Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Roxanne, Zach & Orlando

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Cecilia is ONE!

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

Allison contacted the studio to reserve a newborn session for her daughter, and at the time she was living overseas due to her husband’s job. I remember thinking that she must be having a really hard time sleeping while pregnant since she was emailing at crazy hours of the night until I learned she was across the world in a different time zone!

When Harper arrived, Allison emailed us to let us know, and we scheduled her session. She asked to add on makeup services as well. Adding on hair and makeup services is super easy. You simply let us know you want it, and we’ll check with our team to see who is available for you and connect the two of you. You don’t need to worry about trying to coordinate different calendars and schedules - you have enough to worry about with a brand new baby! Our artists are all incredible and very experienced. They’ll work with you to create the look you want - most of our newborn moms ask for fresh and clean beauty. Others want a little more drama with the eye. Save a few photos of looks you like on your phone and show them to your artist, and they’ll work with you to create a look that enhances your features and is amazing. Even if you don’t wear makeup (ahem, that would be me), know that they do such a great job of not making you look overdone or not like yourself. I don’t even OWN any makeup (unless you count Chapstick) and I always tap one of my artists when I have my own photos taken. Some clients are worried that adding on hair and makeup will make their session last even longer - but that’s not the case. I’m going to be photographing your baby alone for the first 90 minutes regardless. So… you can sit on the couch or you can sit in the hair and makeup chair and be pampered until it’s time for the parent and family portion!

We also sent over our newborn prep packet for Allison to review. In it you’ll find best practices for the morning of, a short list of what to bring from home, and styling recommendations if you’re dressing anyone from home. Allison opted to bring her own comfortable dress from home, and styled DJ perfectly as well!

When the family of three arrived with Grandma in tow, Allison settled into the chair and I started with Harper’s solo portraits. Harper was a sleepy little thing and just so beautiful with a full head of black hair. Because she was such a good little sleeper, we moved through the solo portraits pretty quickly. When I brought her out, Alison was finishing up and I handed Harper over for a diaper change and a feeding. Once Harper was clean and dry with a full belly, she fell right back to sleep and we moved into the family and parent portion.

I don’t have a set flow for my sessions - they are very baby led. If baby is comfortable in one position, I’ll work with that and we go from there. We’ll segue and transition through different placements of parents, and I’ll guide you both through everything - I will literally tell you exactly where to look. I promise you won’t be left standing there feeling awkward and wondering just what the heck you’re supposed to do next. The emotions during my session are very real: but I do set up my clients where I need them to be, give them direction for what to do next, and then step back and let their interaction unfold naturally. At the end of the day, your job is to admire and love your baby… and by the time you’re at my studio, you’ve usually been doing that 24/7 for at least a week straight. So, you’re already an expert at it!

One last thing about this session that I want to mention… when Allison was holding Harper while sitting on the chair I noticed that she was in a lighter sleep pattern and was responding to high pitched voices. I called in Grandma to see if we could evoke a smile… and Grandma said a lot of things but guess what she said that got the REALLY big smile? “We’re gonna go shopping!!!!!!” Daddy, you might be in trouble.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Harper’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 First Birthday Photographer | Anjali is ONE!

Working with this family over the past year for their youngest’s 3 month, 6 month, and 9 month milestone sessions has been such a treat! Nilam had worked with another photographer for years with her other children, but after her youngest’s newborn session they were sent my way by her. I love referrals from other photographers and I SO appreciate the trust they’ve placed in me to take good care of their clients. A lot of wedding photographers send clients to me for maternity and newborn sessions because they recognize the importance of hiring a person who specializes in that specific genre. (PS: don’t ask me to shoot a wedding, because I won’t do it…but I do have a few wedding photographers I can refer you to if you’re looking!)

All of the previous sessions had been held in the studio so I asked Nilam what she thought about switching it up for the conclusion of the year. I suggested the gardens location and she loved the look of it. She also let me know that both of her parents would be participating in the session again, which I love. Having grandparents involved is so special, and it’s a lot of fun.

Nilam didn’t have time to come into the studio for a style consult due to her busy work schedule, so she and I exchanged emails instead. She simply snapped some phone photos of what she was considering and we built it from there. Once the family was set, we moved on to the grandparents and voila! All done! This session was colorful and fun, and I absolutely loved how it all worked so well together!

When we met up at the gardens, I immediately started with the large group shots. These are often some of the most important images for my clients, and I want to be sure that we get them. In my experience, children are much more cooperative right at the beginning of a session - and once they’re over it, it can be a challenge to engage them. So, group shots first! After those were done, I immediately moved into sibling and parent images. The gardens have so many places to photograph in, and I kept the family moving to different areas. Moving around tends to keep little ones more interested and engaged, so if I see that they’re getting fidgety or bored, I usually head to the next spot! I wrapped up with the immediate family, and then Nilam changed Anjali into her cake smash outfit which was an adorable chambray romper.

Cakes are totally optional for First Birthday sessions! Most clients opt to include one since it’s a fun way to celebrate and enjoy watching your child explore their cake without the pressure of a birthday party or worrying about documenting it. We’ve also had donuts, cupcakes, and pies - so feel free to think outside the box. If you do choose to bring a cake, we’ll give you some cake tips beforehand. Believe it or not, the size and icing type/color do matter! If we’re shooting an outdoor session with a cake, you’ll also bring a blanket along as well. This ensures we are respectful of the environment and also makes cleanup much easier for you!

I photographed Anjali alone for a few solo portraits and then we put down the blanket for the cake. I always encourage parents and siblings to join in too and have some fun. Those images are ALWAYS amazing and so much fun to have to look back on. All the other photos are done, so who cares if you get a little icing in your hair? ;) Plus, you get to eat cake. I mean…. need I say more?

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this wonderful family’s session! I can’t wait to photograph them again in the future for another family 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 Child & Family Photographer | Finley is TWO!

I first photographed Finley for his First Birthday session, and just he and his dad came to the studio for that session. A few months later, Chrysten scheduled a session for big sister Kendall’s fourth birthday, and brought her and Finley to the studio. You can see the fun images from her high energy session by clicking here!

Chrysten emailed us to schedule a portrait session for Finley’s second birthday and let us know she’d be participating too! YAY! I love when parents want to be in the photos also. I truly think that it’s one of the best gifts that we can give our children - tangible memories of how much we loved them that they can hold on to forever even when we’re no longer with them. I know that most moms are the ones documenting everyday life so most of the photos end up being of dad and the kids! Don’t be the family ghost in photographs and end up with regrets twenty years from now.

We scheduled the date and sent over our style guide for Chrysten to review. When she arrived at the studio she brought along an armful of options. If you want to plan out wardrobe for everyone in advance, we can do that via emailed photos or we can set up a quick style consult in the studio. If you have a busy schedule and can’t make the time to come in or send photos, you can show up the day of your session with options (make sure they fit and are ready to put on and wear) and we’ll figure it out! :) Honestly, the style guide is very concise and easy to understand - all of our clients have expressed that it’s been incredibly helpful to them when planning what to wear! We’re here to help if you need extra input after reading through it though, so don’t hesitate to ask.

I pulled the best options from the pile of clothes that worked well together, and we got started! Chrysten is such a fun mom, and it’s clear that she adores her kids. The feeling is definitely mutual! Sessions with me are often centered around play. Little ones do not tend to follow direction, so we set the scene and I watch for the moments. A lot of clients are really surprised because they were expecting to walk in and be posed super specifically based on what they’ve seen on the website. Make no mistake: I will place you where you need to be and give you guided direction for what to do (along with some what NOT to do’s) and the rest organically unfolds. Every child is different, and every relationship is unique. I want to capture that beautiful dynamic in an authentic way, and with children I’ve found that play is the best way to go about it! So when you work with me, come prepared to PLAY, tickle, snuggle, and just have fun. It’s a low pressure environment here, so check any stress at the door - you will enjoy your experience so much more as a result, and the resulting images will be absolutely beautiful, joyful and reflective of who you all really are.

Enjoy a few of my favorites! I can’t wait to see these guys in a few weeks for our sold out Santa event!

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Talia is ONE!

Hiba called the studio to inquire about First Birthday sessions, and booked one for her daughter, Talia to take place on a weekend day. She was excited that we also photograph parent and family images during First Birthday celebrations in addition to solo portraits of the new one year old. Including a cake (or any other sweet treat) is totally optional and up to each client! We sent over our style guide and cake tip sheet for Hiba to review, and were all set to go!

When the family came in, they brought along some fun balloons to incorporate and Talia’s adorable pink ombre rosette cake. She was a friendly little girl, and not scared of strangers, so we started right away. Sometimes if I see a baby is feeling a bit apprehensive, we will just sit and chat for a bit and I’ll offer them a studio toy to play with. I temper my energy level and keep my distance until I’ve established a relationship of trust with your baby. Every baby is different! There are times that happens instantly, and other times it will take a bit longer.

We started off with some family images and then transitioned to just Talia on the bed and chair. She wasn’t sure she wanted to sit there so I pulled out our toys! I have lots of wooden studio toys that we keep on hand for babies to play with during sessions and they also photograph well. Our toys are always sanitized after usage, so no worries about germs.

When it was time for the cake smashing fun, we changed Talia until a pink camisole from the studio wardrobe. We have a wide variety of sizes in case your baby is bigger or smaller than the 12 month size and have the camisoles in white, gray, and pink. They're perfect for cake smashes, and bonus: less icing caked laundry for you to worry about! I set up the balloons by the high chair, and I want to take a minute to note that balloons are fun but also a bit of a challenge, especially numbered balloons! Even in the studio with no wind, they still turn and rotate and one year olds don’t quite have the dexterity to hold them and keep them facing the right way. Parents will often be helping out to turn the balloon and then backing away slowly so they don’t create air movement to turn the balloon away again. We welcome balloons, but know that we will eventually remove them from the setup because we want the focus to be in your baby enjoying their cake and not have balloon strings be a distracting background element.

Talia’s mom handed her the cake, and she dove right in! The comment I receive most often about cake smashes from parents is that they loved being able to watch their child and fully enjoy every moment without worrying about photographing it. I take care of it for you! There was a lot of laughter as we watched Talia eat her cake and offer to share with her parents. Parents often jump into cake smashes, and I LOVE it! You may end up covered in icing, but it’s so worth it to see the sheer joy on your baby’s face when you share the moment with them too.

If your baby is turning one soon or in a few months and you'd like to document their First Birthday in a classic and timeless way, please contact us today to begin planning! It's never too soon to schedule (some of our newborn clients get on the calendar at their newborn session!) - and the further in advance you schedule, the more varied your date options will be.

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 | Safeeya and family in the gardens

Safeeya had just moved here from out of the country, and didn’t know of any photographers in the Atlanta area. She looked around online, looked through my website, and fell in love with my maternity sessions in our gardens location. As a reminder, the garden location is not available on weekend evenings, so if you want your session to take place there, you will need to arrange for your schedule to accommodate a weekday. During certain times of the year, we can also shoot an hour after sunrise time at the gardens as well - this is a perfect fit for early risers or those who want to avoid the summer heat. Weekends are sometimes available for sunrise sessions - just ask about that when you inquire!

A couple of weeks later, the family came in for their maternity fitting at the studio, I was delighted to meet all three of them! Big sister was absolutely adorable and such a sweetheart. Safeeya tried on lots of dresses, and had it narrowed down to five. I encourage my clients to take photos in each of the dresses and then send your final choices attached to an email. This ensures that we have the dress steamed and ready to wear for your session in advance, and prevents any mixups from happening since we have a LOT of pieces in the studio wardrobe. Safeeya emailed a few days later with her final choices: both off the shoulder dresses since she loves that look so much. One was a gorgeous floral dress in chiffon and the other was a cream lace dress - she looked stunning in both! They also chose a dress for their daughter from the studio wardrobe as well and expressed how happy they were that they didn’t have to go out and find something for her. Our baby and children’s wardrobe is much more limited than our wardrobe for moms, but those who have borrowed from it have loved what they’ve found.

On the evening of their session, we had such gorgeous light! Once everyone was dressed and ready, I started with family images. I always do this for two reasons: (1) in case they decide they’re over the session and don’t want to participate anymore later on and (2) to get them used to me and the sound of the camera shutter.

As we walked around the gardens, I photographed the family together, some with just Safeeya and her daughter, and some of Safeeya alone. As her daughter’s interest started waning, we gave her a break and spent some time just photographing Safeeya and her husband together as well. It was such a fun time with them, and I enjoyed hearing stories about their home country and the traveling they’ve done. We’re so lucky to photograph clients from all over the world!

I LOVED working with this sweet little family of three (soon to be four!) and can’t wait to see them again very soon for their newborn session!

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Adrienne, Dave & Logan

When Adrienne emailed me to let me know she was expecting baby #2, I was so excited! I first worked with them when they were expecting their first baby for their maternity session in the studio, and again for his newborn and First Birthday sessions, and then a family session that also was at his second birthday milestone. As with Logan, they had decided to wait until birth to find out whether or not they were having a boy or a girl. I made the same decision with all three of my own babies, so I love when my clients also opt to not find out beforehand!

She let me know that she wanted to book both maternity and newborn with add on hair and makeup services to both. Adrienne loves working with our HMUA team, and has elected to add services on to nearly every session! A couple of weeks before their session, she came to the studio to look through our wardrobe. We are constantly adding pieces to it and sometimes retire other pieces. At 4’11”, Adrienne is one of our most petite clients (the winner stands at 4’10”!) and has a very small frame. We have plenty of options to accommodate petite clients though, so it’s not a worry. After looking through the options, she decided on two dresses: a pretty purple maxi dress, and an off the shoulder white gown with a high low hem. I love this particular white gown for my petite clients since they can walk freely without having to worry about moving the dress bottom out of the way. I carry clamps and fabric tape in my bag at all times, so if a dress is too big for a client we can usually make it work. We’ve also had other instances where the dress wouldn’t zip, so we just clamped the back of it to the client’s bra. If you’ve browsed the website, you’ve probably seen plenty of instances of that… but you just don’t know it since it’s not visible! ;)

The evening of their session, we met at the park location and got started. At their last session, Logan had still been pretty shy and had stranger anxiety, but at almost a year later, that had all changed. He was outgoing and friendly, and had fun participating! How adorable are his little blue glasses?! During maternity sessions that include families, I almost always take the opportunity to photograph dads with their little ones while mom is getting changed into her second look, and this time was no exception. Dads really enjoy having fun with their little ones, and we have some fun playing and goofing off in those few minutes. I’ve had several moms comment that they had no idea what was going on while they were getting changed and that they were brought to tears when seeing the proof gallery and the special daddy-kid moments that they didn’t see unfolding. It’s the last time it’ll just be your little family unit before the newest member arrives, and it’s such a bittersweet feeling. Rest assured, your life is about to change in an amazing way and your heart will love even more than you ever thought possible. Almost most every client I have worries a little bit about how it’s all going to work out! I remember being in labor with my second baby and holding my firstborn in my arms during contractions at home… and thinking to myself “WHAT HAVE I DONE?!” The idea that she would no longer be my only little sidekick made me slightly terrified and I worried that maybe I was somehow going to ruin her life. Verdict? It made her life incredible and she has a best friend for life… and I had two of the best little sidekicks ever…. now it’s three since their brother joined us too!

Towards the end of the session, Logan was getting a bit restless, so I had Dave take him off for a break while I photographed just Adrienne. I called Dave back over for a few couples images, and then Logan was interested in participating again. The bubbles I brought along may or may not have had something to do with that! ;) All in all, it was a fun 45 minutes together and I worked around Logan’s willingness to participate at any given moment throughout. People ask what’s needed for a successful family session. I’d say it’s an even tie between patience and flexibility for all the adults present (me and parents!). I know those sweet moments WILL happen during sessions, and it’s just a matter of being patient and quick on my feet. While I give my families guidance and direction for natural interaction, the kids run the show. At the end of the day, you cannot force a three year old to have genuine emotion or interaction - but trust me, with patience and flexibility, that will unfold on its own.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this family maternity session - and be on the lookout for the photos from their newborn session soon!

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

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

Atlanta Newborn Photographer | Baby River

Jessica emailed me to let me know that her second baby BOY, River had arrived! I was so excited for their family and we confirmed their newborn session date. We’d actually reserved a date for their newborn session based on her scheduled c-section date and history of being “overdue” because of her husband’s travel schedule. Typically we will not schedule a firm date until babies have actually arrived, but because of those extenuating circumstances, that’s how we handled it! The reason why is because babies don’t tend to arrive when we expect. If your baby came two weeks earlier, the date we had scheduled based on their due date would likely be later than needed. If they came a week later than expected, we would have to push the date out. However, since the weekday we scheduled was the ONLY date that would work for their family, we knew going in that it would be the day regardless of whether baby came earlier than expected. We like to schedule our newborns to come in between 8-21 days of age. There are a few important factors that we take into consideration when scheduling: the size of your baby, when they arrived relative to their expected due date, and how the both of you are recovering.

The morning of River’s newborn session, Jessica and her mom arrived at the studio with River in tow. Big brother Griffin and daddy stayed at home to play! We have big kids and dads arrive about 90 minutes after I get started with baby. This allows moms to have some quiet, and in Jessica’s case: pampering in the hair and makeup chair as she’d elected to add on those services!

I took River for his solo portraits while Jess settled into the hair and makeup chair. River was smaller than his brother was at birth, and it was quite a different experience photographing him since he was much easier to wrap and work with. Griffin had rolls on rolls which made it a little more complicated! ;) If you want to see Griffin’s newborn session, just click here to see those images! River was a little sweetheart and flashed a few grins for me. When babies smile in their sleep, I know we are approaching wake up time. Every baby is different: some wake up and are immediately angry and hungry, while others slowly rouse and take in their surroundings.

River was totally calm while awake and gave me some very quizzical expressions. I love when newborns are awake and calm as it gives me an opportunity to photograph those open eye and eye contact with the camera shots. Once I finished with those, I took him back to Jessica and she nursed him while I pulled out options from the studio wardrobe for her. I had an off the shoulder cream lace dress in mind for her that I knew she would look beautiful in, and was pretty sure she would love it. My instincts were on the mark, and she kept commenting on how much she loved the dress and how pretty she felt in it.

Daddy and Griffin arrived shortly after, and we started with family and parent images. Griffin was such a sweet big brother and was interested in participating at times and other times not so much. This is never a problem - I just let toddlers do their own thing. Griffin would drift over to his grandma and then jump back in to join us, and it all worked out perfectly. I have parents ask big siblings to do things like “Show me baby’s toes” or “Can you give baby a kiss?” and am right there to photograph whatever naturally happens. Sometimes they’ll say no or run away, and that’s ok! The most important thing we can do is to have patience and not try to force a child to do anything. (A) Forcing toddlers to do anything almost always backfires and (b) it’s not fun to be forced to do things. I have all sorts of techniques in my bag of “tricks” from the past six years of photographing newborns and my own three children - so come relaxed and ready to play a few games, and we’ll get beautiful images of your children interacting naturally with the newest family member!

Enjoy a few of my favorites - I can’t wait to see River again when he comes to meet Santa next month! (PS: we are totally sold out and have been for a couple of months, but you can hop on the waiting list and cross your fingers!)

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | A Mommy & Me session at the park

I first worked with Jess when she was pregnant with her first baby, and was so excited to hear that she was expecting a second! We scheduled her maternity and newborn sessions, and met up at the park on a summer evening in August. She also asked to add on hair and makeup services, which she’s done for pretty much every single session at this point. She loves our HMUA team so much that she’s hired them for special events not related to photography - and she’s not the only one. Many of our clients have done the same thing, and our artists love working with them for any of their beauty needs - from event prep to makeup lessons.

I’ve worked with Jess MANY times at this point (maternity, newborn, six month, First Birthday, 18 months, and Santa for her first child) - so we’ve gotten to know each other over the past couple of years. She let me know she’d be bringing one of her own dresses (I got her hooked on the brand when she wore one of their dresses during her first maternity session) and she borrowed a blush off the shoulder dress from the studio wardrobe. It’s one of my favorite dresses to photograph clients in on sunny days because I can shoot through the sheerness of the dress and create beautiful images that show off the belly without actually showing any skin. You’ll see what I mean later in this post!

Griffin is a busy little boy, and as any parent with a toddler knows: you can’t really tell them what to do. Directing two year olds is not actually a thing. Fortunately for my clients, that’s not how I run my sessions with small children. I engage with them and give parents direction for natural interaction. We play games, sing songs, break out bubbles…whatever it takes. I want your little ones to have fun during our time together. Come to your session with patience and a go with the flow attitude, and we will create beautiful images of your family together.

Enjoy a few of this sweet mommy and son duo before welcoming the newest addition (check back in a couple of days to find out if it was a boy or a girl!).

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Anna is ONE!

Oksana contacted the studio to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Anna. They had recently moved here from Germany and were looking online at different photographers and knew instantly when they came across my website that I was the perfect fit for them. We scheduled a date for them, and sent over our easy to follow style guide. If you’re still worried about your outfit selections, we are here to help you with that! You can come into the studio a couple of weeks before your session with the clothes from your own closet and I’ll help you pull things together. You can also borrow from our client wardrobe! If coming in is not feasible for your schedule, you can also email snapshots of the different combinations you’re considering. Whatever is easiest for you. I have three kids, so I totally get having a busy schedule. I want your session experience to be fun and as stress free for you as possible!

On the morning of their session, the family arrived and Anna was in the prettiest pink dress with lace accents. Her mom had picked up a gorgeous lace dress for herself from H&M which is such a great local option for Atlanta moms. They often have total gems from season to season that photograph so beautifully.

We started with Anna in her mom’s arms for solo portraits. While she was friendly and curious, she wasn’t quite ready to take photos by herself just yet since she was still getting used to me and the sound of the camera shutter. Babies run the show around here, and I structure my session flow to each individual baby and their personality. We called dad in for some family images and ended with more parent and child.

After we finished with the family and child portraits, Anna was ready to be photographed alone! She gave me the biggest grins and cutest expressions, and we had a lot of fun. What you can’t see is Anna’s dad right outside the frame ready to catch her if needed. You never know when a baby will decide they want to take a swan dive off of a chair, so we always have a parent right there spotting to catch if that happens.

Once we were finished with those, we moved to the cake! When Oksana presented the cake to Anna, she immediately touched it. She wasn’t super interested in eating it until her parents helped her out a bit, but then she totally lost interest and wanted OUT of the high chair.

So, we took her out of the high chair and concluded on the floor! I will always work with a baby to make them comfortable and happy, and sometimes that’s in the arms of their parents when it comes to the cake.

Clients should know that each baby reacts differently to their birthday cake. How they reacted at their party (if they had one) may not be how they react in the studio. Many babies do not “like” their cake at their party. Keep in mind that birthday parties are MAJOR sensory overload for one year olds. At the end, when the cake is served, they’re often completely exhausted and spent. Finally, a crowd of people staring at you waiting for your to eat is not a low pressure situation for a baby. Just so you know, a smash cake is not a required part of First Birthday sessions, but they sure are cute and lots of fun!

Here are a few images from Anna’s birthday celebration in the studio!

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 Claire

I first worked with Sean, Charmaine, and their beautiful daughters for their field maternity session. You can see those images by clicking here. They wait until birth to find out what they’re having - and I was so excited to hear from Charmaine that their third little GIRL had arrived!!!! Fact about me: I also waited with each of my pregnancies to find out what I was having. We have two daughters, and we thought we would have a third for the perfect little trifecta of sisters… but instead we had a little boy who completed our family of five.

We scheduled a time for them to come in for Claire’s newborn session when she was 10 days old and sent over the newborn prep packet for them to review before their session. It’s a short and easy read, and covers best practices for the morning of the session, what to bring with you, and what to wear from your own closets if you aren’t utilizing the studio wardrobe.

We are often asked how we schedule newborn sessions. When you reserve your newborn session with us, you are getting a guaranteed spot on our calendar. We only take a certain number due in each month to make sure that we have enough time to dedicate to each of our clients. If your baby arrives earlier or later than their schedule due date and end up being born in a different month than their “due” month, that’s totally ok too! We’ve planned for that as it tends to happen for at least one or two babies on our calendar each month. ;) Once your baby has arrived, you let us know within 48 hours of their birth. I tend to schedule newborn sessions to take place between 8-16 days of age but have photographed babies up to 26 days old. When you contact us to let us know your baby has arrived, we’ll ask a couple of questions about their weight and how you’re both recovering from the birth and schedule the date from there!

Charmaine arrived at the studio first with Claire. When older siblings are involved, we have dad or a grandparent bring them in later. It’s much easier and stress free for the whole family for older kids to only be there when being photographed! Being told to sit still and be quiet isn’t fun for anyone, and for the first portion of the session the studio needs to be a very quiet environment as I am photographing baby only. I got started with Claire’s solo portraits while Charmaine looked through the wardrobe to see what was available for her to wear. She loves lace, so quickly settled on a pretty cream lace dress with lots of detail and texture.

Claire was a sweetheart and slept well for her portion of the session. She did need a short break to nurse, so while Charmaine was tending to her, I pulled a few of our studio dresses for little girls to go through with Charmaine. We settled on a white dress from the studio wardrobe for her older daughter, and decided to put her middle daughter in a dress she had brought from home. All of their dresses were now in the same tonal color palette but different enough to contrast well and flattered each individual’s skin tone!

Sean and the girls arrived as I was finishing up with Claire, and we moved right into the family portraits. The girls were just so excited about their new baby sister and eager to hold her and participate in the session. At 5 and 3 years old, they were definitely quite easy to work with and direct! Sarah (3) was a little hesitant at first, but because she already knew me from our time together at the family’s maternity session she relaxed quickly and had a lot of fun. We wrapped up with a few parent only images and then the family went on their way home.

I loved working with this family and can’t wait to see them again in the future! If you’re expecting a new little family member and interested in learning more about a Fresh 48 hospital or newborn session to document those first weeks as a newly expanded family, contact us to discuss your vision and learn more about what we offer!

uIf 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 | Aya, Peter & Emilia in the gardens

First and foremost, I feel the need to make sure everyone knows that I am NOT a wedding photographer, and I have no intention of ever being one. No thank you! The images below are not from a wedding but are family portraits in bridal attire with a few bridal formals mixed in as well. I strongly believe in working with photographers who specialize in what your need is. You wouldn’t hire your landscaping company to come put a roof on your house, would you?

I’ve had quite a few clients come to me for a redo of their maternity, newborn, or family images after a disappointing experience with their wedding photographer… because more often than not, wedding photographers just don’t know how to work with or photograph newborns or families. They specialize in weddings & engagements, not tiny humans who don’t follow direction. ;) (Note: this is not ALWAYS true - I have a couple of out of state colleagues who do both weddings & newborns on a regular basis and are fantastic at both!)

That being said, if you need a wedding photographer and want a few recommendations, feel free to reach out to me because I have a short list of incredible ones in the Atlanta area.

I’ve worked with Aya and Peter before when they brought in their daughter for a newborn session, and then again for Santa each year and Emilia’s First Birthday session. I’ve loved getting to know their family over the past couple of years, and was so excited when Aya asked if we could do a session that was a bit out of the box. She and Peter wanted to have official bridal attire photos, and they wanted to have some images of Emilia at age two as well. I asked if she wouldn’t rather hire a wedding photographer, and she was firm that she wanted a family session with some emphasis on couples photos. “We want your style, and we’ll just happen to be in bridal attire.” Okay then! So, we decided to knock all the birds out with one stone! Because of the timing of Emilia’s birthday, the session was scheduled for July…which as the locals know - is not exactly the best month temperature wise to wear a wedding dress or tuxedo outdoors! We tossed around the idea of a sunrise session since those are often much cooler in the summer months, but waking up that early wasn’t a good fit for their family. If you’re thinking of a sunrise session: you will need to be AT the location about 5 minutes before the sun comes up. We’ve found that late September through October are great months for most families since that tends to be between 7:30-8ish AM. In the summer the sun rises in the 6 AM hour. If you have a baby that’s up before dawn every morning, that might be a perfect option for you! The other time of day that we schedule outdoor sessions is 90 minutes to an hour (depending on the location of your session) before the sun sets. When you contact us to discuss options for your outdoor session, we’ll talk about the different locations and times they’re available and you can make the best decision for your family! No matter what you choose, your session will be lots of fun!

Aya asked to add on hair and makeup services, and we paired her with Brielle who created a gorgeous updo and natural makeup look for her. That evening, we met at the gardens and we lucked out with a cooler July evening in the high 80’s with an overcast sky. While it was still pretty warm, it was much better than 100 degrees with blazing sun! Overcast skies are always welcome for my sessions because it creates beautiful, soft, and diffused light. It also offers more flexibility in terms of placement and where we can shoot. I can’t face my clients towards a setting sun and take a photo with everyone having squinty eyes. When it’s overcast, that’s not an issue, so I can shoot pretty much any direction we want to at any point. I love a gorgeous sunny day, but I love overcast days just as much. If you’re worried about your session day being too dark - don’t. I will be the first to let you know if I think the weather will be unfavorable to the final outcome, since I want the very best end result possible for my clients!

I photographed the family together right away while Emilia was still happy and interested. Toddlers are always a wild card during sessions, so I like to play it safe and get those family and parent images done right out of the gate. That way, if your toddler decides 20 minutes in that they are DONE - no stress! We’ve already got everything we need and I’ll focus on photographing the other members of your family while giving them a break. More often than not, when toddlers see the rest of us carrying on without them, they decide they don’t want to be left out and rejoin us. That’s pretty much exactly what happened with Emilia that evening too!

This session was so much fun. So if any of you out there would like to do a really fun session in bridal or formal attire to redo your wedding photos or celebrate an anniversary, I am 100% all for it! Let’s talk about your vision and get to planning!

In the meantime, enjoy some of my absolute favorites from this beautiful trio’s family/bridal session!

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | First Birthday

I first photographed Max when he was a tiny little newborn, and was so excited when his mom contacted the studio to book a portrait session to commemorate his First Birthday. While most of our families choose to make a First Birthday session a family affair complete with a cake, Jessica wanted some simple and updated portraits of just Max at one year old. We sent over our style guide and Pinterest board to give her ideas for what to dress Max in, and scheduled the session to take place after a nap and some food. Sessions with babies (and really, pretty much anyone!) are best timed for when they’re well rested with a full belly!

The day of his session, Jessica and Max arrived and I couldn’t believe how big he was! That first year of a baby’s life is absolutely astounding when you think of just how much they grow and develop. I see it all the time multiple times per week in my studio with our repeat clients and it still never fails to amaze me.

Max has the biggest blue eyes and the funniest expressions. He was a friendly and curious little guy, and I knew right off the bat that he wouldn’t need much of a warm up to me. Portrait sessions of just babies and children without their parents are typically pretty abbreviated (30 minutes or less) because I’m only photographing one subject and work quickly and efficiently. However, we allot up to an hour because sometimes babies need a break for a snack or some milk, or just want to snuggle with their mom for a little bit. Max was pretty go with the flow, and we wrapped up in about 25 minutes and used several different studio furniture pieces. Jessica was hovering just out of sight of the frame to keep Max safe if necessary. Babies sometimes decide they want to dive off a chair, so we always have a parent right there just in case.

Enjoy this little sweetie’s handful of portraits! If you’re looking for a photographer to photograph your baby or older child for a milestone or birthday, or just are overdue for updated photos, we’d love to have you in our studio! Contact us today to discuss the different options we have available.

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 Willoughby

I first worked with Katharine and Howard for their winter maternity session at the park location when they were expecting their first child. You can view those images by clicking here. To view his newborn images, click here. When they found out they were expecting another baby, they contacted me to schedule maternity and newborn again, and we had such a great time at the mountain location for their maternity session. You can view those gorgeous mountain images by clicking here.  Katharine chose to add on hair and makeup services again for both sessions and worked with Margaret each time.

FINALLY, baby Willoughby arrived! We scheduled her newborn session and sent over our easy to follow prep packet for the day of. Newborn sessions that involve big siblings are a bit different. We have dads and older children arrive later in the session so that they don’t have to be contained for 90 minutes. They’re much happier at home! We’ll work around your toddler’s nap schedule if that’s needed, so no worries there.

When Katharine and Willoughby arrived, she was fast asleep in her car seat. Katharine let me know she would be borrowing from the studio wardrobe and I told her I had a specific dress in mind for her that I was pretty sure she would love. I was right, and she chose it without hesitation. When I work with clients for a while, I know what colors and styles will look great on them, and I’m usually on the mark with my suggestions from the wardrobe! I began working with Willoughly for her solo photos while Katharine settled into the hair and makeup chair with Margaret. Willoughby was the sweetest little thing and so relaxed. I loved photographing all of her little details, and was amazed at how she curled up in my lap while I was wrapping her. I never force babies into poses, and just wrap them as they naturally position themselves. She was definitely an easy baby and a great sleeper.

After I finished with Willoughby’s solo portraits, Howard and Henry had arrived. I moved on parent and family images. Katharine is so in love with Howard and her children, and is just radiant and beaming. Howard is such a fun guy, and he's a wonderful dad. It’s so fun to watch my client families grow, and I have I loved getting to watch these guys grow!

The family portion is easy and a lot of fun. I never force toddlers to do anything they don’t want to do, and I approach each session differently. Some toddlers are more than capable of laying still next to their new baby brother or sister and others aren’t. Safety is paramount, and there is always a parent right there out of the frame spotting for any images like this. Sometimes it’s clear that it’s not going to happen, and we get images in other ways. Henry was SUCH a sweetheart with his baby sister and quite generous with the hugs. He has some of the most beautiful blue eyes, which I think Willoughby will also have. Only time will tell!

Here are some of my favorite images of sweet Willoughby and her amazing family! 

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

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

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Kayla & Johnnie

Kayla called the studio to book a maternity session. She didn't think she wanted one initially but she found herself changing her mind the further along she progressed her her pregnancy with her baby boy. We were able fit them into the studio schedule and she came in one weekend afternoon for her maternity fitting. It was fun chatting and getting to know each other as we went through the wardrobe pieces. The only problem we had was that she loved almost every single dress she tried on! I took photos of her in each of her top favorite options, since she wanted to get her husband’s input. Most of the time I can guess which wardrobe piece(s) will be the winner but not this time: she honestly looked amazing in every single option she was considering so she couldn’t have gone wrong with any of them!

Ultimately, she chose one of our newest wardrobe additions - a beautiful blush pink ruffled off the shoulder gown that was fitted and showed off the belly. Before she left her fitting, we talked about what Johnnie should wear based on each of the options she was considering, and said our goodbyes.

The afternoon of their session, Johnnie and Kayla arrived and I got to know Johnnie a bit before we got started. He’s a personal trainer and was fun to talk to. Once Kayla was ready she then informed me she was feeling a bit nervous about everything because she wasn’t sure of how to stand or what to do with her hands.

This is the NUMBER ONE thing clients say right before a session starts, and I’ve got good news! You don't need to worry, because I’ve got you covered I will guide you through the entire session and will give you gentle direction for natural interaction while taking care to shoot from the most flattering angles. I will take the best of you, and together we'll create some beautiful photos for you to look back on.

We got started, and I modeled exactly what I needed Kayla to do - and she was a pro in no time at all. Johnnie was great as well, and I would simply nudge him a little bit in the direction I needed his head to go if my verbal direction wasn’t enough. She looked absolutely stunning in her dress, and had the most fun dangly earrings ever. (I’m a big fan of dangly earrings myself!) Statement earrings almost always work in maternity session and usually a better choice than a statement necklace. Why? A statement necklace is right above the belly and can compete with it for the viewer’s eye. For a maternity session, we don’t want that! I always suggest a more simple necklace for moms who want to wear one and to choose bangles or fun earrings for accessories if that’s their thing.

Johnnie and Kayla were so sweet together, and we were finished with their session in about twenty minutes! I ran into Kayla at our local Target a couple of weeks before her due date and she told me how much they loved her maternity pictures and how glad they were that they’d gone ahead and done them. She said they felt that they would have really regretted not having them, and expressed how excited she was to come in for their newborn session. Speaking of which… the newborn session is taking place TODAY! I can’t wait to meet and photograph their beautiful new baby boy!

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 Child & Family Photographer | DJ is THREE!

I LOVE working with Senika and DJ, and I have photographed them since Senika’s maternity session! Senika books a family session every year for DJ’s birthday, and comes to our Santa event every year also. Santa is currently sold out, but as of this blog posting, you can still get on the wait list for December 7th!

Senika loves our client wardrobe and let me know that she would be borrowing a dress for their session. We scheduled a time to come in the week beforehand, and she fell in love with a long purple dress with pretty ruching at the bust. We talked about complementary colors for purple, and she settled on yellow since it’s one of the colors that looks best with DJ’s skin tone and also matched her special hot air balloon idea. (keep reading!)

On the evening of their session, we met at the park . Senika had brought along a foil #3 balloon and a basket with a banner to emulate a hot air balloon! I loved her creativity, and we had a lot of fun setting it up. I will note that balloons are usually tricky: and that was definitely the case that evening due to wind gusts. While we were grateful for the wind providing cool air, it kept twisting and moving the balloon, but we did eventually get a few moments when it died down that we were able to shoot. I also ended up having DJ hold the balloon at the base rather than by the string so he had more control over it. It’s definitely different than last year when Senika ended up holding the ballon since he was only 2 and couldn’t quite master it!

Enjoy a few of my favorites from DJ’s and Senika’s session. Want to see his previous birthday sessions? No problem - click here for his second birthday, and click here for his First Birthday!

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

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

Atlanta Baby Photographer | Jordyn is ONE!

Rashida is a long term client who has done several sessions with us since she was pregnant with her second child! I’ve been lucky enough to photograph maternity, Fresh 48, and newborn sessions for her second and third children and LOVE working with their family. Rashida called us to schedule a First Birthday session for her daughter, Jordyn with her two older sons included as well for some sibling images!

The day of their session, when the family arrived there were hugs all around. The boys know and remember me from previous sessions, and their parents are always fun to hang out with. Rashida is a pediatrician, and Jordache is an architect, and I always enjoy catching up whenever I get to see them.

Rashida has worked with me so many times, and had her kids all dressed and ready to go with no help needed from me. She did ask to borrow one of the studio tiebacks, which Jordyn kept on for a little bit! Jordyn started walking at just nine months, and was a complete ball of energy! There was lots of giggling and running around happening during this session, and she definitely made me work for it.

We started off with all the siblings together - and once those images were done, Jordache took the boys and left since they live close by. I then photographed just Jordyn, who never stayed in one place for longer than a millisecond. Rashida kept apologizing, and I told her it was totally fine, because it was! If your baby is a mover and shaker, let them be who they are. First Birthday sessions are about capturing their personalities and who they truly are at that time in their life. If they are always in motion, I’ll photograph them in motion - and they will be much happier. Also: have you ever tried to force a one year old to sit still? It’s not actually possible. ;)

Jordyn started getting fussy, so we took a break for some milk and a snack. Once she was finished, she was back to her old perky self, and we moved into the cake smash portion of the session. I keep simple camisoles on hand in white, grey, and pink for clients to use if they’d like to spare their clothing from icing. Rashida took me up on that offer since the cake icing matched the pink camisole I had, and we changed her into it.

Rashida brought an adorable smash cake with buttercream pink rosettes from Publix for Jordyn. If you choose to include a cake in your baby’s First Birthday session (nope, it isn’t required!) we have a list of resources for you in the Atlanta area if you don’t want to make it yourself! It doesn’t matter where the cake comes from, although we do have a couple of local bakeries we recommend avoiding due to the icing not working well and will give you those names when you book.

We’ll also guide you as far as what to choose for icing type and colors if you plan to include a cake in your baby’s session! Our recommended baker is super talented and can accommodate egg and diary food allergies. She can also create vegan cakes for those who may desire or need that as an option. Sugar free cakes are not an option though, just so you’re aware! Our preferred baker can also drop the cake off at the studio before your session so it’s one less thing you have to worry about on the day of. We have a full kitchen in the studio with a fridge, so your cake will be good to go!

I brought out the studio’s antique high chair and photographed Jordyn playing with a few of the wooden studio toys in it. It helps babies get used to sitting in it, and if we find that they don’t like it, we can move to an alternative option! I suggested to Rashida that she try putting the headband back on Jordyn when she was preoccupied with the cake since she would likely be too distracted to notice it. She snuck it on really quickly once Jordyn had her fingers in the icing, and sure enough Jordyn didn’t try to take it off since she was too busy playing with the icing. I always love seeing how babies explore and react to their smash cakes. Jordyn wasn’t too interested in eating her cake, but really enjoyed playing with the icing…. until she didn’t. Check out the last image to see what I mean! ;)

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Jordyn’s First Birthday session! If you’re interested in booking a session for your baby, contact us today to discuss options.

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 Fresh 48 Photographer | Baby T

I absolutely adore Fresh 48 sessions, and this one was no exception! Fresh 48 sessions are scheduled to take place after the birth of your baby before you’re discharged to go home, and take place during daylight hours. New mamas let me know when they’re going into labor and then confirm when baby has arrived, and we coordinate when I’m coming in. If you’re welcoming a new sibling, many families love to try and coordinate my being there when big brother or big sister meets their new baby for the first time. Grandparents are always welcome to participate as well. We will always start the session with just mom, dad, and baby and have anyone else participating join after I’ve been there for about 20 minutes.

I travel to intown hospitals for these and am most often at Waters Pavilion of Piedmont Hospital, Northside Hospital, Emory Midtown, DeKalb Medical Center, and Atlanta Medical Center for these. I get a flu shot every single year in September, and my pertussis booster is updated every three years. My last pertussis vaccination was this past September. The safety of my tiny clients and their families is absolutely paramount!

Fresh 48’s are photographed in a documentary lifestyle format. I want you to remember your baby exactly as they were, with their flakes and wrinkly skin, and puffy little cheeks. I’m always amazed at how vastly different babies look at two days old compared to two weeks, and a Fresh 48 is a perfect way to preserve that forever.

New families decide on what they’re wearing. Some families want true documentary and opt to keep the classic hospital newborn hat and blanket on. Other families declined that hat and blanket and immediately used their own things for their new baby. Some mamas like to wear a robe or pretty nightgown, some mamas stay in their hospital gown, and others (like this mama) change into a dress. There is no right or wrong way to go about it - please dress in a way that makes you feel beautiful and how you want to remember being when you look at your images 20 years from now.

During a Fresh 48 session, sometimes we will have nurses stop in, and I’ll take a step back and let them do what they need to do. It’s best to coordinate with your nursing staff before I come in on a time that we will have as few disturbances as possible. I’ve had a few frustrated parents when a nurse arrived and announced they were taking baby to the nursery for a test or shot that could have been delayed until later if the nursing staff had been made aware of my visit in advance.

If you’ve had a c-section, I’ll work around whatever limitations you may have. Some mamas feel better sitting while others prefer to stand. Even though this is very much a documentary approach, I’ll still be giving you some guided direction for natural interaction and helping you as needed! I’ll also sometimes help swaddle up baby (after washing my hands of course!) if you’re still getting the hang of it, and I’ll position baby in their hospital isolette for some solo images of just them and all their little details.

Here are just a few of my favorites from this Fresh 48 session! If you’d like to talk about booking a Fresh 48 session, contact us today! We are fully booked for a bit, but also have a waiting list for some months.

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 | Renee & Marcus in the Gardens

Renee contacted us to see about scheduling a maternity session at the gardens location. She was so excited to hear that we had availability that worked with their schedule, and asked to makeup services as well. We paired her with Brielle, who is one of our most requested artists and super fun to hang out with while having your beauty needs taken care of. We also penciled Renee in for a maternity fitting appointment to look through the studio wardrobe a couple of weeks before her session date!

On Renee’s fitting date, we had a lot of fun going through the dresses and getting to know each other. She looked beautiful in so many of the options and snapped selfies of her top favorites so she could take some more time to think. Renee had let us know prior to her fitting that she was pretty tall and was worried we might not have things long enough. We reassured her that we work clients of all shapes, heights, and sizes from 0-16. Our tallest female client so far was 6’2” and our shortest was 4’10”. We have a variety of styles from glamorous to bohemian to understated elegance. If you decide to wear your own clothing, we’ll help you out with an easy to follow style guide and are available for feedback on anything you’re considering! We are here to help in any way we can, because we believe that your session experience should be as stress free as possible.

Renee narrowed down her choices and emailed us a photo of one selected dress. She let us know that she was going to wear a last minute dress of her own as her second option that was in keeping with the style guide suggestions. We have wardrobe pieces dry cleaned or laundered after being worn for a session, so we need to know your selection four business days in advance of your scheduled session date. This ensures we have enough time to get it to the dry cleaners and back if necessary! If you can’t decide on your choices the day of your fitting, no worries at all - we’ll let you know the exact deadline to let me know by. Before Renee left, she and I determined that based on her husband’s personality and her choices, his wearing a suit for one look and a more casual look for the other would be the best choice for their session. That being said, the vast majority of our guys wear just one outfit - so don’t feel like you need to have two outfits for your guy too! It’s totally a matter of personal preference.

The evening of their session we met at the gardens and got started wearing the more casual look. I love photographing at the gardens since there are lots of different areas and varying backgrounds to photograph. I definitely choose where to photograph within the gardens depending on what my couple’s outfit looks like. Certain areas lend themselves well to a dressier look, while other areas are better for a relaxed and casual feel. Marcus looked great in both of his outfits, and it was so much fun to photograph the two of them together. They’ve been together a while, and were lots of fun to be around! .

Enjoy a few of my favorites from their gardens maternity session! Renee was absolutely radiant, and it really shines through.

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.