I have had the priviledge of meeting several little newborn babies lately and this is one of them. Little Sofia is just as sweet and laid back as she seems in these pictures.  I love her black hair and sweet smile.  She is one of my baby plan clients and I am already anticipating the huge smiles we will see at her next session!

I love the sweet sleeping pictures of newborns and black and white is so classic and timeless to me.  The older I get, the more I am finding it important to get Mommies and Daddies in the pictures with their new bundles of joy.  That time can’t be recaptured.  I love shooting in homes to get lifestyle shots of what life was like “way back when.”  As Sofia grows up she will have a little glimpse of what life was like when she came into the world and how much her parents adored her.

Sofia at home in her parent’s bedroom.

Chocolate, Khaki, Tan… BROWN makes a great neutral backdrop for family clothes.  Blend in some shades of green and any bright color and you are set to go.  These clothes can give you inspiration to chose clothes for a family photo session that will look great hanging on the wall of your home.  Note the little patterned dress.  Don’t be afraid of plaids or bold prints (as long as you don’t have everyone in it!). Your clothing should complement and pull together your overall look and not be the center of focus.

Let me know if I can help or give ideas for specific locations. I generally make recommendations for locations of my shoots after I know if a family has their clothing picked out.  And I also make specific clothing recommendations if you already have your heart set on a favorite place for your family photo session.  The two things go hand-in-hand in my opinion.

A recent family session of mine followed some of my tips online of putting the men in neutrals and tans and the ladies in brighter colors.  They looked great and the focus of the images are still their faces and the interaction between each other. The bright yellow was awesome! I hope to see some Senior Girls this summer wearing happy, sunny – yellow!

Before it totally gets away from me I wanted to share some images from my trip to Charleston, South Carolina last month for the National Association of Child Photographers Retreat.  You can also see the NAPCP newsletter with more pictures and details at this link.  I was honored to have some of my own images featured in that publication and blog. Warning: lots of pictures below.  I can give you a better visual of my week with some outtakes of my photographer friends as we were out and about town taking new headshots for each other.  We also had the opportunity to work on stylized High School Senior shoots that were a lot of fun and a little exhausting.  Think speed dating for Senior Sessions and you get the idea!

I communicate better in photos and that is why Instagram is my favorite social media. Below are some of my Instagram photos capturing my week in Charleston.  Follow me at @lisaphillipsonphoto to keep up with the latest in my business.

By the way, Congratulations to Matt, the most timeless baseball player to ever hit Campbell High School.  Graduation is less than a week away!  I’ll be posting more images from my Charleston trip in a few days.  Until then, here is the NAPCP press release that was issued:

The National Association of Professional Child Photographers Honors Lisa Phillipson in International Image Competition
(April 25, 2013) – The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) is proud to announce Lisa Phillipson of Smyrna, Georgia as a 2013 International Image Competition winner.
Phillipson competed against thousands of image entries and claimed the second place spot in the Seniors/Tweens category, with her piece “Field of Dreams.” She also received a recognition of Merit for her piece “Puppy Love” in the Sibling category.
Designed to recognize the world’s most successful child photographers, the NAPCP Image
Competition called for images across a range of category subjects including Maternity, Newborn,
Babies, Children, Siblings, Toddlers, Tweens, Seniors and Family. Image submissions were carefully
judged by a blue-ribbon panel of experts based on impact, technical merit, composition and creativity.

This has been the coldest Spring!  Not what I have envisioned for some of my outdoor sessions!  This afternoon was so chilly and very windy.  Only a guy could be such a trooper and not let it bother him.  So, we pressed on and managed to have a great time despite the dreary weather.  These were all taken at my Studio in Marietta which allowed us to easily run inside to recover from the weather when needed.  I so love the classic, timeless look of black and white pictures.

However, my clients end up ordering color even if they thought they would get B&W.  I think they are just so much more vibrant and clear than what people print at their own labs that they can’t resist.  And, they look great framed on the wall.

Without color, how else would you know what color Ryan’s shoes were?!

Need wardrobe inspiration for an upcoming spring photo session?  Try bright and colorful pieces, complemented by rich mocha and/or denim.  These are some examples of jeans that are a little dressier so family portraits are pulled together and comfortable without being slouchy.  It is the perfect time of year for the ladies to show off their super cute sandals and wedges!  The weather is just going to get warmer from here (fingers crossed).

I am booked for May and have a couple of spots left in June for family sessions.  Now is the perfect time for class of 2014 Seniors to book their Senior Portrait Sessions. You can find more information about the details of one of my Senior Sessions here.  I always reserve extra time in June and July for my Seniors – we have such a good time!

I am the feature photographer for the May edition of Our Town Magazine.  It is always fun to see what new people I get to meet through this opportunity and this time I met some great students at King Springs Elementary School in Smyrna.  I also learned more about their Junior Master Gardeners and what they have been doing this past year.   Everyone was excited that they have been invited to be a part of the Smyrna Garden Tour this year on May 18th. They have a wonderful outdoor classroom outside their media room and are learning so much.  It has taken a lot of extra effort from volunteer parents and staff to make this club possible and just one of the many great things about King Spring Elementary.

If you would like to go on Smyrna’s garden tour this year, you can contact the City of Smyrna to buy tickets in advance or buy them the day of the event on May 18th at Taylor Brawner House on Atlanta Road.

Don’t forget to look for a copy of Our Town Magazine starting today to read more about these awesome kids!

I am preparing and packing today as I leave for Charleston, South Carolina early in the morning.  I’m headed to the National Association of Child Photographers (NAPCP) retreat for lots of education, inspiration and (hopefully) relaxation.

I found these pictures from my last trip I took to Charleston a couple of years ago with some girlfriends.  By the look of it, this must be from my horrible Canon powershot that I do not recommend anyone purchasing.  I guess I did not have my beloved iPhone yet?  These pictures were taken on a wonderful walking tour I took.  I wish I could remember the name of the man who led it.  I am going to try to find my way back to Amen Street and hope my memory is right about their fabulous hushpuppies and blood orange martinis.  I know one thing.  The weather is going to be beautiful (again) and I will have better pictures this time.

Follow me on Instagram to see what fun we are having! @LisaPhillipsonPhoto

Happy Easter and April Fools Day! I’m sharing Mary Beth’s Senior Portrait Session today.  We were lucky enough to have beautiful weather on this afternoon and had a good time walking around looking for some decent light.  I think she looks absolutely stunning, don’t you?

I loved the Spring colors she picked and especially this fun coral striped dress.  It is a nice color for families to incorporate into their sessions as well – see below.  Mary Beth is a fun girl and I love all the expressions she makes.  I have known her since she was a little girl and she has always been such a sweet girl.

Wind and Hair can make a tricky combination!

What fun pops of coral, orange and pink colors on this family wardrobe of neutral colors.  Jeans and khakis are the way to go!  This will look great against a natural backdrop with greenery and trees in the background. 

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Congratulations on your Graduation, Mary Beth!  I know you still have some work ahead of you but you are in the home stretch and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!

I hope you had a great green St. Patrick’s Day.  It is always this day that I learn how little green people have in their closet.  You will see me in green all the time – I love it.  And I often dress my children in it as well.  I love the pairings above with the bright pink added in.  I think I might try adding that instead of red the next time I photograph all three of my children together.  Add in my next favorite color, navy blue, and it is perfect (for me).

Try adding green in to your wardrobe and portrait pictures.  These particular colors especially remind me of Easter.  You can find this color scheme in all the stores right now so it will be easy to find!  Emerald Green is the color of the year for 2013 so go for it even if it is just small pops of bright green in a scarf, purse or other accessory.