Atlanta Family Photographer | Irene, Oona & Mina

Irene is a long term client turned into dear friend. She has been coming to see me since she was pregnant with her oldest, and I have loved watching her girls grow up over the years. Irene is one of those genuine people who is just so much fun to be around and I feel so fortunate to have met her.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR A STUDIO SESSION?

When you book a session with us, we send you an easy to follow style guide that sums up everything you need to know! It goes over recommended color palettes and how to best mix and match textures and patterns. If you want more hands on assistance, I offer studio visits for wardrobe consultations, and can conduct these virtually as well with a few back and forth emails. I am here to make your portrait session experience with me FUN!

Irene always has fun with her girls, and has them wear things they’re excited about. She braided their hair and dressed them in adorable purple dresses with sparkly heels. The girls had a blast clacking around all over the studio and showing off their special outfits. Irene opted for a grey dress with a denim jacket layered over it.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR SESSION

My sessions are FUN and designed to bring out the best of your personalities. I’ll give you natural prompts to play games that involve dancing, snuggling and tickling your little one during our time together. EVERY child’s personality is very different, and Mina & Oona are a perfect example of that. Oona is much more outgoing and smiling, and Mina is not a child who smiles a ton and has a more reserved approach to the world. This is who she is, and her parents are wonderful about respecting and honoring her natural personality. Oona actually used to be the same way when she was younger and is MUCH more outgoing now, so Mina will probably follow suit as she grows!

I go with the flow. I observe your child’s mood, and I meet them where they’re at. If a child is reserved and shy, getting up into their face with a peppy cheerleader voice is NOT going to win them over. I’ve been known to put my camera away, and sit on the floor playing with blocks by myself. Eventually the curiosity and fear of missing out takes over, and they come over to see what’s happening! That allows me to interact with them at THEIR pace and establish a relationship of trust. It’s so important to let things unfold naturally. I don’t have a pre determined playbook during sessions with young children, because it’s impossible to predict how they will be.

Regardless, I have endless patience, I think outside the box for ideas to win them over, and can adapt to any situation presented. When children realize that I respect them and their preferences, I earn trus. This philosophy is truly the “secret sauce” to successful sessions (and to pretty much all relationships in life if you ask me!).

WHAT IF MY CHILD WON’T SIT STILL OR LISTEN?!

I understand that you have a lot riding on a session. You’ve carefully planned every detail, and you want it all to go smoothly. So when your child isn’t acting like you had envisioned or is having a tough time, you can have that sinking feeling that all your hard work was in vain.

I’m here to tell you that is NOT true.

During sessions with me, there is no need to worry about your child being perfectly still and “cooperating” like a little angel. Little people have big emotions. We’ll take care of those emotions as they surface and use the art of distraction to redirect. I have three kids of my own and have photographed well over 1,000 little ones (I’ve lost count at this point) - so you are in the hands of a very experienced professional. Don’t worry about not knowing what to do during your session either, because I’ll be giving you easy to follow prompts. The truth is, the prompts I give you are things that you do ALL the time with your child so it will flow 100% naturally for you both. There is no prompt in which I direct you to do jumping jacks or stand on your head, I promise. ;) All you need to focus on is being present with your little one(s), and let me handle the photos!

If you're considering a session with me, I would love for you to reach out to discuss your vision and learn about the amazing portrait experience that we offer our clients at our studio!

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from this family session with Irene, Mina, & Oona!

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 Liam

I first worked with Josalin & Robin when they were expecting their first baby for their maternity session at the old studio location, and was thrilled to hear from them again requesting to book another maternity session at the field for their second baby! After their second baby arrived, Robin called the studio to ask if we had any last minute availability. She wanted to surprise her wife with a newborn session, and fortunately, we did!

I adore working with clients for both maternity and newborn photos! The maternity session serves as a great get to know you warmup, and by the time your newborn arrives, we’re friends, and you’re super comfortable with me and with being in front of my camera.

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE OUR SESSION?

Simply put: It is NEVER too early to book!

I know most pregnant mamas are busy with all the baby prep, but it’s important to not put off scheduling your session! The majority of our clients reach out to us early in the second trimester to make sure that they have a spot on our calendar. Some of our clients inform us in their first trimester if they’re comfortable doing so.

I take a limited number of newborns due in each month. Doing this ensures that I am able deliver my unparalleled level of service to each of my clients. Once I reach the monthly newborn cap, I maintain a wait list.

Don’t panic if you’re reading this and baby is already here! Our reserved newborns often arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, so there are some months I have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Contact us right away to see if we can squeeze you in!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH AN OLDER SIBLING INVOLVED

When older siblings are participating in a newborn session, we always check on what their nap schedule (if they take one) is! We want them to be well rested and happy. In this case, big brother was well past napping age, so it wasn’t something we had to plan around.

I start newborn sessions in the morning between 9 and 10 AM, with the first 90 minutes of session time devoted to photographing your baby alone. This is the perfect time for you to take advantage of our add on hair and makeup services since you’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway while I photograph your baby. So, you might as well treat yourself to some pampering. ;) Robin and Joslin opted to both add on services - makeup only for Josalin and both services for Robin!

Older siblings and partners arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve gotten started with baby only. In this case, because both mamas were receiving HMUA services and they didn’t have any help in town, the whole family came along with quiet entertainment planned for big bro.

When the family arrived, I took Liam out of his carseat and got started right away while Josalin got settled into the hair and makeup chair for her makeup services. She already knew which dress she wanted (she loved it when she tried it on during her maternity fitting) for her newborn session, so it was all ready to go! I had pulled a few options for Robin to have for her to look through as well. Once I’ve worked with clients a couple of times I have a very good sense of their style and know what will work well for them skin tone and fit wise! I’ve even been shopping for studio dresses and thought of very specific clients when purchasing it for the client wardrobe. 9 times of out 10 at their next session I pull it out and the client LOVES it and choose to wear it.

Liam was the most handsome little guy, and such a great sleeper! He looked SO much like his big brother too. About halfway through his solo portraits, Josalin was finished with her makeup and it was Robin’s turn. Robin went through the dresses that I had chosen and jumped into the hair and makeup chair for her turn. After everyone was dressed, we transitioned right into the family and parent images that included big brother Keegan.

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

Liam was in and out of sleep at this point. Don’t stress if your baby is awake! I love alert babies for family images and sometimes we get luck with a family shot of everyone actually looking at the camera (rare, but it does happen sometimes!). Awake babies are no problem at all to photograph as long as they’re also calm. If your baby is awake and NOT calm, don’t stress. We’ll figure out how to get them there. Sometimes they just need another feed, a diaper change, or some extra snuggles.

Baby safety is the FIRST priority during sessions. I will not place a baby near their older siblings if they are not calm and still. Every child is different, and therefore every session will look different. I’ll assess how your older child is doing when deciding which types of photos are safe to do. Since Keegan was already 4 at the time of the session, and was listening and able to be still while next to his baby brother, I was able to safely photograph a few different setups. What you can’t see in the photographs is that his mothers were inches away from them ready to swoop in and intervene if the need arose. Taking risks is not something I do when it comes to client safety.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We keep it simple! About a week after their session, Robin & Josalin viewed their proof gallery and chose their collection. They knew they wanted to keep every image and have one as a large framed print for their home just like they had chosen for their maternity collection.

When their final images were completed, they chose which one they wanted for the large piece of artwork. The print size ended up being 16x24 surrounded by a 3 inch mat with a substantial moulding as well. Framed artwork is a client favorite around here!

THE PROCESS FOR CHOOSING FRAMED ARTWORK

Framed artwork is USUALLY ready within 2-4 weeks as long as there aren’t any shipping delays due to the pandemic. Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed! That’s right, no frame shops are involved - I handle the entire production process from print to frame. After you choose your favorite image to be framed, we’ll discuss the best size for where you plan to hang it in their home.

Once you choose your image size, the print is ordered! After it arrives at the studio, you’ll choose your moulding (frame). I will make suggestions on the best frame choices for your image and home decor/personal style preferences. We’ll also decide on the mat width - I’m a fan of 3-5” inch mats depending on the size of the print and the moulding width.

The larger the print is, the larger the mat should be so it’s balanced aesthetically. Once that’s decided, I then order the moulding, mat, and GORGEOUS museum glass. Museum glass is absolutely stunning and will make your framed artwork that much more beautiful. You can hardly see the glass in the frame looking at it because of how crystal clear it is, and I love the UV protection that it affords the printed artwork. Our framed prints here at the studio all have museum glass for you to see for yourself when you’re here!

When everything arrives at my studio (typically within 2 -4 weeks of ordering!), I mat the print, and assemble the entire piece. The last step is to finish the back of the frame with paper and hanging hardware. That means that all you have to do is hang it up on your wall and then enjoy looking in in your home.

For clients who order framed art from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print, we deliver their finished artwork right to their front doorstep within a 20 mile radius of the studio. If you don’t have large framed artwork as part of your order, you’ll come to the studio and pick up your order when it’s ready. Each week I send out an email to my clients who have orders ready for pickup. The email outlines the designated pickup days for the week ahead (I only send pickup availability out one week at a time) and time windows throughout the week and pickup is safe and contactless. Clients simply click to make their reservation!

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in reserving a session with us for your baby's newborn session? We would absolutely LOVE to chat with you about your family, what we offer, and how we can best serve you. Contact us today to set up a time to chat on the phone. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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 Fine Art & Editorial Maternity Photography | Kimberly

Modern Maternity sessions (as shown in this blog post) are offered through Illume Maternity! Please visit www.illumematernity.com if you are interested in exploring this type of session for your maternity portraits.

Kimberly came in to the studio for a Modern Maternity session at the beginning of her third trimester. She hadn’t done a maternity session with her first baby, and really didn’t want to miss out on the experience with her second. She contacted us as the last minute to see if we had availability the following week that she was off of work, and fortunately, we did!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Our fine art modern maternity sessions are photographed in our intown Atlanta studio with studio lighting. Natural light is not used, and sessions are scheduled over a 90 minute-2 hour block. In contrast, our natural light (non newborn) portrait sessions are scheduled for a one hour block.

The additional time for modern maternity is to make sure we have plenty of time to adjusting the lighting set up and for you to change between looks. Since we are not reliant on natural light for these, our fine art session start time is more flexible than our natural light studio sessions. We can schedule for evening hours after you’re off of work after 6 PM if that works better for your schedule - but make sure that you won’t be too tired at that time before requesting that.

Currently, we only shoot ONE session daily in the studio to allow for our COVID sanitation protocols. Please don’t put scheduling off until the last minute as we may not have availability for you. Most of our clients reach out to us when they’re right at the end of their first trimester/beginning of their second trimester to schedule their session to take place between 26-32 weeks of pregnancy. We want you to have a round belly but still be able to move easily before you become physically limited by it. You’ll be moving a LOT during this type of session!

Once you have chosen a session date from our availability, everything is handled online in a secure and streamlined process. We’ll send over a short list of what you should bring along with you to your session and directions to our studio location. We’re located right on the Beltline next to two.urban.licks. We’re just down from Ponce City Market, and our studio is SUPER easy to get to! There is a free lot parking available as well as street parking if the lot is full.

WHAT’S NEXT: THE PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION

Why do we schedule a pre-session meeting? Because over the past 8 years we have found that clients who have spent some time with me (face to face or virtually!) before stepping in front of my camera are much more comfortable right out of the gate on their session day because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time!  This is definitely the case for fine art maternity where you may be wearing next to nothing for part or most of it.

We will meet in advance of your session - either in person here at the studio or virtually via Zoom or FaceTime. Many of our clients that drive to us from quite the distance (90+ minutes) and sometimes from the neighboring states of Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, so a face to face meeting isn’t always possible! Clients bring along a bag full of their own things to wear, and our studio has a limited wardrobe of fitted bodycon dresses and crop tops, bodysuits that can accommodate a pregnant belly, bandeau bras, and tulle gowns. We also have beautiful Italian silk fabrics for draping and tossing in mostly neutral colors should you choose to incorporate that, as well as some stunning blush pink feather angel wings. Usage of the studio wardrobe is completely complimentary to our booked clients! If you choose to schedule a meeting in the studio with me, you’ll be able to see and try on our pieces. If you’re planning on wearing anything of your own, you’ll bring these with you as well. I will design your session flow based on your chosen looks.

During our time together, we will discuss your vision for your maternity session. My clients have a whole host of preferences and desires when it comes to what types of images they want. I have clients who really want fine art nudes/implied nudes mixed in with strategic hand placement covering the breasts, and others prefer to be clothed the entire time with just the belly showing. Some clients really love the look of fabric draping and want to incorporate a few of those, and others don’t. The choice is yours!

CAN MY HUSBAND/CHILDREN PARTICIPATE?

While the majority of our clients choose to be the only participant for their fine art maternity sessions, your partner is more than welcome. As you can see here, Kimberly included her partner and toddler son. Children can be included in a couple of images but should only be present in the studio for the time they are in photos. Because of all the specialized equipment that is set up and the length of the session, it’s not possible for them to be here in the studio for the entire session. Some families who want a family focused maternity session find our natural light sessions to be a better fit for their vision once they chat with us about the differences between the two types.

YOUR FINE ART MATERNITY SESSION: WHAT TO EXPECT

I’ve been photographing pregnant women for over 8 years now and LOVE my job. When you arrive to the studio for your session, everything in the studio will already be set up and ready to go! All your outfits will be lined up and ready to go with the tailored flow that I created during your pre session consult. There’s no wondering what to put on or wasted time in my studio.

If you’re feeling a bit nervous, please don’t stress! I will walk you through everything during your session - from how and where to stand, to how much to tilt your head, and I’ll also coach you on your facial expressions! Our modern maternity/fine art sessions lean towards what I like to call “power” posing. You will look confident, strong, graceful, and beautiful. Mothers are a force to be reckoned with, and these images are going to combine that strength with the beauty and femininity of your pregnancy. If you’re having difficulty being verbally coached with facial expressions, I’ll whip out one of my clear masks so you can see my entire face for demonstration purposes! I promise that you will never be left to awkwardly figure out what to do next.

If you have never done a session with studio lighting, it will may feel intimidating at first. My lighting is on wheeled stands with large modifiers on boom arms. Once you’ve gotten used to everything, it won’t take you long to start having fun and feeling like a model! After the first lighting set, you’ll find that you get into your groove and you’ll naturally know what to do from my prompts or adjustments.

We will take breaks throughout for you to get some water, a snack, bathroom break, or just to rest for a minute. If you need anything, all you have to do is say the word. We’ll pick right back up where we left off.

Kimberly looked absolutely gorgeous and was excited to get started when we arrived. We created some beautiful gorgeous images with a mix of her pieces and studio wardrobe pieces. She brought her own non-maternity jeans a black turtleneck bodysuit, and used studio pieces for the rest of her looks. We also photographed some beautiful bare belly and topless images with strategic hand placement, but those images have not been included here. I never post nude or implied nude client images without permission!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

Once your proof gallery is ready, you’ll review the images and make decisions! One of the images will be fully edited for you as a sample so you can know what to expect with your final gallery. We’ll discuss your specific retouching requests (our most common requests are for stretch mark removal and for very slight body slimming in certain areas).

It is my personal opinion that the modern maternity / fine art editorial photography style is most powerful in black and white imagery. However, your selected final images will come in both color and black and white versions for you!

Most of our our clients end up ordering their favorite image for a piece of wall art (metal and acrylic prints are a favorite for this type of photography) or put them all into a beautiful heirloom album to treasure.

If you’re considering a maternity session to celebrate your pregnancy, YAY! Firstly, a HUGE congratulations to you!!! This is such an incredibly special and sacred time in your life, and it’s such an honor to photograph mamas expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child. 

I would absolutely love for you to contact us to chat about your vision and what we can offer you. We can chat about whether a fine art modern maternity session with studio lighting is the right fit for you vs. our natural light sessions, and answer any questions you have!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Kimberly’s modern maternity session below! Isn’t she absolutely gorgeous?!

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 | Charlie is six months!

I first worked with Laura for her maternity session in the park and then again for her daughter Charlie’s newborn session. You can view the images from their maternity session by clicking here, and the images from Charlie’s newborn session by clicking here.

Laura is one of our First Year Collection members (newborn sitting milestone, and First Birthday are included in this), so we reached out to her to schedule her daughter Charlie’s six month session well in advance (when Charlie was two months!). For babies whose milestone sessions will fall in our most popular months, we’ve been known to go ahead and reserve their milestone session dates in the calendar as soon as they’re born so they’re all set and locked in. First Year Collection members never have to worry about whether they’ll be able to get a preferred weekend date or about remembering to schedule their sessions, because we take care of it all for you! There are lots of other bonus perks for members, so if you want to document your baby’s entire first year, definitely ask about enrolling and if there is still room left! We limit the number of enrollees by birth month to ensure that all members are served well.

THE STYLING ASSISTANCE WE OFFER TO CLIENTS

The biggest stress factor with sessions for most of my clients is what the heck to wear! Laura has never had to worry about this because she utilizes our studio wardrobe for every session she does with us. She has a list of her favorite dresses from each session she’s had with us and already has a pretty good idea of what she’ll wear for her next one.

When it comes to dressing Charlie and her husband, she refers to our style guide and to our recommended stores to shop at for adorable and timeless baby clothing. We do have a limited baby wardrobe for those who want to borrow from that, but we’ve found that our mamas really enjoy shopping for their little ones and dressing them in something that has been purchased just for them. Our style guide concisely goes over the best practices for dressing your entire family and covers recommended color and pattern combos. If you want more hands on assistance with styling your family, you are more than welcome to schedule a complimentary style consult at the studio or to send over quick phone photos of what you’re considering. Once you are booked for your session, I am here to help you in any way I can! I know from personal experience as a mom that the session planning process can feel overwhelming, and I want to take as much of that stress off of you as possible.

SIX MONTH MILESTONE SESSION FLOW

I will discuss your priorities for your baby’s milestone session with you in advance of your session and run you through what to expect. Milestone sessions typically focus on your baby, with family and parent images intermixed throughout. Six month olds do not have a long attention span and ten to tire out quickly with everything going on, so I keep my session flow very baby-led and efficient!

Six month old babies usually need some time to warm up when they’re getting used to being in a new place and to me. This is why I pretty much always begin milestone sessions with parent and family images unless your baby is the life of the party and completely unbothered. Your little one will feel safe and secure in your arms and I’ll be able to start the process of gaining their trust. Once they start willingly interacting with me, that’s when I will start getting closer in proximity to them. Charlie was a cheerful little lady and it didn’t take her long to warm up to me, so I started the session with images of just her on the bed. Once I had gotten those, I quickly moved into the parent and family portraits while Charlie was still grinning and having fun. Fun fact about this session: many of Charlie’s big smiles are the result of yours truly snorting like a pig which she found absolutely hilarious. Please, try snorting like a pig with your mask on and you will be amazed at the effort it takes - but it was all 100% worth it for the smiles!

Important: If you arrive to the studio for your session and your little one is having a hard time adjusting at first, there is no need to stress. I have limitless patience and empathy for your baby and how they are feeling. It’s such an interesting time for babies because due to the ongoingpandemic, they aren’t getting the exposure to the outside world and to strangers that they normally would. So, being in a new place with someone they’ve never met can be a bit of a shock. Sometimes this means that I put my camera down and sit quietly on the floor in their view until your baby settles and decides that everything is okay with this new lady. Regardless of how your baby reacts, I will meet them where they are at. My studio is a zero pressure and calm environment. We will work together as a collaborative team to get them comfortable and having fun! All I ask is that you come in ready to play with your baby and be willing to do some “unorthodox” things to get their giggles going, and it will all work out - I promise!

Your baby’s safety is my ultimate consideration during sessions with me. Charlie was still a bit wobbly when sitting up alone, so her dad was right outside of the frame ready to catch her if needed. If your baby isn’t quite sitting up unassisted at six months of age, that’s not a problem at all! I have SO many other positions for your baby and your gallery will still have lots of variety and tons of cuteness.

SHOULD MY BABY WEAR ONE OR TWO OUTFITS?

Laura had brought two ADORABLE outfits along for Charlie and asked if we could make both of them work. Having two outfits for your little one in a session is welcomed, but know that the second outfit might not happen. This ultimately depends on your baby and how they’re doing!

If you bring two outfits, we will start the session with baby dressed in your favorite one FIRST to ensure you have images of your baby in it! Some little ones simply hate being changed, and others tire out before we have a chance to change. Know that I will do my best to accommodate a second outfit within the session. If needed, we will utilize some of my successful distraction methods to minimize the protesting during changing and can also try a short bottle/nursing break in between for a “reset”.

Laura started Charlie in the most adorable peach colored romper, and changed her into white bloomers with a denim top for the second half of the session. I used a couple of our studio chairs, our chaise lounge, the floor, and her parent’s arms for the rest of her session. We had so much fun during this session, and it was wonderful to see Laura and David so confident in their role as Charlie’s parents. One of my favorite things is watching couples from the maternity session through the First Birthday and how they change as people and as a couple. It’s such a beautiful process to observe, and I’m so honored to be invited to witness it as a photographer!

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Charlie’s six month milestone session. I can’t wait to share images from her First Birthday.

If you’re interested in learning more about scheduling a milestone session for your baby or pregnant and interested in enrolling in our First Year Collection, we would love to talk with you! It is NEVER too early to reserve your session on the calendar - so even if your baby won’t be 6-8 months for a while, NOW is the best time to reach out for more the most date options to choose from. Our weekend dates routinely fill up 3+ months in advance, so go ahead and connect with us to chat!

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Rebecca & Bo

Rebecca contacted us at the end of her second trimester to ask about our studio and specific COVID precautions. After speaking with us, knew she wanted to book both a maternity and newborn session, and we sent over the paperwork for her to complete and reserve her sessions! We handle EVERYTHING securely online in a very streamlined process. Our clients find the whole process super simple and love it. After Rebecca sent back her paperwork, she was locked into our calendar. We scheduled her maternity fitting to take place about 2 weeks before her session and also sent over a short list of what to bring along with her to the fitting, and directions to our convienent studio location. We’re located right on the Beltline just down from Ponce City Market right by two.urban.licks. We have a free parking lot available (and street parking if our lot happens to be full).

Have you watched the 90 second video on our website? If you haven’t, you should - click here to see it. Watching it will give you a great overview of what it’s like to work with me and what my philosophy behind photographs is. Almost all of my clients who have watched it have told me that they didn’t feel like I was a stranger when they met me for the first time, and that I’m very “what you see is what you get.” As a note, this was filmed 5 years ago in our old (much smaller) original Grant Park studio, but still all holds 100% true today!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Rebecca and her husband, Bo had demanding work from home jobs and a weekend was the only time that would work for them for their maternity session. Booking your outdoor session early is key to weekend availability! While weekends are popular and are snapped up super fast (as of this blog post, we are already completely booked for weekend dates in October 2021), we also shoot on weeknights which have plenty of their own perks! Weeknights: lots more flexibility in scheduling, often less traffic, and way less crowded at the locations.

Many of our clients choose to take a half day from work or just leave a couple of hours early to schedule a weekday evening session depending on what time the sun is setting on their session date. ALL of our outdoor sessions take place about one hour before sunset. If you’re not sure of what that time is, you can literally google “sunset time on X date in Atlanta” and you’ll get the sunset time. Subtract an hour, and you’ll have your general session start time! There are also some months that we offer sunrise sessions - typically in September when the sun comes up around 7:30 AM so we aren’t all stumbling around trying to get ready at 5:30 AM. ;)

THE MATERNITY FITTING

Maternity fittings are scheduled 1-2 weeks before scheduled sessions! We want to make sure you have enough time to decide on what to wear from your top favorites and can pull together the other outfits for your partner and/or children. Your baby shouldn’t grow too much in two weeks to not be able to fit in your final choices. If you try on a dress that BARELY fits and want to choose it, we’ll go ahead and have you choose a backup option for it just in case it doesn’t fit you anymore when we get to your session date. It’s always better to be safe than sorry! Our clients can choose up to two looks. As a note, usage of the studio wardrobe is not required but about 95% of our clients do choose to borrow from it! Even if you don’t, it’s great for inspiration and to see what looks great on you! So many of our maternity clients also find what they want to wear for their newborn session when they’re in for their fitting. If able, I strongly encourage clients who are planning to wear their own clothing to come in with that clothing for me to see beforehand and so that we are able to meet each other as well. Clients who have spent some time with me prior to stepping in front of my camera are much more relaxed because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time! 

When Rebecca came in for her fitting, she was pleasantly surprised by the number of options available to her in the wardrobe. She had been concerned we wouldn’t have options for her as she’s petite. I have dressed women ranging in heights from 4’10” to 6’3” and size 00-16 - so there is no need to worry because we likely do have something that will fit you! While Rebecca was trying on pieces, Bo and I chatted and got to know each other. He had lots of questions for me about what he should wear, as well as what to expect, and I answered all of them. You do NOT have to bring your partner to your fitting, but I recommend it if you’re able and they’re willing to! It gives me a chance to get to know them and break the ice in advance of your session and often makes guys a lot more comfortable as well. If they’re unable to attend, you’ll snap cell photos of your favorite options to share with them later if you want their input on your final selection!

Don’t worry, you will not have to decide at the maternity fitting what you’ll be wearing. You do need to have your final choices in at least 4 business days before your session date. This allows me to have your options cleaned if needed if another client wears one of your choices before you in the same week. Most of our dresses will fit both pregnant and postpartum moms, so a lot of our clients also find their preferred dress for their newborn session while they’re here too! After looking at all her options and showing her husband, Rebecca decided on a breezy moss off the shoulder gown and what is probably our most popular studio dress paired with a sheer white kimono wrap.

SESSION EFFICIENCY

I always shoot my sessions efficiently, because I don’t believe that an outdoor couples or family maternity session should take 2 hours. In Atlanta summers, this is especially important because it’s hot and humid.

We will not be dragging your session out unnecessarily. Instead, I lead you through the entire experience and will literally tell (and show!) you what to do and when to do it. Don’t worry, I’m not at all bossy - I’m very gentle and direct and clients absolutely love it. So many clients have expressed relief that they wouldn’t be left to figure things out on their own and hope it looked good.

My primary focus is on the emotional connection between my subjects. The interaction you see between couples in my photographs is 100% authentic and real. However, because I believe in transparency, most of my couples can’t quite get there on their own because people tend to freeze up a little bit in the presence of a camera. I do the work of getting couples positioned just where where they need to be, tweak hair and clothing if necessary and THEN give an easy to follow prompt that ignites that natural interaction. THAT is when the magic and beauty unfold.

So, please don’t worry about not knowing what to do. Don’t think to yourself, “We are never look like those couples because my husband isn’t going to do that.” The truth is: you don’t have to look like anyone else. Your dynamic with your partner is unique to the two of you. It SHOULDN’T look like any one elses’ session. What it WILL look like is the two of you loving each other in your own way, while highlighting the excitement and anticipation for this brand new baby that you’re welcoming into your family. Oh, and you’ll also look absolutely beautiful. ;) 

MATERNITY SESSION FLOW

I already mentioned that sessions aren’t ridiculously long. I allot an hour for outdoor sessions. Remember: some of this time is going to be changing into your outfit, taking a break if needed, and walking to other spots. Once the sun is gone, we’re done. Pro tip: be on time to your session. While I can shoot efficiently and very quickly in a pinch (ie: there was a horrible wreck on the way that made you 20 minutes late), I cannot make the sunset slow down.

When we first get started with your session, you’re likely going to feel a little nervous and a bit awkward. This is 100% normal. I’ve got you. I regularly shoot 20+ maternity sessions per month (studio and outdoor), and I’ve been photographing pregnant moms for 7 years now. You’re in very experienced hands!

Most of my couples start hitting their stride in roughly 10 minutes or less if it’s their first session with me. If it’s not your first session, you already know the drill and we’re already friends, so none of this really applies. ;)

I have pregnant moms move around as little as possible in each spot in the location that we go to - especially during hot summer months! You’re pregnant, you’re probably sweating, your back and feet might be aching… there’s just absolutely no need to drag you all the place and make you feel like you went to an Orange Theory class by the time you’re done. Instead, your partner gets to do all the work. They will be the one jumping in and out of the frame as directed. We’ll also take breaks as needed for you to hydrate or rest, and pick right back up when you’re ready to go again!

SESSION DAY FOR REBECCA & BO

We met at the field location on a very humid and warm Atlanta summer night. It was actually NOT as hot as it could have been (about 15 degrees cooler than the norm for July!), and the sky was overcast, which also cooled it down a bit too. Overcast days are just as beautiful as bright and sunny ones, and actually give us a lot more flexibility in placement since we don’t have to worry about squinty eyes or crazy sun flare.

I spent some time photographing Rebecca solo and pulling Bo in for some images throughout. We had a lot of fun, and they warmed up quickly. The coolest part of the session that night was all of the deer that showed up in the field as dusk approached! Rebecca and Bo had never been that close to deer, and enjoyed seeing them prancing around with their little baby fawns.

At the end of their maternity session, we chatted for a bit about what they could expect next and said our goodbyes. The following week, I sent over their proof gallery. They LOVED their images and chose quite a few of them, expressing their excitement for their upcoming newborn session in a couple of months once their son arrived.

If you’re reading this and considering booking a maternity session, YAY! Firstly, a big congrats to you!!! This is such an incredibly beautiful time in your life. It is such an honor to be trusted to photograph couples expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child.  I would love for you to contact us to chat about your vision and how we can serve you.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Rebecca & Bo’s field maternity session 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Rhodes

Brittany contacted the studio at the end of her first trimester to schedule a newborn session for her second baby who was due in 7 months! I love advance planners. She knew things were going to get pretty busy in her life with her older toddler, and wanted to get her newborn session squared away so it was checked off her list. She had found us by searching Google and then saw that a few of her friends had worked with us and knew that we were a perfect fit. We still had availability for her due date month since she had contacted us early on, and sent over all of her paperwork to reserve her session.

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY NEWBORN SESSION?

It really is never too early to reserve your session! I know you are likely are busy with other preparations, but don’t put this off!

Reserving your newborn session is NOT scheduling your exact session date.

That would simply be impossible, since babies arrive when they want to and don’t pay attention to their estimated due dates. When you reserve your session, you are guaranteeing that you have a spot on our calendar! We limit the number of reserved newborns due in each month so that we can provide excellent service to each and every one of our clients. Once we reach our monthly newborn limit, our newborn schedule is closed for that month and we maintain a wait list.

If you’re reading this and baby is already here, don’t panic! Our newborns often arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, so there are some months that we end up having the ability to take on a last minute newborn client. Contact us right away, and we just might be able to schedule you in our calendar!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER SIBLING INVOLVED

When toddler siblings are involved in newborn sessions, we ask what their schedule is because it’s important information for planning a successful session! We want them to be well rested and happy. Newborn sessions in the studio start in the morning between 9 and 10 AM. The first 90 minutes of session time is devoted to photographing your baby alone. This is the perfect time for you to take advantage of our add on hair and makeup services since you’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway! Choosing to add on beauty services will NOT lengthen your session time because I will be photographing your baby alone during this time anyway.

Toddler siblings and dads arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve started photographing your baby’s solo portraits. I am usually finished with these by the time mama is done in hair and makeup, and will transition to the sibling and family portion of the session. My goal is to get all of the photos with your toddler in them done FIRST so that they don’t have to sit around any longer than necessary! :)

Once your toddler is finished with the photographs they’re in, they are free to play until we’re finished with dad/baby and baby/parent images. Some parents will have Grandma whisk them away to take them back home, but if you don’t have family help, no worries!

Some families ask if we can start with family photos. The answer is generally no. Reversing or changing the session flow of starting with newborn solo images does not work very well in my 8 years of experience and tends to backfire in a major way. What tends to happen is that your newborn becomes overstimulated and fussy from the start, and never quite settles - and then we are not able to get as varied of a gallery in our allotted time. If you are a mama who won’t be adding on HMUA services and doesn’t care about having a big variety of solo newborn portraits if your baby doesn’t settle, then we can discuss starting that way! Every family and their needs are unique.

THE SESSION DAY

Brittany and Rhodes arrived, and we looked through the studio dresses. She loved one of our blush pink options, and got comfy on the studio couch while I photographed Rhodes alone.

Rhodes was a BIG boy, and 28 days old when he came in for his session! He had a full head of dark hair and slept like a rock. He was such a great sleeper, and we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. When I finished up, big sister Delaney and dad weren’t there yet so Brittany went ahead and got dressed and chose one of our newborn gowns for Rhodes to wear for the family portion. I have a big assortment of blankets and a few onesies and gowns as well - and it’s totally your preference! I’ll discuss the pros and cons of each, but it will really come down to your style and what you want your images to look like. A blanket is always a classic, but wiggly bigger babies can be hard to keep wrapped well. A gown eliminates that issue entirely, and still looks timeless and super cute.

While we were waiting for the rest of the family to arrive, Brittany changed his diaper, dressed him in the newborn gown she had chosen, and then nursed him so he would be back asleep for that part. The plan worked, and when Delaney and daddy arrived, we moved right into the family portion!

MY NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

If I am able, I start with the sibling photos FIRST because these are often the most important ones to mamas. This is entirely dependent on your toddler, but 9 times out of 10 your toddler will be the most cooperative as soon as they arrive. So, it’s always the goal to photograph sibling images first, followed by each parent with their children, and wrapped up with the whole family together.

Baby safety is the UTMOST priority above all else. I will not place newborn babies near their older siblings if they are not able to listen and be still. Every toddler is different energy and personality wise, so I’ll assess how they’re doing when deciding which images we’ll do. Delaney was a VERY sweet and compliant toddler who was super excited about her baby brother, so I was very easily able to safely photography her with Rhodes. What you can’t see in these images is that her parents were inches away from them ready to swoop in and intervene if the need arose.

Once we had finished all of the photographs with Delaney and Rhodes together, we moved into the family and parent portion. I move very quickly and transition seamlessly between each image, while respecting your child’s interest and cooperation level too. While I do have a pretty typical flow, sometimes toddlers need a break or want to do something else and I’ll adjust as needed. I want everyone in your family to have a good time and to feel a part of the process, and that includes the little ones!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We make it easy for our clients! After you’ve had a baby (or really, anytime!), the last thing you need is to deal with something super complicated.

About a week after their session, Brittany and Brad viewed the proof gallery and chose their collection. They knew they wanted an album, and they also added on two large 16x20 framed prints for their home and had a pretty good idea of which ones they would choose from their gallery for those. When the final images were completed, they chose which ones they wanted for their album and for the framed prints. After printed artwork is ordered, it takes about 1-2 weeks (longer for heirloom albums due to their handcrafted construction) for everything to be ready to go at the studio.

OUR PROCESS FOR FRAMED ARTWORK

Our framed artwork is typically ready in 2-6 weeks as long as there are no supply issues due to the pandemic and depending on what is ordered. Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed! When a client chooses the image they want framed, we’ll discuss the best size for where they plan to hang it in their home.

Once the the size is chosen, the print is ordered! After it comes in, we then “dress” the print together with the best moulding (frame). We’ll choose the best frame from our line for your image and home decor/personal style preferences. We’ll also decide on the mat width - I’m a fan of 3-5” inch mats depending on the size of the print. Brittany preferred to schedule a virtual appointment to choose her frames, so that’s what we did. A virtual appointment for choosing frames consists of a text message conversation. I’ll determine which frames are best for your image tone and then send over a bunch of photos to you with the suggested frames next to it. Most families are able to decide pretty quickly what their favorite is!

After you’ve chosen your frame, I’ll determine the best mat size for a balanced aesthetic. The larger the print, the larger the mat width should be to balance it out - but this will also depend on your frame width too! Once that’s nailed down, I then order your frame, mat, and GORGEOUS museum glass. I am absolutely obsessed with museum glass! It might seem strange to describe glass as being stunning, but it really is. You can barely see the glass in the frame when looking at it because of how crystal clear it is with very little glare. I also love the 99% UV protection that it gives to the printed artwork. If you aren’t sure of what museum glass looks like, don’t worry - most of our framed prints hanging on the walls at the studio have it, so you’ll get to see it for yourself!

When the frame, mat, and museum glass arrive at my studio, I mat the print, and assemble the entire piece. The last step of framing is to finish the back of the frame with paper and hanging hardware. This means that all you’ll have to do is hang it up on your wall. Once it’s there, you will find yourself standing in front of it and be transported back to the time it was taken. Your children will love looking at it also. How do I know? From personal experience! I have a gallery wall in my own home with treasured family images. I find myself standing in front of the framed prints marveling at how quickly my children have grown in the years since they were taken even though it feels like it was just YESTERDAY. My kids really love them too. They have commented that it makes them feel loved when they look at the portraits of us all together, and even asked for their favorite images to be framed and hung in their rooms too.

If you order framed artwork from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print, I’ll deliver their finished artwork right to your front doorstep within a 20 mile radius of the studio. If you live further than that, you’ll need to make arrangements to pick up yourself. If you don’t have large framed artwork as part of your order, you’ll come to the studio and pick up your order when it’s ready. I send out an email to clients on a weekly basis who have orders ready to be picked up. The email outlines the designated pickup days and time windows throughout the week and pickup is safe and contactless. Clients (or their designated errand person!) reserve their pickup time in advance, and the process is super simple.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting a new baby and interested in reserving a newborn session with us? We would LOVE to chat with you about your family, what we offer, and how we can best serve you. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone. We look forward to hearing from you!

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 | Clarissa & Isabella

Clarissa is such a wonderful long term loyal client who has been coming to see me since she was pregnant with her daughter. It has been so much fun to watch Isabella grow each year and to also see how Clarissa grows as a mother - she’s a pretty incredible one!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR A STUDIO SESSION

When clients book their session with us, we send them our easy to follow style guide that has everything you need to know about choosing what to wear. It covers suggested color and how to mix and match textures and patterns. We offer studio visits for wardrobe consultations to our clients, and can conduct these virtually as well! We are here to make the portrait session experience with us EASY and fun.

The majority of our clients choose neutral tones or soft pastels. Neutrals stand the test of time, are the most universally flattering to skin tones, and simplify coordinating multiple family members. Clarissa chose to dress it up for this session with a gorgeous mauve silk halter neck dress and teardrop chandelier earrings. Isabella wore the prettiest tulle creation studded with rhinestones and felt like a princess. This mother-daughter duo also have the prettiest curls!

I want to mention really quickly that Isabella is a professional print and commercial child model, so she takes direction incredibly well and stays very focused longer than the average child her age. I always get a kick out of it when I see her in advertisements and think to myself, “Yep, that’s Isabella!” Even if your child is NOT a professional model, that’s totally ok! I have worked with young children for a very long time and am a mom of three myself, and perfect listening is NOT required or necessary to create gorgeous photos. We will roll with it!

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR SESSION

Mommy and me sessions in the studio are a LOT of fun! Your job is to be their mom. You’ll play games with your child(ren) that involve dancing, snuggling or even tickling your little one during your time with me.

These sessions are often very child-led and dictated by how they’re feeling and what they’re interested in doing throughout. I don’t have a “script” or set workflow during sessions with young children, because it’s impossible to predict how it will go in terms of their mood and length of cooperation.

Regardless of how your child is during our time together, know that I have endless patience, adapt as needed, and am super flexible to meet my littlest clients where they’re at. I believe showing children that I respect them and their preferences is what builds their trust, and is truly the “secret” to having a successful session!

You do NOT need to worry about your child standing perfectly still and “cooperating”. Honestly, you will constantly be in motion during your session. I’ll be behind my camera waiting for the perfect moments to freeze forever.

There’s no need to be worried about not knowing what you should do either - I’ll be giving you easy to follow action prompts. The prompts are things that you do ALL the time with your child when you’re not being photographed, they’re just not what you might think to do when in front of a camera! :) All you need to focus on is being present with your little one(s), and let me handle taking the photos!

If you're considering a session for yourself and your children, I would love for you to reach out to discuss your vision and learn about the amazing portrait experience that we offer our clients at our studio!

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from this family session with Clarissa and Isabella!

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 Payton

Amanda reached out in her second trimester to book a newborn session for when their baby girl arrived. She was thrilled to hear that we had a full studio wardrobe available to her and even more excited about our add on hair and makeup services. When you’ve just had a baby, the last thing you want to do is worry about what fits or sacrifice precious sleep to do your hair and makeup before coming to the studio. Fortunately, with us, you don’t have to!

Amanda works in the hospitality industry, so to hear her say, “You’ve thought of everything!” come from her was quite the compliment! We really do strive to think of everything - because we believe your portrait experience should be easy and stress free. So even if you forgot to pack extra diapers or your nursing pads on the way out the door to us, there's no need to stress. We’ll take excellent care of you!

HOW TO “SCHEDULE” YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

Don’t put off reserving your newborn session! The majority of our newborn clients contact us early in the second trimester to reserve their session on our calendar, with some reserving in their first trimester. We have been the first to know about a new pregnancy more than a few times! Are you confused about how you can schedule your newborn session months in advance? Don’t worry, you’re not the first one - we get this question a lot, and we’ll clarify further for you.

Reserving your newborn session is NOT scheduling your exact date in advance.

As you know, it is impossible to know EXACTLY when your baby will be born months beforehand. Even if you have a scheduled c-section or induction, there’s always a chance baby could arrive sooner or the date could be rescheduled. There are several factors that are considered when determining when to have you come in after your baby is born. We’ll ask when your baby arrived in relation to their due date, how much they weighed at birth, if you had a c-section or tough delivery, how you’re both doing, etc. When you reserve a newborn session at our studio, you don’t have to worry about whether or not we have room for you - because you’re guaranteed a session date.

We book a limited number of newborns due per month. Once we reach the cap, we are FULL for that month.

Why would we turn interested clients away?

The answer is simple. We have very high standards for the personalized experience we offer to our clients. We want to make 200% sure each and every one of our clients receives the same level of unparalleled service that we are known for, and proud of! If we overbook (ever been on an overbooked flight?), the client experience would take a hit, and we refuse to allow that to happen.

If your newborn is here already, you should know that our reserved newborns can arrive earlier/ later than their estimated due date, so we might still have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session as long as timelines allow and we can serve you and our other clients to our standards. Call us now if that’s you, and we might be able to fit you in on our schedule.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

For a first baby with no big siblings involved, newborn sessions are pretty straightforward because there are no other schedules to take into consideration! If you have bigger kids, things run a bit differently (but not much!)

Your newborn session will start in the morning generally between 9:30 and 10ish AM depending on where in the Atlanta metro area you’re coming from.

The first 90 minutes of your session is spent photographing your baby’s solo photos.

The beginning of your newborn session is the perfect opportunity for you to treat yourself to our add on hair and makeup services like Amanda chose to, since you’re going be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway during this time! Why not treat yourself to a relaxing experience which will likely be the first time you've felt truly pampered since giving birth? As an added bonus, our HMUA’s are really, really, really good at working their magic so you don’t look as sleep deprived as you might feel!

PAYTON’S NEWBORN SESSION DAY

When Amanda and Ryan arrived with Payton, Amanda settled into the hair and makeup chair. She had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to wear from our studio wardrobe since she had looked through everything at her maternity fitting. I pulled a couple of her favorites out for her to make her final decision from, and then took Payton out of her carseat to get started!

Payton was the most exquisite baby girl with the daintiest features. She was awake at the beginning of her session, but soon conked out after I got her all wrapped up and snuggly. She then stayed sound asleep for the rest of her solo photos, and was very relaxed and content. She even flashed a few smiles throughout!

If you have a baby girl, we will discuss your preferences are regarding the use of headbands and tiebacks on your daughter’s head during her newborn photos. Amanda loves them, and asked for them to be used in all of the setups throughout the session. I can do a mix with them on, all, or none at all - it’s your choice!

I don’t work with giant oversized flowers or bows. I have a darling collection of the daintiest options for your little girl that will serve to enhance the image - not distract from your baby!

Payton was still sleeping soundly after I wrapped up her solo portraits. Amanda had just finished up with hair and makeup, so I handed Payton to her daddy and pulled a few options for Amanda to choose from the studio wardrobe. Once I have seen a client in person, it doesn’t take me long to select a few options that I know will work with their skin tone and body shape/size! Amanda fell in love with a cream textured lace dress, and we got started with the family portion!

Most first time parents are still a little bit nervous about handling their baby and moving them around. This is 100% normal, and it’s because you aren’t used to standing up while holding your little one! The hospital forbids you to do it, and when you get home you’re on the couch or in bed The only time you’re standing up is when you’re carrying your baby from room to room or to the changing table.

I will walk you through EVERYTHING during our time together and show you exactly how to hold your baby safely for photographs. If you’re ever uncertain or something just doesn’t feel secure, we’ll adapt it until you feel good about it! Comfort and safety are my top priority - for both baby and new parents.

I walked Ryan and Amanda through everything and we had such a good time chatting and getting to know each other throughout. When they left, they thanked me for making the experience such a fun and easy one.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

We keep it simple for you! About a week after their session, Amanda & Ryan viewed Payton’s proof images and chose their favorites. After submitting their favorites, the images were put into my production queue, and the final gallery of their selected images was completed in both color & black and white versions.

Once your collection and any products are completed and ready for pickup at the studio, you’ll receive an email with a calendar scheduling link! The link will take you to our available contactless pickup dates and times for the week ahead, and you reserve what works best for you.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in learning about working with our studio for your newborn session? We’d LOVE to chat with you about what we offer and how we can serve your growing family. Reach out today to set up a time to speak on the phone and chat!

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 Fine Art & Editorial Maternity Photography | Kali

Modern Maternity sessions (as shown in this blog post) are offered through Illume Maternity! Please visit www.illumematernity.com if you are interested in exploring this type of session for your maternity portraits.

Kali came in to the studio for a Modern Maternity session at the beginning of her third trimester. She added on makeup services, which we strongly encourage for the ultimate luxury experience and for the best photos!

Makeup for this type of session is best applied by a skilled professional who has an understanding of studio light and editorial work. Please don’t go to a retail makeup counter or ask a friend who is “pretty good at make up”, or try to recreate a look with a YouTube video lesson.

If there was ever a time to invest in having your hair and/or makeup done, this is it. Our HMUA team is incredible and made up of amazing women with vast experience working on production/commercial sets, and they are skilled with all skin tones - including women of color.

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Our fine art modern maternity sessions are photographed in our intown Atlanta studio with studio lighting. Natural light is not used, and sessions are scheduled over a 90 minute-2 hour block. In contrast, our natural light (non newborn) portrait sessions are scheduled for a one hour block.

The additional time for modern maternity is to allow ample time for adjusting the lighting set up and for our mamas to change between looks. Since we are not reliant on natural light, our fine art session start time is much more flexible than our natural light studio sessions. We can schedule for evening hours after you’re off of work if that works better for you!

It’s important to only schedule a late session as long as you won’t be tired in the evening from your day!

Currently, we only shoot ONE session per day in the studio to allow for our COVID sanitation protocols. Please don’t put scheduling off until the last minute as we may not have availability for you. The majority of our clients reach out to us when they’re right at the end of their first trimester/abeginning of their second trimester to schedule their session to take place between 26-32 weeks of pregnancy. We want you to have a round belly but still be able to move well before you become physically limited by it - especially because you’ll be moving a LOT during this type of session!

Once you have selected a session date from our availability, everything is handled online in a secure and streamlined process. We’ll send over a short list of what you should bring along with you to your session and directions to our studio location. We’re located right on the Beltline next to two.urban.licks. We’re just down from Ponce City Market, and our studio is SUPER easy to get to! There is a free lot parking available as well as street parking if the lot is full.

WHAT’S NEXT: THE PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION

Why do we schedule a pre-session meeting? Because over the past 8 years we have found that clients who have spent some time with me (face to face or virtually!) before stepping in front of my camera are much more comfortable right out of the gate on their session day because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time!  This is definitely the case for fine art maternity where you may be wearing next to nothing for part or most of it.

We will schedule a time to meet in advance of your session - either in person here at the studio or virtually via Zoom or FaceTime. I will be fully protected with the Pfizer vaccine effective April 12th, and I wear an N95 mask for all client appointments and sessions regardless of client vaccination status. (ie: it doesn't matter if a client and I are both fully vaccinated, I am still wearing a mask regardless)

Many of our clients that drive to us from quite the distance (90+ minutes) and sometimes from the neighboring states of Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, so an in person meeting isn’t always possible! Many clients bring along a bag full of their own things to wear, and our studio has a limited wardrobe of bodycon dresses and crop tops, bodysuits that can accommodate a pregnant belly, bandeau bras, and tulle gowns. We also have some beautiful Italian silk chiffon fabrics for draping and tossing (in mostly neutral colors) should you choose to incorporate that, as well as some stunning Victoria’s Secret inspired blush pink feather angel wings.

Usage of the studio wardrobe is complimentary to our booked clients! If you choose to schedule an in person meeting with me, you’ll be able to see and try on our pieces. If you’re planning on wearing anything of your own, you’ll bring that along with you as well, and we’ll design your session flow together based on the chosen looks.

During our meeting, we will discuss your vision for your maternity session. My clients vary in their preferences and desires when it comes to the images they want. I have some that are drawn to fine art nudes/implied nudes mixed in with strategic hand placement covering the breasts, and others want to be clothed the entire time with just their belly showing. Some clients really love the look of fabric draping and want to incorporate a few of those, and others don’t. The choice is ultimately yours!

I’ll also ask your preference for the studio temperature during your session since that also varies between clients as well. My top priority is that you are comfortable and well taken care of in every aspect while you are here!

CAN MY HUSBAND/CHILDREN PARTICIPATE?

While the majority of our clients choose to be the only participant for their fine art maternity sessions, your partner is more than welcome. Children can be included in a couple of images but should only be present in the studio for the time they are in photos. Because of all the specialized equipment that is set up and the length of the session, it’s not possible for them to be here in the studio for the entire session. Most families who want a family focused maternity session find our natural light sessions to be a better fit.

YOUR FINE ART MATERNITY SESSION: WHAT TO EXPECT

I’ve been photographing pregnant women for over 8 years now and truly LOVE it. When you arrive to the studio for your session, you’ll change into a robe that you’ve brought with you and you’ll be prepped by one of our amazing HMUA’s if you’ve chosen to add on services like Kali did. Everything in the studio will already be set up and ready to go, so we’ll get started as soon as you’re finished by getting changed into your first outfit. All your outfits will be lined up and ready to go with the roadmap that we created during your pre session consult so there’s no wondering what to put on or wasted time.

If you’re feeling a bit nervous, please don’t stress! I will walk you through everything during your session - from how and where to stand, to how much to tilt your head, and I’ll also coach you on your facial expressions! Our modern maternity/fine art sessions lean towards what I like to call “power” posing. You will look confident, strong, graceful, and beautiful. Mothers are a force to be reckoned with, and these images are going to combine that strength with the beauty and femininity of your pregnancy. If you’re having difficulty being verbally coached with facial expressions, I’ll whip out one of my clear masks so you can see my entire face for demonstration purposes! I promise that you will never be left to awkwardly figure out what to do next.

In total transparency: if you’ve never had a session with studio lighting, it will most likely feel intimidating at first. My lighting is on wheeled stands with large modifiers on boom arms. Once you’ve gotten used to it all, it won’t take you long to start having fun and you’ll start feeling like a model! After the first lighting set, you’ll find that you’ll get into your groove and you’ll have learned what to do from my prompts or adjustments.

We will take breaks throughout for you to get some water, a snack, bathroom break, or just to rest for a minute. If you need anything, all you have to do is let me know. We’ll pick right back up whenever you’re ready to resume!

Kali looked absolutely STUNNING with her hair and makeup, and was excited to get started. We created some absolutely gorgeous images with a mix of her pieces and studio wardrobe pieces. She brought her own non-maternity jeans and white crop top, along with some non maternity dresses and lingerie sets, and she was ALL about wearing the wings for a few images!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

Once your proof gallery is ready, we’ll review the images and you’ll make decisions! One of the images will be fully edited for you as a sample so you can know what to expect. We’ll discuss your specific retouching requests (our most common requests are for stretch mark removal and for very slight body slimming in certain areas).

It is my personal opinion that the modern maternity / fine art editorial photography style is most powerful in black and white imagery. However, your selected final images will come in both color and black and white versions for you!

The majority of our clients end up ordering their favorite image for a piece of wall art (metal and acrylic prints are a favorite for this type of photography) or put them all into a beautiful heirloom album.

If you’re considering a maternity session for yourself, YAY! Firstly, a HUGE congratulations to you!!! This is such an unbelievably special and sacred time in your life, and it’s such an honor to photograph mamas expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child. 

I would absolutely love for you to contact us to chat about your vision and what we can offer you. We can chat about whether a fine art modern maternity session with studio lighting is the right fit for you vs. our natural light sessions, and answer any questions you have!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Kali’s modern maternity session below! Isn’t she absolutely gorgeous?!

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 | Audrey is three months!

Melinda contacted us to book a newborn session when she was in her second trimester and was SO excited for it…. and then the pandemic hit. We had quite a few “newborns” come in for sessions when they were much older due to the mandated shutdown, and their sessions are just as beautiful! 2020 was truly a year that stretched us all, forced me to think outside of the box, and that taught us that sometimes things end up being even better when they don’t happen quite as planned.

While wrapping them up into curly poses is often not possible as they pass the 4-6 week mark, we can still photograph your baby when they’re 2-3 months old! I want you to know that your baby does NOT have to be a newborn to capture this special time in your life as a new family.

If you hesitated to book a newborn session and are now regretting it, please reach out to see if we have availability to photograph your baby so you can always remember every little detail about them just as they are right now. When you call us, we’ll discuss all the professional AND personal COVID-safety precautions we’re taking to keep everyone safe.

SCHEDULING RECOMMENDATIONS

Don’t put off reserving your session once you know you want to book! We routinely fill our calendar several months in advance. Because of this, most of our clients reach out to schedule at least two months in advance of when they’re hoping to schedule their session. Our First Year Collection members have the added benefit of not having to remember to reach out to us because we handle that for them! If you’re pregnant and considering documenting your baby’s first year (newborn, sitting milestone, first birthday milestone), definitely ask us about becoming a First Year Collection member.

For those who are late to the game and reading this with a newborn or milestone already here, please be aware that we might have availability - but you’ll never know unless you ask! Contact us today if that’s you, and we may be able to fit you in on our schedule.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR MILESTONE SESSION

For a three month old milestone, we don’t have a lot of time (30ish minutes) before baby is all tuckered out due to how little they are. If it’s your first and only baby, your session will be focused on baby, baby with each parent, and the whole family together.

For Audrey’s session, it was a bit different! Since the whole family (big brother included!) was participating, I asked Melinda what her top priorities for images were. I wanted to be sure that the top wishes were taken at the beginning of my session flow. She also asked me to photograph Audrey’s little details as much as I could, and made sure that I knew Audrey’s red mark on her nose was a birthmark and not a scratch.

AUDREY’S SESSION DAY

Melinda had asked to add on hair and makeup to her session, so she arrived at the studio in advance of the rest of the family to be prepped. She chose a gorgeous blue dress from the studio wardrobe to wear, and absolutely loved the stress free experience of getting ready for her photos.

When the rest of the family arrived, they were all dressed and ready to go. We started with family and sibling images first, and I also took the opportunity photograph Audrey alone.

Audrey was a bright eyed and curious little girl. She stayed awake for a while and then started melting down, so I suggested that Melinda nurse her for a bit and we would see what happened. I had a pretty strong suspicion that Audrey would fall asleep, and I was praying I would be right.

I WAS RIGHT!

I knew that Melinda was still sad about not having true newborn images, and I REALLY wanted to be able to make some images happen for her that were very newborn like - but having Audrey sound asleep was the only way for that to happen! Audrey falling asleep allowed me the opportunity to photograph her peaceful sleeping countenance and gorgeous long eyelashes, as well as her little toes and her fingers wrapped around her mother’s. We were even able to get Audrey snuggled up on her parent’s shoulders, and capture the closeness and intimacy of their family. I was so happy that I was able to make this session happen for the family, and they LOVED their images. After reviewing her proof gallery, Melinda sent me this:

“The photos are fantastic!! You did a great job of capturing our family dynamics and personalities. You managed to give me some great newborn style photos, which is pretty amazing considering her age. And I love all of the smiling photos we were able to get.”

CONNECT WITH US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in learning about working with our studio for your baby’s newborn or upcoming milestone session? We’d LOVE to speak with you about the client experience we offer and how we can serve your growing family. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone and chat!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Audrey’s newborn turned 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 | Baby Rowan

I first worked with Giselle and her family for their maternity session at the mountain location. I adore working with clients for both maternity AND newborn sessions because we are able to get to know each other and establish a relationship. I was so excited to get an email from Giselle letting us know that baby Rowan had arrived. She let me know that she wanted to add on HMUA services and we got her session date scheduled.

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY MATERNITY AND/OR NEWBORN SESSION?

Now! :) I know you’re probably busy with all the baby prep checklist, but do yourself a favor and don’t put this off! The majority of our clients contact us early in their second trimester to guarantee getting on our calendar. We can only take a certain number of newborns due in each month. We do this to ensure we are able deliver our unparalleled level of service that you deserve. Once we reach the monthly cap, we are full for that month and maintain a wait list. Reserving your newborn session does NOT mean you are booking an exact date for your session. This would be impossible since babies are unpredictable when it comes to their birthdays! Instead, you are on our calendar and guaranteed a session for your baby - you simply let us know when they have arrived and we go from there with scheduling the actual date for your newborn photos.

Baby already here? All is NOT necessarily lost. Our booked newborns tend to arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, so there are some months that we DO have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Get in touch with us right away, and we might be able to fit you in!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER INVOLVED

When toddlers are involved with your baby’s newborn session, we will ask you what their schedule is so we can ensure they’re happy and well rested. Studio newborn sessions are usually in the morning between 9 and 10 AM. The first hour and a half of session time is devoted to photographing your baby alone, which makes it the perfect time for you to take advantage of our add on hair and makeup services! You’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway, so you might as well treat yourself! Adding on our HMUA services does NOT extend your total session length as I’m actively photographing baby only while you’re being prepped.

We plan for big kid(s) and dad to arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve gotten started with photographing baby only. I am usually finished photographing your newborn’s solo photos right around the time mama is done in hair and makeup. Once everyone is dressed and ready, we move right to the sibling and entire family photos! When your toddler is finished participating in the photographs they’re in, they are free to play quietly until we’re finished with dad/baby and baby/parent images. At this point, dad and big kid(s) tend to depart the studio and I finish up with any mama/baby images that are left.

I do not change up my typical session flow of starting with the newborn solo images. I do not photograph family images first. What tends to happen is that your newborn becomes overstimulated and fussy from all the commotion and movement, and never quite settles as well if had we started with just their solo images in a quiet studio.

When Giselle and Rowan arrived, I took him out of his carseat and got started right away while Giselle got settled into the hair and makeup chair. She had already decided on her dress when I sent her a few photos of options after Rowan’s birth that would work well with Scarlett’s outfit, which is also from our studio wardrobe. She absolutely loved that she didn’t have to worry about shopping and figuring out what to wear for either of them.

Rowan was a sleepy and curly little guy, and slept like a rock for most of his session. As I was finishing up with his solo images, dad and big sister Scarlett arrived. Scarlett remembered me from their maternity session, and was comfortable with me right away. After everyone was dressed, we transitioned right into the sibling images…and Rowan decided to wake up!

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

Awake babies are not a problem as long as they’re calm! I actually love when babies wake up because it allows me the opportunity photograph them with camera eye contact. It’s amazing how different newborns can look when they’re asleep vs. awake!

I started photographing just Scarlett and Rowan together. As long as it’s safe to, I always start with the sibling photos because these tend to be the highest priority for families. In most cases, your toddler will be at their most cooperative as soon as they arrive to the studio - not 30 minutes later. So, I work as efficiently as possible to photograph siblings, each parent with their children, and whole family before their patience runs out!

The FIRST priority here in the studio is baby safety. I will not position babies near older siblings if they are not calm and still. Every toddler is different, and I’ll assess how they’re doing from their behavior and body language when deciding which images are safe to do. Since Scarlett was loving and sweet to her brother, as well as able to sit still without jumping on top of him, I was able to place Rowan her her. What you can’t see is that her dad was inches away from her ready to intervene if needed.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We make it super simple for our clients! About a week after their session, Giselle viewed Rowan’s proof gallery and chose her collection. When the images were completed, she chose which ones she wanted for artwork. The digital files of chosen collection images are also included as well. After printed artwork is ordered, it takes about 1-2 weeks (longer for heirloom albums due to their handcrafted construction) for everything to be ready to go at the studio. We have a beautiful line of frame moulding and often mat and frame artwork for clients here at the studio as well. Ask about our design mockup service when choosing to purchase frames from us - we are here to make your decision making simple and easy!

THE PROCESS FOR FRAMING YOUR ARTWORK AT THE STUDIO

Our framed artwork is typically ready in about 2 weeks (as long as there are no supply issues due to the pandemic). Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder due to shipping delays, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed!

No frame shops are involved with your order production - I handle the entire process from print to framing!

Once images selections have been finalized, we order your print(s)! After it comes in, we then “dress” the print(s) together with the best moulding (frame). We’ll choose the best frame from our line for your image and home decor/personal style preferences. We’ll also decide on the mat width - I’m a fan of 3-5” inch mats depending on the size of the print.

The larger the print, the larger the mat width will be to visually balance it. After this, the frame, mat, and GORGEOUS museum glass are ordered unless you’ve opted for museum acrylic. I am obsessed with museum glass! It seems strange to describe glass as being beautiful, but it really is. You can hardly see the glass in the frame looking at it because of how crystal clear it is, and I love the UV protection that it provides for the printed artwork. If you don’t know what museum glass looks like, you will - all of our studio sample artwork on the main wall has museum glass installed. I

When the components for your framed artwork arrive at my studio ( typically within a week of ordering!), I mat the print, and assemble the entire piece. My last step is finishing the back of your frame with paper and wire hanging hardware.

Once it’s in your hands, ALL you have to do is hang it up on your wall and then enjoy looking at it for decades. You will find yourself standing in front of your images on the wall and be instantly transported back to the time from when they were taken. Your little ones will love looking at them also.

How do I know this? From personal experience: I have a gallery wall of family photographs in my own home, and I often find myself standing in front of them taking them in. I am always amazed at how quickly they have grown since the photos were taken, even though it feels like it was just YESTERDAY. I also constantly see my husband standing in front of them too, usually at nighttime after he’s tucked them into their beds. Our children really enjoy looking at them too, and have told us that they feel loved by us when they look at the portraits of us all together.

If you choose to order framed artwork from us that has a 16x20 or larger print, we’ll deliver the finished artwork right to your front doorstep within a 20 mile radius of the studio. (If you’re out of the radius, you’ll need to arrange to pick up yourself). Every week we send out an email to clients who have orders ready to be picked up. The email outlines the designated pickup days and time windows throughout the week and pickup is safe and contactless.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in reserving a session with us for your baby's newborn session? We would absolutely LOVE to chat with you about your family, what we offer, and how we can best serve you. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone. We look forward to hearing from you!

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 | Alex is six months!

Stephanie contacted the studio to book a family/six month milestone session in the studio for her son, Alexander. She has two older children, but wanted this session to focus on just her son with some parent images as well. She first worked with us for Alexander’s newborn session and was excited to work with us again! You can view Alexander’s newborn session images by clicking here.

OUR STYLE GUIDE AND ASSISTANCE WE OFFER

After Stephanie chose a date from what we had available on our calendar, we sent over her session paperwork. Once it was remitted, she was locked into our calendar, and we sent over our style guide for her to look through, which she had seen before and was already familiar with - but it’s always good to have a refresher just in case! Our style guide succinctly outlines the best practices for dressing your family with color and pattern combos. If you want more assistance with styling, you are more than welcome to schedule a complimentary style consult at the studio or to send over quick phone photos of what you’re considering!

In Stephanie’s case, she requested to come to the studio and look through what we had available because she absolutely loves our studio wardrobe and the convienence of not needing to shop for herself beforehand. When she came in, she fell in love with one of our white lace overlay dresses. We discussed in detail what Alex and her husband should wear that would coordinate well with her dress choice.

Once you are booked for your session, I am here to help you in any way that I can! I know firsthand as a mom of three that planning a portrait session can feel overwhelming, and I want to take as much of that stress away as possible.

MILESTONE SESSION FLOW

I will discuss your priorities for your baby’s milestone session with you beforehand. The majority of my clients want the focus on their baby, with family and parent images mixed in throughout. Six month olds don’t have an extended attention span and will tire out quickly with all the stimulation of everything going on, so my sessions are efficient and guided by your baby’s flow.

Most six month olds need a little bit of time to warm up when they’re getting used to everything. This is why I almost always begin milestone sessions with parent and family images. Your baby will feel safe and secure in your arms, and once they start interacting with me, that’s when I will start getting closer. Alex was such a happy little guy and it didn’t take him long at all to warm up so I started the session with images of just him. Once I had gotten those, I quickly moved into the parent and family portraits while Alex was still grinning and having fun.

Important info: If you arrive to the studio and your baby is fussy or unhappy, please don’t stress. I have endless patience and empathy. We will work together and do whatever it takes to win them over. All I ask is that you come in ready to have fun and possibly try some “weird” things (example: growling like a tiger) to get the giggles going, and the rest will naturally work itself out!

Baby safety is the TOP priority in the studio. Alex was still a teensy bit wobbly when sitting up alone, so his dad was right outside of the frame ready to swoop in if needed. If your baby isn’t quite sitting up alone, that’s totally ok! I have SO many other positions for you to put your baby in and your gallery will still have plenty of variety.

OUTFIT CHANGE: YEA OR NAY?

Stephanie had brought two ADORABLE neutral outfits along for Alex. I think two outfits for your little one in a session is just fine, but with acceptance that the second outfit might not happen. Whether it happens ultimately depends on your baby!

If you bring two outfits for your baby, we will start the session with your favorite one FIRST. This ensures that you have images of your baby in that outfit! Some babies hate being changed, and others just get tired out before we have a chance to change - but I will do our best to accommodate a second outfit within the session. If needed, we will utilize some of my successful distraction methods to minimize the protesting during changing!

Stephanie changed Alex into the most adorable romper with suspenders, and we picked right back up with the session. I used a couple of our studio chairs, the floor, and his mama’s arms for the rest of his session.

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Alex’s milestone session. I can’t wait to share images from his First Birthday session coming up soon!

If you’re interested in learning more about scheduling a milestone session for your baby, we would love to chat with you! It is NEVER too early to get on the calendar - so even if your baby won’t be 6-8 months for a while, NOW is the perfect time to reach out. Our weekend dates routinely fill up 3+ months in advance, so go ahead and connect with us to talk more!

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

Atlanta First Birthday Photographer | Harper is ONE!

Allison contacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Harper with the whole family included as well. I first worked with this family for their daughter’s newborn session at our old Grant Park studio. I love to see my tiny newborn clients again and see how much they’ve changed. While some babies don’t look anything like they did as tiny ones, some retain all their features and look exactly the same. In this case, Harper looks SO much like she did as a newborn! You can see for yourself by checking out her newborn session images here.

Allison chose her date and sent over our simple and easy to read style guide, Pinterest inspiration board, and our cake tips sheet for her to have handy in the planning process.

OUR STYLE GUIDE: MAKING YOUR LIFE EASIER SINCE 2013

Our style guide is applicable to pretty much any type of session you book with us. If you find that you need or want more hands on assistance, I’m here for you! We can schedule a consult here in the studio to go through your wardrobe options (whether you are borrowing from the studio wardrobe or wearing your own) or we can do this virtually and exchange emails before your session. We believe that your portrait session should be enjoyable and as stress free of possible, and have thoughtfully designed our entire client experience on that foundation!

WHERE TO GET YOUR BABY’S SMASH CAKE IN ATLANTA

We highly recommend She Takes the Cake as our ONLY recommended baker and are happy to connect you with her! She can accommodate vegan requests as well for those who have a little one with dairy or egg allergies or just don’t want to introduce those foods to their baby just yet. I have worked closely with Christina with feedback over the years to create the optimal buttercream consistency for smash cakes: soft enough to interact with and smash, but not sticky like glue which makes cleanup a total nightmare. Pro tip: most babies don’t enjoy being wiped down, so the less elbow grease you have to apply to get icing off their skin, the better.

Allison had seen Christina’s work on IG and noticed how many of our clients work with her. She knew she didn’t want the hassle of coordinating pickup and transporting the cake to the studio beforehand, so it was a no brainer for her. She worked closely with Christina to coordinate the color of the cake to match Harper’s adorable embroidered romper.

Publix, Kroger, and Whole Foods are all great options to pick up a simple smash cake or cupcake.

Regardless of where you choose to get your baby’s smash cake from, we’ll send our cake tips to you (We also a popular place in the Atlanta area that we do NOT recommend getting your baby’s smash cake from because of the icing’s incredibly sticky like tacky glue - it was absolutely horrible).

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR BABY’S FIRST BIRTHDAY SESSION

First Birthday sessions are what I the ultimate 3-in-1 session. I photograph solo portraits of your newly minted one year old, each parent with baby, whole family portraits, AND cake smash photos during our time together. Because babies are unpredictable and have short attention span, I move very quickly and efficiently, adapting to the personality and needs of your little one. If your baby has big energy, I’ll be more peppy. If they’re shy and quiet, I’ll match them in tone and be more reserved. If they need a break, they’ll get one. Your baby ultimately runs the show, and I roll with it however needed to get what we need.

HOW HARPER’S SESSION WENT

I started the session photographing Harper with her parents, and she was just the CUTEST little baby girl. I loved her bright yellow onesie that Allison had made especially for the photos. She was a tiny bit shy at first (not for long!) and gave me LOTS of smiles. Once she was comfortable with me, we moved to solo portraits of Harper using a variety of different things in the studio: the bed, the floor, chairs, etc. Then we pulled Dequan in for some daddy and daughter shots, and then the entire family together.

While many mamas choose to bring a separate outfit for the cake smash, Allison wanted Harper in the same outfit for all of it. So all we had to do was pull out the high chair that best worked with their color scheme (we have three in the studio!) and present Harper with her cake.

Allison had requested a yellow ombre rosette cake that was stunningly beautiful and matched Harper’s romper perfectly. I seriously don’t know how Christina does it, but she nails it every time!

Harper dove right into her cake and had lots of fun sharing with her daddy, ha! Some babies aren’t as interested in their cakes, and if that’s your baby - don’t worry! I have lots of tricks up my sleeve to get them there - and one of the most effective is for parents to join in on the fun and get in the photos. You can play games with your child and model feeding each other icing, asking your baby for a bite, and so on. Once your baby has become sufficiently interested, you can slowly exit out of the frame and I’ll get those images of them exploring their cake!

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from Harper’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 Baby & Family Photographer | Jacob is three months!

I first worked with this sweet family when their daughter Jovie came in for her six month milestone session! I was so excited to hear from Senhit again to let me know they’d welcomed a baby boy into their family and wanted to schedule a milestone session to include the family and both grandmothers.

SCHEDULING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR MILESTONE SESSION

Don’t put off reserving your milestone session! We routinely fill our calendar several months in advance. Because of this, most of our clients reach out to schedule at least two months in advance of when they’re hoping to schedule their session. Our First Year Collection members have the benefit of not having to worry about remembering to reach out to us since we handle it for them and call them to get everything set up and they also have weekend availability priority! If you’re pregnant and considering documenting your baby’s first year (newborn, sitting milestone, first birthday milestone), definitely ask us about becoming a First Year Collection member.

For those who are late to the game and reading this with a milestone already here, know that we might still have last minute availability - you’ll never know unless you ask! Contact us today if that’s you, and we may be able to fit you in on our schedule.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR MILESTONE SESSION

For a three month old milestone, we don’t have a lot of time (30ish minutes) before baby is all tuckered out due to how little they are. If it’s your first and only baby, your session will be focused on baby, baby with each parent, and the whole family together.

For Jacob’s session, it was a bit different! Since the whole family with big sister and grandmas were participating, I asked Senhit what her top priorities for images were. I wanted to be sure that the top wishes were scheduled to be taken right away in my session flow. In this family’s case, sibling images and grandma images took precedence, so we took care of those first.

JACOB’S SESSION DAY

When the family arrived, they were all dressed and ready to go. We started with sibling images first, and then moved to each grandma, wrapping up with family and parent images.

Jacob was the SWEETEST little guy. He was happy and curious, and very tolerant of his exuberant big sis. He stayed awake for a while and then started melting down, so Senhit took him to nurse while I used the opportunity to photograph Jovie alone and with her dad. I never “waste” time during sessions - if someone can be photographed (like a big sibling) and is in the mood, I’ll get them in front of the camera!

When Jacob finished nursing, Senhit informed me that he was sound asleep. This is actually pretty normal for three month olds during their sessions, and I RUN with it. It is NOT a bad thing!

There are few opportunities outside of a newborn session that I have the opportunity to photograph your baby’s peaceful sleeping countenance and gorgeous lashes. It’s not likely to happen at their six month session (and actually never has in my 9 years of business with that age!). Since Jacob was completely asleep, I had his mom and dad snuggle up for some “baby sandwich” images. I love the closeness and intimacy that the images convey, and I’m always looking for these moments throughout your session. Jacob woke up after about 10 minutes, and gave us a few more minutes before he was completely over it and let us know that he was ready for a real nap NOW.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in learning about working with our studio for your baby’s newborn or upcoming milestone session? We’d LOVE to speak with you about the client experience we offer and how we can serve your growing family. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone and chat!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Jacob’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 Newborn Photographer | Magnolia Grace

I first worked with Courtney & Jay when they were expecting their daughter for their maternity session at the field location. I was so excited to see them again for the baby girl’s newborn session after she arrived. You can view their gorgeous maternity session images by clicking here.

SCHEDULING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

Don’t put off reserving your newborn session! MOST of our clients contact us early in their second trimester to reserve a spot on our calendar for their due date month. Some reserve in their first trimester if they’re comfortable doing so. Confused about how you can schedule a newborn session months in advance? Don’t worry, you’re not the first one - we get this question a lot!

Reserving your newborn session is NOT scheduling your exact date in advance.

It is impossible to know EXACTLY when your baby will be born months beforehand, and there are many factors that go into when we have you come in after your baby is born. We’ll want to know when your baby arrived in relation to their due date, how much they weighed, if you had a c-section, how you’re both doing, etc. When you have reserved a session with us, you don’t have to worry about whether or not we have room for you - because you’re guaranteed a session date.

We take a limited number of newborns due per month. Once we reach our monthly session cap, we are closed for that month. Why? Because we have very high standards for our client experience, and we want to make sure each and every one of our clients receives the same level of unparalleled service that we are known for, and proud of!

For those who are late to the game and reading this with their newborn baby already here, know that our reserved newborns sometimes arrive earlier/ later than the estimated due date, so there are some months that we DO have the ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Contact us today if that’s you, and we may be able to fit you in on our schedule.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

For a first baby with no big siblings involved, it’s pretty straightforward since there are no nap schedules to take into consideration! Your newborn session will start in the morning generally between 9:30 and 10ish AM depending on where in the Atlanta metro area you’re coming from. We like to schedule for a time that you will hopefully avoid rush hour morning traffic.

The first 90 minutes of your session time is devoted to photographing your baby alone. Courtney had chosen to add on hair and makeup services again, because she loved it so much from her maternity session!

The beginning of your newborn session is the perfect opportunity for you to treat yourself to our add on hair and makeup services since you’re going be sitting on the couch doing nothing anyway during this time! Why not treat yourself to a relaxing experience which will likely be the first time you've felt truly pampered since giving birth? As an added bonus, our HMUA’s are really, really, really good at working their magic so you don’t look as sleep deprived as you might feel!

MAGNOLIA GRACES’ NEWBORN SESSION DAY

When Courtney and Jay arrived with Magnolia Grace, Courtney settled into the hair and makeup chair. She had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to wear from our studio wardrobe since she had looked through everything at her maternity fitting. I pulled a couple of her favorites out for her to make her final decision from, and then took Magnolia Grace out of her carseat to get started!

Magnolia Grace was the SWEETEST little thing. She stayed sound asleep for the entire first portion of her solo portraits, and was very relaxed and curly. If you have a baby girl, I always check with you before we get started on what your preferences are regarding the use of headbands and tiebacks. Courtney and Jay both love the way they look and wanted them used for all of her images. I can do a mix, all, or none at all - the choice is yours! I don’t do giant oversized flowers or bows in this studio, and have curated a darling collection over the years of the daintiest options for your little girl. My intention with for headband or tieback in my studio collection is that it NOT distract from your baby!

Magnolia Grace slept soundly for the first half of the newborn portion and then was WIDE awake and hungry. I took the opportunity to photograph some eye contact images, and then handed her off to dad for a diaper change and snuggles. Courtney fed her in the hair and makeup chair while finishing up her services. When hair and makeup was done, Courtney made a final decision on her dress and we moved right into the parent and family portion. Magnolia Grace was still awake at this point, but I knew that she would be falling asleep again soon. Sure enough, she did - and we flew through the family portion. Once we were done with those images, I took her back to the newborn area to finish up with a few more sleeping images. I don’t always do this, but I knew that she was completely conked out and I’d be able to get a few more wrapped images very quickly.

Courtney brought along a special family heirloom - her christening gown from when she was a baby. She wanted to include it IF possible, knowing that it might not be. Since Magnolia Grace was still completely out, we were able to change her into the gown without waking her and even managed to get the matching bonnet on for a few as well. I absolutely love incorporating meaningful family heirlooms into sessions, so if you want to do that - let’s discuss, and I’ll figure out the best way to include it in your session!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

We keep it simple for you! About a week after their session, Courtney & Jay viewed their proof gallery and chose their collection. They knew that they wanted to keep all of the digital files and wanted an album too, so they chose our Heirloom Collection which includes those things. When the final images were ready to go, they were sent back that gallery to choose the images to include in the album. Clients are choosing between color and black and white versions of each image for their album. You can choose to have the entire album be all color images or all black and white image, or a mix of both - the choice is yours!

When they submitted their favorites, I then designed their album, and sent them a proof to review for approval. Once they had approved it for print and selected their album cover, it was ordered! It takes about 4ish weeks for heirloom albums to arrive due to their handcrafted construction. Once it’s in and ready for pickup, you’ll receive an email with a calendar scheduling link! The link will take you to our available contactless pickup dates and times for the week ahead, and you reserve what works best for you.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting and interested in learning about working with our studio for your newborn session? We’d LOVE to speak with you about the client experience we offer and how we can serve your growing family. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone and chat!

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 | Jenny & Vivian

Jenny is such a fabulous long term client who has been coming to see me every year since Vivian’s newborn session. It has been so much fun to watch Vivian grow each year and to also see how her wonderful parents have settled so beautifully into their roles as her mom and dad!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR A STUDIO SESSION

When clients book their session with us, we send them our easy to follow style guide that has everything you need to know about choosing what to wear. It covers suggested color and how to mix and match textures and patterns. We offer studio visits for wardrobe consultations to our clients, and can conduct these virtually as well! We are here to make the portrait session experience with us EASY and fun.

The majority of our clients choose neutral tones or soft pastels since that look stands the test of time, is the most universally flattering to skin tones, and simplifies coordinating multiple family members. Jenny chose to wear jeans and a pink sweater dressed up with a fun layered pearl necklace. She dressed Vivian in the sweetest baby blue sailor dress that brought out her blue eyes perfectly! Also…. can we talk about their beautiful curly hair?! Vivian doesn’t JUST get those from her mom - daddy has curls as well.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR SESSION

Motherhood sessions in the studio are FUN! You get to be their mom and play games that involve dancing, snuggling and tickling your little one during your time with me. We will go with the flow and your child’s mood and let things unfold naturally. We don’t have a script during sessions, because it’s impossible to predict how a young child will be. I have endless patience, think outside the box, and am super flexible to meet my littlest clients where they’re at. I believe showing children that I respect them and their preferences is what builds their trust, and is truly the “secret” to successful sessions (and to pretty much all relationships!).

You don’t need to worry about your child standing perfectly still and “cooperating” . You’ll be in motion most of our time together and I’ll be behind my camera waiting for the perfect moments to capture. Don’t be concerned about not knowing what to do either - I’ll be giving you super easy to follow action prompts if they’re needed. Honestly, the things I direct you to do are things that you do ALL the time with your child so it will flow 100% organically for you both. All you need to worry about is being present with your little one(s), and let me handle taking the photos!

If you're considering a session for yourself and your children, I would love for you to reach out to discuss your vision and learn about the amazing portrait experience that we offer our clients at our studio!

Enjoy a handful of my favorites from this family session with Jenny & Vivian!

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 | Celeste & Sam

Celeste contacted us at the end of her second trimester to ask about booking a studio maternity session. We filled her in on our studio COVID precautions and after speaking with us, and reviewing the information, she proceeded to book her maternity session.

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Because Celeste and her husband were working from home, they were able to make a weekday work for their schedule. We had no more weekend availability left for the next couple of months since Celeste had waited until the last minute to book her maternity session.

Caroline, our studio manager, sent over all the session paperwork. Everything is securely handled online through a very efficient and simple process. After Celeste completed that, her date was was locked into our calendar. We then scheduled her maternity fitting to take place about 2 weeks before her session and sent over a directions and a short list of what she should bring along to the fitting, Our studio is located on the Beltline right next to two.urban.licks and Billy Boy. It’s just a short distance away from Ponce City Market, and is really easy to get to! We have free lot parking as well as street parking if our lot happens to be at capacity.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR MATERNITY FITTING

We schedule your maternity fitting to take place 1-2 weeks before your sessions! This ensures you have ample time to make your final decisions and to pull together the other outfits for your partner and/or other children. Your baby shouldn’t grow enough in two weeks to not be able to fit in your final choices. If you fall in love with a dress that is tight, you will choose a backup option just in case it doesn’t fit when on your session date. Better to be safe than sorry! Our clients can choose up to two looks.

Using our studio wardrobe is absolutely not required. Roughly 95% of our clients choose to borrow from it as it’s a great way to minimize clothing purchases that you’ll probably only wear once. Even if you choose not to borrow from the wardrobe, looking through it can be great for inspiration. Bonus: the majority of our maternity clients also find what they want to wear for their newborn session.

Even if a client is planning to wear their own clothing, I still strongly encourage them to come in to the studio for a short visit and bring their options along for me to see beforehand. This allows us to meet each other and get to know each other a little bit! Clients who make the time for a studio visit and meet with me prior to getting in front of my camera are much more at ease from the beginning because I’m not a complete stranger.

When Celeste came in for her fitting, she was so excited to see the number of options available to her in the wardrobe. I asked about her preferences as far as color and style, and pulled several options for her to consider. If you’re on the shorter or taller side and are concerned we won’t have anything, you need to know that I have outfitted women ranging in heights from 4’10” to 6’3” and size 00-16. Celeste tried each of the options that I had pulled for her and her husband, Sam, snapped photos with his iPhone for her to look at later and narrow down her final choices. We also discussed what Sam should wear, and I let them know a general idea of what to expect at their upcoming session.

You don’t need to decide right away what you’ll be wearing at your fitting. You’ll email us photos of your final choices at least 4 business days before your session date. That way we can have your options cleaned if needed if another client wears one of your choices in the same week. Most of our dresses will fit both pregnant and postpartum moms (and even those moms who are several years postpartum!). After considering all her favorites, Celeste ultimately decided on a gorgeous cream v-neck dress with beautiful draping and a fitted blush off the shoulder ruffled gown.

EFFICIENCY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

A natural light couples or family maternity session should NOT take 4 hours. That’s a crazy length of time to be photographed and unfortunately I’ve heard that it happens a lot…. I’m looking at you engagement photographers. It’s why a lot of my expectant first time dads come in assuming they’re going to hate the entire experience.

Nope.

That’s not how I operate. I’m NOT going to drag this out and make your partner dwell in misery. While I can’t promise your guy is going to love the experience, I can promise you that he won’t hate me. During our time together, I’m going to direct you both and literally tell you what to do and when to do it. I’m going to let you know what’s happening next, and you’re never going to be left standing there awkwardly wondering what the heck is happening.

My primary focus and passion is capturing the emotional connection between my subjects. The interaction between my couples that you have seen on the website and social media is 100% genuine.

BUT. And there is a but.

I’m going to be 100% honest, because you deserve that. Most of my couples can’t quite get to that natural interaction with beautiful posing on their own. But never fear! I do all the work of putting you exactly where where you should to be, tweak hair and clothing where necessary . Then I step back and give a verbal prompt that will spark the natural interaction. This is when the magic unfolds.

So, please don’t be nervous. You don’t have to know what to do, or how to stand, or where to look - because I’m going to tell you. I will never leave you hanging. Your dynamic as a couple is not like any other. Your session SHOULDN’T look like any other maternity session, because what’s the point of cookie cutter photography sessions?

Your session images will beautifully capture your relationship and spotlight the love you have for your new baby on the way. Oh, and mamas? You’ll also look absolutely stunning.  

GENERAL FLOW OF A STUDIO MATERNITY SESSION

I already mentioned that sessions aren’t ridiculously long. I set aside an hour for natural light (non-newborn) portrait clients. I want you to know that when we first get started, you’re probably going to feel a little anxious and awkward even though you’ve already met me. You’ve invested the time and effort into this session, and you want it to go well.

So do I.

Know that I’ve got you. I regularly photograph 20+ pregnant mamas a month (studio and outdoor), and I’ve been photographing pregnant moms for 8 years at this point. It’s pretty safe to say that you are with someone who is incredibly experienced with maternity portraiture and will take excellent care of you.

Most of my clients are good to go in 10 minutes or less. The very first little bit is just the warm-up for you to get used to being in front of the camera and following my direction. Once you’re relaxing and having a good time, the real photographing begins.

I purposely have my pregnant clients move around as little as possible. I know that you’re pregnant, your balance is slightly off from your belly, and your feet and back are probably hurting a bit. I want to make it as physically easy for you as possible, and we will take breaks for you to drink some water or just rest for a minute if needed!

The session with Celeste and Sam was so much fun. Celeste was pretty much a natural from the get go in front of the camera, with Sam needing a little more time. Once they started having fun and laughing (which didn’t take long at all with my standup comedy jokes), we created the most beautiful images. You can really see the love and tenderness that Sam has for Celeste, and I just love that.

If you’re reading this and considering booking a maternity session, YAY! Firstly, CONGRATS!!! ::throws all the confetti:: This is such an amazing time in your life. I would love for you to contact us to chat about how we can serve you.

Enjoy a handful of my favorite images from Celeste & Sam’s studio maternity session below!

PS: Have you watched the video about me on our website? It’s just 90 seconds of your life. Bonus: no commercials. If you haven’t, you really should - click here to see it.  It’s on the older side - I was only a couple months postpartum with my now five year old son when it was created, but watching it will give you a really great overview of my philosophy and what I’m like!

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 First Birthday Photographer | Vivian is ONE!

After working with me for an earlier milestone session, Vivian’s mom reached out to schedule her First Birthday portraits. She let me know that she was opting to skip the cake smash portion because she wanted the session to focus on Vivian with a few of the two of them together. While most clients do choose to end their First Birthday sessions with a smash cake, it’s totally fine not to! Your session will be tailored to your preferences and will still beautifully capture your newly minted one year old!

Session planning and the parent involvement “insurance policy”

We discuss the vision for your session with you. This looks different for every client! While the majority want the session to be equally focused on family and their baby, some prefer for the focus to be mainly on their baby with just a handful of family images. I design my session flow around those expressed desires.

I do STRONGLY recommend at least one parent be ready to step into the photos, especially if your session is for a young baby or shy child. There are times that I need to start out photographing your child in your arms in order to establish and win their trust. If you show up wearing yoga pants and hair stuffed under a ball cap because you weren’t prepared to step into the photos if needed, this will be a problem if your baby refuses to be put down. Being ready to step in serves as an insurance policy! Sometimes the biggest grins and cutest expressions have been captured while a baby is being held by their parent.

With that being said, I always work towards getting your baby comfortable enough to be put down for solo portraits. If we get them to that place, I just don’t put any of the images taken during the trust-winning period (unless we have some amazing ones with big smiles or too-good-to-pass-up images ) in your proof gallery. If we can’t accomplish solo portraits because your baby absolutely refuses, then we’ll have images of them in your arms that will be just as beautiful as the ones of them alone.

SESSION FLOW FOR SHY BABIES

Because I had worked with Vivian just a few months prior, I knew that she was on the shy and quiet side. Her mom dressed her in the most beautiful blue swiss dot dress with white detailing, and I couldn’t get over how sweet she looked!

I started out with her on the floor by her mom since she was NOT interested in her mama being far away at this point. After lots of snuggles and kisses, (and some comfort from her bunny rabbit), I handed Vivian one of our studio stacking toys (thoroughly sanitized after any child touches them!) and that was enough of a distraction for Candace to step out of the frame.

Safety is the top priority at the studio. I always have a parent act as spotter while I’m photographing baby alone. Vivian was comfortable at this point, and I pulled out lots of things for her to sit on to to create variety in her gallery! After we finished with seated photos, I had Vivian show off her standing skills by holding on to a stool that she showed interest in. One year olds do not stay engaged with anything for very long, so First Birthday sessions move quickly and change up constantly to keep my tiny clients interested and engaged!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Vivian’s First Birthday portraits! I love her big blue eyes and the many expressions she showed throughout our time together, and look forward to photographing her as she grows!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Isabella

Stacie contacted the studio to learn more about booking a  newborn session while she was at the beginning of her third trimester. She had initially thought she wanted to book a newborn session with photos of the baby only and no parent images because she was concerned she wouldn’t be up for being photographed after giving birth.

Guess what? We don’t do that. I only photograph newborn sessions that include parents and siblings. I have no interest in only photographing your baby, because that’s how strongly I believe that YOU need to be in the images too.

After speaking with Caroline (our full time studio manager) about why we don’t photograph just newborns and the reasons why, she understood the importance of being in the photos. Sometimes it just takes another perspective and the reassurances! She also learned about our COVID safety protocols while on the phone.

Stacie proceeded to book her newborn session here at the studio after determining that we were the perfect fit for what she was looking for. She was really excited to hear that we had a studio wardrobe available so she wouldn’t have to worry about shopping for something to wear, and asked to add on our hair and makeup services as well.

Adding on services to your newborn session is such a lovely way to treat yourself in the early postpartum days. You likely won’t feel like yourself in those first weeks, and will be tired. Our HMUA team is absolutely fantastic and you’ll feel like you’re visiting with a girlfriend as you chat throughout. Our team practices COVID safety, and is masked while in the studio with you. Adding on services does not lengthen your session time, as you will be sitting around regardless while your baby is being photographed alone at the beginning.

For those who are wondering about in home sessions: these have been indefinitely suspended for COVID safety reasons. We are currently only offering studio sessions. Don’t worry, because the only thing you need to worry about is getting here!  A session in your home actually requires a lot of work: cleaning your house (who has time for this right after having a baby?!), moving distracting elements out of rooms, turning the heat up to get it warm enough in the house, and the list goes on and on. At the studio, you walk into a completely sanitized space at the perfect temperature, with the perfect natural lighting (and studio lights at the ready should they be needed), and kick back and relax!

SESSION DAY!

On the morning of their session, Stacie and her husband arrived at the studio with Isabella. Stacie already had her eye on a dress that she had seen on an Instagram post, and with a little creative clipping, we made it work for her, which she was thrilled about. We discussed whether she wanted me to incorporate tiebacks and headbands on Isabella’s head during her newborn portraits, and she asked for a mix with just a few images without them. I don’t do huge hair bows or flowers here, and I keep my selections proportionate to the size of your baby’s head. Stacie settled into the hair and makeup chair while I took Isabella over to the newborn shooting area for her solo portraits.

Isabella had the sweetest little button nose and drifted in and out of sleep throughout her session, and was a total dream to photograph. I love when a baby opens their eyes and gives me the opportunity to photograph eye contact images. I’m always on the lookout for big baby yawns as well, and take the time to capture those tiny little toes with a macro lens.

I use neutrals tones here in the studio, and I choose them based on your baby’s skin tone. I incorporate soft blush tones into baby girl sessions along with whites, creams, and beiges. Neutrals are timeless and will still look beautiful 50 years from now. They also serve to keep the focus where it should be: on your baby and all their details. The wrapping and posing that I do is also very baby led and kept very natural. I never force a baby into a position they don’t want to be in. The safety and comfort of your baby is my top priority when they are in my care.

After I finished Isabella’s solo portraits, she took a feeding break and had a diaper change. Stacie was finished with her hair and makeup services, so she got dresses, and transitioned to the parent and family portion of the session!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I LOVE photographing first time parents with their brand new baby! For some clients, their baby is the first baby they have ever held and they’re still getting comfortable moving them around. So a lot of my first time parent clients are a bit nervous since they still aren’t 100% used to handling their baby while standing up! If you think about it: when you’re at home with your newborn, most of the hands on care you are giving your baby is while sitting down or when they’re laying down on a changing table.

Even if you don’t have a lot of experience handling newborns, there’s NO need to be nervous during a session with me. My TOP priority is your baby’s safety and your comfort. I will communicate clearly with you about how to hold and move your baby, and we will adapt as needed! I will walk you through the entire session and demonstrate things if needed. There are TONS of different ways to hold a baby that work well for photographs - so if you don’t feel secure or confident holding your baby in one particular way, we’ll switch it up to one that you are.

During our time together, I’ll be on the lookout for stray hairs and adjust your clothing. I’ll also make sure you don’t give yourself a self inflicted double chin while looking down at your little one.  ;) 

I want your focus to be on your baby, not stressing about all those little things. The family portion is typically the “easiest” part of our time together . The only thing you’ll have to do is admire your tiny little human…. and I’m willing to bet you’ve been doing that since they were first placed in your arms after you delivered them.

After Stacie viewed her proof gallery, she let us know that she was so glad we had convinced her to be in the images too. We hear this a lot. You can never repeat this time in your life with THIS baby, so don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Isabella’s newborn session! I’m looking forward to seeing her again as she grows!

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

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

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Sabastian & Penelope are SIX months!

Marc & Scott have been our clients since the birth of their fraternal twins last year! ! Documenting milestones is very important to these dads, so they were sure to book, newborn, six months, and one year sessions for their babies. We LOVE our “frequent flyers” and we have a First Year Collection with lots of perks available to those interested in making sure their baby’s first year is photographed. You can get in touch with the studio to learn more about the sessions we offer!

We have lots of experience working with twins, and we include the entire family in the session too. Our milestone sessions are NOT limited to just your little one(s), and we welcome and encourage parents and older siblings to participate too!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

When the twins were about four months old, their dads got in touch to ask about our COVID precautions and if we were still seeing clients. After we let them know all the protocols that our studio takes and that yes, we were still accepting clients, they were ready to book a date! We sent over some date options and once they had decided on one, we sent over everything they needed to secure their session. Everything is handled online and is a simple and streamlined process.

Once they remitted the electronic paperwork for the twins’ milestone session, we sent over our styling guide and resources for them to review. Even though they had already worked with us for their newborn session, we still send it over again to make sure they have it. Our style guide is a short and sweet e-mail that outlines the best practices for wardrobe selection, and helps our clients easily dress the whole family for their session in a cohesive way.

For clients who would like additional assistance with wardrobe selection, we’re available to help! Once you have booked your session, you can schedule a complimentary appointment at the studio and bring along your options, and I’ll assist you in putting it all together. We do this with your clothing and sometimes a mix of your clothing and studio clothing. For clients who cannot make an in person consult work for their schedule or would prefer virtual, they simply send over photos of what they’re considering via email and I respond with feedback and relevant suggestions.

Wardrobe assistance is just part of the comprehensive service experience that we offer to those who have chosen to work with us. We want your session experience to be as stress free and as easy as possible, because your portrait process should be enjoyable AND actually fun!

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SIX MONTH MILESTONE SESSIONS

Our sessions with any baby are photographed very efficiently, and some clients are surprised by how quickly I am able to shoot. There’s a really good reason why: and that is that most babies don’t give us much time! This is an added challenge with twins, since I need to photography both babies before they tire out.

Most babies under the age of one get tired out quickly from being overstimulated with all the action happening during their session. This means efficiency with my flow is essential in order to make the most of our time together. I block off an hour for non-newborn portrait sessions, but that’s just to ensure we have enough time if baby needs a diaper change or a feeding break. I work hard to get everything I need in the first 20-30 minutes of a session and then play the rest by ear depending on how your baby is doing. With twins, parents are a huge part of the team. We’ll switch out babies depending on how they’re each doing. One may need a break, and the other may be happy - only to switch places two minutes later! This is why I start with full family images first when we need BOTH to be happy at the same time.

Some babies will happily handle 45 minutes of total shooting time, but this is not the norm. Going for that long is often because of an intermission snack break after the initial 20-30 minutes of a session that gives them that last burst of energy! ;)

If they’re happy and doing well, we keep going. If they are OVER.IT. then we stop as long as I feel we have what we need. Don’t worry though - if your baby melts down at 15 minutes into the session and I don’t feel like I have enough for a great gallery, we’ll take some time to see if we can soothe them back to happiness again. Sometimes that means I put down my camera and play peek a boo, or they take a nursing/snuggle break, or we look out the window or in the mirror. The most important thing you can do to help is to remain calm (tone of voice, relaxed body, slow movement) no matter what. Doing this will help your baby feel safe and secure even when they’re unsettled or unsure.

HOW IT WENT

When the family arrived at the studio, everyone got dressed after I looked through the options they had brought with them. Even if you already know what you’re wearing, it’s best to change on arrival. Doing so eliminates the possibility of an outfit being unusable if a mishap with food/drink or spit up happens on the way to the studio. It also negates the risk of terribly wrinkled clothing from seatbelt straps for both kids AND parents!

I started with photographing just the twins together and separately, which was super quick since each dad handled a twin and then switched off as directed. Because we had already worked together for their newborn session, we were able to dive right into it since once you’ve worked with me for any type of session, you pretty much know the deal for all future ones in terms of how I work!

After finishing up with the twins on the bed, I moved right into entire family shots on the bed, moved the bed out of the way, and continued with standing and the floor for a variety - and the family pet even joined in for a few as well! :) Neither twin was shy, and they were happy and smiley.

Six month old babies are so much fun to photograph because their personalities are blossoming and they have the best expressions. Sabastian & Penelope gave me lots of grins and were generally very happy and interactive. Every baby is different when it comes to how much they smile during portrait sessions, as some little ones are naturally more reserved. Know that no matter what, I will be photographing your baby (or babies!) as they are right NOW at this moment in time.

the big question: SHOULD WE PLAN for ONE OUTFIT OR TWO?

For twin sessions, I recommend just one outfit for the entire session because of the fact that we are pulling double duty. Marc & Scott really wanted to try for two, so we started with the most important outfits first. I always discuss with parents what their desired “must have” images are in order of priority and go from there. For Marc & Scott, they definitely wanted family images in the more muted and casual outfit, so that’s what we started in. Starting with the most important outfits is an insurance policy just in case your babies won’t tolerate being changed into a second outfit and are done being photographed before you get a chance to change.

Fact: babies are unpredictable. Their moods can change like the wind. We just don’t know how long they’re going to give us going in or if they will tolerate being changed again well. You know your baby best, so you can be the judge of whether trying for a second outfit is a good idea, or if you’d rather play it safe with one outfit! :)

Once we had the twins changed, they didn’t last long! They took turns fussing, so I just photographed the non fussing one and then switched as needed. We wrapped up the session with a few of Marc & Scott’s first baby. ;)

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Sabastian & Penelope’s six month milestone session!

Remember that it is NEVER too early to get on the calendar for milestone sessions especially if you want a weekend date since those fill months in advance. If your baby is a newborn right now and you’re thinking about their First Birthday session, nope - you’re not crazy to contact us and get on the calendar almost a year in advance. Our First Year Collection members have scheduling priority and we take care of reaching out to schedule when it’s time to - one less thing to worry about in the whirlwind of your baby’s First Year.

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.