Check out the highlights of this newborn session of a sweet newborn baby girl posed with fresh tulips in my Indianapolis studio!
Read MoreEnhancing your newborn session with fresh flowers | Baby Delaney | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
newborn girl
A Day in the Life of a Newborn Photographer | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
Come with me and see a peek at the work behind the scenes before and after your special Indianapolis heirloom maternity, newborn, milestone or family photo session!
Read MoreFive details you don't want to miss in the newborn stage | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
Once you have your new baby in your life, you won’t believe how many photos you’ll take. And while it’s great to capture all those little moments on your smartphone, there’s nothing as special as having heirloom quality professional photos of all the little details you want to remember. You can be sure there will be great effort to capture these special elements at your newborn session at my Indianapolis studio!
Read MoreFive things to consider when planning your newborn session | Indianapolis newborn photographer
Here are five things to consider when planning your newborn session at my studio on the east side of Indianapolis!
Read MoreBaby Azaria | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
Little Miss Azaria’s arrival was greatly anticipated for several months, and her mommy and daddy were beyond thrilled to finally have her here.
Daddy was definitely smitten and couldn't help but sneak a kiss of her sweet little toes
Before Azaria arrived, we celebrated the special season of anticipating her arrival with a special maternity session.
You can check out all the unique and special elements to this awesome maternity session in my Indianapolis studio at the previous blog post here.
Parent shots are always first so that Mommy and Daddy are fresh for the photos. We captured some beautiful portraits of Azaria with Mommy and Daddy.
Alexsis wore a gown from my client closet for some of the photos. Any of my maternity gowns can be worn when you come back for newborn photos! The gowns are all very versatile and can work both ways. You can check out all of the options in my client closet here!
Alexsis wanted to recreate a portrait incorporating angel wings for Azaria to coordinate with her maternity photos with the angel wings. Both Alexsis and Azaria were the most beautiful angels. It was so sweet to connect the maternity photos with the newborn photos - connecting the time of Alexsis anticipating her angel to the reality of her baby girl being here earthside. What amazing heirlooms these will be for them as Azaria grows and changes!
For her maternity session, Alexsis requested a photo of herself holding a sweet little crown in the clouds
It was so special to pose Azaria with the crown that her momma held in her hands as she anticipated her arrival.
Alexsis requested that sunflowers be incorporated into Azaria’s newborn session. Azaria looked so beautiful with these deep rich tones!
Alexsis requested the color yellow, and I made sure we incorporated it in some different ways. It didn’t matter what shade of yellow we used, Azaria looked beautiful in all of it!
We did a couple more set ups incorporating blues and pinks
Adding variety to a newborn session is important!
Detailed shots will help Mommy and Daddy remember those tiny little fingers, the dimples in her knuckles, those sweet little toes, how tiny her little head was, the super soft hair on her sweet little head, and the newness of her little face. As Azaria gets older, it will also be a way for her to see how beautiful all her little details were when she was a newborn.
Just as we were finishing up her session, Daddy mentioned that she would be pretty in purple.
So we got spontaneous and pulled together a purple set up. Boy, was he right! The purple tones really highlighted what a gorgeous baby she was!
It was a delight to my heart to make the connection between the maternity session and the newborn session. Both of these stages are a unique thread that ties the story of this precious girl and her family together.
Contact me here to discuss booking your maternity session. We can discuss your preferences for unique ways to incorporate some of the photos to line up with newborn photos when your baby arrives! Any time a maternity package is booked, a credit is given toward a newborn package!
Art Work | Indianapolis newborn photographer
Check out this informative blog about ways you can use your art work gift certificate from your newborn photo session with Memory Lane Photography in Indianapolis!
Read MoreCelebrating little Miss Violet | From newborn to first birthday | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
When Jessica first contacted me and told me her dad gifted her with a newborn session to ensure she had a beautiful capture of her precious baby girl, my heart melted.
He UNDERSTOOD. He knew how fleeting that stage is and how important it is to make such an important investment.
Jessica and I started communicating and plans were formed for Violet’s session based on Jessica’s color and theme preferences.
We talked a little about what Jessica should plan to wear, and she chose a beautiful but simple dress for her photos with Violet.
We started the session with shots of Momma and Violet.
Parent shots are always first. We want mommy to be fresh for these special shots with her baby.
After we captured some beautiful shots of Momma and baby, Momma got to relax and settle in. We transitioned to a bucket shot with florals and lace and added a beautiful wreath for Violet to wear. Keep an eye on that wreath - it shows up again later!
Violet settled right in and we were able to get the most beautiful captures of how beautiful she was at this precious newborn stage!
Time went by and Violet was growing! Jessica had such a special relationship with her dad, and they discussed making plans to invest in Violet’s first birthday session. He was planning to help with the investment. They were both excited as they looked ahead to that exciting milestone.
But then tragedy struck, and Jessica lost her dad when Violet was just 9 months old.
Jessica knew that investing in a beautiful capture of Violet’s big first birthday milestone was not only important to her, but that it was important to her dad.
She made this a priority, and contacted me to chat about scheduling the session.
She told me that Violet loved cows and that she thought it would be fun to do something with cows and sunflowers. I got to work with plans for a set up and choosing a cake design that would be a perfect fit for this request.
Every milestone session allows for up to three different outfits!
Jessica chose this gorgeous green jewel toned dress that complimented Violet beautifully! We started her session with this outfit.
Recognize that wreath? That is the same wreath she wore for her newborn photos!
We got several beautiful shots of Miss Violet in her pretty green dress and also in a second outfit with a sunflower top and distressed jeans. I almost couldn’t contain myself at how adorable she was in these outfits! But even more fun was capturing her fun personality and having a variety of sweetness, silliness and just plain cuteness!
Violet was very shy when she first came for her first birthday session
Her momma gave me the heads up that it can take a bit for her to warm up
Because I knew Violet needed some time to warm up to me, I had momma set her down and play a bit with momma right there. I sat down near her so she could see me, but she saw there was comfortable distance. I talked to her and gave her some time. We didn’t rush anything. After about fifteen minutes of letting her play and be close to momma and watch and study me, she began to smile little bits at me and her body language began to show that she was becoming more comfortable. We moved into the studio and I gave instructions for momma to set her down for her first set of photos. This allowed her to become more familiar with being in my studio and seeing me with the camera but still being very close to momma.
Before long, she was warming up enough that I could come closer and touch her just a bit or move her a bit to make sure the light was hitting her in just the right way to ensure we were capturing the most beautiful photos of her.
By the time we got to her second outfit with the sunflower blouse
she was completely warmed up and all of her personality started to shine through!
And then it was finally time for the finale of the session - the cake smash!
Violet is known to not be a fan of getting messy
Jessica wasn’t sure if there would be any smashing of the cake.
Violet was very interested in the ears on her cow cake and eventually figured out how to pull one of them out and use it to play with the top of the cake. It was so entertaining to watch her play in her own way and for her unique personality to be on display.
And by the end, she definitely got messy!
She let her personality shine and she and Jessica will always have this beautiful celebration to remember her first big milestone. Jessica’s dad would be so proud and happy to know that she has these photos - these heirlooms to treasure for always.
Capturing your family's story | Indianapolis newborn photographer
Brandon and Kaylee had a strong desire to become parents, but struggled to see this dream become a reality. They waited three long years to finally meet their first little one. Read their story in Kaylee’s own words below:
announcement photos used with permission
““We can’t keep our secret any longer!
This is our story.
It’s been 3 years filled with tears, hope, discouragement, faith, questions, trust and phrases like “will we ever be blessed with a child?” We’ve been asked numerous times “when are you guys going to have a baby?” or “why don’t you have kids yet?”
Looking back on these 3 years we can see how God has worked everything out in His perfect timing. We’ve had these years to encourage, love, and grow in Christ together. We wouldn’t trade this trial for the world because it’s a lesson of patience and trust we’ve needed in our lives. We hope our story can be an encouragement to someone who is still waiting on their precious little one. God truly blesses in His timing!
We are SO thrilled for baby Unruh to join our family in April!”
What a delight it was to capture some beautiful maternity heirlooms for them as Kaylee carried their little one and they anticipated the day they would meet him! We enjoyed a sunrise maternity session at the canal along
the White River in downtown Indianapolis.
And then, before they knew it, he was here.
Their hearts could hardly contain the joy this little one brought and the depth of love they felt for him.
Every time Brandon and Kaylee look at their newborn photos, they are looking upon heirlooms that take their hearts right back to all of those emotions of joy and love.
Fast forward a couple of years…
and Brandon and Kaylee were gifted with another precious miracle! Grayson was now a big brother and Brandon and Kaylee now had a sweet little boy AND a girl!
Little Miss Harper was the sweetest addition to the family and it was an honor for me to capture her in the newborn stage while she was new to the world!
Time passed, and Brandon and Kaylee discovered another little blessing was on the way, but unfortunately, they had to say goodbye to their sweet angel baby before their child ever came earthside. Going through this kind of loss leaves you with such a heartache that is impossible to put into words. It’s a difficult storm to navigate.
In God’s perfect timing, He chose to give them a precious little rainbow
after the storm.
Little Miss Remington arrived . . .
. . . and the Unruh family had now grown to a family of five!
She was the perfect little bright spot that was so needed after such a difficult loss.
Returning to my studio on the east side of Indianapolis as your family grows allows you to have a beautiful consistency to your heirloom photos. Look at the precious growth that has taken place through the past few years!
It truly is an honor to walk with you as the story of your family unfolds, capturing precious heirlooms for you along the way.
Message me HERE to inquire about booking your maternity and newborn heirloom session!
Newborn photos - therapy for your soul
Finding out a little one is on the way brings a huge variety of emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other.
There is a feeling of joy and excitement that is impossible to put into words.
And yet there are so many fears and unknowns surrounding finances, health, and feeling overwhelmed by the amazing responsibility that you are facing.
There are challenges to your body physically that stretch you to a new understanding of what it means to love sacrificially.
There are emotional challenges as you face hormone changes and deal with postpartum.
All of this looks different for every momma and some struggle on deeper levels than others, but ALL mommas (and daddies too in their own unique ways) will face some of the hardest challenges you’ve ever experienced.
Sometimes, those challenges can crowd out the indescribable joy and delight of this new little person that has completely changed your life for the better.
Choosing to invest in heirloom quality newborn photos is therapy for your soul.
When you have nights of very little sleep and baby is extra fussy and your body is tired and sore, that can often be all that you see in front of you.
When you are struggling with postpartum emotions and have those hard moments and hard days, it is so hard to remember the positive side.
But when you catch a glance at any one of your beautiful heirloom newborn photos, it will instantly lift your spirits and remind you of this beautiful gift you’ve been given and the treasure that she is.
As your body heals and your baby grows and quickly changes, those difficult pieces of the first days and weeks of having a newborn will become blurred. Your memory of how beautiful and precious your little one was at this stage will be blurred as well, unless you invest in heirloom quality newborn photos. You want the memory of the tough pieces to blur and not be remembered, but you do NOT want the memory of your little one to be blurred along with the hard stuff. Choosing to invest in heirloom quality photos of your newborn baby will definitely be THERAPY FOR YOUR SOUL.
Enjoy these highlights from little Miss Chikamsi’s newborn photo session at my studio on the east side of Indianapolis. Every time her mommy and daddy see these photos they will recall with fresh remembrance how tiny and beautiful she was at this delicate stage!
Fall themes for your newborn session
Fall is a beautiful season that brings cooler temperatures, beautiful fall foliage on the trees, apple orchards, campfires and hay rides!
If you are expecting a baby in the months of September or October (and even November!), it is fun to incorporate a fall theme into your newborn session at my studio on the east side of Indianapolis!
Sunflowers have a way of telling us that summer is ending and transitioning into fall. Adding sunflowers to your newborn baby’s fall session is s special way to remember the season you met this little piece of your heart for the very first time.
Pumpkins are such a fun part of the fall season!
Sitting around a campfire and making s’mores is a fun fall activity
If you enjoy this element of the fall season, it is special to incorporate your family’s love for this fun piece of the fall season into your newborn session!
Fall is a time of harvest - especially here in Indiana!
Your newborn session can include colors and textures that accent the season of harvest.
Fall is a time when school is starting back up.
If you happen to be a teacher like this little guy’s mommy and daddy, incorporating a school theme can be a fun way to celebrate your baby’s fall arrival!
Maybe you love hunting or just being in the outdoors and hiking in the fall. Choosing forest animal themes and backdrops make for some fun fall newborn photos.
These are just a few ideas of ways to highlight your baby’s arrival during the fall season!
Your newborn session is always curated specifically to your requests and any visions you have. If you have any requests that are different from what you see here, we will make it happen!
Baby names from A to Z
After being a newborn photographer for over twelve years, I have been amazed at how much variety there has been in the names of each little one that comes to visit me at my Indianapolis studio! Some of the names were chosen simply because the parents loved the name, and some because of a family or cultural background.
Here is a highlight of babies I have captured from A to Z!
I am only missing two letters of the alphabet - take a look and find out which letters are missing!
A is for Asher
Asher can be a beautiful name for a boy or a girl!
Here are two little Ashers I’ve had in my studio!
B is for Beau
C is for Caiya
D is for Denton
E is for Esther
F is for Fionnlagh
G is for Georgia
H is for Haddon
I is for Irena
J is for Jude
K is for Koah
L is for Laela
M is for Margot
N is for Nolan
O is for Owen
P is for Piper
Q is for Quinn
R is for Rhett
S is for Sebastian
T is for Taya
V is for Violet
W is for Weyland
X is for Ximena
Z is for Zeke
FAQ | The five most frequently asked questions when preparing for a newborn session | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer
When inquiring about a newborn session, there are questions that tend to be asked often. Here are the answers to the five most frequently asked questions about your Indianapolis newborn session!
1. When is the best time to book?
The simple answer? Don’t wait!
Honestly, as soon as you discover you are expecting and have a general due date established, it is not too soon to reach out to book your newborn session.
It is best to have your session booked before your third trimester, if possible. There is always room allowed on the calendar in case the need arises to reschedule because of an early or late delivery, or an unexpected longer stay at the hospital.
Birth can be very unpredictable, and that is taken into consideration when booking your newborn session. Having that date on the calendar before baby arrives allows your session to be secured. We can adjust the date of the session based on the actual day of delivery.
2. Do I need to bring outfits and items for the set up?
No! The studio is full of beautiful items and everything is provided for your beautiful heirloom newborn photos!
Lots of communication takes place before the session, and you have the privilege of sharing any preferences you may have of colors and themes.
Sometimes mommas will screen shot a photo from the Memory Lane Photography Instagram page or a photo from the Google listing and request a similar shot with her baby.
If you have a special blanket or significant item, be sure to communicate this and I will plan a way to incorporate it into one of your set ups.
Everything needed for all of these requests is provided in the studio. When you arrive for your newborn session, all of the set ups will be ready for your little one!
Check out the Memory Lane Photography Instagram page here for ideas for your upcoming newborn session!
3. What is the investment?
There are three newborn packages available.
Each of the three newborn packages includes high resolution digital photos as well as an art work gift certificate. This certificate is applied toward beautiful artwork such as high quality prints, canvasses, or albums to display your photos. You want to enjoy them much more than just pulling them up on your phone. Check out the details here!
4. Where are you located?
My studio is on the east side of Indianapolis in New Palestine.
If you are familiar with the Indianapolis area, you would know that the center of Indianapolis is inside the I-465 loop. If you go to the 3 o’clock spot on the I-465 loop, my studio is about a 10 minute drive almost straight east from there.
5. Are there any other perks when scheduling a newborn session?
Yes! When you book a newborn session, you will receive a $100 credit toward Baby’s Grow With Me Collection.
This collection is a total of 3 separate sessions spanning across your baby’s first year of life.
It allows you to have heirlooms that beautifully document the rapid growth of your child throughout the first year. It is an investment that will only grow in value over time as your baby changes. The memory of the details of the various stages of growth become blurred, and this investment allows you to go back to remember those details vividly.
Do you have more questions about booking a newborn session? Just send me a message! I’d love to chat more with you!
Customize your newborn photo session with a special item | Indianapolis newborn photographer
Every single newborn session is unique and special. There are no two newborn sessions exactly alike. One element that can make your newborn session extra special is incorporating a special item that was made for or gifted to your baby.
In this family, these little ones were born six years apart. Their great grandfather crocheted these blankets for them. This is definitely a special item worth documenting! Having this special item as a part of your heirloom photos as a reminder of a great grandfather’s display of love is a priceless treasure.
These brothers each had a baseball bat with their name engraved. This was such a special way to show their connection as a family, but also make each boy feel special and celebrate his uniqueness.
Little Mr. Christopher
was named after Christopher Robin in the classic Winnie the Pooh stories by A. A. Milne. His Mommy is passionate about classic literature and her love for the classics inspired her choice of his name. Incorporating a theme that displayed the choice of his name was a special addition to his newborn photos.
Sometimes the special item is something simple
such as a display of your baby’s name that will be in her nursery!
This sweet boy has a big brother named Oliver who only lived earthside for a day. When his Mommy and Daddy said goodbye to him, they chose this sloth to represent Oliver. When Lincoln arrived exactly one year later on Ollie’s birthday, they wanted Oliver’s presence to feel very real for his newborn photos. So we added the sloth into two different poses with Link. Now, when Link looks at these photos, he can feel Ollie’s presence and know he was with him from the very start.
Whatever your unique and special item may be, I am thrilled to beautifully incorporate it into your newborn session at my Indianapolis studio. Book your newborn session here!
Destination newborn session | traveling to Texas | Indianapolis newborn photographer
When I first started specializing in newborn photography, I traveled to homes around Indianapolis and brought all of my things with me - the props, the wraps, the backdrops, etc. Because I utilize natural light, I would find the biggest, best window and move furniture around and create makeshift set ups to accomplish the task at hand.
Because of the nature of posed newborn photography, that became increasingly challenging,
and before long, my husband helped me transform our sunroom into my studio.
Having my own studio right in my home in Indianapolis has been a huge blessing because when parents arrive with their new baby, I have everything set up and ready to go. Mommies and Daddies can relax and allow me to capture heirloom photos of this precious stage without worrying about cleaning their home for my arrival.
On a rare and special occasion, I will still travel to a client’s home.
My sweet friend, Sara, lives in Texas, which is a bit too far from Indianapolis to come for a newborn session at my studio. So, instead, for her last three babies, she flew me out to Texas for each of their newborn sessions.
Flying Southwest airlines was the way to go because you can check bags for free. And in order to provide Sara with the same kind of photos I provide for all of my other clients, I needed to pack a large suitcase full of props, fluff, wraps, and sweet little accessories.
Unfortunately, I was not yet established in specializing in newborn photography when her first baby was born
but I was still able to get some sweet photos of Jason as a new big brother.
Ashlyn was the first of Sara’s babies I had the privilege to photograph as a newborn. We used a basket at her Grammy’s house for photos with her special blanket that her great grampa crocheted for her. We stretched blankets and backdrops across a small couch and utilized other furniture to create some special set ups to make her session special.
Fast forward just a couple of years and baby number three arrived. So I was off to Texas again for another fun newborn session.
This time Ashlyn was the big sister
and now Jason was the proud brother of two little sisters.
Fast forward another three years and now Brinley gets to be the big sister, and Jason has a little brother!
What a joy it was to welcome baby Shane into the world
and catch up with big brother Jason and big sisters Ashlyn and Brinley!
Highlights from Shane’s session . . .
And of course, it is always a joy to catch up with my sweet friend, Sara.
If you are not in Indianapolis, and have an interest in having me travel to you for your newborn session, send me a message and we can chat details! I’m always open for a new adventure!
Celebrating your rainbow baby | Indianapolis maternity and newborn photographer
What is a rainbow baby?
A rainbow baby is a child born after a loss of a previous child.
It does not negate the ravages of any storm.
When a rainbow appears, it does not mean that the storm never happened or that we are not still dealing with its aftermath.
It means that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and the clouds. Storm clouds may still hover, but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy, and hope.
Loss of a child takes on many forms. Miscarriage, infant loss, stillbirth, or neonatal death all take on a horrifying nature of their own that leaves much pain and devastation - particularly to a momma’s heart.
When a momma is able to experience her rainbow in the midst and after a storm, there is something extra sweet about the light and beauty of this child that brings comfort and joy. Carrying this child is an extra special celebration of the blessing of this rainbow.
After all that you have been through, momma, investing in a special maternity session to beautifully document the time you carried this special child is a treasure you will take with you the rest of your life. You want a vivid memory of how you felt.
How beautiful you were.
The new light that was shining from within and radiating from you.
You want to look back and remember when you started feeling hope again.
As he grows, you want to have something tangible to show this child.
You want him to khow how he made you feel and how special he was to you from the very start before you ever met him.
One special story of a sweet rainbow baby who was recently in my studio is Luciano’s story . . .
His momma shared, “We had a miscarriage and then a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that almost ended my life! They took my right Fallopian tube and I had a blood transfusion it was unreal. I thought we’d never be able to have kids. But then he happened and he is literally the strongest guy! We are over the moon how healthy he is right now.”
I personally have been through the pain of miscarriage, and my son Luke is my rainbow baby.
I know the pain. I know the devastation. But I also know the joy and comfort that comes in the gift of a rainbow baby.
It is an extra special honor to me to beautifully document YOUR rainbow baby and provide heirloom photos for you to treasure for always!
Check out the newborn packages available to you at my Indianapolis studio here!
Baby Taya | Indianapolis Newborn Photos
Taya’s mommy and daddy drove FOUR hours to capture her “newness” before it faded! These super sweet photos by Indianapolis newborn photographer Shauna Yenger …. Check out the love and sweetness of his family inside and get a little peek of some behind the scenes, too!
Read MoreBaby Nora | Indianapolis Maternity and Newborn Photos
Check out the Barlow family’s maternity and newborn photos! These super sweet photos by Indianapolis family photographer Shauna Yenger …. Check out all the adorableness inside!
Read More