacted me me to get in the calendar for Fresh 48, maternity, and newborn sessions. You can see their gorgeous family field maternity session by clicking here, and their daughter’s newborn session will be posted later this week!

As with their second son, they had their daughter at Atlanta Medical Center, which is one of my favorite hospitals to photograph at due to the large windows in most rooms. When Rashida went into labor, she texted me to let me know so I had the heads up. Her labor with baby girl was super quick compared to the previous one, and I made arrangements to come to the hospital the next morning when big brothers would be coming to meet her.

When I arrived at the hospital, I gave Rashida and Jordache hugs and chatted for a couple of minutes about how everything went, and admired their gorgeous new daughter. They had named her Jordyn - keeping the J name tradition going! Because they had worked with me before, the room was pretty much already cleared of clutter and ready to go. Plus, with a third baby, Rashida hadn’t packed anywhere near the amount of stuff that most first time parents do! Pro tip: you only use about 20% of what you pack with your first child. Would you believe I packed MAGAZINES? I don’t know WHAT I was thinking - some list online said I’d have lots of time to read after the baby was born, so I decided it was a good idea. ::insert facepalm emoji here::

Rashida had bought a mommy and me set for the hospital, which was just adorable. After two sons, she was ALL about the mommy and me girly things. Fresh 48 sessions are photographed in whatever you’re wearing! For some moms, it’s a simple robe from home or even the standard hospital gown. Babies are generally in their hospital onesie and hat, but some mamas prefer to dress them in a special outfit and/or wrap them in a swaddle. There is no right or wrong way to go about it - I discuss the different options with each of my clients when they book.

I started with taking images of Jordyn in her mother’s arms, and then got ready for the big brothers to come in and meet her. I LOVE photographing sibling meetings. Every big sibling reacts differently! Biggest brother Jaiden was absolutely in love and all about his new baby sister. Big brother Jace was not so into it, and quite suspicious of this new tiny person taking up HIS spot in his mama’s arms. (I’m happy to report he has since come around and adores his baby sister!) Grandma and Grandpa were on hand as well, so they jumped in for a few images as well. I am happy to include your extended family members in your Fresh 48 session as I think grandparents are so special! I just ask for time alone with your family when I first arrive before bringing others in so that we can have the quiet moments of just your immediate family first. It can sometimes be a little chaotic when we have lots of visitors around! We finished up with parent images, and I am just dying over the ones of Jordache with his little girl. There is just something about new daddies with their baby girls that get me every time. I’m so blessed to have one of the most amazing dads on the planet, and I married one of them too. It takes me back to those moments where he held our daughters for the very first time, and so many wonderful memories come flooding back. One memory that comes to mind…. I’ll never forget my husband’s reaction when our first baby sneezed (VERY loudly if I may add!) for the first time after we were home when she was about two days old. Just envision the most amazed look on a person’s face that you can - that was the expression on his face. She started fussing immediately since the sneeze scared her. I remember the way he gently talked to her to calm her down after the sneeze, and the way he held her and rocked and swayed. I remember how tiny her barely 7 pound body was in his arms snuggled up against his chest. I want you to remember these moments with your baby too.

Aside from taking care of clutter upon arrival, Fresh 48 sessions are EASY. These sessions are a documentary lifestyle session, and I love them. I don’t edit your baby’s newborn skin for Fresh 48 sessions, because that would take away from how they truly looked in those first hours. If you’re having a postpartum breakout, I’ll take care of that for you when I edit!

Your Fresh 48 images will be unforced, unfold naturally and preserve you, your partner, big siblings, and your baby exactly as you were in those moments. I want you to smile when you look at the images of your baby's sweet features and remember how the top of their head smelled so fresh and perfect. I want the memories of those first days to come flooding back, and I want you to wonder aloud how the time went so fast.

Enjoy a handful of baby Jordyn’s Fresh 48 session images!

If you're pregnant and looking for a newborn or maternity photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Be sure to view this short 1.5 minute film 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 Presley

Linda contacted the studio when her baby girl was almost two weeks old to see if we had any last minute availability. They were still getting used to being a family of four and hadn’t gotten around to securing a newborn photographer before she arrived. We were already booked for that week, but did have some availability the following week! We assured Linda that we have lots of babies come in between 2-3 weeks old and it wouldn’t be a problem. For some reason, a lot of new parents are under the impression that their newborn has to be 10 days old or less for a newborn session. While we do schedule babies to come in as early as 8 days in some cases, the vast majority are scheduled between 10-16 when possible. As a mom of three children, I’ve been through the newborn stage three times and I still remember what it’s like. I like to give new moms the time they need to recover a bit and get into somewhat of a rhythm before coming in with their new baby!

Linda’s husband was already back to work, and so they asked if he could be there for just a short time. We have a lot of dads come in over their lunch breaks, and we work around schedules and toddler sibling naptimes as much as possible! We’ll discuss specifics with you when scheduling your session - but the long and short of it is: don’t worry, we’ve got you!

When the family arrived with baby Presley, I pulled out a few dresses from the studio wardrobe and she fell in love with a gorgeous pale peach hued dress with embroidery. It fit her wonderfully and was absolutely perfect for her skin tone. She expressed how happy she was that we had a studio wardrobe available to her and how much less stressed she was knowing that she would be taken care of in that area.

We started right away with family images. Barron was just the sweetest big brother and so eager to participate! Every toddler who walks through the studio door is different, and I tailor my approach to each individual child. What I love about being a family photographer is that no session will ever look the same. Each family, child, and baby are unique, and their final gallery will reflect who they are. After we finished with Barron, we moved to daddy and baby shots, and wrapped up with parent and baby shots. Barron and his dad left at that point, and Presley was awake and ready to eat.

After a diaper change, and a nice long feed, I took Presley into the newborn shooting room for her solo images. She was SUCH a doll baby, with the most beautiful head of dark hair. I did have to take my time with the little miss though, because she was what I call a “touchy” baby - which means that she woke pretty easily. She was also a little chunk and going through a growth spurt, so we had quite a few nursing breaks in between! I never want mamas to worry about how often their baby needs to eat. Some newborns eat quickly and only once or twice while they’re here, and others take their sweet old time and want to nurse every 30 minutes. We’ll work around the needs of your baby! I enjoyed chatting with Linda during these nursing breaks and getting to know her. Don’t worry - I won’t ask for your life story, but we won’t sit in uncomfortable silence either!

After I finished up with Presley’s solo images, we wrapped up with mommy and baby. While this is not my typical workflow (I prefer to start with baby only since they are typically sleepiest first thing in the morning), because of the family’s scheduling needs, that’s why we mixed it up.

Linda loved her gallery, and we worked together to choose some of her collection images for a wall gallery to display and enjoy in her home! Framed artwork is probably one of my favorite offerings to clients and something that I have displayed in my own home. I can’t explain how wonderful it is to have photographs of your family on your walls in a beautiful arrangement for everyone to enjoy on a daily basis. It’s the first thing I see when I come into my home and the last thing I see on my way out - and makes me smile every single time. Clients who are interested in this can peruse our framing catalog, or come into the studio to see the frames for themselves. I will work with you to suggest the best sizes and arrangements for the space you’re thinking of hanging your artwork and will provide you with a to scale proof of what it will look like on your actual wall.

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Presley’s newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Maternity & Family Photographer | Nick, Jasmin & Olivia in the Gardens

Nick and Jasmin had just moved here from Virginia, and didn’t know of any photographers in the Atlanta area. Jasmin looked around online, looked through my website, and fell in love with my maternity sessions in our gardens location. She contacted us and then told her husband that she had found the perfect photographer for their maternity session, and then he contacted us too! We straightened out the crossed wires after speaking with both of them and booked their maternity session on a weeknight. The gardens are not available on weekend evenings, so if you want your session to take place there, you will need to arrange for your schedule to accommodate a weekday.

When the family came in for their maternity fitting at the studio, I was delighted to meet all three of them! Big sister Olivia was absolutely adorable and reminded me of my middle child with her spunky personality. She was so excited to be a big sister, and said she would share her toys with her new baby sister once she was here. Nick will be surrounded by women, and he couldn’t be happier about it!

Based on the olive green dress that Jasmin was wearing when she arrived, I could tell she leaned towards bohemian inspired style and pulled out a few options for her. She had a lot of fun trying on the different options and Nick seemed to have fun giving his feedback on each! She settled on two dresses and let me know that she already had the perfect outfit for Olivia so they were all set.

On the evening of their session, we met at the gardens, and Olivia’s dress and floral crown were indeed perfect! I always start with family and child images just in case they decide they’re over the session and don’t want to participate anymore later on. That way our bases are covered no matter what! The gardens are a fun location to shoot in since there are so many different places to shoot in that provide a lot of variety. We will often be working around other photographers and their clients, so if you’re hoping for seclusion and privacy during your session, this is likely not the best location choice for you. I can assure you that nobody is paying any attention to anyone else as we’re all there for our own sessions!

The family had a lot of fun playing together and walking around the gardens. As we walked, we chatted about all sorts of things and I learned that one of my photographer friends in the same town their from is a co-worker of Jasmin’s mother! I also learned that Jasmin and Nick met in high school but didn’t start dating until after college. I can honestly say that one of my favorite parts about what I do is getting to know my clients and listening to their stories. I am constantly reminded of what a small world we live in and how much we can have in common with others from my conversations with them.

When Jasmin changed into her second dress, I took the opportunity to photograph Nick and Olivia together for some daddy-daughter images. I am so close to my own dad, and my husband is the same way with our daughters, so I think these images are really important to create. When Jasmin came out, she was holding Olivia’s flower crown and asked if it wold be silly to wear it. I told her I loved the idea, so on her head it went, and it was perfect with the dress and the garden setting!

I LOVED working with this sweet little family of three (soon to be four!) and can’t wait to see them again in the future!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Charlie

Baby Charlie’s grandmother called the studio from her home in the Raleigh, NC area several months before his birth to find out about our offerings. She wanted to gift her son and daughter-in-law with a newborn session, and we were happy to accommodate her request. When grandparents or another family member gifts a full session, we have a gorgeous gift certificate that we send so they can present it to the recipient. Because Karen had an Atlanta visit planned, she arranged to pick up the gift certificate at the studio since she also wanted a tour. It as so much fun to meet her and show her the studio, answer a few of her questions, and talk about her grandchild that she was so excitedly expecting. Her daughter-in-law’s baby shower was that weekend and she was so excited to give her the gift certificate then.

Quinn, her daughter-in-law, contacted us in the week after and was THRILLED! She immediately made plans to add on hair and makeup services, and told us that she couldn’t think of a better gift. As Charlie’s due date grew nearer, she let us know that he would be delivered via scheduled C-section, and we went ahead and scheduled a specific date for their newborn session. Due to her husband’s demanding schedule with his job in the hospitality industry, her maternity leave, and wanting to coordinate for when his parents would be in town, she wanted to ensure those pieces of the puzzle would all fit together.

Typically we do not schedule newborn sessions until babies have actually arrived. Due dates and scheduled deliveries are estimates, at best and it’s been very rare that babies have arrived when their parents thought they would! There are also other factors we take into consideration when scheduling your session: you and your baby’s recovery, your baby’s birth weight, any complications, etc.

On the day of Charlie’s newborn session, Christian and Quinn arrived with baby Charlie. I was so excited to meet them, and we talked for a bit while looking through the studio wardrobe for Quinn. She had told me she had fair skin and loved lace, so I had a few options already pulled for her. She fell in love with one of the dresses, and then settled into the hair and makeup chair while I took baby Charlie to the newborn shooting room. Charlie was a chunky thing and a dream sleeper. He was very relaxed while sleeping, so it made his solo portraits a breeze! Karen and her husband Matt arrived and had a lot of fun watching the end of his solo portraits through the observation window. After I came out with Charlie, Karen called me “the baby whisperer”. It’s not the first time I’ve been dubbed with that nickname, and I don’t think it’s always true - but I really love working with and photographing newborns and their families, so I’ll take it!

Karen and Matt were only present for the time that they were being photographed, so we started with group shots, and then some grandparent shots together and individually, We ended with images of Karen with Quinn and Charlie, and a three generation image of Christian, Matt, and Charlie. It was emotional for their family, and I was reminded of what a wonderful job I have. I’m invited to photograph these incredibly special moments for families, and it is such an honor. When we finished up with those, we sent Karen and Matt on their way.

At this point, Charlie was hungry and wanted a diaper change, so Quinn and Christian took care of his needs while we chatted and got to know each other further. Both work for a luxury hotel here in Atlanta, and it was really fun hearing about their experiences and travels all over the world. Charlie was having a hard time settling down, and was a bit fussy. During the parent portion of sessions, it’s totally fine if baby is awake, as long as they’re calm. Since Charlie was not calm, we needed to get him to that place before we could continue. Quinn and Christian did their best, but he was not having it, so I gently took over. I’ve had three children and we see multiple babies every week in the studio. While there is sometimes still a baby that will throw me for a loop and refuse to “cooperate” every once in a blue moon, I do know most of the tricks! I walked him and bounced him all over the studio, and he fell back into a deep sleep. Quinn asked if I’d like to come home with them and help put him to bed at night. This is something that I hear from my clients on a regular basis! While I can’t do that, I can definitely give some advice if it’s asked for, and will gladly share tricks and techniques that may work for your family. The newborn stage is full of trial and error and do dependent on your baby’s unqiue needs and personality - you’ll get through it one day at a time. I promise!

We wrapped up the session with parent images, and I just loved the way that Quinn and Christian looked at each other. Welcoming Charlie into their family was not an easy journey for them, and the emotions of relief, gratefulness, and joy were very prevalent on their faces.

Here are just a few from Charlie’s gallery! Karen opted to purchase the full gallery along with an album for them, and also surprised them with a large 16x20 framed print for their home.

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Deepa & Sumesh

Deepa was looking for a photographer for her maternity photos, and asked friends if they knew anyone. Her husband asked around as well, and a former co-worker and friend of his strongly recommended me. Deepa called the studio to book a maternity session, and we scheduled a time for her to come for a fitting the next week.

The fitting appointment is for you to bring what you’re planning to wear for your session, or try on studio pieces to borrow for your session! The vast majority of our maternity clients opt to borrow from the wardrobe. Even if you’re not planning to utilize the studio wardrobe, I love meeting clients in advance when possible. It allows us to get to know each other a bit, and for me to provide assistance with styling your final look. It’s a quick 20 minute appointment, and we schedule in late afternoons or evenings during the week and sometimes on weekends depending on our studio schedule.

When Deepa arrived for her fitting, we talked about her style and body coverage preferences. I pulled several pieces from the wardrobe that I knew would fit her and work well with her skin tone. I’m somewhat of an expert at sizing up bellies and knowing what will work for each one! As a photographer, my biggest concern is the color working with each individual client’s skin tone. Not everyone looks good in a specific shade of white! My job is to make sure your photos are as gorgeous as they can be, so choosing the right pieces for you that you feel beautiful and comfortable in the foundation of your session. This goes for any session with me, not just maternity! After trying on a few dresses, Deepa fell in love with a beautiful lace overlay sleeveless dress, and a cream long sleeved dress. My wardrobe pieces are chosen in such a way that the majority of them flow very well with each other so your final gallery will look cohesive between looks. We discussed what her husband, Sumesh should wear based on his personality and style preferences. She wanted to know if jeans would be ok, and my answer was “Absolutely!” It’s so important for your guy to feel like himself and like what he’s wearing.

On the evening of their session, Sumesh and Deepa arrived at the studio. While Deepa was getting changed into her first dress, Sumesh and I chatted and got to know each other. We talked about the coworker and friend who had sent them to me, and about his job, the baby girl they were expecting, and how he and Deepa met, etc. If I don’t meet your partner at your fitting, I always like to spend a few minutes before our session time getting to know them so they don’t feel like I’m a total stranger.

Once Deepa was ready, we headed down the street and got started. Sumesh is one of the most jovial and hilarious guys I’ve ever met, and it made for a really fun time! Deepa is more quiet and reserved, but even she was laughing at our jokes throughout. I want your session to be relaxed and lots of fun. Don’t worry about what you’re supposed to do, because I will guide you through the entire thing. My verbal direction is very clear, and I’ll step in to fix a piece of hair or turn you a few inches in the right direction. I’m always demonstrating for my clients, and am often told how easy I made it for them when we’re finished! Most of what I photograph involves me getting you situated and then stepping back to capture what unfolds naturally, The emotion you see in my photographs cannot be manufactured or faked - it’s real. The only involvement that I have in that area is getting you positioned for a beautiful photograph, choosing the best lens from my bag, and photographing from the best angle. It’s a marriage of many elements, and I love it!

Doesn’t Deeps look absolutely lovely in her dresses?! Enjoy some of my favorites from this couples’ 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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Baby Evelyn's Nine Month Milestone

Caitlin contacted the studio to book a milestone session that focused heavily on her nine month old daughter and herself. She also requested to add on hair and makeup services as a special treat. She and her husband had just relocated from Savannah back to where she grew up north of Atlanta, and were very happy to be back!

When Caitlin arrived at the studio, we started chatting about life in Savannah. During our conversation, I discovered she had worked with one of my best friends in the industry for her daughter’s newborn session! Such a small world. I’m always amazed by how many of my clients know someone else that I know - whether it’s a client, a friend, or even a family member!

We started looking through the studio wardrobe, and as Caitlin was trying on outfits, her husband and daughter, Evelyn, arrived along with Grandma. I introduced myself, and since Evelyn was a bit shy at first, held off on starting the session for a few minutes so that she could acclimate to her new surroundings. I never rush my littlest clients. A new and unfamiliar place can be a bit scary for them, so keeping the environment relaxed and quiet so they feel safe is the best approach!

Caitlin had brought a special outfit for Evelyn to wear during the session. It was a soft pink knit romper that she paired with adorable Peter Pan collared blouse - very Southern but also so timeless! Evelyn had some of the most striking blue eyes I’ve ever seen and a mop of curly hair. We started the session with just her sitting on the bed and daddy right next to her out of the frame to catch her if she decided to speed crawl off the side. As you can see from the series of images, Evelyn wasn’t too sure about me at first but warmed up quickly. I asked her daddy to hop on up as Caitlin had asked to include him as well. When we finished up with those, Caitlin had chosen her dress and joined in. At the midpoint of our session, Evelyn became very antsy and fussy, which we quickly determined was due to being hungry!

Hungry babies = session break. After enjoying a delicious bottle and some snuggles, we were back in business! I don’t ever want parents to worry about needing to stop for a snack break. Babies don’t always operate on their normal schedules, and we’ll adapt to their needs. My first priority is your baby’s safety and comfort, so we’re going to roll with whatever they decide to throw at us on their session day. :)

We finished up the session with some gorgeous mommy and daughter images that I absolutely love, and family images of the three of them having fun. Caitlin asked to have a few images taken of just her husband and herself, which I gladly accommodated for them. Before you welcomed your little one(s), it was just the two of you. After your children leave the home, it will be just the two of you again. Your relationship is also important and deserves to be documented through the years too!

Here are a few of my favorites from sweet Evelyn’s milestone session!

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

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

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | In Home First Birthday for Ryan!

I first met Lindsey and Jarod when they brought their son, Ryan, to the studio for a newborn session after he was born. You can view those images by clicking here. During his newborn session, Lindsey asked if I photographed in home sessions and was thrilled to find out that I did! She wanted to book Ryan’s First Birthday session and wanted it to be in their home. Lindsey had Ryan’s birthday party planned for the same weekend as their session, and was so excited to be able to include her parents and beloved golden retriever, Georgia, as well.

We sent over our style guide to Lindsey, and she shared it with her mother so that everyone could be coordinated. The style guide is a super easy and short read. It helps so many of our clients pull their look together. Lindsey initially considered wearing a dress but after a style consult with me, we determined that wearing a different outfit in her closet was much more suited to the overall feel that she wanted for her images and would also work well with everyone else and the decor of their home. If that all sounds overwhelming, don’t stress! I’m here to help walk you through it and my trained eye for color will immediately know which of your options are the best. I absolutely love helping clients and am here to hold your hand as much as you need it! I want your entire session experience to be fun and as stress free as possible, which includes the planning.

When I travel to homes for sessions, I do a walk through of your home when I arrive. You will have already sent me images of the rooms in your home beforehand. My goal is to schedule your session for when we have the best light that coordinates with your child’s best time of day. Lindsey’s gorgeous home had many rooms that were full of beautiful light. I stopped short when I saw their upstairs hall bathroom with the clawfoot tub because of how amazing it was! I immediately asked how they felt about doing a quick bath after the cake, and they loved the idea. Side note: it was SO much fun to see their wall gallery from their newborn session hanging throughout the house! As an artist, it’s always wonderful to see how my clients are enjoying their artwork on a daily basis in their homes.

We started downstairs with group images and took turns passing Ryan around between parents and grandparents. They wanted an outdoors image in their backyard, so we headed out back there since we had enough open shade. I am very honest with my clients: sometimes their vision or hopes for their session simply is not going to work if the light is too harsh or isn’t optimal. We also headed out to their front porch as well. When Lindsay started carrying Ryan up the stairs, I asked her if he knew how to climb them, She responded “Of course, he does it all the time!” and I asked if we could allow him to crawl up the stairs with her close behind him. When I am in your home, I want to photograph those moments that you do all the time, that don’t have a second thought. Someday you’re going to miss those days where you watched your baby navigate the steps. Someday those little feet won’t be so little anymore. Let’s preserve those memories for you so you have a way to hold on.

We headed to Ryan’s bedroom where we had determined was the best location for his birthday cake in terms of light and easy cleanup for Lindsey. My high chair is an antique and does not travel. You have a few options for cake smashes in home - if it’s warm enough we can certainly be outside! If it’s colder, we can be indoors. Lindsey’s kitchen was much too dark to photograph in during the time of day that I was there, so it was not an option. If you have a bright kitchen with lots of natural light pouring in, then it might make perfect sense for your child to sit at the island or in their own high chair. We’ll talk about the different options and come up with a plan!

Ryan wasn’t a huge fan of eating his cake, but did enjoy sticking his feet into it! It’s always so much fun watching each baby and seeing how differently they react to their cakes. No cake smashes ever look the same, and I love that!

After Ryan indicated that he was no longer interested in his cake, Lindsey and Jarod took him down the hall for a post cake bubble bath. The bathtub photo of Ryan is definitely in the favorites of photographs that I’ve created in my career. He is SO cute!

Interested in an in-home session for your baby’s upcoming milestone? Contact us today to discuss your vision and details!!!

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | The S Family in the park

Katie contacted the studio to schedule a family session. Their family lives right by the studio, and she was referred by another client of mine whose son attends the same preschool as hers. She also asked to add on hair and makeup services as a treat to herself, and we sent over the style guide to help her with guidance on what she and her family should wear.

Originally, we had scheduled their session for the weekend of Halloween, but rain forced a reschedule. They were about to leave for an international vacation and both have demanding and variable work schedules, so we moved the session to November during Thanksgiving break, with assurances that they’d still be able to get their Christmas cards out in time!

The day of their session approached, and it was a gorgeous and sunny evening… but also super cold! Every family is different when it comes to cold weather in terms of tolerance. If your session is scheduled during cold weather, dress in layers! We’ll take breaks to warm up if needed, and I will work SUPER fast as well. I encourage even more running around than usual to help younger kids warm up and forget about the fact it’s cold, and it’s generally quite effective!

A note about colder temperatures: I reschedule sessions automatically if it’s going to be below 40 degrees because I don’t want my clients to be miserable. If you’re worried about your nose being red or lips being a little purple from feeling cold, no need to be - that’s something I take care of in post processing when I edit!

When the family arrived at the park location, I introduced myself to their sons. They were a bit shy at first, which is pretty normal! My approach is to respect each individual child’s need for space and to meet them wherever they’re at. As the session continues and they become more comfortable, I slowly ramp up the games and my “pep”. By the end of our time together, we were playing all sorts of fun games and everyone was laughing and having a good time despite the cold.

I could type a book about how I handle family sessions, but I’ll spare you! You just need to know two things. (1) I’m a mom of three children myself who are all basically two years apart give or take a few weeks and who all have very different personalities. So I have been in your shoes! (2) Know that family sessions with me are organized “chaos”. I shoot my family sessions efficiently, which means that participants who need a break get one while others are being photographed. I’m always moving and there is no standing around doing nothing time. If the kids need a snack, we’ll likely place them on the ground right by you and knock out some mom and dad couples shots! My family sessions are very much about interacting together through play, and NOT necessarily having everyone look at the camera with a big old smile. I know Grandma might want that “perfect” family portrait with everyone smiling, but that’s simply not the goal or the heart of my approach at all. So, what is? Love and connection that showcases your family’s unique dynamic in tangible form.

Want to capture your family just as you are now before time completely slips away and you’re packing their bags for college? We fill up several months in advance for weekend dates, and are already booking for spring and early summer! Contact us and we’ll chat about your session goals, your vision, and our approach to see if we’re the perfect match for your family photography!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Jonas

Katherine called the studio to ask if we had any availability for a last minute newborn session. Because they had adopted their sweet little boy, they were required to stay in the state they adopted him from for a certain length of time. He was already over three weeks old, but when she read that we frequently photograph babies this age she contacted us right away.

We work with adoptive families all the time and are flexible with their scheduling since there are often so many hoops to jump through when it comes to bringing baby home after their birth when it’s out of state.

Newborn sessions are so special to me, because I get to hear all about the journey to welcoming their newest member. Some of the stories I’m privileged to hear from both biological and adoptive parents literally bring me to tears alongside mamas. (We keep Kleenex stocked in the studio!) I really cannot verbally express how honored I am to be chosen to photograph every single newborn who comes into these studio doors and to be a small part of their beginning.

On the day of their session, the proud parents arrived with baby Jonas and big sister Kaia. We looked through the studio wardrobe for Katherine and she quickly settled on a pretty floral dress. Kaia was already dressed perfectly, and Jonas Sr. was as well thanks to following our helpful newborn prep packet which covers what to wear from your own closets. I started with baby Jonas’ solo portraits in the newborn shooting room, but he was having a hard time sleeping due to some gas issues. We moved into the family portion next since he was more comfortable being held at that time. That part went pretty quickly, and by the time we finished, he was in a deep sleep.

I then took baby Jonas back into the newborn shooting room and was able to photograph him for one setup, and then he woke up due to wanting to eat. I took him back out to his mama, and while he was eating he also let us know that he would need a diaper change very soon. Kaia and her dad left the studio to go get some lunch, and I sat with Katherine while she told me all about the story of how Jonas came to be a part of their family. I won’t go into details as it’s not my story to share, but (a) I cried with her and (b) they’re amazing. That is all!

After changing his diaper and snuggling him for a bit, his belly was no longer uncomfortable from gas and we were able to knock the rest of his solo images out! Babies lead the way for their sessions in my studio. If something’s not working or they’re not comfortable, we change direction and do something else. Your baby’s comfort and safety are my top priority when you’re in my care. I’m always watching and monitoring how parents and babies are doing throughout the entire session.

I love looking at the images from this session! They’re so full of love and he’s just so sweet! His parents loved the images so much that they ordered a large 20x20 matted collage of (4) 8x10 prints and framed it with a gorgeous gold metal frame. I loved it so much that I ordered one for the studio too which can be seen when you’re here on request.

Without further ado, here are a few of my favorites 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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Claire & Chris

Claire found us while searching online and loved what she saw in the portfolio. She contacted the studio and asked to book a maternity session at the park location and newborn session with added on hair and makeup services as well.

Claire is a teacher, so we scheduled her maternity fitting to take place after her school day. We often schedule maternity fittings outside the 9-5 window during the week to accommodate work schedules! Some weekend fittings are also available as well and always take place first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon depending on the studio schedule that weekend!

When she walked in, she mentioned how much she loved the studio and how calm and peaceful it was. We started chatting and talking about travel - something both of us love to do. Her husband is Finnish, and they have been so many places all over the world. My husband and I also traveled quite a bit before children, but have not been out of the country since our oldest was born. We plan to go for a two week trip somewhere in 2020! I’m taking suggestions: we’re currently considering a European country hop tour, Argentina, Australia, or ____? I’m totally serious - I’m open to suggestions!!! So if you have been somewhere wonderful that you think everyone should visit in their lifetime, let me know and tell me all about it.

Claire had brought along a dress she purchased in Italy during their travels that she had worn for their engagement photos. I loved the sentimental meaning of the dress and thought she looked beautiful in it! However, she loved SO many of the studio dresses that she ultimately decided to wear pieces from the wardrobe instead of her dress. I suggested that she consider wearing the dress she brought with her for her newborn session and she thought that was definitely something to consider. It was fun watching Claire’s reaction each time she came out of the room and saw herself in a dress. She had such a hard time narrowing it down, but I really love what she chose to wear as it suited her free spirit and complemented her skin tone and brown eyes beautifully. We discussed what her husband, Chris should consider wearing as well.

On the afternoon of their session, they arrived at the studio. I was there working in my office and Margaret had not yet arrived, so I took the opportunity to get to know Chris a bit. The two of them are just so much fun, and Chris is hilarious. I knew from Claire that Chris and I share a love of Cherry Coke Zero, so I presented him with one from our studio fridge. He and I agree that drinking a Cherry Coke Zero is like having dessert. I can’t stand Diet Coke, but Coke Zero? Sign me up. It’s actually the most popular drink in our studio fridge next to Lacroix water - I struggle some weeks to keep it stocked with how fast it flies out!

Margaret arrived and got set up in the studio, and Claire and Chris followed her. I stayed behind in my office to finish working for the afternoon and joined them when it was time to start steaming Claire’s dresses. We picked right back up where we had left off in the office and talked about different countries and the experiences we had there. Claire and Chris are headed to Finland late this spring to introduce their son to his family. Ooooh maybe we should go to Finland? Iceland is another place I am DYING to go visit.

Back on track! Once Claire was all finished, she changed into her first dress and we headed to the park location. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the sunlight was GORGEOUS. We started with just Claire and had Chris jump in and out. There’s a pretty significant height difference between the two of them! You will NEVER see me try to diminish a height difference between a couple. Why? They already know there’s a height difference, and so does everyone who knows them? There is absolutely no reason to make a man crouch down. It’s part of the couples’ story and who they are, so I embrace it. I often hear from these couples that they were made to feel very self conscious about it from other photographers when I ask why the guy is hovering down by his partner’s shoulder. If this has happened to you, I’m sorry, You’ll be standing up straight when you get in front of my camera!

Almost everyone is a bit nervous when we first get started with any type of session. This is totally normal! It’s also not something you need to worry about, because I’m going to guide you throughout your entire session. I want your images to be natural and unforced, but we also want them to be flattering. So I’ll walk you through some things to avoid doing during our time together and make gentle adjustments as needed throughout. My verbal direction is clear and to the point, and you’ll never be left wondering what you’re supposed to do next. Promise!

One of my favorite images from this session is the hand kissing photograph. Before you roll your eyes (yes, it does sound cheesy, doesn’t it?) check it out! I think you’ll be surprised at what a beautiful and natural moment it was - which is exactly what the goal is. And if you’re wondering - yes, this is something that Chris does with Claire on his own, so it’s not unusual for them. We’ll discuss your specific dynamic and ways that you physically connect with each other on a daily basis, and I’ll come up with guided prompts for natural interaction during your session!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Priyanka

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Niko is ONE!

Josie contacted the studio to ask about scheduling a First Birthday session. She wanted to schedule the session to take place before her son’s actual birthday party and use images for the invitation and party decor. Some clients come in sometime in the first month after their baby’s first birthday. It’s entirely up to you!

Josie also asked if including a cake was an absolutely necessity. I responded that it was not, and it was up to her whether she wanted to include one. While a lot of our clients love the experience, some prefer to skip it. The focus of the session is on your baby and capturing them how they are at this age - not on a birthday cake. So, if you don’t want to incorporate a cake, no worries at all!

When they walked in on the day of their session, I immediately recognized Josie’s handbag - the Market Day Tote from Everlane! If you haven’t heard of Everlane, you should definitely check them out. It’s a super cool company with some really great design. Josie was shocked that I recognized her bag and declared that nobody in her family appreciated her bag, and that it made her day that I knew where it was from. I’m a fan of understated simplicity paired with functionality in fashion, so Everlane is right up my alley!

Niko was a little bit shy, so I kept chatting with his parents. I have found that when a baby isn’t receptive to you, it’s best to win them over through their parents. When they see that their parents are talking to me, a small level of trust begins to build from there. As we were talking, I learned that they were both journalists and worked crazy hours sometimes to meet deadlines. Writing is a creative art that I have a lot of respect for since it’s not always possible to crank out a piece oh whatever topic. So when they explained that sometimes they’d stay up until 3 AM because inspiration had hit and they were furiously writing away, I completely understood.

We started the session as a family unit so Niko would feel safe and comfortable. He started smiling as we were all laughing and joking, and I slowly raised my pep level to match where he was. We continued on with parent images, and then things really started getting fun with tickle fights and peek a boo games. Niko loves his parents, and it was just so much fun to watch the three of them together. When Niko was totally warmed up to me, we moved quickly to the solo portraits. Josie had brought along Nik'o’s favorite stuffed animal. I love and welcome the usage of your child’s little “friends”! Incorporating them into your session will make it that much more meaningful years from now when their little lovie is long gone.

Niko needed a diaper change, so they took the opportunity to also quickly change his shirt as well for another look. By this point, he was totally comfortable with me and being in the studio and was all over the place exploring. I love when babies reach this point because then their personality really shines through… and that’s exactly what I strive to capture during sessions!

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Mina is six months!

Earlier this month, I shared images from Mina’s newborn session. Her parents both place a high priority on photographs and make sure to document the first year as well as their lives together through sessions with me. I can’t think of a better gift to pass on to your children - beautiful and tangible memories filled with love and family. If you’ve been around the blog long enough, you’ll have figured out by now that milestone sessions are not just about the babies. Their parents and siblings are every bit as important. Now and then we will have a milestone session that is of baby only, but it’s very rare.

The family arrived at the studio ready to go, and planned to borrow from the wardrobe. I pulled a few dress options for both Mina and her big sister Oona. Oona made it clear that she wanted to stay in what she had on ( a pink shirt and a pastel rainbow tulle skirt)., and that was perfectly fine with her parents - and also with me! I think it’s super important for children to know that their feelings are respected. Another thing to know is that while our studio wardrobe for moms is quite large, it is more limited for babies and children. We have the basics, but the majority of our clients choose to dress their children themselves with the help of our style guide. Many moms will bring in clothing that they’re considering for the session and I’ll go through it all and piece it all together with suggestions of other pieces to pick up. Sometimes I’ll pull from the studio wardrobe too, and we always come up with a great look that everyone is happy with!

Mina looks a lot like her daddy and is a pretty serious little girl. Her family can make her laugh, but she gives most others a very quiet stare. She’s not afraid or shy, she just takes it all in. She warmed up to me as the session went on, and gave me a few sweet smiles.

We started with solo portraits on the bed. While Mina is sitting unassisted, she wasn’t 100% stable. Daddy was right next to her out of the frame ready to catch if needed. If your baby is not sitting up on their own at all, we simply use parents’ laps and arms as props! The six month milestone doesn’t have to be done right at six months. Some parents prefer to wait until their baby is sitting unassisted and refer to it as the sitting milestone. It’s entirely your preference! Most babies this age have discovered their feet, and I LOVE those images. Sometimes we help babies along by reminding them that they have feet to play with, but Mina didn’t need much help!

After we finished with her solo images, we moved on to family and parents. While Irene and Steve hoped that Oona would be willing to be photographed with her sister for some sibling only images, that was not the case. No amount of bribery or persuasion worked. I suggested that we ignore her and play with some of the studio toys and she came over to see what was going on. While they aren’t the photos that Irene and Steve probably initially envisioned, they shared that they loved them and how it looked just like the girls playing at home. Honestly - that’s the way that I work. While I do guide you and place you by the best light, much of what you’re doing here at the studio is what you already do at home with your children. Snuggling, playing, giving kisses, tickling, and laughing. As such, sessions here are a fun and relaxing experience that aren’t awkward or forced.

Enjoy a few images from Mina’s session!

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Michelle, Kalyan & Henry

I first met Michelle and Kalyan in their labor and delivery room. It’s not exactly the normal initial meeting that I have with my clients, but I was there to photograph the birth of their baby and they had literally just booked me the evening before while heading to Northside for their induction. So, there wasn’t time to meet beforehand!

Since Henry’s birth, I have photographed multiple sessions for their family over his first year. When Michelle texted to let me know that she was expecting again, I was SO excited for their sweet family! Michelle and Kalyan are such loving parents and some of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet. Michelle had not done a maternity session during her pregnancy with Henry and decided she wanted to do one for this pregnancy. We scheduled her maternity session for the park location and reserved her newborn session as well with hair and makeup add on services for both. Michelle has worked with our HMUA team since Henry’s newborn session and absolutely loves working with all of them!

A week before her session, Michelle came to the studio to look through the wardrobe. Since she’s been in the studio a few times, she already knew exactly which dresses she was thinking about wearing. The dresses she had in mind ended up being exactly what she chose. Every time she comes in and looks through she’s always thinking ahead to the next one!

The evening of their session, we met at the studio parking lot and headed to the park. Henry was FULL of energy that night much to the bewilderment of his parents. They could not figure out why he was so excited and running around at full speed. I’m used to it and basically expect it, so it didn’t throw me at all. I reassured them that everything would be fine, and to run around with Henry and make it a game. When they saw their gallery later, they told me that they were amazed because Henry didn’t seem to stop for one second. I love the images that they chose of Henry - pure glee! He’s a little boy having a blast, and it shows. Those real smiles during moments of genuine fun are what I love the most.

Kalyan handled chasing after Henry and I just rolled with Henry and his proximity. There is no set standard flow for any session I photograph involving babies or children. I’ve been working as a professional photographer for six years now, and if I have learned anything - it’s that you must be flexible and meet the little ones where they’re at. They may not be in the mood for photos one minute, and then two minutes later they’re ready to engage. I’m always ready for that and waiting for it! A great example of this is when a child doesn’t want to be in the photos and protests. I ask mom and dad to simply ignore them and we take a few couples images. Their child watches from the distance and realizes that we aren’t including them! Their little brain starts spinning at the injustice, and sure enough, almost every single time runs back over not willing to be left out.

Enjoy some of my favorites from this family’s session - and check back in a few days to see their adorable baby girl’s newborn session!!!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Lennon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | Liz, Isaac & Frances

I was one of the very first people to meet Frances after she was born when I photographed her Fresh 48 session, which you can view by clicking here. I’ve since gone on to work with this family several times as Frances has grown. Liz contacted me in mid summer to schedule fall family photos for late October, and I was super excited to get to see them again. Frances has one of the best little spunky personalities, and the whole family is just so fun to be around. I also really love the honor of being the go to photographer for a client over the years. Developing relationships and getting to know your children as they grow is a such a privilege, and I don’t take it lightly!

Liz has worked with our HMUA team for nearly all of her sessions with me, and this time was no exception. She requested to add on hair and makeup services for this session as well, and we paired her with Margaret, who she had worked with before. I sent over our style guide and Pinterest board as a refresher, but I knew that she would be just fine as she knew the drill from having worked with us so many times.

Liz chose the park location for their session since they live intown and wanted to avoid dealing with traffic. We met on a nice fall evening, and I loved the adorable blue and green plaid print dress and black patent leather Mary Janes that Frances was wearing! The whole family looked wonderful and were comfortable and relaxed in their outfits. Frances is quite the little explorer, so we spent some time watching her run around. The key to a successful and stress free family photo experience are these three words: Roll With It. This means that you leave your expectations behind and come ready to play and have fun. Children don’t sit still. It’s not in their nature, and you can’t see their true personalities shine when they’re forced to sit and be quiet. There may be dancing, there may be singing, and there will definitely be tickling and snuggling during sessions. There may also be an accidental collision in all the fun… when you look through these images, I’ll give you one guess to find the one where that happened and where the collision was. It ended up being one of the favorite gallery images and I laugh every time I see it!

My goal for your family photos is capture your unique family dynamic, the personality of your child shining through their happy faces, and the love shared between all of you. We simply cannot accomplish that with an awkward and stiffly posed arrangement of your family members on a bench. So come ready to have fun, and willing to play games, and let the magic happen. Wanna see what that magic looks like? Have a little look.

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Eden is ONE!

I first worked with Avis and Thomas for their maternity session in the studio, which can be viewed by clicking here. They welcomed Eden on Halloween, and I will never forget opening an email from Avis that day with the announcement that she was here and an attached photo of all of them wearing costumes in their hospital bed!

When Avis contacted us schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Eden, I was SO excited! Because of food sensitivities, Avis decided to work with our recommended baker to create a vegan cake. Our recommended baker is local to the studio and can deliver your cake directly to the studio so you don’t have to worry about picking it up or forgetting it. Smash cakes are NOT required for First Birthday sessions, but many clients do love including them as it’s a chance for their baby to have some fun without the pressure of being watched by lots of people. Parents also enjoy being able to watch and take in all the funny moments without trying to document it all themselves. If you choose to include a cake in your baby’s First Birthday session, we’ll go over our recommendations for cake type, icing type, color, design, etc. Our goal is to make everything as easy for you as we possibly can!

We also sent Avis our style guide so that she could plan her family’s wardrobe choices. She emailed over a few photos of outfits for me to look at, and I confirmed that her choices looked great! On the day of the session, I arrived at the studio to take delivery of the cake, and welcomed the family shortly thereafter. It was so wonderful to see Thomas & Avis again and to meet their beautiful little girl! She was a little bit reserved, but very curious to know who I was. Because she wasn’t frightened of me, we started the session off with a few images of just Eden. I loved the cream dress her mom had brought for her and accessorized with adorable burgundy shoes and a bow headband! Those accessories were tied together with daddy’s shirt color and mom’s shade of lipstick. They looked amazing, and did such a great job! Thomas was a much more willing participant for this session - I won him over during their maternity session. ;) I loved watching them with their daughter, and we all had so much fun.

After we finished our family and solo portraits portion, Avis dressed Eden in her special birthday outfit. I thought her tutu and pearls paired with a simple white onesie were absolutely adorable. Eden was already walking, so we spent some time playing together on the floor, and running around all over the place. Once we finished with that, I pulled out the high chair, and the cake fun began!

Eden was immediately interested in her cake, and mom and dad came over to join in as well. I will never forget Thomas taking a bite of the icing and the look of shock on his face. I asked him if everything was okay and he nodded. He said “I just can’t believe this cake is vegan! It’s really good!” Avis looked at him and tasted it and said, “Oh my gosh this is amazing!” Our baker really is incredible - her cakes always get taken home for enjoyment no matter how smashed up they get during the session. I order birthday cakes and special event cakes from her - nobody else in Atlanta comes close to the flavor and amazing design she creates.

Here are a handful of my favorite images from Eden’s first birthday celebration!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Mina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Amber & Kason

Amber contacted the studio to schedule a maternity session in the studio. Her husband was only in town for a limited amount of time over the holidays and she needed it to be scheduled during that period. Our weekends were already fully booked, but because they were able to make a weekday work, we were able to schedule them!

Amber came to the studio ahead of their session to try on studio pieces. She wanted her husband’s input, so she took photos of herself wearing the top contenders for him to look at later. Lots of clients do this, and this is totally fine! We do need your final choices at least four business days before the session. Our pieces are professionally cleaned after being worn for sessions, so it’s important we have enough time to get them to and from the cleaners if another client wears the same piece in the same week before your session. This doesn’t happen often, but we like to cover our bases just in case!

Amber later emailed with her two dress selections - she chose a fitted strapless lace gown with a sweetheart neckline and one of our glam options - a split front tulle gown with a gorgeous lace bodice and sleeves. Some of our wardrobe pieces are restricted to indoor sessions only to prevent them from being irreparably damaged, and this particular gown is one of them.

Before she left, we talked about what her husband should wear. One of the best sources of inspiration is to look right here through the blog! We also have a Pinterest board that’s super helpful to many of our clients and constantly add pins as well. Some clients choose to purchase items that were recently pinned that they fall in love with, and others look through the style board and realize that they already have something very similar in their own closet. We’ll also send you a super simple style guide that will help you coordinate colors and mix and match pieces and patterns. If you’re still feeling stuck, don’t worry! I’m available via email to look over options, and you can always bring an armful of things when you come in for your session and I’ll help you choose the best one for your session. Above all: I want you ALL to feel comfortable and like yourselves, and confident in what you’re wearing.

On the day of their session, the couple arrived early! I had another client in for a maternity fitting, so I stepped out for a bit to chat with Amber and Kason. Since I hadn’t already met Kason I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to get to know each other and get him comfortable with me before we began our session. Amber had done such an amazing job with his outfit! I absolutely loved the ivory waffle knit henley that she had picked up for him. He looked relaxed and comfortable, and his outfit worked perfectly with both of Amber’s options.

Once my maternity fitting client had left, we went into the studio and got started! The two of them were so sweet together, and Amber looked absolutely gorgeous. You can get a real sense of their dynamic and love for each other by watching the short film after the images shared.

Enjoy!

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

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