Atlanta Baby Photographer | Theo is ONE!

I first worked with Jessica and Justin when they brought baby Theo in for his newborn session. You can view those images by clicking here. I saw Jessica again when she brought Theo in to meet Santa during our Santa event, and then again at our Motherhood event. She called Caroline (our studio manager) to schedule a First Birthday session for Theo and asked to do it outdoors in late November. She also asked to add on hair and makeup services as well since she loves working with our artists and has done so for all her past sessions.

Caroline sent over the style guide and Pinterest inspiration boards, and Jessica asked to come into the studio because she thought she might want to wear a studio dress. Caroline scheduled an appointment for her, and when Jessica came in we talked about her vision for the shoot. I reminded her that it might be cold, and that there was absolutely nothing wrong with taking the jeans, boots, and sweater approach. She ultimately decided that a more casual look was the direction she wanted to go in, and I loved what she chose for the whole family. Layering in the fall can also be so helpful if the temperature is not what we hope for!

Fall weather in the south can be… well, crazy. There have been Halloweens where my kids were in shorts and t-shirts because their costumes were too hot, and others where they were in their costumes covered with coats, scarves, and mittens and STILL cold. This particular day in November was… FREEZING. Jessica really wanted to try to go ahead and do it outdoors, so we went for it. You can’t tell how cold it was from the images because the evening light was so golden and so warm.

Despite the cold temperatures, Theo was a happy little guy for the first part of it and stayed snuggled up to his mom and dad for quite a bit. I loved the outfits that Jessica had chosen for the entire family! Theo’s knitted blue sweater was a perfect choice for him since it brought out his big blue eyes. I loved seeing Jessica and Michael interact with him. It’s so much fun to see parents throughout their baby’s first year of life. At newborn sessions, most parents are still figuring things out and by the first birthday, they’re settled and confident in their roles!

We took blanket warm up breaks as needed throughout the session to keep everyone as comfortable as possible. I always shoot efficiently during first birthday sessions since one year olds don’t have a long attention span, but I put the efficiency into hyperdrive because I knew Theo wouldn’t be able to handle the cold weather for long. By the time we were ready for the cake portion, Theo was starting to become a bit uncomfortable and was not that interested in his cake. He looked at it, started towards it, and then sat back down and started shivering. He just wanted to be wrapped up and warm, and who can blame him? I could see Jessica was feeling a bit disappointed, as she had made his cake for him all by herself. Theo has some food allergies, so making the cake was quite an involved feat, and I wanted to honor all the love and care she had put into it for him.

Please note that my First Birthday sessions typically take place indoors OR outdoors - and they are not combined. The light in the studio is best for morning through early afternoon hours, and not at sunset. I only shoot outdoor sessions at sunrise or sunset… so you can see the problem! :) However, because we finished outdoors early due to needing to shoot so quickly because of the cold, I asked if they’d like to try a few shots in the studio. I made no guarantees that the light would look like it normally does for my First Birthday sessions. Jessica and Michael jumped at the opportunity, and we headed back up to my studio. It was a success for sure, but we also had the added bonus of many of the trees having lost most of their leaves already, which allowed for enough light to come in the windows. Theo was definitely more interested in his cake now that he was warmer, and dug right in, much to the delight of his parents.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Theo’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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Olivia at the cliffs of Montauk

I’ve wanted to photograph a session at Montauk on Long Island for YEARS ever since I saw photographs of my sister with the cliffs in the background when she visited with friends.

So, when the chance presented itself, you better believe I took it! Olivia is a fellow photographer and she and I trust each other to photograph each of our families. As a photographer, it can be so hard to find a photographer that understands your vision and can capture your family the way that you want them to be captured. Some of my most favorite images of my own family are from when she photographed us all when our children were 4.5, 2.5, and 6 months old.

When Olivia found out she was pregnant, she let me know that she wanted me to photograph her maternity and newborn sessions, and I was absolutely thrilled and honored to be chosen to do so! We set up a time for me to travel up to New York in April for her maternity shoot, and I blocked some time in the studio calendar to be able to travel back up to NYC in the summer after her baby’s arrival. Travel sessions are not something I do on a regular basis, but if you’re interested in having me travel to you, please do reach out and we’ll talk about details!

Please note that the first lace overlay dress is available in my studio, while the other two are not yet available but I’m thinking about adding them soon! :) I do have the second dress in ivory at this time, but not blush pink as shown. We pulled those dresses from Olivia’s client wardrobe as they were perfect for her in both fit and color.

What you can’t see in these photographs is how COLD the temperatures were that day. I couldn’t feel my fingers or my lips by the time we were done and we were only out there for about 30 minutes tops. Olivia toughed it out, and trusted me to work as fast as I possibly could without compromising the photographs. We took a few warm up breaks and incorporated a shawl into some of the images to help block the wind and make it a bit less cold. In the end, it was completely worth it all!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this bucket list shoot. Isn’t Olivia absolutely stunning? I can’t wait to share the images from her baby girls’ newborn session soon!

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 Miles

I first worked with Jazmine & Chander for their maternity session in the gardens, where we had so much fun! You can view some of the gorgeous images from their shoot by clicking here. I told the two of them that my guess was that their baby boy would have LOTS of hair, and they agreed. I was so looking forward to getting to meet baby Miles at their newborn session!

Jazmine let me know that baby Miles had arrived safely and asked to add on hair and makeup services again. She knew she didn’t want to have to handle getting herself ready for the session while sleep deprived, and had a pretty good idea of which dress she would wear from the studio wardrobe. This isn’t unusual! The vast majority of our newborn clients who work with us for maternity beforehand have a good idea of which dress they’re going to wear for their newborn session. Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting to see what fits well if their bust grows a lot due to milk production. It’s different for every woman, but many of our dresses can accommodate a range of sizes do to their stretch and construction.

When the new family of three arrived at the studio, I peeked inside the carseat and squealed when I saw that Miles DID have tons of hair! He also had some of the plumpest little lips and cheeks I’ve seen, and was just absolutely adorable.

I took Miles out of his carseat and into the dedicated newborn shooting room. We keep it toasty warm and comfy for newborns, and there’s an observation window for parents to watch through if they so desire. Jazmine settled into the hair and makeup chair with Brielle to be prepped, and I set to work with Miles. He was a sleepy baby and very relaxed and flexible, which made for a pretty smooth session! I have endless patience, so if your baby is fussy or is fighting sleep, I’ll keep working with them and we’ll still get wonderful images even if they refuse to sleep. (yes, this has happened!) My style of photography is focused on your baby, so the colors I use are various shades of neutrals. I have carefully chosen colors that will work with a wide range of skin tones, and I select wraps after I see your baby and determine what would be the best for their skin. Every baby is different! I do have some clients who request an all white session in advance, and I’m happy to accommodate that as well. Unless I am specifically asked to photograph using all white, I usually use a mixture of beautiful colors and textures.

When I came out with Miles, Jazmine will still being prepped. Miles needed to eat, so it was perfect timing. He was also a quick eater, so when he finished up, Jazmine was done also. She slipped into the blush pink off the shoulder dress she had chosen to wear, and we got started with the last half of the session - which is parent and family images. I don’t have a set specific flow, but I keep the transitions for baby minimal and have mom and dad be the ones that move as needed. This part of the session is also very laid back and relaxed, and consists of you enjoying your new baby! Since Jazmine and Chander had previously worked with me for their maternity session, they were very comfortable from the start and already knew my basic “rules” for how to stand and where. If you’re coming in as a new client who has never worked with me before, no need to worry. I’ll direct you and give you all the guidance that you need, and you’ll be a pro in no time at all!

Enjoy some of my favorites from this absolutely joyful newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Baby Remington

Megan contacted the studio to ask about scheduling a milestone session for her five month old son, Remy. When she contacted us, we were all on Hilton Head Island getting ready for Caroline’s (our studio manager!) wedding and we had to tell her that she’d have to wait a couple of days until the festivities were over for us to be able to send all the information. She was a total sweetheart, congratulated us all and said she’d be waiting to hear from us the next week!

After the wedding was over and we were back home, we sent Megan all the information and Caroline spent some time chatting with her. At first, Megan didn’t really want to be in any of the photographs but when she let us know that Remy couldn’t sit unassisted yet, we strongly encouraged her to be in them. When your baby isn’t sitting alone, there are only so many things we can photograph for a larger variety in a gallery. Plus, we strongly believe that moms should be photographed too. It’s a decision that many moms make and are so thankful later that they did.

We sent over the style guide to Megan with suggestions of what she and Remy could wear for their session, and I asked her to come in a few minutes early if she wanted to go over wardrobe options. She chose to come in a bit early and was nervous about what she had brought with her not working, but I reassured her that her options were PERFECT! As we were chatting, I asked what her favorite features about Remy were. She didn’t hesitate: his rolls (and rolls!) and blue eyes. With that information in mind, I suggested stripping Remy down to just a diaper cover! She immediately loved the idea, and we did just that. While cute outfits are great, sometimes sticking with simplicity and bringing all the focus to your baby is the way to go. I showed Megan how to sit with him, where to look, and started photographing the two of them. Remy was very interested in what I was doing, and became very comfortable with me quickly. He flashed some big grins my way many times, and I had to keep from squealing over his cuteness!

When he started getting tired, I suggested Megan feed him and change him into his second oufit. While she was comforting him, I noticed how he was chewing on his fingers and took the opportunity to photograph that moment. While I do give direction for guided natural interaction as needed, most mamas become comfortable enough with me after a few minutes and start doing their mothering thing all on their own. Then I just wait for those beautiful moments when you are focusing on your baby and photograph what I see. I think moms are so, so beautiful when they are looking with love at their child. I wish every mom could see how beautiful she looks when she’s being a mom - and that’s one of my end goals when you come in for a session with your baby!

When Megan looked through her gallery, she let me know that she was so in love with the images. She was surprised at how much she loved them because she didn’t really expect to and had just viewed it as being a necessary “prop”. She ended up adding a few extra images to her collection, and was so happy she had opted to be in the photos despite her initial hesitation.

Here are a few of my favorites from Remy’s milestone session! Isn’t this mother-son duo the sweetest?!

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 | Brennan is ONE!

Brennan’s grandmother called the studio asking to schedule a First Birthday session in the studio for him as a gift to his parents. They were going to be visiting Brennan over the holidays from California, and were so excited to find our website. We’ve had quite a few grandparents gift sessions around here, and we always think it’s so special!

After discussing potential dates, they chose one, and we sent over a few things. All clients receive our style guide and links to our Pinterest inspiration boards. First Birthday clients who are choosing to incorporate a cake into their session get a cake tips sheet! Believe it or not, the kind of icing you choose is important - so we make sure you know what to use. We have a preferred baker (she can even deliver the cake to the studio!) that we highly recommend, but Publix also does a pretty good job if you’re looking for something super simple. The studio has a Publix located very close by, so we provide our clients with the bakery phone number. Picking up from that Publix means you’re spending less time in the car trying to keep a cake from sliding around, and that you don’t forget your cake. (yep, it’s happened more than once!) If you’re not in to the idea of including a cake, no worries! Plenty of our clients opt to not include anything while others pick something non-traditional like a pie or donuts.

The day of Brennan’s session, the family arrived and we spent a little bit of time chatting and getting to know each other. Brennan was a cute little thing with a head of curly hair, and giant blue eyes. The family is a fan of plaid, and wanted their images to include that, so dad and Brennan were both in plaid shirts for the family portion. Brennan was such a happy little guy, and I had lots of fun photographing him alone and with his loving parents.

After we finished up with family and solo portraits, it was cake time! Most clients will either strip their baby down to a diaper with a cover or a onesie, and some will have a second outfit. Again, it’s a matter of personal preference! If your baby hates to be wiped down, choosing to have them wear clothes will definitely eliminate some of the surface area that will have to be wiped afterwards. ;) Just something to think about when deciding! In Brennan’s case, his family changed him to a cute long sleeved baseball T with the number “1” on it.

Brennan was immediately interested in the cake and needed no help or encouragement to explore it. He made some of the BEST expressions in reaction to how it tasted!!!

If your baby is apprehensive when it comes to their cake, don’t worry! I have a bag of tricks up my sleeve to help encourage them in a non-stressful way. I ask parents to be prepared to offer a taste of icing to them and eat some themselves. Even if your baby turns out to hate cake, their First Birthday session is NOT a “failure”. Someday you will look at the images and you will laugh! The whole point of the cake portion is to see how your baby reacts. You just can’t get a one year old to fake anything, and why would you want to? You’ll get to watch all the funny expressions and moments without being worried about documenting it, and it’s just as special regardless of whether they dive into the cake or huffily fling it off to the side. No matter how it goes , you’ll have authentic images that tell the real story of how everything unfolded that day!

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 George

Dmitry contacted the studio to schedule a last minute newborn session for his son, George. He and his wife had come to the United States from their home country of Ukraine to deliver, and were returning in just a few weeks. After reviewing our information, they booked their session for a couple of days later on our only remaining available date, and Dmitry asked to add on hair and makeup for his wife as well.

The morning of their session, they drove from their home in Buckhead 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 new family of three arrived, I pulled out a few options for his wife to look through. His wife did not speak any English, so Dmitry translated, and there was lots of pointing and smiles. She chose a beautiful floor length cream gown that was a perfect fit for her. She settled into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret, and I took George into the newborn shooting room.

Their new baby boy, George was absolutely ADORABLE and had the cutest little expressions throughout his session. He woke up a couple of times during his session when he wanted a bottle, 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 take advantage when presented with the opportunity!  

After I finished up with George’s solo portraits we moved on to the parent and family portion. It was so sweet seeing them 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 tangibly see how much you loved your little one from the very beginning. I want you to be able to show your child when they’re older so they can see it too. For me, that's the entire point of photography. It's the only way we can freeze time and revisit the moments that we will someday desperately miss. 

Enjoy a few of my favorites from George’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 Photographer | Ima

Ima contacted the studio to schedule a maternity session for the very next week. She had been pretty busy and then realized she was running out of time, and panicked a little bit! Fortunately, we had some last minute availability for studio sessions and were able to work her in to our schedule.

While chatting on the phone with Caroline, Ima was thrilled to hear that we had a studio wardrobe available for her since that was one less thing for her to worry about finding in time for her session, since it was so last minute. She expressed concern about her height since she is a petite woman, but we assured her that we have dressed clients as short as 4’10”, so she needn’t be concerned. Caroline scheduled a maternity fitting for her with me the very next day as that was our first mutual availability.

When Ima came in the next day for her maternity fitting, she informed me that she knew several of my clients! This seems to happen so often. We have so many clients book a session, and then peruse our website or Instagram and start recognizing friends. The client then texts or calls the friends, hears all about their experience with us, and then feels even more confident they made the right choice! It’s always fun being reminded of what a small world we really live in. After looking through all of her options, she settled on one of our most glam options that is restricted to in studio use only. It’s a gorgeous lace bodice with a split front tulle skirt. Ima knew she wanted to show off the belly, so the split front was something she loved. Not all of our clients are interested in showing their belly off! Split front gowns can also be worn closed, so no worries there!

The day of her session, she arrived at the studio all ready to go. Because Ima just wanted a handful of images, she had chosen our smallest collection which is available for in studio sessions only. It’s a short session (20ish minutes) and has one outfit and up to two participants. So, if you’re being photographed solo or just want a few images of you and your partner. this might be the right choice for you! While most of our clients choose to book our higher collections, this was the perfect fit for Ima and what she wanted. She loved her gallery so much that she wasn’t able to narrow it down to the included number and ended up adding some extra images to what was included. If you’re not sure what’s the best fit for you, we can help you decide that!

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | The B Family at the Park

I first worked with Maria after they had just relocated to the Atlanta area. She had found us online but then her photographer from her hometown also referred her to me after the fact, so she knew she’d made the right choice in choosing her new family photographer.

Maria loves to schedule images for the fall to serve a dual purpose: (1) updated family photos and (2) the family holiday card. This is usually the case for all of my fall clients! At the time of this writing, October weekends are totally full with just a couple of weeknights remaining. November has just a couple of weekend dates remaining, with a handful of weeknights. If you’re hoping to book a fall family session, don’t delay in contacting us today to get on our calendar before we’re completely full. If we’re full at the time you contact us, you can ask to be placed on the waiting list. We reserve dates in our calendar to serve as backup dates for inclement weather, and if a date is not needed it is released on a first come first serve basis to those on the wait list.

We sent our style guide to Maria but knew she probably wouldn’t need it. She has a fun fashion style, and everyone always looks great. That being said, if you’re not so sure you can do it on your own, don’t worry! I’m here to provide as much or as a little help as you need in coordinating your family’s outfits. My goal is to make your entire session experience as fun and as low stress as possible.

On the evening of our session, we met in a different area of the park than we had been in the previous year to change things up a bit. Barrett had gotten so big, and was full of energy! Clayton and Maria keep up with him pretty well, and do such a great job of letting him be a kid and run all over the place with him. The best thing parents can do is arrive at their session relaxed and ready to play. We will get images of your child truly smiling with their eyes sparkling this way. I’m a mom of three kids myself, and I’ve seen it all. I promise - if you come in relaxed and ready with patience, we will create a zero pressure environment for your child(ren) and the rest will all unfold. There will be moments during your session when you will feel like things are chaotic and that the whole thing is a disaster, but just remember…. I only need 800th of a second to grab one moment.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from their fun family session! I can’t wait to see them again this fall!

Want to capture your family just as you are now before time eludes you and you’re packing their bags for their first apartment? 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 Baby Photographer | Amara is ONE!

Makeiva contacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Amara. The family was all very excited since it would also be their first time being professionally photographed. We sent Makeiva our style guide, Pinterest inspiration board, and our cake tips sheet.

When the family arrived, Makeiva let me know that she wasn’t too sure about the options she had brought for Amara, and asked if she could take a a look at our studio dresses. I pulled out an off white lace dress that the whole family loved the second they saw it on her. My studio wardrobe for little ones is limited as I’ve found that most mamas prefer to dress their babies, but we have dressed many of our little clients with what we have! She had brought a cute pink tutu and custom onesie with gold writing for the cake smash portion, so we were all set!

Makeiva brought a colorful punk buttercream cake for Amara to smash. If you choose to include a cake (nope, it’s not required!) we have a list of great options for you in the Atlanta area if you want to outsource that part. Our baker is such a talented person and can accommodate many food allergies as well as create vegan cakes for those who may desire or need that as an option. She’ll drop the cake off at the studio in advance of your session so it’s one less thing you have to worry about the day of. Using her services is not required - regardless of where the cake comes from, we will walk you through best practices for icing type, cake flavor, texture, and colors, if you choose to incorporate a cake into your baby’s session!

Amara was friendly and curious, so we started the session with just her. First Birthday sessions almost always double as a family session too! After we finished with Amara’s solo images, we moved into the family and parent portion of our session. By this time, most one year olds are ready to call it a day. Their attention spans aren’t very long at this age and it’s for this exact reason that we save the cake for last.

I brought out our antique high chair and Amara dug right in! Some babies aren’t big fans of the high chair, and if that ends up being your baby, that’s ok! We have alternatives available and will work with what makes your baby happy and comfortable. Each baby has their own preferences, so we’ll tailor your session experience to their needs and comfort.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this beautiful and happy baby girl’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 family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Bethany & John

Bethany and John contacted us to ask about booking a newborn and maternity session for their baby girl. They let us know that they wanted to include their two dogs in their maternity session, and we said “No problem!”

They loved the park location, and asked to add on hair and makeup services to both sessions as well. We scheduled a maternity fitting for them, and when they came in, we spent some time chatting. When I heard where Bethany worked, I asked if she knew another one of my clients that worked at the same place. She responded by telling me that she had seen that client on the website after they had booked their sessions with me, and had asked her about how it was working with us! That client reassured her that she couldn’t have picked a better studio, told her all about their experience, and Bethany and John felt even more confident in their choice. I love hearing this from clients - and it happens a lot!

At their maternity fitting, Bethany was overwhelmed by all of her choices. She told me “I hate off the shoulder and I hate florals” when I asked for her style preferences. She tried on so many different options, and then asked me to pick a wild card dress for her. I picked a floral off the shoulder dress and handed it to her. Haha…. and SHE PICKED IT! (and looks absolutely stunning in it) I will always respect your style preferences, but please know that sometimes how a dress looks on a hanger is not how it will look on you… and you just may fall in love with something you didn’t think you would! Keep those options open. ;)

The evening of the session, we met at the park, and I met their sweet pups, Nashville & Lincoln. They had dropped them off at a friends’ house prior to the session, so they were all tired out and calmer than usual. 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. 

Bethany and John were so affectionate towards one another, and I really loved working with them. These pictures make me smile because they take me back to that evening in the park with their quiet love for one another, the whispered secrets, and the laughter. It was such an beautiful session to photograph and made me so excited to meet their baby girl! Here are some of my favorite images from our time together. Doesn't Bethany look absolutely gorgeous? I love the beautiful and simple blowout that Margaret created for her.

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 | Ashley & Corey

Ashley wasn’t really sure that she wanted a maternity session, but her friends kept telling her she should have some photographs taken because she would regret it if she didn’t. When she found my website, she spent some time looking through it and picked up the phone to call the studio. Caroline, our studio manager, answered and spent time chatting with Ashley about the process and how it all works. Ashley was so excited to hear that she could borrow from the studio wardrobe as it was one less thing for her to worry about. She was a little concerned that we wouldn’t have anything that worked for her style preferences, but Caroline assured her that we had quite a few different style options! Caroline took care of scheduling her maternity session in the studio and also made an appointment for her to come into the studio for her maternity fitting the next week.

When Ashley walked in on the day of her fitting, she told me that she actually knew a few of my other clients! She had texted them after seeing some of their images on the website, and after hearing their rave reviews, felt confident she had chosen the right photographer. We discussed her style preferences and favorite colors (your least favorite is also good information to know!) and I pulled a few of the dress for her.

Ashley wanted simple and not fussy, and we have several pieces that fit the bill! After trying on several, she narrowed it down to two gorgeous dresses - that were exactly what she had envisioned. She couldn’t believe how perfectly they meshed with her vision and her skin tone, and she felt (and looked!) absolutely beautiful in them.

Maternity fittings do take up some time in your week, but they’re pretty important. Not only are we pulling together your look, but we are also getting to know one another! I’ve found that clients come in for their session much more relaxed and ready to go when they’ve spent time with me first. When we have out of state clients who are unable to come in a week or two beforehand, we simply schedule the fitting to take place right before the session. This enables us to spend some time getting to know each other before I start photographing you.

On the day of her session, Ashley arrived at the studio and I had her dresses all ready to go. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and was excited to get started. She warned me that she wasn’t quite sure what to do and felt a little bit nervous, and I reassured her that everything would be just fine.I guide my clients through the entire experience from start to finish. Out of all the sessions we offer, maternity sessions are what we photograph the most of! At this point in my sixth year of business, I think it’s safe to claim expert status. ;) From leg to hand positioning, to gentle adjustments of your head angle, I’ve got you covered! I’ll also be on the lookout for a bra strap peeking out, errant stray hairs, etc. I’ll make sure you look your absolute best. Your job is simply to relax and have fun!

Ashley’s husband, Corey, was running a bit late but that was no problem. I simply started the session with just Ashley and when he arrived, I had him get changed and jump right in. Corey was lots of fun to work with and was also an amateur videographer, so we had fun talking shop during our time together! The two of them were adorable together and so much fun to work with.

Enjoy a few of my favorite portraits from Ashley and Corey’s maternity session! I 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 Family Photographer | A Family Session in the Gardens

I was SO excited for this session with this fun family of five! I LOVE working with families who have older children - I know we get lots of the little ones, but I don’t just photograph babies and toddlers. Older children are really cool to photograph by themselves and with their families, so it’s a welcome change of pace.

My flow is somewhat different with tweens and elementary aged children, but one thing remains the same: my respect and consideration for your child and their autonomy is paramount. I want them to walk away from their session feeling that I saw them for who they were and they had a say. I want YOU to have beautiful photographs of your children and family together that show your relationship and how much you love each other. I want you to smile whenever you see them and think “This is us.”

I could sit here and type a book with multiple chapters about my approach to family sessions with multiple children, but I’ll spare you. In a nutshell: it’s basically very organized chaos! I flow through our time together in so that participants who need a break get one while others are being photographed so we aren’t standing around doing nothing. SOMEONE is being photographed at any given time.

Family sessions are about playing together, and NOT necessarily looking at the camera. While it’s great to get the “perfect” family picture with everyone smiling for Grandma, that’s is not the goal or the heart of my approach to photographing your family at all. So, what is? Love. Giggles. Security. Family. I could go on. You know the saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words”….. let’s let this family’s photos speak for themselves.

Kelly and Daniel had never had a professional family portrait session before and weren’t really sure what to expect. They were blown away by how we helped with every step of the process. We had sent Kelly our style guide ahead of time, and she found it very helpful! She was a little bit nervous about choosing outfits entirely on her own. When I checked in to see if she needed any assistance pulling them together, she was so grateful to be able to email us images of the outfits she was thinking about. After reviewing what she had put together, I emailed her a suggestion to make one simple change in her oldest son’s shirt choice and it solidified the whole look perfectly. I want your family to dress comfortably and everyone to feel great in what they’re wearing. I also want the outfits to complement each other so that there isn’t a reaction of “one of these things is not like the other” when viewing your images.

The evening of our session, we met at the gardens location and it was such a beautiful night! The temperatures were perfect, and we moved quickly through the session. I always start with the whole family first while everyone is fresh and still willing to be photographed. You never know how younger kids and babies will be, so I like to play it safe. From there, we cycled in and out with different combinations of family members, and had a great time doing it. Rueben and his sisters, Zoe & Thea were such great kids, and so much fun to work with! Rueben is such an incredible big brother to his sisters, and I loved watching their interactions together. At the end of our time together, both Kelly and Daniel commented on how much fun the whole session was and how they couldn’t wait to book their next session. After viewing their proof gallery, Kelly had a hard time narrowing the images down. She chose to print the second image in this blog post as a larger wall portrait for their home as it was her very favorite photo from the session.

I SO look forward to working with this family again next year!

Want to capture your family just as you are now before time completely slips away and you’re packing their bags for college? 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 Amanda

Viviana contacted us to book a newborn session at the studio after seeing the photos from a coworker's session. She and her husband had taken their own newborn photographs of their first child, and had decided that they wanted professional photographs for this go round. Viviana also asked to add on hair and makeup services to her session, as her sister had so enjoyed them as well.

The morning of their session, Viviana arrived with Amanda. She and I looked through the studio wardrobe and she chose a very simple white sleeveless dress that looked perfect with her skin tone. She commented on how comfortable it was, and it was also such a great fit for her personality! Her husband and toddler son were scheduled to arrive later. We minimize the time older siblings spend in the studio by having them arrive when baby’s solo portraits are done, and most dads also appreciate it as well! :) Amanda was the SWEETEST little chunk with a full head of hair and the LONGEST eyelashes. After I gushed a little bit over how adorable she was, I took her into the newborn shooting room while Viviana settled into the hair and makeup chair.

Amanda was one of the easiest newborns that I’ve had in my studio. She slept very soundly, and was very squishy. I moved through her solo portraits pretty quickly with only one nursing break needed. Every baby is different! I work with each baby and respect the unique individual that they are. If they don’t like being on their tummy or side, I will not force them into that position. My sessions are very baby led, and their safety and comfort are my top priority.

Viviana did eventually wake up a little bit, and made the cutest little nose scrunchy grins. Right about this time, Viviana was almost finished, and her husband and son arrived. He was SUCH a good big brother! He was a bit hesitant about me, but was was so sweet and gentle with her, and loved participating in the session. After we finished up with the family and parent portion of the session, we said our goodbyes and the family headed home.

Enjoy Amanda’s newborn session images! I still can’t get over how cute these two siblings are - the cheeks and the dimples!!! I’ve shared some of my favorites below.

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 | Serena & Dan

Serena emailed the studio to inquire about maternity sessions and had some questions about the process and how everything worked. Caroline (our full time studio manager) spent some time with her answering all of her questions, and Serena decided she wanted to book her session at the gardens location. Serena had contacted us VERY late in her pregnancy, and we only had one date open for her - which fortunately worked for her schedule! As a reminder, if you want to schedule your session in the gardens location: be sure you are available on a weeknight as they are typically not available on weekends.

Serene came into the studio a couple of days before her session for her maternity fitting and I enjoyed getting to know her and her husband. They had a lot of questions about what shoes they should wear and what Dan should wear. I told them that we needed to choose options for Serena before we could address those questions, so we set about looking at all the options!

Serena really enjoyed trying on dresses from the studio wardrobe, and fell in love with two options: a steel blue lace dress, and another purple lace dress paired with a sheer white shawl. Now that she had chosen her wardrobe, we talked about what shoes she could wear that would look great, and options for Dan as well.

On the evening of their session, we met at the gardens. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and I teased Serena that she had hit won the lottery with her maternity session scheduling! Dan and I looked at his outfit options that he had brought along with him while Serena was changing into her first dress. He had brought along a pullover argyle sweater that worked perfectly with Serena’s options, so we were all set!

We started in the blue lace dress that Serena had chosen and headed into the gardens. The gardens have quite a few options within it to photograph in. I always look at what my couples are wearing and then decide where it makes the most sense to shoot. The sweeping stone stairs were a gorgeous setting for her blue dress, and we also went into a specific area of the gardens with hedges and lots of blooming flowers.

After we finished the first portion, Serena changed into her purple lace dress and we headed into the gardens to incorporate the hydrangeas and other plants as well as the Grecian columns and walking bridges. There was no need for Dan to change, and the majority of my dads stick with just one outfit!

Some of my favorite images from this session are towards the end. Most of my clients have relaxed quite a bit after a few minutes in, and are comfortable with being photographed - and that’s when their true personalities and connection becomes evident. When couples almost forget that I’m there and follow my prompts for guided natural interaction, everything unfolds naturally and beautiful images are created as a result.

Enjoy 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 Baby Photographer | Brooke is ONE!

When Kea emailed me to schedule a family session with some focus on her youngest daughter’s first birthday, I was so excited! I’ve been working with them since Kea was pregnant with their second child and have loved every session with them. They’re such a loving and fun family, and their kids all have so much personality! Because I’m also a mom of three, I really enjoy photographing big kids and larger families - a little bit of chaos never scares me! ;) (and who are we kidding, sometimes it’s a LOT of chaos!)

We sent over the style guide and Pinterest board to Kea and she came up with two different outfit collections and sent me photos. Both options she had come up with were wonderful, but I was a bit concerned about one due to the very summery nature (sleeveless dresses, sandals, and shorts) and the forecast being a bit on the colder side for spring. She hadn’t considered that factor, and it helped her make her decision immediately! Cold children can be more difficult to distract. When wearing clothing for a session that might be on the colder side, you can never go wrong with layers. That way pieces can be removed if anyone finds themselves too warm as the session goes on. I’m here to help with your wardrobe styling if you desire! While most of my clients find the resources we send them perfectly adequate, others want to run their choices by me, and I welcome that. I know it can be stressful to pull together the look for everyone, and I’m here to help ease that for you as much as possible.

Because we were celebrating Brooke’s first birthday, Kea wanted a lot of the focus during the session to be on her, but she wanted the entire family photographed also. That’s the great thing about First Birthday sessions! We can customize the focus to whatever you desire.

During family sessions, you can be assured that not every child will want to participate at the same time, and that’s perfectly ok! I look for who is interested and willing amongst the kids, and I come up with fun games to engage your children. I ask parents to go with the flow no matter what’s happening, and the rest will work itself out. When Kea viewed her gallery, she emailed me to let me know how much she loved the images and how her gallery perfectly showed who each of her children were.

As I photographed the family during their session, I kept laughing at each of the children’s very distinct personalities. You can see for yourself in the images exactly what their personalities are, and I absolutely love it! At the very end, Kea pulled out a cake pop for Brooke to enjoy. She had decided that Brooke had eaten enough sugar that week with all the birthday celebrations, and that she wanted to keep it super simple but still have SOMETHING. The cake pop was the perfect solution! I’ve had clients choose to present their one year old with cupcakes, cakes, pies, and donuts - there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate a birthday!

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 Elias

Earlier this week, I blogged Rachel’s studio maternity session, and am so excited to share her son’s newborn images today!

Rachel had elected to add on makeup services as she has done for all of her other portrait sessions. As a busy mom of (now) THREE boys, she appreciates being able to just show up and be taken care of.

The morning of their session, Rachel arrived with her mother and baby Elias and we went through the studio wardrobe together. She already knew that she wanted to wear the same dress for a few photos that she had worn for her maternity session as a way to come full circle. After viewing the other options, she fell in love with a gorgeous blush pink lace dress and settled into the makeup chair while I got started with Elias.

Elias was sound asleep when I took him back, and stayed that way for most of his session. He did need a nursing break, but then went right back to sleep! He made some of the cutest expressions with a lip curl and half grin here and there. The focus of my sessions are entirely on your baby, and I choose to use simple neutral wraps to achieve this and keep posing natural. If your baby doesn’t want to do into a certain position, I don’t force them to. Their comfort

I finished up pretty quickly with Elias and came out to the main shooting room just as his daddy and big brothers arrived. Aaron Thomas was still all about his sister, but Luca was still a little bit unsure.

Forcing big siblings to do something or putting a lot of pressure and expectation on them is (a) unnecessary and (b) almost always backfires. It’s SO much more effective to adopt a relaxed approach with no expectations at all. I work with so many children on a weekly basis, and have been told I have infinite patience. In all honesty, there is pretty much nothing that I haven’t seen at this point. I have a whole arsenal of techniques and tricks up my sleeve if I need them. My number one priority is the safety of your newborn. Some toddlers just aren’t going to come near their new sibling alone! Two and under is always a roll of the dice when it comes to “cooperation” for sibling shots, and the chances increase with age 3-4. Age 5 and up - I’ve never had a sibling this age not be a fantastic listener or not want to participate.

Since both big brothers were willing and ready to participate, we started immediately with the sibling images. Because of the ages of the big boys, I chose to have Aaron Thomas in the middle. That way if Luca decided to jump up, Elias wouldn’t be affected. I knew that Aaron Thomas was mature enough to stay in place and hold his baby brother securely. What you can’t see is that we have spotters right by the brothers ready to reach in if needed!

Rachel slipped into her dress, and we continued with family images. I asked the big boys for permission to play some games with them and if I could touch them gently to move them where I needed them to be. When young children feel that they have a choice in the matter, they are much more likely to be happy and willing participants! You’ll always hear me talking to your children with respect. I 100% believe in asking them for permission to touch them. If they say no, that’s ok. We’ll work around it! We gave the boys a quick break to photograph some daddy and son images, and then a few of just the parents with Elias. I had daddy and big boys out the door in about 30 minutes. Rachel’s husband had braced himself for a horrible time because of their last newborn session experience, and was shocked (and pleasantly surprised!) by how much fun he ended up having. She later sent me a screenshot of a text exchange with him saying “That wasn’t bad at all! She was great, and had us in and out!” ::dusts off shoulder:: Just kidding! I can’t predict how your newborn will do - I’ve had some newborns decide to start crying at the start of family images, and we then have to spend some time getting them calm before we can continue. That being said, I make every effort to be as efficient as I can be so that you are there for the least amount of time possible.

After the boys left, Rachel changed into her white dress and we photographed just her and her last baby. It’s such a bittersweet feeling holding your very last baby and knowing you won’t get to do it again, even if you’ve made the decision yourself and know it’s the right one. I still wonder if I’m REALLY done, even though my brain knows I am! I looked over at Rachel’s mom and asked her if she’d like to be in a few of the images. She waved me off, saying that she wasn’t dressed appropriately. I responded by saying I had the perfect top for her to put on. When she took a really long pause, I grabbed the tunic off the hanger and handed it to her before she had a chance to change her mind. I’m so glad she decided to participate for a few images! What a precious gift to give Elias: a three generations photo. I know Rachel will also fondly look at the images of her mom with Elias in the future. We wrapped up the session and parted ways.

After seeing her proof gallery, Rachel chose to keep all of her images, and we designed a gorgeous album together for their home as well as a huge wall portrait and other smaller prints. I LOVE assisting families with albums and wall art so that they can enjoy their photographs in their homes every day. Our album covers are so gorgeous: and I’m partial to the suede and velvet materials! We have a stack of albums in the studio for you to peruse while you’re there, and it gives you a chance to touch them and see which one is your favorite.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Elias’s newborn session! I can’t wait to see him and his older brothers again in October for his six month milestone session!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Hank is four months!

Adam & Melanie first worked with me when they brought their sweet little boy, Hank, to my studio for his newborn session. You can view those images by clicking here. Melanie contacted us soon after his newborn session to get on the calendar for milestone sessions. She chose to schedule for 4 months, 8 months, and 1 year. Scheduling in advance is recommended so that you can reserve the dates that you want! Melanie wanted to have the dates on the calendar so she could plan Hank’s vaccinations to take place after each one just in case he was fussy for a couple of days after getting them.

On the morning of Hank’s milestone session, the family arrived. Melanie had chosen to add on hair and makeup services, and had been paired with Margaret this time. She had previously worked with Brielle for Hank’s newborn session, and will be working with Brielle again later this month for Hank’s eight month session! All of our HMUA’s are incredibly talented! If you really love the one you work with, you can always specifically request them. However, we cannot guarantee a specific person’s availability will coincide with mine. We take care of coordinating your HMUA so you don’t have yet another thing to schedule. Our studio experience has been designed to be super easy and streamlined so it’s as low stress as possible for you!

I loved the navy floral dress that Melanie had chosen to wear fro her own closet! Adam had brought along a few shirts because he wasn’t sure which one would work best. I looked at what he had brought and immediately pointed at the best choice for what Melanie and Hank were wearing, which was a pink and white striped seersucker button down. Most dads will bring a few options to choose from, so don’t be afraid to do that to! I’m here to help and am a quick decision maker. I know what will photograph well and have an eye for the best colors to suit an individual’s skin tone AND complement what everyone else is wearing. So, no need to worry about it: I’ve got you covered. Melanie had brought a light blue sleeveless romper and another white romper with a Peter Pan collar. Since they’re from Alabama, she loves the southern style! :)

We started Hank’s session with interaction between him and mommy . Four month olds are limited in what they can physically do on their own since they cannot sit up unassisted, and will need to be held by other session participants for a portion of the session. Getting them warmed up for the camera is as simple as playing and snuggling. Your baby LOVES to interact with you, and this is where we will get those beautiful images of your baby looking at you with nothing but pure love. We added daddy in for a few, and Hank started getting fussy. Melanie and Adam were apologetic, and I told them not to worry about it!

Being a photographer with a focus on babies and children is not for the faint of heart. It requires endless patience, a loving heart, and adaptability for a constantly changing situation. Anyone who has a baby knows how they can get fussy for some inexplicable reason. Us adults are trying to figure it out, and no matter what we do, sometimes they get even more upset! I totally understand because I’ve been there - with my own children, and with my clients! So if your session feels like a runaway train because your baby isn’t “cooperating” like you had dreamed about, don’t stress about it. Seriously, just relax, and we’ll go with the flow.

In Hank’s case, he needed a bottle and a power nap. During his power nap I was able to get some of the sweetest and most snuggly images. When he woke up, he was back to his happy self and we wrapped up the session with lots of family and solo images.

I so love this wonderful family and can’t wait to see them again at the end of this month and see how much Hank has grown!

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 | A studio session with Rachel

I first worked with Rachel for her maternity session when she was pregnant with her second child. She had already booked an in home newborn photographer before meeting me, so I didn’t photograph that baby’s newborn session for her. The experience that their family had with their in home session was pretty stressful for a host of reasons. Even though she lives an hour away, when Rachel found out that she was expecting baby number three, she immediately contacted the studio to get on the calendar for a maternity and newborn session because she didn’t want to risk our calendar filling up. She did not want a repeat of the experience she’d had with her last baby, and she knew that a session with us would be easy and seamless because all she would have to do was show up.

I was so excited to see Rachel again for her second maternity session with me! She came into the studio for a maternity fitting a couple of weeks beforehand to look through the wardrobe and try on pieces. Almost immediately, she chose a gorgeous white dress that fit her vision perfectly. Rachel also chose to add on hair and makeup services. She had worked with Margaret for her first maternity session with me, and was paired with her again for this one!

The day of her session, she arrived at the studio all ready to go. Margaret preps non newborn portrait clients at her home studio which is located close by. If you’re a newborn client, your HMUA will come to the studio to prep you while your baby is being photographed alone. Because Rachel just wanted a handful of images, she had chosen our smallest collection which is available for in studio sessions only. It’s a short session (20ish minutes) and has one outfit and up to two participants. So, if you’re being photographed solo or just want a few images of you and your partner. this might be the right choice for you! While most of our clients choose to book higher collections, this was the perfect fit for Rachel and what she wanted. She loved her gallery so much that she wasn’t able to narrow it down to the included number and ended up adding some images to what was included. If you’re not sure what’s the best fit for you, we can help you decide that!

Come back in a couple of days to see the newborn session of Rachel’s THIRD baby boy, and enjoy the handful of her favorites!

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 | Liam is ONE!!!

I first worked with Liam when he was a tiny newborn, and you can view the images by clicking here. I was so excited when his mom, Jennifer, emailed asking to schedule a First Birthday session in the studio for him!

After discussing potential dates, they chose one, and we sent over a few things. All clients receive our easy to read style guide and links to our Pinterest inspiration board. First Birthday clients who are choosing to incorporate a cake into their session get a cake tips sheet! Believe it or not, the kind of icing you choose is important. We have a preferred baker (she can even deliver the cake to the studio!) that we highly recommend, but Publix also does a pretty good job if you’re looking for something super simple. The studio has a Publix located very close by, so we provide our clients with the bakery phone number. Picking up from that Publix means you’re spending less time in the car trying to balance a cake on your lap, and that you don’t forget your cake. (yep, it’s happened more than once!) If you’re not loving the idea of including a cake, no worries! Plenty of clients opt to not include anything while others pick something less traditional like a pie or donuts.

The day of Liam’s session, the family arrived and we spent a little bit of time chatting about how the past year had gone for them with parenting! I couldn’t believe how big Liam was compared to the first time I’d met him, and how beautiful his giant blue eyes were. (And just in case you’re wondering, his eyes are not edited in any way - they actually look just like that!) I loved the adorable gingham checked romper and moccs that Jennifer had dressed him in for his solo portraits. Since Liam was pretty comfortable with me right off the bat, we started with just him and then worked mom and dad in and out for a variety. I loved all of Liam’s expressions and smiles and his ADORABLE two little bottom teeth! He also had the most unique way of sitting with his ankles perfectly crossed. I’ve never seen a baby do this before, and I’ve photographed a LOT of babies. During milestone sessions with babies, I’m always looking for the special and unique things that they do because I want their mom and dad to be able to remember them always. I like to imagine that twenty years from now, there will be conversation about how Liam used to sit with his ankles crossed just so…. and out comes the photograph to see exactly how it looked.

After we finished up with that part, it was cake time! Most clients will either strip their baby down to a diaper with a cover or a onesie, and some will have a second outfit. Again, it’s a matter of personal preference! If your baby hates to be wiped down, choosing to have them wear clothes will definitely eliminate some of the surface area that will have to be wiped afterwards. ;) Just something to think about when deciding!

Liam was immediately interested in his cake and needed no help or encouragement to explore it. If your baby is hesitant, don’t worry! I have a bag of tricks up my sleeve to help encourage them in non stressful way. Be prepared to offer a taste of icing to them if they’re slow to warm up! I also like to point out that even if your baby hates cake, their First Birthday session is NOT a “failure”. The whole point of the cake portion is to see how your baby reacts. You get to watch all the funny expressions and moments without being worried about capturing it, and it’s just as special regardless of whether they dive into the cake or fling it off to the side. Either way, you’ll have beautiful and authentic images of how everything organically unfolded and a story to tell your child someday!

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 AJ

Laura contacted the studio in her second trimester to inquire about a newborn session. After speaking with Caroline, our studio manager, and reviewing the information sent over with her husband she replied that she was ready to book!

One of the questions clients ask us is: how do you book a newborn session date when you’re pregnant? Answer: you don’t! Booking a newborn session with us in advance of your baby’s birth means that you’re securing your guaranteed spot on our calendar. We only take a limited number of newborns due in each month in order to provide our clients with the best experience from start to finish. Newborn sessions take longer to photograph than regular portrait sessions, and also take longer to edit due to the complex skin work that newborns often need. (ie: skin flakes, jaundice, purple feet - just to name a few) Once you’re on our calendar, you simply let us know when your baby has arrived! We’ll ask you a few questions about your baby and your recovery and schedule your session based on the answers to those questions. In general, we see newborns in between 8-21 days of life. That being said, we’ve photographed as young as 5 days old and as old as 6 weeks when the family’s situation necessitated it. So if you’re reading this now while holding your three week old and kicking yourself for not scheduling a newborn session, just contact us to see if we have room to fit you in! You will not be the first, and you won’t be the last. The number of last minute newborn sessions from moms who initially thought they didn’t want one and then changed their minds is much higher than you’d think! (and every one of those moms has expressed how glad they were that they did!)

Laura contacted us after AJ was born to let us know he had arrived. We scheduled his newborn session date, and sent over our short and sweet newborn prep packet. It details how to prepare for your session, what to bring, and what to wear if you’re planning to bring your own clothing from home. The studio wardrobe is always available to clients, but some clients prefer to wear their own clothing and it’s totally a matter of your personal preference!

When Laura and her husband arrived at the studio with AJ, I had to keep from squealing when I saw his little face. He was SO cute, and slept like a rock for his solo portraits! Mom and dad hung out while I photographed AJ in the newborn shooting room, and just as I was finishing up, the little guy woke up in need of a diaper change and very hungry! Perfect timing, if you ask me! His parents attended to his needs while I did a quick setup of the main shooting room for the family and parent portion. Mom and dad had opted for a more casual look, and I loved the white top that Laura paired with her jeans.

After AJ had finished eating, he was awake, but happy and calm. I love taking advantage of the time that newborns are awake for some open eye images. We took a few of those, and when he started to get a little wiggly, I bundled him back up. It wasn’t long before he was soon asleep again. Parent and family images are usually the easiest part of sessions. All you need to do is snuggle and love on your baby. I’ll tell you where to look, how close to stand to each other (hint: it’s closer than you think), and even make suggestions for where to put your hands if you find yourself at a loss. We’ll be casually chatting throughout, and it’s a very relaxed and laid back experience. I have no room for stress at my studio! Your newborn session experience should be a positive one where you feel cared for and not rushed.

How beautiful is this new family of three?!

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.