Atlanta Family Photographer | A fall session at the park

This family contacted the studio to ask about scheduling a fall family session. They wanted their session to serve as their son's six month milestone session as well. I always include parent and family images in milestone session galleries unless a parent specifically only wants images of their child. 

As a note: we don't always have last minute openings. We strongly encourage booking your session in advance to ensure you get an opening ESPECIALLY if you're hoping for images for your Christmas card! How early is too early to book? Most of our sessions this coming October were booked in April and May. Many clients schedule their baby's First Birthday session almost an entire year in advance. The earlier you book, the more choices you will have for your date. Weekend dates are the first to be snapped up, so if you're able to be flexible with a weeknight late afternoon/evening you have a much better chance of snagging a last minute date. 

Fortunately, we were able to schedule them with our last remaining date that month. We talked about where their son was developmentally. Not all six month olds are sitting up unassisted just yet!

For milestone sessions, some parents want to schedule their baby's session right at six months. Others prefer to wait until their baby is sitting up on their own. Whatever your preference may be is totally fine! If your baby is not sitting up confidently on their own, you should plan to be a participant in the session also. Safety is our first priority! If you prefer to wait until your baby is sitting up unassisted, we suggest you schedule their baby milestone session closer to the eight month mark. Most babies are usually sitting up with confidence at this stage. 

Mom dressed her family with the help of our style guide and opted for festive holiday attire. I loved her red dress, and the cozy sweaters she chose for her guys. She also chose to add on hair and make up services . Our team is comprised of the most talented artists in Atlanta, and they all do an incredible job. They are experienced and skilled at working with every skin type, tone, and texure,  and will apply makeup to enhance your best features with your preferences in mind. If you're a "barely wears makeup" kind of gal like me, they've got you covered!

Mom's completed hair and makeup was so natural, yet polished and looked perfect with her dress. Opting to add on these services is completely optional but our clients have told us that they loved having the time to relax and be pampered beforehand and that they felt so beautiful for their session. Most of our clients also plan a night out afterwards as well! 

The day of the session we met at the park location at sunset. We started with family and parent images to get their son comfortable with me and the sound of the shutter, and I walked them through where and how to stand. Then I stepped back and let them be a family. That's what family sessions are all about - you and your crew together and having fun. My job is to help you out with some gentle directed guidance if I notice that you're having some trouble because you're freezing up due to the camera. Sometimes I'll dash in to fix some hair or turn down a collar. I'll also sometimes adjust how you're standing or positioned for the best and most flattering angles. No self inflicted double chins allowed over here. 

Here are my favorite photos from the evening of their fall 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Tiffany & Logan at the park

Have I mentioned that we have a lot of last minute clients? We do. I've lost count of how many clients have called us at 37-38 weeks pregnant and told us that they didn't think they wanted maternity photos, or that they had put it off, and then they stumbled across our website and saw that we frequently take last minute clients.

Tiffany was one of these clients. She and her husband met later in life, and their pregnancy was something they were very excited about. We scheduled her to come in for a maternity fitting and had an opening a couple of days later for a park session. If you're someone who waited until the last minute, know that your chances of being able to book a session are much higher if you're able to shoot on a weekday. Weekend days typically book up months in advance especially months when we have beautiful weather here in Atlanta. 

The day of their session, we met at the studio for Tiffany to change into her first dress choice and I went through the options that Logan had brought with him to quickly style his outfits. Tiffany showed me her jewelry options, and I assisted in choosing the best pieces for each of her dresses.  After that, we then headed down the street to the park and got started. The light was absolutely magical that evening, Tiffany was glowing and so happy, and we all had a wonderful time. 

Enjoy some of my absolute favorite images from this 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A late summer park session

Abby contacted us to schedule an outdoor family session for the spring. Unfortunately, Atlanta went through a crazy cold snap during the week of their planned time with me and we mutually determined that the weather wouldn't work well. When babies are cold they are usually grumpy and uncomfortable, which doesn't make for the best images! A lot of things happened with Abby's family and personal life during the following months but we eventually were able to meet up in late August at the park location. 

It was definitely worth the wait! Abby chose outfits for the entire family based on clothing recommendations that I sent over, and everyone looked fabulous. We started the session by playing and exploring, and were lucky to have a very mild evening as far as temperature and humidity. The sun was also gorgeous that evening, and we had such a good time.

Family sessions are photographed year round, but the most popular times are in the fall and spring. As a note, outdoor sessions always begin one hour before sunset with no exceptions. If you're in love with the outdoor images you see here, that's wonderful! Every single outdoor session you see started one hour before sunset. It is known as the "golden hour" and the gorgeous light cannot be replicated any other time of day except the hour before sunrise....and even then, it doesn't have the same richness that sunset light does. 

 If you have a child who needs to be in bed at a certain hour and will be unable to function even with a late nap and a full belly, choose the best time of year for that. If you're interested in booking a family session, it's recommended to get on the calendar as soon as you have a date timeframe in mind. We fill up quickly, and already have quite a few sessions on the books for spring 2018.

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family Photographer | A family maternity session in the park

This sweet family is near and dear to my heart, because I started working with them when they were expecting their first child who is now a sweet and rambunctious toddler. Olive emailed me to let me know they were expecting their second child and wanted to work with me again, but she was a little behind in the game and hadn't thought of anything to wear. I reassured her that we had plenty of options in the studio wardrobe and we made an appointment for her styling consult. She fell in love with a split front dress and a flower crown and was relieved that she didn't have to worry about finding or ordering a dress for her maternity session at the park location. 

When we arrived at the park, Olive was worried that Dudley wouldn't be cooperative. This is a common concern with every client that has a small child. The best way to deal with this is simply to let the child lead and give them their space. Think about it...if someone you didn't know well was in your face telling you to smile and waving a big black thing around that made clicking noises, would you be excited about it? Probably not. Let me guarantee you something: I have seen it ALL. You may think your child is acting like a complete devil, but I've seen "worse". I have three children of my own, and have survived the on year old, two year old, three year old, four year old, and five year old stages thus far. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. 

The biggest "trick" is that at the beginning of your session, I hang back and let your family interact naturally together while giving you some guided direction. I wait for those moments to happen, and trust me...they do. Even if you feel like a session is going horribly and that I can't possibly be getting anything you'd want to frame - trust me and go with the flow. Relax, have fun - and your child will follow your lead. Once your child is comfortable, I'll approach to be closer. 

We had a lot of fun during the session after Dudley warmed up to being photographed. He had a blast running and playing with his parents and loved snuggling with his mom. The light was gorgeous that evening, and I was so excited to edit and deliver the gallery to them! 

When Olive saw the images from her session, she sent me a message to tell me that she had been so worried that I hadn't been able to get anything because of Dudley not being excited, but that the gallery brought her to tears because of all the moments captured. I love hearing this from my clients! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photography | Melissa & Alex at the park

Melissa chose to book a maternity session with us at the park location. When she came in for her maternity fitting, she informed me that her husband didn't particularly love to participate in photo sessions but wanted her to be happy so he willingly cooperated when asked. I told her not to worry, because I really love working with partners and surprising them when they find themselves having fun during a session! Melissa chose two dresses from the wardrobe and we discussed what her husband should wear. She also decided to add on hair and makeup services with our lead HMUA, Margaret.

I arrived at the studio a little bit early as Margaret was finishing up with Melissa so that I could meet Alex and chat with him a little bit before we left to head to the location. We talked about all sorts of things and went over what to expect during the session. It was a cloudy and overcast evening, and we wondered if it would rain even though the forecast wasn't calling for any. Alex said he thought it would rain, Melissa wasn't sure, and I said I didn't think that it would because it didn't smell like rain to me. Whenever it's about to rain, I really feel like there's a rainy smell in the air that precedes it. Call me crazy, but my nose hasn't failed me yet on that one and I turned out to be right that evening too! So, what if it's cloudy during a session? No worries! Clouds actually soften and diffuse the light even more and we don't have to worry about where the sun is falling as much. A session on a cloudy day is just as beautiful as a session on a sunny one. 

Melissa looked absolutely radiant during her session, and Alex found himself actually having fun. So much fun, in fact, that he told Melissa to go ahead and reserve a newborn session with me for when their son arrived. Another dad that I won over in the books! ;) 

Enjoy some of my favorite images from Melissa & Alex's maternity session, and be on the lookout for images from their son's newborn session (he is SOOOOO cute) when I post it next month!

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Maternity Photographer | Charles & Shelly

Shelly contacted us for a last minute maternity session in the park and had a lot of schedule limitations due to her work in the medical field. We were able to squeeze her in on a weekday night and the weather thankfully cooperated! Because it was such a last minute session, Shelly came to the studio for her maternity fitting right before her session took place. We frequently do this with out of town clients who travel to us specifically for a session and speak with out clients about their current size to determine how much of a variety we'll have for them to choose from. The majority of our dresses can accommodate most bellies and are based on bust size. Usage of the studio wardrobe is included with your session, and even if you choose not to borrow from the wardrobe you'll still have styling assistance from us. We care about your session and the final product and work closely with you to help you choose the best colors and styles to take the stress out and make it a fun experience! 

Shelly's husband joined us and we headed to the park. There was a beautiful weeping willow tree that was in perfect line up with the path of the setting sun that time of year, and we took full advantage of it. I just loved how sweet Shelly and her husband were with each other, and they were a lot of fun to work with. Here are a few of my favorite images from their park maternity session! 

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

Atlanta Family Photographer | Gus turns two!

When Ana contacted us to book a family session in the park location, she informed us that they'd never had professional family photos taken. She wanted to book a family session as a gift to her son, who was turning two. This made me emotional because THIS is exactly why family sessions are so important... they are truly a gift to your children who will be able to look at these images displayed in your home and see tangible proof of your family's love for each other. What an incredibly special gift to give. 

She stopped by the studio for a style consultation and we talked about colors that would look great on her and ideas of what she and her husband could wear. She chose one of our Henley shirts that we keep in the studio wardrobe for little boys for her son Gus to wear during the session and set off to Target with a plan in mind for what to choose for herself.

Ana's session was scheduled for February and on the same night that she and her husband were going out for their Valentine's Day date. She decided to add on hair and makeup services with our lead HMUA, Margaret for their family session. I always recommend planning a special date for after your session to get some extra mileage for your hair and makeup investment! Ana loved Margaret's work so much that she emailed Margaret after the session to tell her how much she loved it, and how much her husband loved it as well. We aim to please! 

During their session, we had a lot of fun laughing, tickling, and being silly. Gus is such a sweet little boy with some of the most amazing eyelashes I've ever seen. He was such a joy, and the happiness and love are so evident in their images. Here are a few of my favorites in black and white!

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!

Atlanta Family Photographer | Oona grows!

I've been lucky enough to work with this sweet family since their maternity session when Irene was pregnant with their daughter. I have photographed many sessions for them now, so I'll list them below so you can check them out! 

• Irene & Steve's Field Maternity Session
• Oona's Newborn Session
• Oona's Six Month Field Session
• Oona's 9 Month Studio Session
• Oona's First Birthday Session

Irene and Steve wanted a spring session when Oona was around 18 months old, and we decided to shoot in the park location in May before summertime arrived and it became oppressively hot. I gave them some ideas of what to wear from their own closets, and we met an hour before sunset for lots of running around and having fun. Oona had a late nap that day and a nice big dinner with snacks on hand to keep her happy since it was past her normal bedtime.  I only shoot outdoor sessions one hour before sunset because the dreamy sunset lighting is incomparable to any other time of day. For families who don't want to keep their children up later, I suggest booking a session after daylight savings time when the sun sets much sooner in the evening. Late naps and full bellies are key for those later hour sessions. 

18 month olds are on the GO and they stop for nothing. It's super important for clients to realize that a session with an 18 month old requires lots of patience, willingness to play and run, have a tickle fight, and letting go of the idea that an 18 month old will sit still or be "cooperative". When I say "cooperative" - I mean sitting perfectly still with hands folded and smiling for the camera. That's just not what my sessions are about. If you want to remember your toddler in all their independent glory and feisty personality, and you want to have images that show how much you loved each other as a family and all the fun you had, then we're a great fit! 

Irene & Steve were definitely worried during the session and afterwards that Oona was too challenging and that we didn't get anything. I reassured them that there were plenty of absolutely beautiful images. After they viewed their gallery and came to pick up their print selection and USB with their digital files from the studio, Steve admitted that he was really (pleasantly!) surprised by all of the images since Oona was more interested in exploring her surroundings than anything else. 

Here are a few favorites from our family session at the park! 

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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Family & Baby Photographer | A mommy and me session in the park

I was so excited to see Clarissa and her beautiful daughter, Isabella again. I first met Clarissa when I photographed her studio maternity session (click here to see some of those images!), and then met little Isabella when she brought her to the studio for her newborn session (click here to see some of those images!). I'll be seeing them again this coming weekend for Isabella's first birthday portraits complete with some cake smashing fun! I absolutely love watching my tiny clients grow and getting to know their families well over the first year and beyond.  

Prior to the session taking place, Clarissa dropped by the studio to look through the wardrobe and get inspiration for what to wear. She knew she wanted to use her own clothing, but wasn't sure on what she should wear. I offer all outdoor session clients the opportunity to book a styling appointment at the studio in advance of their session with me to go over options from their own wardrobe and see if there are any pieces they might want to borrow for their session. It's also a GREAT way to introduce your children to me in advance if you've booked a family session. 

For Isabella's six month session, Clarissa chose the park location. Clarissa also opted to add on makeup services with Megan for her session as well. When I arrived at the studio, I played with Isabella for a few minutes as Megan was finishing up Clarissa's makeup. Clarissa and Isabella got dressed and we headed down the street to the location! 

My sessions are about the emotional connection, so there are lots of snuggles and cuddles going on. I'll place you where I want you in terms of lighting, give you a few directions for natural interactions with some tips to make sure you don't accidentally give yourself the dreaded faux double chin, and then I step back and let the magic happen. Your children are happiest when they are with you and having fun. So, come relaxed and open to playing and having fun, and the rest will naturally follow. 

Without further ado, here just of few of the images from this session with this gorgeous mother and daughter duo. I can't wait to share images from Isabella's upcoming 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 birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.