Check out this fun cookie monster cake smash session celebrating this little guy’s first big milestone! See how much he changed from the time he was at my Indianapolis studio as a newborn!
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FAQ | The five most frequently asked questions when preparing for a newborn session
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!
Maternity gowns | Client closet
in Maternity
Memory Lane Photography provides a client closet of beautiful maternity gowns of different styles and colors for your maternity portrait session in the Indianapolis area.
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Customize your newborn photo session with a special item
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 | from Indianapolis to Texas
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
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!
Are you looking for a unique gift idea for a special expectant momma in your life?
Do you want to give something beyond the baby gift registry that will be more lasting and touch momma’s heart more deeply?
Gifting a maternity session for a special occasion
Let me introduce you to Trevon and Valencia.
Take a few moments to read about their sweet story.
In early April, I received an inquiry from a number that registered from South Carolina.
It was a husband inquiring about a maternity session for his wife.
At first I thought that maybe the phone number showed up as a South Carolina location because I wondered if this family recently moved to the Indianapolis area and as often happens, the phone still registered from the previous residence.
Trevon and I discussed details for the maternity session and he told me there was only one Saturday later in April that would work for their session. Fortunately, that one Saturday was available, so we booked the session and chatted about location preferences.
I asked what part of Indianapolis they were in, and he told me they would be in the Noblesville area. One of my favorite spots in Noblesville is the old Hamilton County Courthouse area.
Trevon agreed that was a good location and we set the date and time for the session.
He then directed me to Valencia to discuss details. I have a client closet of a few different maternity dresses that are available to all of my clients, and she chose to use a couple of the dresses. We talked about the colors and shared photos with each other so that she could coordinate Trevon’s clothing with the maternity dresses. They had two other kiddos, so we discussed coordinating their outfits as well.
As we were finishing up our communication about the details, it came to light that Trevon and Valencia did not live in Indianapolis, but in fact, did live in South Carolina! They were going to be in town visiting with friends. They had seen my work and decided they wanted to book a maternity session while they were here.
and then, I got some new information that literally made my heart melt . . .
Trevon planned this so that they would do the maternity session on their wedding anniversary!
They wanted this to be a special celebration for the whole family - a celebration of their wedding anniversary and the anticipation everyone had for the baby on the way.
I don’t know about you, but I thought that was one of the sweetest gestures I’d ever experienced that a husband did for his wife!
So what about you? Are you looking for a special gift for a special expectant momma in your life?
It could be your wife, your daughter, your daughter-in-law, your niece, or a special family friend.
Maternity sessions are a special investment, so rather than going in with friends or family on a big ticket item on the baby registry for the baby shower gift, get together and gift a maternity and/or newborn session to the special momma to be! Your gift will last beyond the diaper genie, pacifiers, sleepers and bibs.
A maternity session could also be an amazing birthday or Christmas gift, or like this family, a special anniversary gift!
The value of your gift will only grow over time as the baby arrives and grows and changes. Your gift will allow this momma to look back and always smile at the memory of feeling beautiful while she carried her precious baby.
And the memory of how thoughtful you were to gift her with such a heartwarming, special gift will bring a smile to her face, too.
Watson family newborn sessions | Baseball theme
Incorporating a baseball theme into the newborn session at my east Indianapolis studio for each new baby boy within the same family is a special treat!
Read MoreIncorporating your older babies into your maternity session
You’ve experienced that first positive pregnancy test, followed by all kinds of changes to your body as your little one grows within you.
You hear the heartbeat for the first time.
You have your first experience of what it feels like to feel your baby move and kick.
In a way that is unique to you, you begin to understand all you had heard about the anticipation coupled with the discomforts and everything in between. You begin to have a list of “nobody told me about this” because you are experiencing it first hand in your own way.
And then, your baby arrives and you are more in love than you ever thought you could be. You realize there is a piece of your heart on the outside of your body wrapped up in this special person that is all yours.
You learn first hand what you had only tried to imagine about so many things. Now you know what it truly means to be tired because of sleepless nights and constant feedings and the toll and demand on your body.
And yet, you begin to understand why you hear mommas say so often, “It’s all worth it.” Because, it truly is.
And then, another positive pregnancy test. This time, you experience some of the same emotions and feelings, but you have so much knowledge now. Things are different.
You wonder how you could possibly love another child the way you love your first baby. And you want to treasure each moment before the new baby arrives.
Every momma deserves to have the investment of a maternity session, whether you are carrying your first baby or your sixth! Every pregnancy is unique and special, and each one of your children need to see that you treasured them enough to invest in a beautiful capture of how special it was when you carried them. They need to see how beautiful you were as you anticipated their arrival.
Your older babies are such a special piece of the experience of your pregnancy!
Here are some ways you can expect your babies to be incorporated into your maternity session here in the Indianapolis area!
For a a really fun photo, Daddy will put big brother or big sister on his shoulders and look at Momma. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy even steal a kiss!
It’s so special to capture a moment of the love that you share, and it is especially fun to see the different reactions the little one on Daddy’s shoulders has. It’s always a favorite to be up on Daddy’s shoulders and to look down at Mommy.
It always brings a big smile and usually some laughter!
When you look back on this photo, your heart will instantly swell remembering the indescribable love you feel for your man and his role as a Daddy on display with your little one up on his shoulders (and maybe a 2nd or third child hugging around your legs!) and your baby growing within you! It’s your whole heart wrapped up in one photo!
Another fun photo is spreading out, holding hands and looking at one another. Taking a bit of a walk can be a fun way to bring out some laughter and capture the personality of your family.
Usually we will zoom in on Mommy and Daddy’s legs with big brother or sister in the middle to have a special capture of how much they are treasured as you anticipate the arrival of your new baby.
One of the sweetest moments to capture is Momma with her big boy/big girl.
Momma will kneel down and sit back on her legs and pull her baby into her lap. This photo not only captures the bond between Momma and her big boy/big girl, but it captures the love big brother or sister has for this new baby that will be a best friend for life!
Using a fun sign or blocks that spell your baby’s name adds a special, personal touch.
My personal favorite is a close up of Momma’s belly with big brother or sister hugging close. There are just no words to describe the emotions you feel as a Momma to see the excitement and love and anticipation of your new little one’s arrival reflected in your child’s eyes.
Don’t pass up your opportunity to treasure this very special stage in the lives of your family! It is an investment you will NOT regret! Book your maternity session here!
Incorporating themes into your newborn and first birthday cake smash session
One of the most enjoyable things to plan when you are anticipating the arrival of your baby is planning your nursery theme!
Every set of parents has a unique perspective on what that will look like.
Storybook themes
When booking your newborn session at my Indianapolis studio, you have the option to plan for one of your set ups to match your nursery theme!
Here’s the fun part! You don’t have to stop at your baby’s newborn session! Her first birthday session is a really fun way to incorporate your nursery theme as well!
This Charlie Brown / Snoopy set up was a request from this little guy’s daddy. We had fun creating this special photo and then when his first birthday arrived, we planned his cake smash session to match. It was such a fun way to see the growth from the newborn stage to his first birthday and have the consistency of the theme to tie it all together. Notice the same dog house and plush Snoopy in the cake smash photo! Look at how much growth happened in just one year!
Color schemes
Sometimes parents prefer to keep things more simple. Rather than a storybook theme, a color scheme is chosen. In this session with little Miss Violet, her momma chose more neutral, soft pink colors for her newborn session.
Her cake smash session was an adorable hot air balloon theme including those same soft pink tones.
Violet’s momma made the hot air balloons for her first birthday party, and it was fun to incorporate them into her cake smash session!
Sports themes
Decorating your nursery with a favorite sports theme is a special way to highlight the unique interests within your family.
Quite often when parents have a love for a sport, whether that is golf, baseball, football, basketball, etc., that love is passed on to the children and becomes a common interest that bonds families closer together as children grow and make memories throughout their childhood. Sports themes are a fun way to plan for your nursery, your newborn session, and your cake smash one year later!
Whatever your preferences are, we will work together to coordinate your nursery theme to fit your unique interests and preferences and you will have the sweetest heirloom photos of the theme of your choice to treasure for always!
Walking with you on the journey of firsts
It was such a joy when Nicole contacted me to book her newborn session!
This was her second baby but her first girl, and the excitement and anticipation was evident. We worked out a session date for shortly after Nicole’s due date, and we kept in touch as the day grew near.
Welcome to the world, Cora!
Little Miss Cora arrived safe and sound and just a few days later, she graced my studio. I loved getting to meet her and her sweet mommy and daddy and big brother!
Getting that first family photo is always a special treat!
Cora did amazing for her newborn session and even gave us a few little angel smiles.
Dustin and Nicole recognized that there would be so much change throughout the first year of her life, and they invested in the Baby’s Grow With Me collection to capture all of her sweet milestones. So we made plans to get together again in just 6 short months, but during that time, big brother Miles had his second birthday, and Mommy and Daddy wanted to be sure we captured this special milestone for him as well.
Cora’s six month milestone arrived in the cold winter months, so we set things up for her first milestone session in my studio on the east side of Indianapolis. She had changed so much since her newborn session and it was so fun to see her personality coming out!
Before we knew it the nine month milestone was here! in just three short months, Cora transitioned from needing to be propped up and being very wobbly when sitting up to being stable sitting up and even pulling herself up to a standing position on her own! We had a beautiful spring day and captured this beautiful milestone downtown Indianapolis along the White River Canal Walk.
And then, just like that, she was one year old! Nicole wanted a simple neutral set up for Cora’s cake smash session. We had a naked cake and some beautiful splashes of pale pink and soft florals for her set up. Cora had a few photos in a couple other outfits first so that all of her first birthday photos weren’t cake smash photos. Having this variety is a really nice touch to this special milestone session and always an option if mommas prefer it - which most do!
Happy first birthday, Cora! I’m so excited to continue walking this journey with you and your family as you grow and reach new milestones!
How to prepare for newborn photos
So you just took that pregnancy test and you’re overwhelmed with all of the emotions from seeing that positive result! Your mind is reeling with excitement, fear, unknowns, and the anticipation of meeting this precious piece of your heart in just a few shorts months.
The plans just naturally begin forming in your mind…
What will we name our baby? How will we decorate the nursery? What will we need and where should we register for those things? Where will we deliver?
In the midst of all of these questions and all of the things to prepare, it can be easy to overlook one of the most important aspects of getting ready for your baby’s arrival . . .
PLANNING FOR YOUR BABY’S NEWBORN PHOTO SESSION.
When your baby finally arrives, there is a rush of beautiful moments that are very fleeting and will be a fuzzy blur just a few shorts weeks later. Laboring to bring your baby into this world brings with it a physical demand and crazy hormone changes along with loss of sleep that make it difficult to have a vivid memory of many of those precious elements that are only there within the first couple weeks of your baby’s arrival.
You want to remember
the tiny little toes, the flaky skin, the indescribable softness of her hair and skin, the way she smelled, the little noises, and the way it felt when you held her close.
Here are a few tips as you plan for your newborn session.
Tip #1: Don’t wait!
Touch base early in your pregnancy to chat about getting your newborn session scheduled. If you wait until baby arrives, there is a big chance there may not be availability, or too much time will pass because of the whirlwind of labor and delivery and the newborn stage is GONE before you were able to get the session scheduled.
Tip #2: Schedule early in your pregnancy
As soon as you know your due date, touch base to get a date on the calendar! I always leave wiggle room in my schedule because baby’s arrival can be somewhat unpredictable. We usually set a tentative date within a week after your due date and adjust it if baby arrives early or if you pass your due date or have anything unexpected come up at the hospital that would require a bit of a longer stay before baby can come home. Having the tentative date on the calendar ensures that the session will happen and will prevent regrets of procrastination and missing the opportunity to capture this precious stage.
Tip #3: Communicate your preferences
It won’t be long and you will have your nursery colors and themes planned. As you are thinking through your plans for your nursery, let me know if you’d like your newborn session to mirror some of those nursery themes! If you have a preference on colors that you like or colors you’d rather avoid, be sure to communicate that! Your newborn session will be unique to you and your baby! Feel free to browse the newborn gallery here or scroll my Instagram for ideas of themes or color schemes you would like.
Tip #4: Keep in touch as your due date approaches
I will touch base with you as you get closer to your due date. If you have a cesarean or induction scheduled, I will just confirm that everything is still good to go for your delivery. This helps to confirm your upcoming newborn session. If you are just waiting to naturally go into labor, I will check in with you just a bit as you get closer to your due date and keep tabs on when baby finally arrives to ensure we can adjust your session date if necessary.
Tip #5: Fill out your questionnaire
Between the time baby arrives and your newborn session, you will receive a questionnaire with just a few simple questions that will aide in preparations for your session. This questionnaire not only helps me to ensure the studio is thoroughly prepared for you and your baby but also provides you with information to know what to bring, how to plan the day of the session and what to expect when you arrive and throughout the session. It gives peace of mind to have some of these details explained before you arrive so that you can thoroughly enjoy your time at the session.
Rest assured that I will communicate MUCH with you as we look forward to your baby’s newborn session at my studio on the east side of Indianapolis! And you will feel confident and grow with excitement as you anticipate the beautiful heirlooms that will be captured to allow you to vividly remember the details of this very precious newborn stage!
Treasuring Each Baby in a Multiple Child Family | Your Fifth Baby
in Newborn
So often as children are added to the family, there are less photos and less diligence in investing in a beautiful capture of the younger children. Because, let’s face it, life as a momma is incredibly challenging and overwhelming, is it not?
I know this first hand because I have four children of my own!
It was a blessing to have little Miss Ariana in the studio to provide a beautiful capture of her newborn stage! Ariana is the 5th child in her family. Her oldest sister Rose was one of the first newborns I captured when I was in the very beginning stages of my photography journey.
Big sister Rose at her newborn session
Her momma, Kristin, was a young teen in my church when my husband and I first moved to Indianapolis and started attending. I had the blessing of watching Kristin grow up, and I remember when she met and started dating her husband, Tony.
I remember when they first discovered they were expecting and how overjoyed they were to welcome their first little one into the world.
As each child was added to the family, the joy only multiplied. It has been an honor to be a part of the special journey of this family from the very beginning! Every single one of Miss Ariana’s four older siblings have had their own special newborn session with me.
It is so important it is to be intentional to invest in these photos! The more children you have, the more this stage of life is a blur, and the more important it is that you make the investment to have heirloom quality photos for this child! It will speak much to this child’s heart to know that even though it was more challenging, she was important enough that this investment was a priority.
Let your little one on the way know how special she is - check out the newborn packages available to you here and let’s chat about the details of getting your session booked!
Ariana’s momma had one request for her newborn session - PINK!
Behind the scenes of a Newborn session with Memory Lane Photography
Are you curious about what goes on behind the scenes at a newborn photo session at my Indianapolis studio? This post gives a sneak peek of posing a newborn baby girl with her parents as well as the process of posing her for her own beautiful newborn photos! There’s also a little something here to make you laugh! Take a look at the video to get a bird’s eye view of how much fun a newborn session can be!
Read MoreHonoring our military and first responders
Honoring our military and those who serve as first responders should be a priority for everyone. These special people sacrifice so much for our freedom, care and safety.
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Maternity photo session FAQ | TIME OF DAY
Are you nervous about scheduling your maternity photo session because you just don’t know what to expect? Let me put your mind at ease by answering several frequently asked questions as expectant mommas prepare for their photo session! This post gives a thorough explanation of how we decide the best time of day for your session!
Read MoreMaternity photo session FAQ | LOCATION
Are you nervous about scheduling your maternity photo session because you just don’t know what to expect? Let me put your mind at ease by answering several frequently asked questions as expectant mommas prepare for their photo session! This post gives all the details you need to know as we decide on the perfect location for your session!
Read MoreMaternity photo session FAQ | WHAT TO WEAR
Are you nervous about scheduling your maternity photo session because you just don’t know what to expect? Let me put your mind at ease by answering several frequently asked questions as expectant mommas prepare for their photo session! This post gives all the details you need to know as you plan what to wear!
Read MoreMaternity photo session FAQ | Scheduling - how and when
Are you nervous about scheduling your maternity photo session because you just don’t know what to expect? Let me put your mind at ease by answering several frequently asked questions as expectant mommas prepare for their photo session! First off, when and how should we schedule the session?
Read MoreBaby Taya | Newborn Session
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!
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