Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby Jude

***In-home sessions have been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 situation and it is not known at this time when they will resume.***

Stephanie contacted us for a last minute newborn session when she was in her first trimester. She and her husband had a very long road to have a baby and were so thrilled to be expecting. They opted to wait until baby arrived to find out if they were having a boy or a girl. I love this approach… I’m a little biased since I also chose to wait to find out with all three of my children!

Stephanie requested an in-home session because she loves the decor in Jude’s nursery and wanted it in the images and didn’t care as much about having the solo portraits of Jude. Please note that I do not bring my wraps, lighting equipment, or posing surface to home. I work with whatever is available within your home.

As a note: I am fully protected with the Pfizer vaccine as of April 12, 2021 when full protection kicked in after my second dose on March 29, 2021. I always wear an N95 mask when I am with clients regardless of their vaccination status.

WHY RESERVING YOUR NEWBORN SESSION EARLY IS THE BEST PLAN

I accept a limited number of newborns due each month. You deserve an incredible portrait experience from start to finish, and limiting the number of monthly newborn sessions is how we make that possible for all!

Reserving your newborn session means you are guaranteeing a newborn session for your baby on the calendar. It does NOT mean that you are scheduling the specific date.

No one can accurately predict your baby’s birth date. Sorry, Aunt Matilda. When your mother gave birth to you has no bearing on when you will give birth. Doesn’t matter when your mother-in-law did either. I’ve had so many moms tell me they were absolutely going to deliver the baby early because of a variety of factors and end up having baby at 41 weeks. I’ve also had the reverse! Welcome to motherhood: also known as the wild ride where nothing is absolutely certain anymore except for the incredible love you have for your child!

“What if I have a scheduled delivery because I’m high risk?” Also doesn’t matter. I’ve lost count of the number of reserved babies born before their scheduled induction or c-section date! I’ve also had mothers show up to the hospital for an induction and be sent home with delivery happening a week later than planned for whatever reason.

When your baby does arrive, you will notify us via phone or email as soon as you’re able to - preferably within the first 48 hours. We’ll you ask a few questions and based on the answers, schedule your session date! There are quite a few factors that go into determining the best time to schedule your session. Some of these factors include (but are not limited to) the length of your partner’s paternity leave, any delivery complications for you or baby, how you’re feeling post delivery, how much your baby weighed at birth, etc.

WHICH TO CHOOSE: IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSION OR STUDIO SESSION?

If you are deciding between an in-home or studio newborn session, let’s go over the major differences between the two to help you determine which is best for you! If you’re still not sure after reading through this blog post, please call the studio and we’ll discuss the options at length with you!

If you choose an in-home session, you will need to:

• Understand that your images will be lifestyle oriented with baby in your arms for the most part.

• Be ready to start your session upon my arrival.

• Ensure you have ample natural light in your home.

• Have neutral colored walls in your home.

• Be ok with not having access to our studio wardrobe that is complimentary to our clients.

• NOT be married to the idea of shooting in a particular spot within your home. I will assess your home upon arrival and we will be shooting where the best light is available.

• NOT have cats living in your home. I am highly allergic and cannot travel to homes with cats, but dogs are totally fine!

• Tidy your house and declutter. You will need to be willing for things to be moved at my direction if they are distracting in your images.

• Unplug lamps, clocks, etc in the rooms and hide the cords so they are not in the photos.

• Understand that there will be fewer solo portraits of your baby and that they will be wrapped in a blanket on your bed or in your arms. There will not be wrapped solo portraits like what you see for my natural posing.

So, as you can see, it is actually NOT “easier” to choose in-home for your newborn session, and it limits the types of images that will be taken.

Many clients tell us the reason they want an in-home session is because they want to showcase their baby’s nursery. (1) We may not be able to use your nursery if the lighting does not work. (2) Your baby is completely unaware of their surroundings as a newborn. An in-home milestone session for your baby’s 6 month session when they can sit unassisted on the floor of their nursery and hold on to the side of their crib while standing is such a fun way to show off the nursery with your baby actually aware of everything and interacting with their toys! Just something to keep in mind when making your final decision! Ask about our First Year Collection for the perfect way to photograph your baby for their first year including their newborn, siting, and First Birthday milestone sessions.

The studio is the perfect setting for my blend of lifestyle meets posed, and all you have to do is worry about getting here. It’s also a nice break and gets you out of the house to a safe, private, and zero pressure location where you don’t have to worry about if your baby is crying or needs to eat. Once you’re here, everything else is taken care of for you!

If you choose a session here at the studio:

• All you have to do is show up.

• Your images will be consistent and like what is shown on my portfolio (which is why you’re hiring me!)

• The studio is all neutral and intentionally designed to be a blank canvas so that your newborn and family are the focus, and your session images will look beautiful in any home.

• You can add on hair and makeup services to your session, so you don’t have to worry about getting yourself ready while managing everything at home.

• You will not have to stress about cleaning your house after just having had a baby.

• You’ll have access to our studio wardrobe.

• The studio will be heated to the perfect temperature so your baby is comfortable.

• You will have solo and naturally posed portraits of your baby intermixed with family and parent images.

• ALL your needs will be met, and you will be very comfortable! We have everything you need here - elevator access for recovering c-section mamas, a full kitchen, private bathroom, Nespresso coffee machine, nursing pillows, extra diapers and wipes…..the list goes on!

• You’ll have a gallery that is a perfect mixture of lifestyle blended with posed images.

• You won’t have to worry about whether the lighting is adequate enough.

• You can take a nap on the couch, or connect your laptop and work remotely with our studio Google Fiber

• If you have older children, they will most likely better behaved at the studio than at home. It’s true! Ever notice how your children are always perfect angels at school or when visiting another household? The expectations are different! When I go to client homes, toddlers are really comfortable in their own environment. Because of that, they are easily distracted, and often much more difficult to work with. When they come to the studio, it’s a new place with far less distraction, because they have nowhere familiar to run off to for escape or toys to distract them.

IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSION FLOW

If you choose an in-home session, here's what you can expect.

I will arrive and when I come into your home, I will do a quick walk through to see where the best light is and where the best places to shoot are within. If you need any input on what to wear from your closet, I’ll go through your options quickly and pull it all together for you if we haven’t already done this in advance of your session via virtual consult. I’ll rearrange decor and furniture as necessary and may ask you to move things for the best images. We’ll transition through the different areas in your home that are adequate for lighting and composition.

I will photograph your family the EXACT same way I would if we were in the studio - you’ll just have your home interior as the background! If there is an area and surface (ie: bed, ottoman) with adequate light that I can photograph your baby alone on, I will wrap them in a blanket you have on hand for some simple solo images!

Stephanie and Gene lived in a small townhouse, but had the benefit of the nursery and living room being incredibly well lit. The living room had a sliding patio door so was essentially a giant floor to ceiling window. The images taken in front of that window look pretty much EXACTLY like they would here in my studio. Due to a very firm shaped couch in their home located right by that window, I was able to accomplish some of those posed solo portraits with Jude as well even though that’s typically NOT the norm.

When we finished with the downstairs photographs, we headed upstairs to the nursery. Stephanie changed into a another outfit (also available in my studio wardrobe!) and brought in their white fluffball shepherd for some sweet images including her.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR IN-HOME SESSION

After I leave your home, you can expect your proof gallery in about 7 business days beginning the day after your session! You’ll look through it, decide on your favorites, and choose what best fits your needs! Stephanie and Gene loved all of Jude’s images and it was impossible to narrow them down, so she chose the full collection of images so she wouldn’t have to!

Enjoy some of my favorites from Jude’s in-home newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta First Birthday Photographer | Lucia is ONE!

I first worked with Saidie for her maternity session, and photographed her daughter’s newborn and six month milestone session as well. Shecontacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Lucia with the whole family included and asked for it to be OUTDOORS! Because Lucia’s birthday was in late summer, I suggested that we schedule the session to take place at sunrise. Sunrise sessions are only available at one of my park locations during late summer. If you have early risers who are happiest at that time and also want to avoid the heat, a sunrise session might be the perfect option for you! In Atlanta, you’re looking the temperature of about 25 degrees COOLER than sunset. While there might still be humidity and mosquitoes, it’s definitely an improvement. If you don’t want to deal with the outdoor elements at all, the studio is the perfect place to have your session.

We sent Saidie our studio style guide, Pinterest style inspiration boards, and our cake tips sheet for best practices. The information we send over are is super easy to read and implement. Our style guide is applicable to every session we offer, and I’m here to help you however I can! Some mamas want to run their choices by me for input, and it’s all part of the service. I can schedule a visit in the studio to go over your wardrobe (whether you are borrowing from the studio wardrobe or wearing your own) or we exchange a few emails in advance of your session with photos! I’ve even been known to provide specific shopping links for those who ask! I understand you may be a busy mom who doesn’t have the time to come in, so that’s why I offer virtual options as well. Please note that if you want to borrow from the client wardrobe you will need to some in so you can physically try on options beforehand.

THE BEST TIME TO DRESS FOR YOUR SESSION AND WHY

Some moms find it it easier dress their child beforehand because they’re in that fun (ha!) stage where a change instantly equals a temper tantrum, and it’s just not worth the hassle. You know your little one best, so I’ll yield to your judgment in that department! If you choose to dress your child(ren) before heading over, please put a bib on them to protect their clothing. You want this insurance just in case unexpected carsickness occurs, or they manage to find an old piece of candy lodged somewhere in the car seat. You may roll your eyes and think that’s ridiculous overthinking…but that actually happened to one of my clients with an old m&m. The mess that ONE melted m&m can make is almost unbelievable! Fortunately, they had NOT dressed their baby beforehand so the outfit was fortunately spared!

WHERE TO GET YOUR SMASH CAKE IF YOU’RE INCLUDING ONE

Not everyone chooses to include a smash cake, so don’t feel pressured to do that if that’s not your style. You don’t HAVE to choose a cake for your baby’s birthday treat: I’ve seen a plate of donuts, cupcakes, pie, macaroons, and even cookies used instead!

Saidie brought along a simple white cake with buttercream icing from Publix. Publix, Kroger, and Whole Foods are all great options for your baby’s smash cake or cupcake. If your baby has egg/dairy allergies or you need a vegan option, I highly recommend She Takes the Cake! Christina is our preferred baker that we exclusively refer to our clients! If you don’t want to worry about picking up your cake on the day of the session, she offers a delivery service to the studio! It will be in perfect condition and waiting for you to arrive. Such a great way to take that extra unnecessary stress off your plate so you can truly enjoy your session day.

Over the past several years, I have personally worked with Christina to develop the perfect buttercream consistency for our babies. It’s soft enough to interact with and smash, but not so sticky that it gets everywhere which makes cleanup a nightmare for parents. Most babies do not enjoy being wiped down since it requires sitting still. The less elbow grease needed to get icing off their skin, the better.

Regardless of where you choose to source your baby’s smash cake, we’ll send our cake tips to you. We also list a popular place in the Atlanta area that we do NOT recommend getting your baby’s smash cake from because of the icing’s stickiness, I’m not kidding when I tell you that it is so sticky it’s like GLUE and is so awful! Below is a list of my top tips!

• SIMPLE - the focus should always be on your baby, not the cake. Don’t decorate with fondant or tons of added objects for decor.

• SMALL - your baby’s cake should be a 6 inch diameter size or less and no more than two layers at the max. If it’s too high, their face can be obscured in photos, which is not what you want.

• SKIP PROPS - Real flowers are so pretty on cakes, but don’t work for long. You should plan to remove them after the first few photographs. Flowers will usually end up on your baby’s mouth! This goes for anything added to your cake - candles, decor, etc. Added elements become a distraction from the cake and can also obscure your baby’s adorable facial expressions during their session.

• COLOR - Neutral icing color (off white, cream, or pastels) is best - steer clear of neons or super bright colors that may permanently stain clothing and cause color casts in your photos

• NO COCUNUT - Don’t put shaved coconut on your cake - it’s has a gorgeous texture, but there there has not been a single baby in my studio that has liked it. It usually ends their exploration of the cake as soon as they put it in their mouth and feel the texture of the flakes.

• BUTTERCREAM ICING ONLY - AVOID whipped icing and fondant like the plague. Whipped icing is slippery and greasy. It is resistant to being wiped off skin and results in a messy screaming baby . You will be on your fiftieth baby wipe and muttering under your breath, “For the love of all things, why won’t this stuff WIPE OFF?!?!?!.” Fondant is impossible for tiny fingers to break through with their fingers and eat and frustrates babies. How do I know this? Past experience with these situation!

• NO WRITING - Skip a message on top of the cake (save it for their party cake instead) - it doesn’t photograph well at all, and you don’t need writing to know that it was their first birthday when you look at the photos.

FIRST BIRTHDAY SESSION FLOW

First Birthday sessions are the ultimate 3-in-1. You will have solo portraits of your little one, family portraits, and cake smash portraits all in one session gallery! I started the session photographing Lucia with her parents and sister, and she is just the CUTEST little baby girl. After we finished with those images, we moved on to photographing Lucia alone. Saidie had brought along a sweet little flower crown for Lucia which she shockingly kept on her head! Once we were done with this portion, we moved on to the cake smash! Outdoor cake smashes require a little more advance planning. You’ll need to bring a LOT of baby wipes, a trash bag, a few bottles of water, and a washcloth just to be prepared for the cleanup if babies get super messy since you won’t have access to running water like you would here in the studio.

THE CAKE SMASH

Saidie kept Lucia in the same outfit for the family photos and the cake smash. I had brought along one of our studio high chairs to use for her outdoor session. I demonstrate exactly how to present the cake to your baby (sounds silly, but how you do it does matter!) I physically model what I need clients throughout during my sessions as needed, so you never have to worry about what to do or how.

When Lucia saw her cake, she immediately dove right into it, and the rest of the family joined in on the fun too. If your baby isn’t super interested in their cake, parents getting into the photographs can help a lot. A lot of babies love to play the game of “feeding” their parents. When you model feeding each other cake, your little one will pick up on it quickly! Once they’ve become interested, parents can slowly back out of the frame and I’ll get those solo images of them enjoying their cake!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Lucia’s First Birthday session! My clients receive their selected images in both color and black and white versions, and I’m sharing the black and white in this blog post just to change it up a little!

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | The Asher Family

Do you have really, really, really cute kids? Do you stay up at night after putting them to bed scrolling your phone looking at all the cute phone snaps of them? Do you want to capture your family's memories without using your phone? Do you keep saying to you partner that you need to find a photographer to schedule family photos with before your kids grow out of this ridiculously cute stage? Have you been putting off scheduling family photos because life keeps getting in the way? If you answered yes to any or all of the above, I would be happy to help!

I am a professional photographer here in Atlanta who specializes in working with young families from their first maternity session and onward (maternity, newborn, first year milestones, and annual family portraits as your children grow!) My goal is to make sure that every session is FUN and relaxed, so we can create images together that are natural and true to life. Your family photo experience shouldn’t be something you have to “get through” - it should be an experience you actually enjoy.

Your children will grow up before you know it, and soon enough they'll be adults with their own families. You're going to want pictures of them as they grow so you never forget the memories of when they were little and you could still pick them up and hold them in your arms. Let me help you preserve your family’s special moments for generations to come!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Liz contacted the studio to book a fall family session! Our fall season is the most popular for family sessions and we book out very quickly. Most of our families schedule their fall sessions 8 months to a YEAR in advance. Not even joking! Weekend dates are coveted, so they get on the schedule ASAP so they can set it and forget it.

I’ve been working with her family since her daughter’s Fresh 48 session, and it’s been so much fun to watch Frances grow over the years. Liz and Isaac are wonderful parents, and seeing them grow into those roles has also been amazing as well. Getting to observe all the changes over the years in children and parents is my favorite part of being a family photographer! We sent over her session agreement and invoice, as well as our easy to follow style guide. Since Liz has been working with me for so many years, she doesn’t really need the style guide any more but we send it along juuuuuust in case. I’m always available to my clients for a wardrobe consult if you need some extra help determining what everyone in your family should wear. We can do this with an in person meeting at the studio, or via email exchange. We’ll do whatever is best for your schedule and your needs! I have been called an encyclopedia of resources and will point you in the right direction if you want to use your session as an excuse to buy some new clothes. ;) I’m your biggest cheerleader and will help make sure you look and feel fantastic at your session!

Frances is an amazing little girl with the biggest personality and the energy to match! If you have a child with big energy, you might feel a little nervous that they won’t cooperate or that your session won’t go well. Here's the truth: themore the chaotic a session feels while you’re in it, the better the images usually are. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s 100% true! I only need 1/1000th of a second to create a beautiful image. You and your children do NOT need to stand still like a statue for this to happen.

Liz and Isaac are wonderful about following my direction and guidance, and just going with the flow no matter what, and all of our sessions together have produced beautiful and memorable images of their family.

I want to make readers aware of two great resources available to them right here on this website. Firstly, our Experience Page, which walks you through exactly what to expect from first contact through post-session. Secondly, our FAQ page, which has so many of our most commonly asked questions and answers!

WHEN SHOULD I RESERVE OUR FAMILY SESSION WITH YOU?

Many of my returning families book an annual fall or spring session, and some do two sessions per year. I also have a lot of clients who choose to schedule their family portrait sessions to take place around their child’s birthday. The session pulls double duty as a birthday milestone combined with updated family photos!

It comes down to what your personal preference is and what your goal is for your session. If you know you want to work with me and have a specific time of year your heart is set on…. reach out now to get on the calendar. One of my recurring yearly clients books her session an entire year in advance. She literally pulls out her iPhone when we finish her family session and gets a date on the calendar for the following fall. Crazy? Nope, not at all. Reserving your date well in advance ensures you’re on my calendar before I book up. In 2020 we were 100% booked for all our outdoor weekend dates in the months of September-November by the end of July. In 2021, as of the publication of this post (mid June) we only have ONE weekend dates left for this months We still have a handful of weekNIGHTS available for outdoor sessions! If you’re able to be flexible and don’t require a weekend, you have a great shot at being able to schedule. A major plus to scheduling on a weekNIGHT as opposed to a weekend is that it will be FAR less crowded especially during the fall season.

WHAT TO WEAR GUIDANCE AND STYLING ASSISTANCE

The biggest stressor for most clients is figuring out what to wear. We want you to be comfortable and look like yourselves, and we KNOW how hard it can be to pull a look together. The good news for you is that we’ve created a short and sweet (and EASY!) style guide for you to follow! I am here to help you as much as you would like. Some of my clients will text over photos of what they’re thinking about wearing, or they’ll make an appointment to come to the studio with bags stuffed full of options, and I’ll help them pull it all together perfectly. We also have an extensive studio wardrobe available to mamas if they want to borrow from it and it can also serve as great inspiration as well even if you end up not borrowing from it.

FAMILY SESSION FLOW WITH YOUNG TODDLERS

If you have young children, it can be stressful when you’re having your photos taken. You’re worried that they won’t nap well the day of, they’ll be in a bad mood, or that they’ll randomly get sick the day of your family session. First of all: if someone in your family gets sick the night before or the day of your session, all you need to do is call the studio and let us know. We will take care of you. Kids are unpredictable, and life happens. We get it!

Here’s the MOST important thing you need to know for a successful session.

• Be on time. I always start my sessions a little earlier than we actually need to, because I want to allow for some warm-up time if your child needs it. There are times that a child really just needs to get to know me a little bit before I pull out my camera to feel comfortable. If you are late, this cuts into our time together and doesn’t leave me a buffer to be able to work with your little one(s) to get them comfortable with me.

• Don’t threaten your child to try get them to cooperate. I’m not referring to your normal parenting methods and discipline if your child is being disrespectful. ABSOLUTELY do what you need to as their parent during our session! I’ve seen it all, and will become very interested in the back of camera if you need to speak with your child for a bit.

  However, telling your child beforehand they will be punished if they don’t behave like a perfect angel and do exactly what I say will kick off the session with a negative tone. The threat of punishment puts a LOT of pressure on young children before they even see me! I have three children of my own who are currently 9, 7, and 5. I frequently work with children of all ages with all sorts of backgrounds and unique personalities. I really have seen it all. Instead of threatening, tell your child that you’re going to go play with Lauren and have some fun and that she’s going to have a camera and take photos of your family! This sets the tone as being something fun, and lets them know what to expect.

• Show up ready to PLAY and have fun. Your children will be looking to you for how feel about whatever you’re collectively experiencing. If YOUR are happy and playful, that is how they will feel too. If you’re stressed out and snapping at each other on the way to the session… well, you get the point. We are going to have FUN together.. We are going to play. We’re doing to dance, we’re going to snuggle, we’re going to have tickle fights. We’re going to check out that cool tree over there. We’re going to hunt and see if we can find a four leaf clover. My approach is about capturing your natural family dynamic. I want to capture you as you really are, and create images of your family that are full of authentic JOY. Most of all, I want you to smile whenever you look at them and remember how much fun you had together as a family that day.

When you show up to your session with me, I’ll guide you throughout, and give you prompts for what to do. I’ll make sure you’re not giving yourself a double chin or awkwardly standing not knowing what to do next. We’re going to have a great time!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

Your session is over, so now what?! You can expect your proof gallery in 7-10 business days after your session, and you’ll look through it and decide what best fits your needs. You’ll choose your images and send them back, and we’ll invoice you for your selection. 8-12 days after your invoice remittance, you’ll get your completed image gallery. Every image you choose will be given to you in both color and black and white versions, and if you’re ordering any additional prints or products, you’ll do so from your final gallery. When they’re ready, you’ll come to the studio to pick them up along with your USB containing your selected digital files!

Every week, I send out an email that has a booking calendar with pickup dates and times. You’ll reserve your pickup with this link, and when you come to pick up, it is contactless. If you’re ordering a framed print for your home that has a print size of 16x20 or larger,, I’ll deliver it directly to your doorstep if you live within 20 minutes of the studio.

Enjoy some of my favorites from this sweet family’s session! I can’t wait to see them this coming October for their next family portrait 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 Connor

Joanie and David contacted the studio when their son was already 2 weeks old to see if they could book a newborn session for him! They were in the process of selling a house and looking for a new one, and had simply gotten so busy with all of that they’d forgotten to schedule one.

Joanie asked if the session could include family images also, and we assured her that they always do. Having a newborn session is an event that will be so special for your entire family. The big siblings are important members of your family, and they should feel included in this process too! My newborn galleries are a combination of solo newborn portraits mixed with family/parent images, as well as sibling/baby images where applicable and when safe.

WHEN SHOULD I REACH OUT TO BOOK A NEWBORN SESSION?

If you know you want to work with me, reach out right away. It’s never too early to reserve your session! Here’s why: Reserving your newborn session does NOT mean you are booking an exact date for your session. This is impossible since birth dates are unpredictable! When you reserve, you are guaranteed a session for your baby! When your baby arrives, you’ll notify us, and we will then schedule the exact date for your session.

I provide excellent service for each and every client, so I limit the number of newborn sessions that are available in a month. This way I can be certain that you will have the level of service you deserve from start to finish! When clients reserve with us, they secure themselves a guaranteed spot.

Are you holding your newborn while reading things and thinking you might have missed the boat? Maybe not! Our booked newborns often arrive earlier or later than the estimated due date. As such, there are some months that I can take a last minute newborn client. Get in touch with us right away to see if we can accommodate you!

TODDLER SIBLINGS AND NEWBORN SESSIONS

Joanie let me know that her two year old daughter would also be participating in the session! I welcome older siblings, and love when they participate. We will ask you what your child’s nap schedule is because we want to ensure they’re well rested and adjust timing to reflect that if needed. Dads always relax at home and bring any older siblings the session later after the newborn solo images have been completed. This gives mama a break with some peace and quiet, and dads and toddlers are happiest at home until they’re needed!

Newborn sessions are scheduled for morning hours and start time between 9 and 10 AM depending on the time of year. The 90 minutes of our time together 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! Adding on beauty services does NOT lengthen your session. I’m actively photographing baby only while you’re being prepped. Go ahead and treat yourself, since you’ll just be sitting on the couch anyway! ;) Added bonus: our HMUA team is pure magic at making our sleep deprived mothers look rested. Undereye circles, be gone! Joanie was thrilled that we offered this service and jumped at the opportunity to pamper herself.

When Joanie and Connor arrived at the studio the morning of his session, I took him out of his carseat and got started photographing his solo images right away while Joanie settled into the HMUA chair.

Connor was WIDE awake as he was an older newborn (3.5 weeks) due to being a last minute one. Despite being wide awake, he was very calm. I never stress if I have an awake baby, because I love the images that I can create with direct eye contact. He did eventually fall fast asleep, so his solo portraits were a great mix of awake and asleep. As I was finishing up with his solo portraits, dad and big sister Hanna arrived. Everyone got themselves dressed and ready. We started the session with Connor wrapped in a blanket, and Joanie asked to dress Conoor in an outfit she had bought specifically for some family images. If you want your baby to wear a special outfit, please be sure that it fits snugly. If the outfit is too large and swallows them up, you will be struggling throughout the session trying to make sure their face is visible and not obscured by the material.

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

As I mentioned before, if your newborn is awake during your session, it’s not a problem at all as long as they are calm. If they're awake and fussy, no need to stress either. We’ll work together to figure out how to soothe your baby into a calm state for photos.

I started out the session photographing Hanna and Connor together for sibling images. I start with the sibling photos because these are usually the highest priority for clients. Most of the time, your toddler will be the most cooperative upon arrival to the studio. I work quickly and efficiently to photograph siblings, each parent with their children, and whole family before your toddler’s patience runs out! How I photograph your children together entirely depends on your older child. In Hanna’s case, she was full of energy and preferred to run around, so having them next to each other was not possible for safety reasons. You’ll see how we ended up doing their images when you scroll down!

The TOP priority in my studio is safety for all involved. I will not place your newborn near their older sibling(s) if they are not calm or are not capable of following my direction. Every toddler is different, so I’ll assess your child and go from there. Parents are always right outside the camera frame just inches away and ready to intervene!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

About a week after their session, Joanie and David viewed Connor’s proof gallery and chose her collection. They chose a collection which included an album and all of the digital files, because they loved their gallery so much that they didn’t want to narrow it down! When I was finished with the final editing of her session, they chose which ones they wanted within their album and their favorite for the framed wall art.

Most clients look through the different album options that we have available as samples in the studio and snap photos of the cover options with their phone before leaving. Album design and proofing is handled virtually, and it’s a simple process for my clients. Most clients approve their proof immediately with no revisions, and once it’s approved to print, I send it off!

After your album is ordered, it takes about 4-6 weeks (due to their handcrafted construction) for it arrive and be ready for pickup. If you’re interested in having your favorite image on the wall to enjoy instead of or in addition to an heirloom album, I have an absolutely beautiful line of frame moulding for you to look at here at the studio as well. Ask about our design mockup service when choosing to purchase frames from - I am here to make your decision making a snap! We make it easy for our clients! We’ve been there, and we know the last thing you need is to deal with something super complicated when you’re in the throes of the newborn stage.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

As your baby grows, so do the memories. That's why you need to secure your newborn session sooner rather than later - and I can't wait until we get started! 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!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Connor’s newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | Ella, Sadie & Flynn

Ella is such a wonderful long term loyal client who has been coming to see me since she was pregnant with her daughter and worked with them again when they welcomed baby boy Finn into the family (he looks JUST like his big sister)! It has been so much fun to watch Sadie grow each year and to also see how Ella grows as a mother - she’s such a wonderful and loving one!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR A STUDIO SESSION

When clients book their session with us, we send them our easy to implement style guide. It has everything you need to know about choosing what to dress everyone in, and covers suggested color tones, as well as how to mix and match textures and patterns. I offer in person studio visits for wardrobe consultations to our clients, and they are available virtually as well via FaceTime or Zoom! Note that virtual visits are more for discussing what you already have one hand, not borrowing from the client wardrobe.

Most 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. Ella chose to add fun color pops to this session with a yellow and green. Sadie and Finn perfectly coordinated with Ella’s gorgeous maxi dress, and their outfit combos were perfect!

Lots of moms worry that their child is not going to listen or cooperate during our time together. If you’re concerned about this, I think that fear is very normal…. but it’s also something you can feel free to chuck out the window! One of the most exciting parts about my work is that I get to meet so many incredible kids and have so much fun while doing it. I move swiftly and seamlessly as I jump from one image to the next, all while respecting your child's interest in what is going on. Perfect listening is NOT required or necessary to create gorgeous photos. We will roll with whatever is thrown our way. All you need to do is show up ready to have FUN and be in the moments with your children. Let me worry about capturing the magical moments.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR SESSION

Mommy and me sessions in the studio are so much fun! As I stated already, your only job is to be their mom. You’ll play games that involve dancing, snuggling and sometimes tickling your little one during our time together. I’ll be giving you easy to follow action prompts throughout the session time. My prompts are things you do ALL the time with your child so they’re very natural and spontaneous! They’re just not what you might think to do when in front of a camera.

My sessions are very child-led. My flow is dictated by how your child is feeling and what they’re interested in doing throughout. I don’t have a “script” or set workflow during sessions with little ones, because it’s impossible to predict their mood and how long they’ll be “cooperative” for any given prompt or activity.

Regardless of how your child is during our time together, know this. I adapt as needed, am super flexible to meet my littlest clients where they’re at, and have endless patience even if you don’t. Showing children I respect them and their preferences is what earns their trust, and is truly my “secret” to successful sessions!

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 Ella, Sadie, & Finn!

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 Harper

Lilly contacted the studio at last minute after her daughter was born to ask if we had any last minute availability for a newborn session. She had found us by searching Google, and thought we were a perfect fit for her family. Because our reserved babies had all already been born, we did have availability to schedule them to come in. She also requested to add on our HMUA services since she knew that trying to get ready at home juggling a toddler and newborn would be unnecessarily stressful. We make it easy for our clients! You deserve to be able to enjoy your baby or toddler's first days, weeks and months without worrying about anything, so booking is an easy and streamlined process and is all handled securely online.

You should take care of yourself, not spend time figuring out the ins and outs.

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY NEWBORN SESSION?

Can you believe it's never too early to reserve your newborn session once you know you’re pregnant? As an expecting or brand new parent, I know that there are so many things on the radar. But don't put off these memories and get your session reserved as soon as possible.

When you reserve your newborn session, you are NOT scheduling your exact session date.

Scheduling your specific newborn session date is impossible, since due dates are just an estimate!

We want to provide excellent service for each and every client, so we limit the number of newborn sessions that are available in a month. This way we can be certain that all of our clients are well taken care of at the level they deserve. Once we reach our monthly newborn limit, our newborn schedule is closed for that month and we maintain a wait list.

If you’re like Lilly and reading this after your newborn has arrived and is still less than 21 days old right now, don’t panic! It is not unusual for our reserved babies to come “early” or “late”. This means that some months we have the ability to take on a last minute newborn clien or twot. Contact us right away, and we might be able to schedule you in our calendar, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER SIBLING INVOLVED

A newborn session is an event that is be so special for the entire family. The big siblings are such important members of your family, and they should feel included in this process too! When toddler siblings are involved in newborn sessions, we ask what their schedule is so we can plan for the most successful session! We want them to be happy, well rested, and fed at the time they arrive for their portion.

Newborn sessions in the studio have a start time that is between 9 and 10 AM depending on the time of year. The first 90 minutes of session time is set aside for photographing your baby solo.

The beginning of the session is the perfect time for you enjoy pampering yourself with our add on hair and makeup services since you’ll be sitting on the couch doing nothing during your baby’s solo portraits! Our HMUA team is fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and are lots of fun to talk to. They’re also complete magicians with makeup and will ensure that you look like yourself, minus the sleep deprivation. ;)

Older 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 being in photographs , 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. I have found in my 9 years of experience working with newborns that changing the flow of starting with newborn solo images usually backfires. What usually ends up happening is your baby becomes overstimulated and fussy from the start with all the activity and noise, and never quite settles. As a result, I will not be able to get as varied of a gallery in our allotted time.

HOW THE SESSION DAY WENT

Lilly and Harper arrived, and we looked through the studio dresses. She loved one of our gorgeous mauve dresses in the client wardrobe and settled into the hair and makeup chair for some pampering time while I got started photographing Harper!

Harper was absolutely adorable and very alert when she arrived! She was such a great sleeper, and we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. When I finished up, big brother Hudson and dad weren’t there yet so Lilly put on her dress, and dressed Harper in the outfit she had brought along for her. Most mamas do not bring an outfit for baby, but if you have one that is important to you, we can definitely use that. The outfit should fit your baby well and not be too baggy, otherwise it will cause you more stress than it’s worth.

I have quite the assortment of soft, textured, and beautiful neutral blankets to wrap your baby in for the family portrait, as well as a few onesies and gowns. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of blankets vs. gown/outfit, but the ultimate choice is yours! Using a blanket is always classic and what the majority of my clients choose, but larger or fidgety newborns can be difficult to keep in the wrap. Putting those babies in a onesie or a gown takes care of that issue, and still looks timeless and adorable!

When Hudson and daddy arrived, we moved right into the family portion!

TYPICAL NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

It is my goal to photograph sibling images first, followed by each parent with their children, and wrapped up with the whole family together.

Sibling images are often the most important to my clients! 9 times out of 10 your toddler will be the most cooperative as soon as they arrive at the studio, so I take advantage of those first few minutes by making sure we’re ready to go! I move very quickly and transition seamlessly between each image, while respecting your child’s interest and cooperation level too.

For our newborns, safety is the number one priority. I make sure that your newborn is not near any older siblings alone if they cannot be calm and listen to instructions. Every toddler has a different energy so I will assess how they're doing when deciding which types of images are safely possible.

Hudson was a VERY sweet and attentive toddler who was so excited about his baby sister! As I was photographing Hudson and Harper together for their sibling images, their parents were mere inches from the pair of them ready to swoop in and intervene if necessary.

Once we had finished all of the photographs with Hudson and Harper together, we transitioned to the family and parent portion.While I do have a pretty typical flow, sometimes your older child will need a break, and I’ll adjust things to accommodate that. It's important that everyone in your family is included and has a good time, including older siblings!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We make it easy and stress-free for our clients! After you’ve had a baby the LAST thing you need is to contend with anything that is overly complicated.

About a week after their session, Lilly and Josh viewed their proof gallery and chose their favorite images for their desired collection.

CREATING FRAMED ARTWORK FOR YOUR HOME

Our framed artwork is typically ready in about 2-6 weeks. Sometimes a particular moulding will be on backorder, but you’ll be informed of that before the order is placed so you’re aware of it and can change to one in stock if having it quickly is important to you. When you choose the image(s) your want framed, we’ll discuss the best size for where you plan to hang it in your home.

Once the the size is chosen, the print is ordered! After it comes in, we then “dress” the print together with the 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.

As a virtual appointment for choosing frames, we’ll have a text message conversation where I'll help you decide on the perfect frame to fit your image tone and then send over some photos of suggested frames next to your print. Most clients are able to choose their favorite pretty quickly. If you’d rather come into the studio to see the frames in person with your image for yourself, I can do that too!

After you’ve chosen your frame, we’ll talk about the mat. The mat size depends on your frame! I'll determine the best one that complements both it and your print. The larger the print, the wider my mat should be to balance it out - but this will also depend on what width of frames you can hang from a wall or in an oversized space.

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 and transparent with very little glare. I also love that 99% UV protection which makes sure there’s no fading or discoloration on my artwork! If you aren’t sure what museum quality framing looks like, you will once you’re in the studio - there are plenty of pieces hanging right up on these walls for your viewing pleasure!

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 seeing these portraits makes them feel loved, and asked if I could frame their favorite images to hang on the walls of their rooms as well!

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 reside further away than this radius, you’ll need to make pickup arrangements. 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 a weekly email to clients with a link to schedule on designated pickup days and time windows throughout the week. Your order pickup is safe, contactless, and 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 best we can serve you! Please 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 First Birthday Photographer | A is ONE!

A’s mom contacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter with the whole family included. We sent her our style guide, Pinterest inspiration board, and our cake tips sheet to review as well! The style guide is a quick read and simple to implement! Our style guide is relevant to any type of session you schedule with us. I love helping people with their styling! I'm here to support you, so don't hesitate to ask if there's anything in particular you want help on. We can schedule a visit in the studio to go over your wardrobe options(whether you are borrowing from the studio wardrobe or wearing your own) or conduct it virtually with a few email exchanges in advance of your session.

PRO TIP: DON’T DRESS YOUR BABY UNTIL YOU ARRIVE AT THE STUDIO!

If there’s one thing that’s true in life, it’s that lots of curveballs get thrown our way. Here’s a few examples of incidents that could happen on the way to your baby’s First Birthday session: a random bout of carsickness, a REALLY messy sneeze, a spilled bottle or snack cup….or perhaps your baby will manage to find a chocolate m&m buried in in the depths of their car seat….. You may laugh at this and think there’s no way these situations would occur…but these examples have actually happened to my clients. Fortunately, they had followed me instructions not to dress their baby until arrival, so the clothes were safe! If your best intentions go awry and your baby’s outfit isn’t usable (or you forget it!) don’t stress too much. I do have a limited baby wardrobe here that is very classic and timeless and that some of our moms choose to use. We can dress your baby in a pinch!

WHERE YOU SHOULD GET YOUR SMASH CAKE

A’s brought along a pink and white smash cake with buttercream icing from a local bakery up in Alpharetta where she lives. Unfortunately, the bakery had a MASSIVE amount of icing on the cake, and when we opened the box, we discovered that the icing had literally melted off and was a giant pool at the bottom of the box.

After the initial shock of seeing the cake, I reassured her that it would be ok because after all…the cakes do get smashed up anyway! I keep cake tools in the studio exactly for this purpose (this isn’t the first time this has happened!) I have found that bakeries are not in the business of designing cakes for the specific purpose of photos, and tend to overdo it with too much icing or icing that is too heavy - so when the cake is transported, it sometimes turns into a cake fail.

So how do you avoid this!? Don’t work with a bakery that doesn’t have a proven track record with smash cakes for PHOTOGRAPHY purposes. There is a big difference!

Publix, Kroger, and Whole Foods are all easy and convienent choices to get a simple smash cake or even a cupcake. They will not overdecorate your cake with their standard icing.

If you’re looking for a custom and personalized experience with your baby’s smash cake, or if your baby has egg allergies/ needs a vegan option, we have the perfect solution for you!

We highly recommend Christina with She Takes the Cake. Christina is our preferred and our ONLY recommend baker here in Atlanta. We are happy to connect you with her! She offers a delivery service where she’ll bring your baby’s smash cake to the studio in advance of your session. When you arrive, it will be here in pristine condition and waiting for you. Clients love this option because it’s one less thing they have to worry about the day of their session, and there’s not sweating and praying while transporting the cake. Not only are Christina’s cakes gorgeous, they are absolutely delicious - even her vegan ones!

Over the past five years, I have worked with Christina to develop the perfect buttercream consistency for our babies. It’s soft enough to interact with and smash, but not so sticky that it turns cleaning up your baby afterwards into a nightmare.. If you want to be 100% sure that you won’t have a cake disaster with icing melting off your cake or accidentally dropping it on your way up to the studio, working with She Takes The Cake is 100% the way to go!

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR YOUR BABY’S SMASH CAKE

• Keep the cake simple! Don’t use fondant or add tons of distracting objects to the cake for decor.

• Your cake should be a 6 inch diameter size or less and no more than two layers maximum. If you have a taller cake, it usually limits angles for photography since your baby’s face will be partially hidden behind it.

• Real flowers are beautiful on cakes, but are not recommended. If you just HAVE to have some flowers, you should plan to remove them after the first few photographs. Why? Because they will most likely end up right in your baby’s mouth. This guideline applies to anything on your cake that is not icing- candles, decor, etc. It ends up being a distraction from the task at hand and can also obscure adorable facial expressions during their session.

• Choose a neutral icing color (off white, cream, or pastels). Avoid neons or super bright colors that may stain skin and clothing, and will cause unwanted color casts in your pictures.

• Don’t cover your baby’scake with shaved coconut. Yes, the textured aesthetic is gorgeous, but in my experience, most babies don’t like it. When coconut has been used, it ended exploration of the cake as soon as the baby felt the texture of it in their mouth and was followed with lots of crying and spitting it out.

• Use buttercream icing only. DO NOT CHOOSE to use whipped icing, swiss buttercream, or fondant. Whipped and swiss buttercream icing is slippery, greasy, and horrifyingly MESSY. These icings are resistant to being wiped off your baby’s skin. If you use it, you will be wrestling your screaming baby while struggling for control and muttering under your breath, “For the love of Cheez-It’s, why won’t this stuff COME OFF?!?!?!.” As for fondant, it is very thick, and difficult for babies to get through to the actual cake with their fingers and eat so they lose interest quickly.

• Skip writing a message on top of the cake (save it for the party cake instead) - it doesn’t photograph like you’re thinking it will.

FIRST BIRTHDAY SESSION FLOW

I refer to First Birthday sessions as my 3-in-1 sessions. I photograph solo portraits of your little one, family & parent portraits, and cake smash photos throughout. I started the session photographing A alone since she was a friendly and curious little girl. If your baby is on the shy side, I’ll start the session with them in your arms for family and parent images so they feel safe. Once I finished A’s solo portraits, I moved on to the family images. A’s aunt and cousin had come along too, and they stepped in for a couple of photographs as well!

THE CAKE SMASH

After we finished up A’s solo portraits and all the family images, it was time for the cake!

I demonstrate how you should present the cake to your baby before you actually do it (I know this sounds silly, but it really does matter!) You will never be left wondering about what you should be doing throughout your time with me because I’ll guide you through your session with verbal prompts and demonstration as needed!

When A saw her cake, she dove right in! A lot of parents wonder about what we do if their baby doesn’t like their cake. There is no guarantee that they will, because every baby is different with this! I’ve found that the majority of babies do enjoy it, especially if it’s presented with no pressure from anyone and kept fun for them.

If your baby isn’t really interested in touching their cake at first, you can help by getting into the photographs! Most babies love to “feed” their parents or to be fed by them. Make eating the cake a fun game for them but modeling feeding each other bites. Once your baby becomes interested, you can slowly back out of the frame and I’ll get those solo images of them covered in cake and icing while you watch and enjoy the cuteness!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from A’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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Levi

Kari contacted us for a last minute newborn session after her daughter, Levi had arrived. She wasn’t sure that we would be available but she took the chance anyway, and was glad she did! Kari requested an in-home session because she loves her home decor and wanted it in the images, but also really wanted to have posed studio images of her baby as well. I do not bring my wraps and posing surfaces to homes . They decided on two sessions so they could have the best of both worlds, which is definitely an option available for clients! Booking two sessions means that you would your baby to the studio for solo portraits, and I would then travel to your home for the second in-home session sometime in the following couple of days, and images from both sessions are presented together in one proof gallery for you to choose from!

As a note: I am fully protected with the Pfizer vaccine as of April 12, 2021 when full protection kicked in. I wear an N95 mask with clients regardless of their vaccination status.

WHY YOU NEED TO RESERVE YOUR NEWBORN SESSION NOW

I can only accept a limited number of newborns due each month. Limiting the number of newborn clients I take ensures I am able serve all of my clients equally at the level they deserve.

Reserving your newborn session means you are guaranteeing a newborn session for your baby on my calendar, not booking the exact session date. No one can accurately predict your baby’s birth date. I have lost count of how many of my newborns were born before their scheduled induction or c-section date! When your baby is born, you’ll let us know, and we’ll schedule your session date! There are SO many factors that determine when we schedule your session. These include but are not limited to: length of your partner’s paternity leave, any complications for you or baby, how you’re feeling post delivery, how much your baby weighed at birth, etc.

IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSIONS VS. STUDIO SESSIONS

If booking two sessions isn’t possible for you and you are deciding between an in-home or studio newborn session, let’s go over the differences!

If you choose an in-home session, you will need to:

• Understand that your images will be lifestyle oriented.

• Be ready to start your session upon my arrival.

• Ensure you have ample natural light in your home.

• Have neutral colored walls in your home.

• Be ok with not having access to our studio wardrobe that is complimentary to our clients.

• NOT be married to the idea of shooting in a particular spot within your home. I will assess your home upon arrival and we will be shooting where the best light is available.

• NOT have cats (I am highly allergic and cannot travel to homes with cats, but dogs are fine!

• Clean your house and declutter, and be prepared for things to be moved at my direction if they are distracting.

• Unplug lamps, clocks, etc in the rooms and hide the cords so they are not in the photos.

• Be okay with limited solo portraits of your baby, wrapped in a blanket on your bed or in your arms. There will not be wrapped solo portraits like what you see for my natural posing.

So, as you can see, it is actually NOT necessarily “easier” to have your newborn session be in your home, and it limits the types of images that will be taken.

One note: I hear a LOT of clients state that the reason they want an in-home session is because they want to showcase their baby’s nursery. I always like to remind my clients that their baby is completely unaware of their surroundings as a newborn. An in-home milestone session for your baby’s 6 month session when they can sit unassisted on the floor of their nursery and hold on to the side of their crib while standing is such a fun way to show off the nursery with your baby actually aware of everything and interacting with their toys! Just something to keep in mind! Be sure to ask about our First Year Collection for the perfect way to photograph your baby for newborn, siting, and First Birthday milestone sessions.

The studio is the perfect setting for my blend of lifestyle meets posed, and all you have to do is worry about getting here. It’s also a nice break and gets you out of the house to a safe, private, and zero pressure location where you don’t have to worry about if your baby is crying or needs to eat. Once you’re here, everything else is taken care of for you!

If you choose a session here at the studio:

• All you have to do is literally show up at your session time.

• Your images will be consistent and like what is shown on my portfolio (which is why you’re hiring me!)

• The studio is all neutral and intentionally designed to be a blank canvas so that your newborn and family are the focus, and your session images will look beautiful in any home.

• You can add on hair and makeup services to your session, so you don’t have to worry about getting yourself ready while managing everything at home.

• You will not have to clean your house after just having had a baby and running on no sleep.

• You’ll have access to our studio wardrobe.

• The studio will be heated to the perfect temperature so your baby is comfortable.

• You will have solo and naturally posed portraits of your baby intermixed with family and parent.

• ALL your needs will be met, and you will be very comfortable! We have everything you need here - elevator access for recovering c-section mamas, a full kitchen, private bathroom, Nespresso coffee machine, nursing pillows, extra diapers and wipes…..the list goes on!

• You will have a gallery that is a perfect mixture of lifestyle blended with posed images.

• You will NOT have to worry about whether the lighting is adequate enough, because it is!

• You can take a nap on the couch, or connect your laptop and work remotely with our studio Google Fiber

• Your older children will be better behaved than at home - it’s true! Ever notice how your children are always perfect angels at school or someone else’ house and wonder why? The expectations are different! When I go to client homes, toddlers are extremely comfortable in their environment. They are easily distracted, and often much more difficult to get to cooperate. When they’re here at the studio, it’s a new place with far less distraction, because they have nowhere familiar to run off to for escape or toys to distract them.

IN HOME LIFESTYLE SESSION FLOW

If you choose an in-home session, here's the flow you can expect!

I will arrive to your home and when I come in, I will do a walk through to see where the best light is and where the best places to shoot are. If you need any input on what to wear from your closet, I’ll go through your options quickly and pull it all together for you. I’ll rearrange things as necessary and may ask you to move things to be more conducive to the resulting images. We’ll transition through different areas that are adequate for lighting and composition. I photograph you the EXACT same way I would in the studio - you will just have your home interior as the background! If there is an area and surface (ie: bed, ottoman) with adequate light that I can photograph your baby alone on, I will wrap them in a blanket you have on hand and photograph them alone for some simple solo portraits!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR IN-HOME SESSION

After I leave your home, you can expect your proof gallery in about 7 business days beginning the day after your session! You’ll look through it, decide on your favorites, and choose what best fits your needs! Kari loved all of Levi’s images from both sessions so much that she chose to purchase the full collection of images.

Enjoy some of my favorites from Levi’s studio and in-home sessions!

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Stephanie, Ben & Warner

I first worked with Stephanie and Ben when they were expecting their son a few years ago, and was thrilled to hear from them that they were expecting a little girl and wanted to book another maternity session! Their first maternity session was at the park in the month of November on one of the COLDEST days that month. This session was late summer, and was such on such a lovely warm day. If you want to see the images from their first maternity session, just click here!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

Because Stephanie had contacted us early on, we were able to schedule a weekend date for their maternity session. I fill up MONTHS in advance, so it’s the truth that the sooner you contact us the better your chances of getting the date you’re hoping for!

If I am fully booked for weekends already, my clients plan to leave work earlier on a weekday. Weeknight sessions have a pretty big perk: your location will be much less crowded! Please note that ALL of our outdoor sessions take place about one hour before sunset and sometimes we offer sunrise sessions at certain times of year (mostly in August/September when the sunrise is 7:30 AM or later). If you want to know when your session would start, simply do a Google search for “sunset time on X date in Atlanta” and voila! Subtract an hour, and you’ll have your general start time! If you’re booking a sunrise session, we will meet up at your location about 5 minutes before sunrise!

Caroline, our studio manager, emailed over Stephanie’s session documents to her. The entire booking process is very streamlined and handled securely online! Our booking process has been described more times than we can count as a “well oiled machine” and we very proud of that. It’s our goal to serve our clients well and to make everything as easy as possible for them.

After Stephanie remitted her paperwork, her date was officially locked into our calendar. We scheduled her maternity fitting to take place about 2 weeks before her session date and sent a short list of what she should bring along with her.

THE MATERNITY FITTING

Your maternity fitting is scheduled 1-2 weeks before your session date! This ensures you have plenty of time to decide what to wear and to pull together the other outfits for your partner and/or children. Your belly shouldn't grow too much in two weeks to not be able to fit into your choices. If you try on a dress that BARELY fits and are absolutely in love with it, we’ll have you choose a backup option for it just in case it doesn’t fit you anymore in two weeks.

Using our studio wardrobe is not at all required! Roughly 95% of our clients do choose to borrow from it! If you are able to, I strongly recommend that all clients (even those who are planning to wear their own clothing) come in to see me in advance of their session so that we are able to meet each other. If you can’t make the time to come by the studio, virtual options are available via Zoom or FaceTime! Clients who have spent some time with me prior to stepping in front of my camera are much more at ease because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time.

When Stephanie came in for her fitting, she commented on how many dresses we had compared to the last session from a few years prior. It’s true - I have a LOT and it’s constantly growing. Because I had already worked with her, I knew what her style preferences and favorite colors were (as well as what would look incredible on her skin tone!), so I had a few already pulled for her to consider.

You DON’T have to decide at your maternity fitting what you’ll be wearing for your session. You will need to submit your final choices in at least 4 business days before your session date. This lead time allows us to have your selections dry cleaned in time if another client wears one of your choices in the same week. The majority of our dresses will fit both pregnant and postpartum moms (and even those moms who are several years postpartum!). After looking at all her options and showing her husband the photos from her phone, Stephanie decided on a short cream dress and a gorgeous dusky pink gauze dress.

MATERNITY SESSIONS WITH KIDS: WHAT TO EXPECT

I always shoot my sessions efficiently, because an outdoor couples or family maternity session should NOT take 4 hours. When a young child is involved with a session, it’s even MORE important to not have a long session because they just cannot handle it. Four hours is an insane length of time to shoot a standard outdoor natural light portrait session. This will not be like your engagement photos that were probably unnecessarily dragged out for hours. Honestly, previous sessions with other photographers that tortured them with hours of shooting is why a lot of first time dads to be show up to sessions with me assuming they’re going to hate the entire experience. Nope. Dragging it out is not how I roll.

Instead, I’m going to guide you throughout our entire time together. I will literally instruct you what to do and when to do it, and I’ll do it efficiently but you won’t feel rushed. My focus is on the emotional connection between you and your partner/child(ren. The interaction between subjects that you see in my images is 100% authentic.

I’ll be 100% honest: most of my subjects can’t quite get to this place on their own unless they have worked with me before. I do the initial work of getting you positioned where I want you, adjust your hair and clothing if necessary. THEN I’ll give you a simple and easy to follow prompt that sparks that natural interaction. Small children don’t follow direction well (or at all!), so I just let them be themselves and you’ll interact with them just as you normally would. There is ZERO formal posing where everyone has to be perfectly stiff for twenty eternal seconds - let’s face it, that is just NOT possible (or realistic) with kids!

Once you’re relaxed and have gotten in the zone, the magic begins. You don’t need to be nervous about not knowing what to do. Your dynamic with your family is unique, and it SHOULDN’T look like every other session out there. I don’t operate like a cookie cutter. Your session will show your family loving and being with each other the way that YOU do, while highlighting the beauty of your pregnancy.

MATERNITY SESSION FLOW

I already mentioned that your session won't be be dragged out. I allot an hour for outdoor portraits - and once the sun is gone, we’re done, so it’s important to be on time. While I do shoot efficiently and can do so at hyper speed if needed, I cannot keep the sun from setting.

You are probably going to be a bit nervous when we get started. You might also feel a bit awkward too. This is 100% normal, and it will dissipate, I promise! I regularly shoot 20+ maternity sessions per month (studio and outdoor), and I’ve been photographing pregnant moms for over 9 years now, so I’ve got you taken care of!

Most of my clients are able to really relax in 10 minutes or less. The photos taken at the very beginning often don’t make it into your final proof gallery. The very first little bit is intended as your warm-up so you to get used to being in front of the camera and following my direction! Once I can see that you’re relaxed and starting to actually have fun, THAT is when the magic happens and we start getting the keepers for your proof gallery!

I have my pregnant moms move around as little as possible, and my session flow is structured around them. When you’re pregnant, you’re often sore, your hips and feet might be hurting, and there’s just no need to drag you all over the place. Instead, partners are the ones who will step in and out of the frame at my direction. Breaks are taken as needed for you to drink some water or just take a breather for a moment!

We started out our session in the most gorgeous late summer sunset light, and I spent some time photographing Stephanie solo and pulling in the rest of the family for some images from time to time. Warner was a ball of energy and running around all over the place, which I loved. He was fun, and silly, and we really captured his true personality in the family images, which is always the goal.

If you’re reading this and considering booking a maternity session with me, YAY! Firstly, a GIANT congrats!!! This is such an incredibly special time in your life! It is my honor to photograph couples expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child, and I would love for you to contact us to chat.

Have you watched the video on our website that covers our whole process and who we are? If you haven’t, check it out - you can click here to see it. It’s a quick 90 seconds of your time, and will provide a great overview of what it’s like to work with me. Bonus: you’ll actually get to see my entire face in the video unlike when you’re with me due to my wearing amask! ;)

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this family’s park 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 Austin

Laura contacted the studio in her second trimester to book a newborn session for her second baby. She was so excited to have found us. She really loved that we include family members in our session, since others she had contacted did not. I don’t photograph just your newborn, because your baby deserves to have photos with their family too. My session galleries are always a combination of your newborn alone for solo portraits and family/parent images!

WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY BABY’S NEWBORN SESSION?

If you know you want to work with me, now. It’s never too early! Here’s why: Reserving your newborn session does NOT mean you are booking an exact date for your session. This is impossible since birth dates are unpredictable! When you reserve, you are guaranteed a session for your baby! When your baby arrives, you simply let us know when they have arrived and we will go from there in scheduling the date for your newborn photos.

I know you’re most likely very 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 I’m full, I’m full.

Has your baby already arrived? 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

Laura let me know that her toddler daughter, Elle would also be participating in the session! I love and welcome older siblings, so no worries there! Dads plan to relax at home and to bring older siblings later once the newborn solo images have been completed.

When toddlers are involved with your baby’s newborn session, we will ask you what their nap schedule because we want to ensure they’re well rested. Studio newborn sessions are scheduled in the morning for a start time between 9 and 10 AM depending on the time of year. The 90 minutes of our time together 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! Adding on our HMUA services does NOT extend your total session length as I’m actively photographing baby only while you’re being prepped…. so you may as well treat yourself since you’ll just be sitting on the couch anyway!

When Laura and Austin arrived, I took him out of his carseat and got started photographing his solo images right away.

Austin slept like a rock and and was a very snuggly little guy that curled up very easily for his wrapped photos, but did wake up towards the end and opened his eyes for some of the cutest eye contact images! As I was finishing up with his solo portraits, dad and big sister Elle arrived. Everyone got themselves dressed and ready, and Laura changed Austin into an outfit she had bought specifically for the family images. If you are planning to have your baby wear a special outfit, please be sure that it fits well and is snug. If your baby is dressed in an outfit that swallows them up, you will be fighting with the outfit the entire session trying to make sure their face is visible and not obscured by puffed loose material.

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

If your baby is awake during our time together, it’s no problem at all as long as they are calm! I LOVE when I have an alert baby, because then I have the opportunity photograph them with direct eye contact. It’s remarkable how different your baby can look when they’re peacefully asleep vs. wide eyed!

I started out the session photographing Elle and Austin together for sibling images. As long as it’s safe, I start with the sibling photos because these are usually the highest priority for clients. Most of the time, your toddler will be the most cooperative upon arrival to the studio - not 30 minutes later when the shock and awe of being in a new place has worn off. I work efficiently to photograph siblings, each parent with their children, and whole family before your toddler’s patience runs out!

My TOP priority in the studio is safety. I won’t place babies near their older sibling(s) if your toddler is not calm and still and capable of following direction. Each toddler is different, so I’ll make the judgement based on my assessment of your child. Elle was loving and sweet to her brother, and followed my direction well, so I was able to safely place Austin next to her. What you can’t see from these images is that both of her parents were just inches away ready to jump in if needed.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We make it super simple for our clients! About a week after their session, Laura viewed Austin’s proof gallery and chose her collection, which included an album. When the session images were completed, she chose which ones she wanted for her album! The digital files of chosen collection images are also included as well.

Most clients look through the different album options that we have available as samples in the studio and snap photos of the cover options with their phone before leaving. I handle album design and proofing virtually, and it’s a super easy process for my clients to log in and look through the proof! Most clients approve their proof immediately, and others ask for a couple of changes, but once it’s approved to print, I sent it off to be printed!

After your album is ordered, it takes about 4-6 weeks (due to their handcrafted construction) for it to be ready for pickup at the studio. If you’re interested in having your favorite image on the wall to enjoy instead of or in addition to an heirloom album, I have a stunning line of frame moulding for you to look at here at the studio as well. Ask about our design mockup service when choosing to purchase frames from - I am here to make your decision making a snap!

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!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Austin’s newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | Keyianna, Randy & Ethan

Keyianna contacted the studio to book a session for her son’s third birthday. She returns every year for a family portrait session, and I love catching up with them and seeing how much Ethan has grown since the last time I saw them! Ethan is hilarious and quite the busy bee. Keyianna is always a little nervous that he won’t cooperate before our sessions, and I think that’s a pretty normal concern. I always remind her that the more the chaotic a session feels while she’s in it, the better the images usually are. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s 100% true! I only need 1/1000th of a second to create a beautiful image. You do NOT need to stand still like a statue for this to happen. She and Randy are wonderful about following my direction and guidance, and all of our sessions together have resulted in gorgeous images of their family.

I will go into greater detail later in this blog post about what you can do to help set your family up for a fun session with me too!

WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY FAMILY SESSION WITH YOU?

I have a lot of clients who book their family portrait sessions to take place around their child’s birthday so it doubles as a yearly birthday milestone with some updated family photos! Other families book an annual fall or spring session, and some do bi-annual photos. It really comes down to what your personal preference is and what your goal is for the session. If you know you want to book and you have a specific time of year you have your heart set on…. I recommend reaching out right now to get on the calendar. One of my recurring yearly clients books her session an entire year in advance. She literally pulls out her phone as we are ending her fall family session and gets on the calendar for the following fall. Crazy? Not at all. Booking in advance ensures that you’re on the calendar before we book up. To give you some background, in 2020 we were 100% booked for our outdoor weekend dates by the end of July. In 2021, as of the publication of this post (end of May) we only have three weekend dates left for September-November. We do still have a handful of weekNIGHTS available for outdoor sessions though, so if you’re able to be flexible and don’t require a weekend, you have a great shot at being able to schedule. The big bonus to scheduling on a weekNIGHT as opposed to a weekend is that it will be FAR less crowded especially during the fall!

THE BOOKING PROCESS

I want to make readers aware of two great resources available to them right here on this website. Firstly, our Experience Page, which walks you through exactly what to expect from first contact through post-session. Secondly, our FAQ page, which has so many of our most commonly asked questions and answers! I’ll summarize our process in a nutshell version though below!

1. Contact the studio for short phone chat and to receive all the information and dates available!

2. Choose your date, remit your session paperwork online through out secure and streamlined process! We’ll send you pertinent information regarding your session, what to wear, etc.

3. Show up for your session! Have a great time

4. Choose what you love from your proof gallery that best fits your needs, remit your invoice, wait for images to be finished in post-production.

5. Pick up your order with our contactless pick up process at our studio!

WHAT TO WEAR GUIDANCE AND STYLING ASSISTANCE

The biggest stressor for most clients is figuring out what to wear. We want you to be comfortable and look like yourselves, and we KNOW how hard it can be to pull a look together. The good news for you is that we’ve created a short and sweet (and EASY!) style guide for you to follow! I am here to help you as much as you would like. Some of my clients will text over photos of what they’re thinking about wearing, or they’ll make an appointment to come to the studio with bags stuffed full of options, and I’ll help them pull it all together perfectly. We also have an extensive studio wardrobe available to mamas if they want to borrow from it and it can also serve as great inspiration as well even if you end up not borrowing from it. I have a treasure trove of resources and can point you in the right direction if you’re using your session as an excuse to buy some new clothes. ;) No matter which direction you choose to go here, I’m your biggest cheerleader and will help make sure you feel and look fabulous at your session!

FAMILY SESSION FLOW WITH YOUNG TODDLERS

If you have young children, you already know firsthand that it’s can be stressful when you’re having your photos taken. You’re worried they won’t be in a good mood, that they won’t nap well the day of, or that they’ll randomly get sick the morning of your session. First of all: please know that if someone gets sick the day of your session, all you need to do is call the studio and let us know. We will take care of you. So scratch that off the list of things to worry about.

Here’s the MOST important thing you need to know for a successful session.

• Be on time. I always start my sessions a little earlier than we actually need to, because I want to allow for some warm-up time if your child needs it. There are times that a child really just needs to get to know me a little bit before I pull out my camera to feel comfortable. If you are late, this cuts into our time together and doesn’t leave me a buffer to be able to work with your little one(s) to get them comfortable with me.

• Don’t threaten your child in attempt to get them to cooperate. I’m not referring to your parenting and discipline if your child is being disrespectful to you. You do what you need to do as their parent during our session! However, telling your child beforehand that there will be negative repercussions if they don’t behave and do what I say starts off our time together in a not so great way. It puts a lot of pressure on young children before they even meet me. I have three of my own children and am constantly working with children of all ages from all sorts of backgrounds with unique personalities. Instead, tell your child that you’re going to go play with Lauren and have some fun and that she’s going to have a camera and take photos.

• Show up ready to PLAY and have fun. Your children look to you for the example of how to feel about whatever you’re collectively experience. If you are happy and positive and playful, that is how they will feel. If you’re stressed out and snapping at each other, and tense… well, you get the point. We are going to have FUN. We are going to play. We’re doing to dance, we’re going to snuggle, we’re going to have tickle fights. We’re going to check out that cool tree over there. We’re going to hunt for four leaf clovers. My approach is about capturing your family dynamic. I want to capture you as you really are. I want to create images that are full of authentic JOY. I want you to smile whenever you look at them and remember how much fun you had together as a family that day.

When you show up to your session, I’ll lead the way and give you prompts for what to do. I’ll make sure you’re not giving yourself a self-inflicted triple chin or making awkward faces. We’re going to have a great time!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION

The session is over, now what?! You can expect your proof gallery in 7-10 business days after your session, and you’ll look through it and decide what best fits your needs. You’ll choose your images and send them back to me. 7-10 days after your invoice remittance, you’ll get your images back in a final gallery. Every image chosen will be given to you in both color and black and white versions. If you are ordering any prints or products, you’ll do so from the final gallery and then come to the studio to pick them up along with your USB containing your digital files from the studio.

I send out a weekly email with pickup dates and times, and it’s completely contactless. Super convenient and easy! If you’re ordering one of our gorgeous framed prints for your home, I’ll deliver it directly to your doorstep if you live within 20 minutes of the studio.

Enjoy some of my favorites from this sweet family’s session! I can’t wait to see them in October for their next family portrait 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 Brooks

I first worked with Matt & Lindsay when they were expecting their first baby for their maternity session, and have worked with them SO many times since then for milestone and family portraits. I was so excited to hear from them again requesting to book a maternity session at the field as well as a newborn session for their second baby. Lindsay let me know that she wanted to add on hair and makeup services as well since she had loved the experience so much with her maternity session. Fun fact: it took me until her pregnancy with Brooks to convince Lindsay to work with one of our artists! She had previously gone to a local salon before her sessions, but then decided to give my HMUA a try for her maternity session. Well…she has now converted and will always use our team for her sessions. I know it can be hard to entrust someone you don’t know with your hair and makeup, but you can be confident that our HMUA is absolutely stellar and their work is impeccable.

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

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY BABY’S NEWBORN SESSION?

Answer: It is NEVER too early to book and it is optimal to reserve before they’re born.

I can only accept a limited number of newborns due each month. Limiting the number of newborn clients I take ensures I am able serve each of my clients equally at the level you deserve.

Reserving your newborn session means you are guaranteeing a spot on my calendar, not booking a specific date. We don’t schedule your specific session date when you book a newborn session since we can’t accurately predict your baby’s birth date. When your baby actually arrives, we’ll go from there with exact scheduling! There are many factors that go into when we schedule your session. Paternity leave, any complications, how you’re feeling, how much baby weighed at birth, etc, etc.

All is not necessarily lost if you’re reading this and baby is already here! Sometimes reserved newborns arrive earlier or later than their estimated due dates, opening up my ability to take on a last minute newborn session. Contact us right away to see if I can squeeze you in!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH AN OLDER SIBLING INVOLVED

When older siblings are part of a newborn session, we always ask what their nap schedule (if they take one) is! We want them to be well rested and happy. In this case, big brother was 4 and past needing naps, so it wasn’t something we had to take into consideration.

I begin newborn sessions here in the studio 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.

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 Lindsay and Brooks arrived at the studio, I took him out of his carseat and got started right away. Lindsay got settled into the hair and makeup chair for her beauty services. She already knew which dress she wanted to wear (she loved it when she tried it on during her maternity fitting) for her newborn session, so it was all ready to go!

Brooks was the sweetest little guy, and such a great sleeper! He looked SO much like his dad, and didn't look that much like big brother did as a newborn. That has DRASTICALLY changed as Brooks has grown up though…. the brothers could be twins - that’s how much alike they look now! I have a hard time sometimes telling baby photos of them apart when Lindsay texts them over to me. Matt and Peyton arrived at the studio as our HMUA was finishing up with Lindsay’s hair and makeup services. It was perfect timing since I had just wrapped up Peyton’s solo portraits!

After everyone was dressed, we transitioned right into the family and parent images that included big brother Peyton.

MY NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH YOUR FAMILY

Brooks was in and out of sleep at this point in the session. If you are in the studio for a newborn session, please don’t stress if your baby is wide awake! They do NOT need to sleep for the entire time. I love alert babies for some solo eye contact images and sometimes we get lucky enough to capture a family photo of everyone looking towards the camera. As long as your baby is calm and content, it is no problem at all. If your baby is awake and NOT calm, don’t worry. We’ll figure out how to get them to their happy place again! Sometimes they need another feed, a diaper change, or some extra snuggles from you.

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 Peyton was 4 at the time of the session, he was much more mature than a young toddler sibling would have been,

Because big brother Peyton was listening, compliant, and able to be still while next to his baby brother, I was able to safely photograph a few different setups and he did such a fantastic job! Even though Peyton was a total dream to work with, I still didn’t take any chances. What you cannot see in the photographs is that their parents were mere inches away from them ready to swoop in and take over if needed.

We wrapped the session up with whole family images, Brooks with each of his parents, and Brooks with both of his parents. When you have your first baby, there is no “competition” for your attention. The second, third, fourth, baby gets more experienced parents who know what they’re doing, but they have to share your attention with their big siblings. I firmly believe that your subsequent children deserve their own images with just their parents like your first baby had, and make sure to make it happen!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

I keep it the post session process super simple for my clients! You have enough to think about in the newborn days. About a week after their session, Matt & Lindsay viewed their proof gallery and chose the collection that best fit their needs.

When their final images were completed, they chose which one they wanted for their artwork, and it was ordered. When everything was ready, I sent Lindsay an email with a link to schedule her contactless pickup on our studio calendar. Yep, it really is that easy!

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Are you expecting a little one and interested in working with us for your baby's newborn session? CONGRATULATIONS!!! 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 chat with 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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Silas

I first worked with Angela & Sven when they welcomed their first baby for his newborn session at our old studio location, and was thrilled to hear from them again requesting to book another newborn session for their second baby boy! Angela had added on hair and makeup services for her first newborn session with us and let us know she wanted to add that on again for this one as well!

WHEN SHOULD I RESERVE OUR NEWBORN SESSION?

Simply put: It is NEVER too early to book!

I know when you’re pregnant, you’re so busy with reading the books, registering, and other prep tasks, but it’s REALLY important to not put off reserving your newborn session!

IMPORTANT: Reserving your session is NOT scheduling your actual session date, since it’s not possible to accurately predict your baby’s actual birth date in advance. When you reserve your newborn session, you are guaranteeing a spot on my calendar! So do NOT wait until your baby is born to reach out if you know you want to work with me. Get it checked off your list!

I am only able to accept a limited number of newborns due in each month. This limited number is so that I am able deliver my unparalleled level of service to each one of my clients. Airlines may overbook, but I do not. Once I reach my newborn cap, it’s possible that there will not be a last minute opening, so don’t bank on that being a surety.

Please don’t stress 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 although this is not always the case. . Contact us right away to see if we can squeeze you in!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH AN OLDER SIBLING

When big sibs are participating in your baby’s newborn session, we ask what their nap schedule is so we can plan accordingly! We want them to be well rested and happy.

I start newborn sessions in the morning between 9 and 10ish 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 like Angela did!

Older siblings and partners arrive about 90ish minutes after I’ve gotten started with baby only, which allows your partner and older child(rent) to relax at home before heading over. You’ll get 90 minutes of peace and quiet with nobody asking you for anything! ;)

When mom and baby arrived, I took Silas out of his carseat and got started with him right away while Angela got settled into the hair and makeup chair for her beauty services. I had a few dresses for her to look through that I had pulled from the wardrobe prior to her arrival because I have worked with her a couple of times and knew her general size, style preferences, and the colors that would look best with her skin tone.

Silas was the most handsome little guy, and such a great sleeper! He looked similar to his big brother as a newborn, but not as chunky! Want to see for yourself and compare? Click here to head over to Sven’s newborn session.

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

When I was finished photographing Silas, the rest of the family arrived. Angela was finished being prepped, and had looked through the dress options and chosen her favorite. After everyone was dressed, we moved into sibling and family images.

Your newborn’s safety is the TOP priority during sessions. I will not place your baby near their older sibling if I don’t think it’s safe to. Every big sib is different when it comes to how well they listen, how calm they are, and how they are feeling about the addition of the new baby to their family. Therefore every session will look different. I’ll assess how your older child is doing with your newborn when making decisions on which types of pictures are safe to do. Sven was ok with being near his baby brother, so we were able to photograph the two boys together. What you can’t see in the photographs is that their parents were mere inches from them ready to swoop in if needed. From there, we moved to family images, which Sven was more than happy to participate in. I like to make my sessions fun for my little participants, so you can expect to play games with your child at my direction so that we can capture natural interaction between the whole family. Once we had finished with all the images including Sven, his parents gave him an activity to do to keep him busy. I wrapped the session up with individual parent images and both mom and dad with Silas. Your first baby has images with just you two, and your subsequent babies deserve to have some of those too!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTERWARDS

Our clients find our process super simple, which they love! About a week after their session, Angela & Sven viewed their proof gallery and chose the collection that best fit their needs.

When their final images were completed, they chose which ones they wanted for their printed artwork, and once it was completed, they came and picked it up!

THE FRAMED ARTWORK PROCESS

Many of our families love the framed artwork that we offer. Framed artwork is typically ready within 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! After you choose your favorite image(s) to be framed, we’ll discuss the best size(s) for where you plan to hang in your home.

Once you finalize your image size(s), the print(s) is ordered! After the order arrives at the studio, you’ll them choose your moulding (frame). I will offer suggestions and input on the best frame options for your image and home decor/ style preferences. You’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 size is, the larger the mat should be so it’s balanced aesthetically - you can also choose a very thick frame and go a bit smaller on the mat size. Once the mat and frame decisions are made, 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 barely see the glass in the frame when looking at it because of how crystal clear it is, and I love the 99% UV protection it gives the printed artwork. If you’ve never seen museum glass, no worries - our framed prints here at the studio all have it for you to see for yourself when you’re here! PS: I love it so much that I replaced at the glass in my framed artwork hanging in my home with it.

When everything arrives at my studio (typically within 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. Then, all you have to do is hang it up on your wall and then enjoy it!

If you order framed art from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print size, we deliver your 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. Every week I send an email to clients who have orders ready for pickup. This email includes a scheduling link that lists 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.

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 Family Photographer | Madeleine, Parker & Carlisle

Madeleine is one of my frequent flyer clients, and I love seeing her a few times per year for updated family and child portraits. She is the most fun mother, and her children are absolutely darling. I’ve loved watching her become a mother and welcome each of her babies! She’s a wife, mom, 100% a powerhouse, actively fights for social justice both personally and professionally with her law firm, and serves as a city council member on top of that! I don’t know how she so effortlessly does it all, but she does it with a smile and is so much fun to be around.

This particular session was for mommy and me portraits, which give daddies a break from being in photos. I’ve found that most of my clients have fifty billion images on their phones of their children with daddy but are sorely lacking in photos with mom. And the ones you do have… are not exactly (a) in focus or (b) your best angle. If that’s you, let’s fix that!

Madeleine has worked with me SO many times that she no longer needs guidance on what to wear, and she knocks it out of the park every time. She’s a big fan of white jeans, and loves the neutral aesthetic, so she coordinated Parker & Carlisle with pinks and whites.

When the whole family arrived at the studio (daddy came along to lend a hand if needed), we got started right away! My goal is for mamas to walk away with images of them with all of their children and individual ones as well. I work around your little one(s) and how they’re feeling in the moment, and direct you along the way for natural interaction. Many of the prompts that I give you are things that you do on your own all the time! You’re often just not relaxed enough to think to do these things while in front of a camera - and that’s where I come in.

My only rules for you when you’re with me are to relax, be wiling to have fun and play with your child(ren), and throw worrying out the window. Trust me and be confident that I will create beautiful images of you with your babies that your mama heart so desperately wants.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from my time with this crew!

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 Bea

I first worked with Adam & Melanie when they were expecting their first baby boy. They chose to enroll in our First Year Collection membership and we photographed his newborn, 4 month, 8 month, and First Birthday sessions at our old studio location. I was so excited to hear from them again requesting to book another First Year Collection for their second baby… and this time it was a girl!!!

WHEN SHOULD I RESERVE OUR SESSION?

In a nutshell: It is NEVER too early to book!

Most expectant mamas are busy with all things baby prep, but it’s so important to make it a priority to book your session! Clients typically reach out to us early in the second trimester to make sure that they have a spot on our calendar, and a lot of our clients inform us in their first trimester if they’re comfortable doing so.

IMPORTANT: Reserving your session is NOT scheduling your exact session date!

It is impossible to predict the day your baby will be born or how your labor & delivery experience will go. When you reserve your session, you are guaranteeing that we will have room for you - and we will schedule your exact session date when you let us know that baby has arrived!

I only have the capacity to accept 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 sometimes maintain a wait list.

Please don’t panic if you’re reading this and baby is already here! Because 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 as happy as possible!

I start newborn sessions in the morning between 9:00 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. ;) Melanie has worked with one of our HMUA’s for ALL of her sessions, so this was a no brainer for her. PS: our First Year Collection members enjoy quite a few perks - so be sure to ask about those!

Older siblings and partners arrive about 90 minutes after I’ve gotten started with baby only. This keeps your toddler happy at home, and chaos at a minimum. ;)

When the family arrived, I took Bea out of her carseat and got started right away while Melanie got settled into the hair and makeup chair for her services. I already had a selection of dresses that I had pulled out for her waiting for her review. 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. I was pretty confident she would LOVE and choose the gorgeous lace off the shoulder dress option, and I was right!

Bea was the most beautiful little girl with a FULL head of hair, and such a great sleeper! She looked nothing like her brother did as a newborn. The genetic lottery always fascinates me and I love seeing if siblings share any features or just look like totally different little people. I have three children of my own, and they all share the exact same eye color and a very similar eye shape that people comment on all the time. They get their eye color from their dad!

NEWBORN SESSION FLOW WITH YOUR FAMILY

Bea was awake when Adam and Hank arrived, which was totally fine. There is no need to worry if your baby is awake! I actually love alert babies for family images and sometimes we get lucky with a family photo of everyone actually looking at the camera. Awake babies are not a 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 my FIRST priority during sessions. I won’t place a newborn near their toddler sibling if they are not able to be calm and still and follow direction Every toddler is different, and therefore every session will look different. I’ll assess how your older child is doing when deciding which types of photos can be accomplished safely.

Since Hank was not yet 2, and quite the wiggle worm, I quickly assessed that we would not be able to have them close to each other. I was able to safely photograph a few different setups regardless though!. What you can’t see in the photographs with just Hank & Bea is that their parents were inches away from them ready to swoop in and intervene if the need arose. Taking risks with your baby’s safety is not something I do. From there, we moved into family images with Melanie and Adam holding Bea and inviting Hank to interact with her, and ended with individual parent images as well as some of just Bea with her parents. Your first baby has photos with just the two of you, so your second baby deserves some of those too!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR NEWBORN SESSION

We keep it easy for our clients! About a week after their session, Hank & Melanie viewed their proof gallery and chose their images. Because they are members of our First Year Plan, they’ll be designing an album with some framed artwork at the end of Bea’s first year so the only decisions they make right now for each session is which images to keep!

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you are expecting a new baby and are interested in reserving a session with us, 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!

Enjoy some of my favorites from Bea’s session!

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

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

Atlanta Fine Art & Editorial Maternity Photography | Emily

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.

Emily came in to the studio for a Modern Maternity session at the beginning of her third trimester. She added on hair and makeup services, which we highly recommend 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 professional experience and comprehensive understanding of studio light and editorial work. PLEASE don’t trust your makeup look to a retail counter makeup employee or ask a friend who is “pretty good” to do it, or worse, try to recreate a look on a YouTube tutorial.

If there was ever a time to have your hair and/or makeup done (next to your wedding!), this is most definitely it. Our HMUA team is absolutely incredible, talented, personable… and made up of amazing women with LOTS of experience working on production/commercial sets. You should know that they are skilled with all skin tones - including women of color.

ATLANTA FINE ART MODERN MATERNITY PHOTOS | the booking process

Our fine art modern maternity sessions are photographed in my intown Atlanta studio with studio lighting located right by Ponce City Market. I do not use natural light for this type of session, and I block off 2 hours for your session. In contrast, my natural light (non newborn) portrait sessions are scheduled for a one hour block and no studio lighting is used.

So why 2 hours vs. 1? The larger time block for modern maternity is to allow plenty of time for adjusting the lighting set up and for our mamas to change between looks. I don’t want you to feel rushed!

For those of you who want to know what time of day we schedule these sessions because you’re not sure you can get a day off of work - I’ve got great news for you! Because we are not relying on natural light, our modern maternity session start time is way more flexible than our natural light studio sessions. We can schedule for the evening hours after you’re off of work if that works better for your schedule. My only caution is to make sure that you will not be tired and potentially swollen at the end of your day.

At this current time due to the ongoing pandemic, we only shoot ONE studio session per day. This is to allow for our COVID sanitation protocols. So, please don’t delay scheduling your session until the last minute because we may not have availability for you. We book very quickly and well in advance - I currently already have milestone portrait sessions scheduled on my calendar for February and March of 2022 to give you an idea!

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. We will schedule your session to take place between 26-32 weeks of pregnancy. This will vary depending on if you’re carrying one baby or twins, your height, etc. 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 our time together.

Once you have chosen a session date from our available dates, everything else is handled online in a secure and streamlined process. We’ll send you a list of what you should bring along with you to your session (you will likely have most, if not all of it already!) and directions to our studio location. We’re located right on the Beltline next to two.urban.licks, 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.

THE PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION

So, why do I schedule a pre-session meeting with you? Over the past 8 years I 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 relaxed right out of the gate on their session day. This is because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time!  Depending on your vision for your images, you may be wearing next to nothing for part or most of it, so it’s imperative that you feel comfortable.

We will schedule a time to meet in advance of your session. This meeting will either be in person here at the studio OR virtually via Zoom or FaceTime. When making your decision, you should know that I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, and I wear an N95 mask during all client appointments and sessions regardless of whether my clients are also vaccinated.

We have a ton of clients that drive to us from quite the distance (90+ minutes) from the neighboring states of Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, so I realize that an in person meeting isn’t always possible, and that’s totally ok.

If we are doing an in-person meeting, 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 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 totally complimentary to you! If you choose to schedule an in person meeting with me, you’ll be able to see and try on our pieces. You’ll bring along clothing of your own as well, and we’ll design your session flow together based on the chosen looks we put together.

During our pre-session consult, we will discuss your vision for your maternity session at length. My clients vary with their preferences and desires when it comes to the images they want to create. Some clients love 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. Other 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 PARTNER/CHILDREN PARTICIPATE?

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. The focus of these sessions are primarily on mom, so we will have them arrive towards the end of the session in the last 30 minutes. Because of all the specialized and extremely heavy equipment that is set up and the length of the session, it’s not possible (or safe) 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 I truly LOVE my job. When you arrive to the studio for your maternity 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 Emily 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 coach you on your facial expressions if needed. 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.

You should know that if you’ve never had a session with studio lighting, it will most likely feel intimidating at first and that it’s normal to feel nervous! My lighting is on wheeled stands with large modifiers on boom arms. Once you’ve gotten used to it, you’ll start having fun and feeling like a model!

We will take breaks throughout for you to hydrate, eat a snack, take bathroom break, or sit down for a minute. If you need anything at all, all you have to do is let me know. We’ll pick right back up whenever you’re ready to resume! Your comfort is of ut

Emily looked absolutely STUNNING with her hair and makeup, and was so 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 tank top, and the rest came from our studio wardrobe!

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 opinion that modern maternity / fine art editorial photography images mostly look best in black and white. However, you get the best of both worlds because your selected final images will come in both color and black and white versions for you!

Most 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 image) or put them all into a stunning heirloom album.

If you’re considering a maternity session for yourself, YAY! Firstly, a GIANT congratulations to you!!! This is such a wonderful and incredibly special time in your life. It is such an honor to photograph pregnant mamas expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child and create beautiful images to cherish for a lifetime and pass down through generations.

I would absolutely love for you to contact us to chat about your vision and the services we offer! 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 Emily’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 First Birthday Photographer | Charity is ONE!

LaTonya contacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Charity with the whole family included. We sent LaTonya our style guide, Pinterest board, and our cake tips sheet to review as well! The style guide is a quick read and very easy to implement! The guide is relevant to any type of session you schedule with us. If you want more hands-on assistance from me in your styling, I’m here to support you! We can schedule a visit in the studio to go over your wardrobe options(whether you are borrowing from the studio wardrobe or wearing your own) or do it virtual with a few exchanged emails in advance of your session.

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T DRESS YOUR BABY UNTIL YOU ARRIVE AT THE STUDIO

If there’s one thing that’s true in life, it’s that things rarely go exactly the way we plan. Here’s a short list of things that can happen on the way to your session: random carsickness, a REALLY big sneeze, a bottle spill, your baby manages to find a chocolate m&m buried in their car seat….. You may scoff at this and think there’s no way…but these scenarios have actually happened to my clients. Fortunately, they had NOT yet dressed their child, so after a quick cleanup in the studio they were all ready to go!

WHERE TO GET YOUR SMASH CAKE

LaTonya brought along a pink and white smash cake with buttercream icing from a local bakery. Unfortunately, the bakery had put WAY too much icing on the cake, and it was sliding off the sides. After the initial shock of seeing the cake and wondering what she could do, I reassured LaTony that it would be ok! I handed her a butter knife that I keep in the studio, and we performed some smash cake icing surgery. This is not the first time that this has happened with a client bringing in a cake from a bakery, so that’s why I keep repair tools on hand. Most busy bakeries are not in the business of designing cakes for the specific purpose of photos, and often completely overdo it with too much icing or icing that is too heavy.

Publix, Kroger, and Whole Foods are all great commercial options to pick up a simple smash cake or cupcake and will not overdecorate your cake with their standard icing.

If you’re looking for a more custom and personalized experience with your baby’s smash cake, or if your baby has egg allergies/ needs a vegan option, we have the perfect solution! We highly recommend Christina with She Takes the Cake. Christina is our preferred and our ONLY recommend baker here in Atlanta. We are happy to connect you with her! She offers a delivery service where she’ll drop your cake off at the studio in advance of your session so it’s one less thing you need to worry about the day of, and her cakes are GORGEOUS.

Over the past four years, I have worked closely with Christina to develop the perfect buttercream consistency: soft enough to interact with and smash, but not so sticky that it turns cleanup into a nightmare for all involved. If you want to ensure that you don’t have a cake disaster with icing falling off the cake or dropping it on your way up to the studio, Christina is 100% the way to go!

TOP TIPS FOR YOUR BABY’S SMASH CAKE

• Keep it simple! The focus should be on your baby, not their cake. Don’t choose fondant or add tons of objects to the cake for decor.

• 6 inch diameter size or less and no more than two layers maximum. If you have a really tall cake, it limits angles for photography since their face will be partially hidden behind it.

• Real flowers are gorgeous on cakes. If you want to have some flowers, plan to remove them after the first few initial photographs - because they will most likely end up right in your baby’s mouth. This applies to anything on your cake that is not icing- candles, decor, etc. It ends up being a distraction from the task at hand and can also obscure adorable facial expressions during their session.

  Neutral icing color (off white, cream, or pastels) is best - steer clear of neons or super bright colors that may permanently stain clothing and cause color casts in your photos

• Do NOT decorate your cake with shaved coconut. Yes, the texture aesthetic is beautiful, but babies don’t like it, and it usually ends exploration of the cake as soon as they feel it in their mouth.

• Buttercream icing only. DO NOT USE whipped icing, swiss buttercream, or fondant. Whipped icing (and swiss buttercream) is a slippery greasy horrific MESS. It is resistant to being wiped off skin and will result in wrestling your screaming baby while you struggle for control and mutter under your breath, “For the love of all that is holy, why won’t this stuff WIPE OFF?!?!?!.” Fondant is very thick, and difficult for babies to get through to the actual cake with their fingers and eat.

• Skip writing a message on top of the cake (save it for the party cake instead) - it doesn’t photograph well.

  How do I know the aforementioned tips? Years and years of experience and more cake smash sessions than I can count!

FIRST BIRTHDAY SESSION FLOW

First Birthday sessions are what I lovingly refer to as my 3-in-1 session. You’ll have solo portraits of your little one, family portraits, and cake smash photos all in one session. I started the session photographing Charity alone since she was a friendly and happy baby. If your baby is on the shy side, I’ll start with them in your arms for family and parent images so they feel safe and secure.

A NOTE ABOUT FIRST BIRTHDAY ONESIES

I love personalized onesies and think they are a great option for babies. There is something you need to know about onesies though, before you go order one from Etsy.

You cannot see the onesie when baby has the cake in front of them. Sometimes babies aren’t cooperative enough to allow an image with the onesie in full view before we get started. I always try to get at least one image where you CAN see it before we start with the cake. At this point a lot of babies are over being photographed and really need the distraction of a cake being put in front of them to continue on. After Charity’s solo images, we seamlessly transitioned to parent and family, and then LaTonya changed Charity into her outfit for the cake smashing fun!

THE CAKE SMASH

I took a few quick solo photos of Charity in our Eames chair to show off her long sleeved “One” onesie and pink tutu and she flashed the sweetest grins! After I finished up, I pulled out one of our antique high chairs (we have 3) and got her all settled.

I demonstrate exactly how you should present the cake to your baby before you actually do it(sounds silly, but it does matter!) I will physically show you what I need you to do throughout during my sessions, so you will never be left wondering about what you should be doing.

When Chairty saw her cake, she grabbed it and went to town and decimated it down to the base! If your baby isn’t super interested in their cake, parents getting into the photographs can help a lot. A lot of babies love to “feed” their parents. If you model feeding each other cake for your little one, they’ll see it as a fun game to play. Once they become interested and start exploring their cake, parents can slowly back out of the frame and I’ll get those solo images of them covered in cake and icing!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Charity’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 Newborn Photographer | Baby Finn

Elizabeth contacted the studio at the end of her first trimester to schedule a newborn session for her second baby. She had worked with us for her first baby’s newborn session and was so excited to work with us again. She loved working with our HMUA team the first go round and let us know she would definitely be adding on services for this baby as well! Have I mentioned that I love advance planners?! Elizabeth knew from experience that things were just going to keep getting busier while juggling working from home and a toddler, so she was proactive in getting us checked off on her list.

WHEN DO I SCHEDULE MY NEWBORN SESSION ANYWAY?

Repeat after me: It is never too early in pregnancy to reserve a newborn session! I know you are busy with life, work, and baby preparations, but seriously, don’t put this off! Put it on your priority list right up there with ordering the crib so that you don’t find yourself scrambling at the last minute trying to find the perfect photographer for you. I say this to EVERY person looking - regardless of whether you choose to work with me or not. There is nothing worse than the stress of trying to find a photographer that you love who is also available after you’ve had a baby and are sleep deprived and don’t know which way is up. Your newborn photos should not be left to chance and definitely should not be booked with “the only person who was available.” Planning ahead ensures you have the experience you deserve.

Reserving your newborn session is NOT scheduling a specific date.

This is impossible. Most babies arrive when they want to and don’t pay attention to their estimated due dates with only 5% of babies arriving on their actual due date. When you reserve your newborn session, you may not be scheduling your session date, but you ARE guaranteeing that you have a spot on our calendar no matter what! I limit the number of reserved newborns accepted as clients each month so I can provide excellent and equal service to each of my clients. Once I reach the newborn limit, our monthly newborn schedule is closed.

If you’re reading this and baby is already here, it might not be too late. Our reserved newborns often arrive early/late, so there are some months I am able to take on a last minute newborn client. Contact the studio right away (giving us a call is best if you’re hoping to squeeze in), and we just might be able to schedule you in our calendar!

NEWBORN SESSIONS WITH A TODDLER SIBLING INVOLVED

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.

Dads and older siblings 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!

Once your big kid is finished with the photographs they’re in, they are free to play until we’re finished with dad/baby and baby/parent images. Parents bring some quiet entertainment along just for this purpose!

Some families ask if we can start a newborn session with family photos. The answer is no. Reversing my tried and true session flow of starting with newborn solo images does not work very well and tends to backfire. What usually happens is this: your newborn becomes overstimulated from the start, becomes fussy as a result and never quite settles. 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

Elizabeth and Finn arrived, and she had brought along a dress of her own that she loved for me to look at. She knew she could borrow from our wardrobe like she had done with her first newborn session so wasn’t too worried if I didn’t think her option would work. I told her it was just perfect for the session, and she got comfy in the hair and makeup chair while I photographed Finn alone.

Finny was a sleepy little guy and looked so different from Fiona as a newborn! Because he was such a deep sleeper, we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. Towards the end he opened up his eyes, which allowed me to photograph some awake and alert shots as well. As I was finishing up with the solo portion, big sister Fiona and dad arrived. Once I saw what everyone was wearing, I pulled out a couple of blanket options for Elizabeth to choose from for the family portion.

NEWBORN SESSIONS 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 the sibling photos, we transitioned to the family and parent portion. I work very quickly and move seamlessly between each image, all while considering your older child’s interest and cooperation level. While I have a pretty predictable flow for newborn sessions involving a toddler, sometimes toddlers need a break or want to do something else. When this happens, I simply adjust as needed. My goal is for everyone in your family to have a good time!

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, Elizabeth viewed the proof gallery and chose their collection and corresponding final images. When the final images were completed, they chose which ones they wanted for some prints they were ordering as gifts for grandparents! After printed artwork and products are 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.

If you order framed artwork from us that contains a 16x20 or larger print, I’ll deliver your finished artwork right to your front doorstep within 20 minutes of the studio. If you live further away than 20 minutes, you’ll need to make arrangements to pick up your order.

If you don’t have large framed artwork as part of your order, you’ll come to the studio and pick up your order. Our pickup process is easy and contactless! Each week, I send out an email to clients who have orders ready to be picked up. This email has a booking link which lists that the available pickup days and times throughout the week ahead. Clients (or their designated errand person!) reserve their pickup time, and come to the studio on that date and time. See? Easy!

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, the experience and what we offer to our clients, and how we can best serve your growing family. Contact us today to set up a time to speak on the phone. We look forward to hearing from you!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Finn’s newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Baby & Family Photographer | Lucy is six months!

In-home family and milestone sessions here in Atlanta are one of my favorite session types to shoot. Due to the ongoing pandemic they have been suspended until I am able to receive the COVID vaccine at the very earliest. Therefore, I am not going into great detail about what to expect during an in-home session in. Studio session and on location outdoor sessions are available to book, so if you’re interested in one of those please contact us to chat!

*All final session images are delivered in both color and black and white versions to clients. I am sharing the black and white versions of images from this six month milestone/family session. I’ll let the images speak for themselves rather than write a longer post about it today!

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 | Malcolm is ONE!

After working with me for her maternity and newborn portraits, Kayla reached out to schedule her son’s First Birthday portraits in the studio. She let me know that she was opting to skip the cake smash portion because she wanted the session to focus solely on Malcolm. I gave her some suggestions for what he could wear for his session, and she was all set! While most clients do choose to incorporate a smash cake in their First Birthday sessions, it’s totally fine not to! Your session will be tailored to your vision and will capture your one year old just as they are.

Want to see the other sessions? You can view Kayla’s studio maternity session images by clicking here, and Malcom’s newborn session by clicking here. As a fun little note, Kayla’s maternity session was at our old Grant Park studio, and Malcolm was one of the first babies to be photographed in our current location!

THE SESSION PLANNING PROCESS

We discuss your vision for your session at length with you. This looks different for each client! While most ask for their session to be equally focused on whole family and solo baby photos, some request the focus to be entirely on their baby. My session flow is carefully designed with your requested outcome in mind..

I HIGHLY recommend at least one parent be ready to step into the photos, JUST IN CASE. There are times that I will need to start out photographing your child in your arms in order to win them over. If you show up wearing yoga pants and hair stuffed under a ball cap because you weren’t prepared to step into the photos, this won’t be possible. If your baby refuses to be put down, it becomes a problem.

If your baby is shy, I patiently work towards getting them comfortable enough with me that they are willing to be out of your arms for solo portraits. I 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 isn’t ok with leaving your arms, then you will have images of them in your arms that will be just as gorgeous as the ones of them alone.

WHAT SHOULD MY BABY WEAR?

When you book a session with me, we’ll send you our studio style guide! It’s an easy read, and goes over best practices. I also have a list of great resources to shop at, and I gave Kayla a few suggestions of where to look! We do hav a limited baby wardrobe that can work in a pinch, but because most of our mamas prefer to dress their little ones on their own, it is not an extensive wardrobe. Our wardrobe for mamas is quite hefty (100+ pieces and counting as of this blog post), and you are more than welcome to borrow for yourself if you’re participating in the session!

SESSION FLOW

Malcolm was NOT a shy baby, so there was no need at all for Kayla to hold him while he got used to me. Kayla had dressed him in the most ADORABLE outfit complete with suspenders. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know how much I love baby boys in suspenders.

He was all about exploring the studio and super interested in what I was doing. We used a few of our studio chairs, and he showed off his super fast crawling skills! I asked Kayla if he was walking yet, and she told me he wasn’t quite there. MOST of our one year olds are NOT walking at the First Birthday session, so don’t feel like your baby is behind if that’s the case! I asked Kayla to step into one photo to assist Malcolm with taking a few steps, and she was happy to do so. It’s such a beautiful memory for mamas to have… you work so hard to take care of your little one and help them reach their milestones, and we have all had those chubby baby fingers earnestly gripping ours as they learn to walk. Your baby will never be this little again, and they will grow up entirely too fast right in front of your eyes. While I can’t freeze time, I can preserve these memories for you and it’s the greatest joy of my job.

Baby safety is the #1 consideration for me during sessions at the studio. I always have a parent to the side of baby acting as a spotter while I’m photographing your baby alone. Malcolm was what I call a “diver” and immediately tried to get down from the chair, but Kayla was right there to catch him! :)

One year olds don’t have a long attention span, and will tire out pretty quickly, so I keep my First Birthday moving efficiently and I change things up constantly to keep your baby engaged.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Malcolm’s First Birthday portraits! I love his big brown eyes and curly hair, and can’t wait to see him again as he 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 treasure for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio. I can't wait to meet you!

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