Sweet Tristan | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

He was prayed for and longed for, and finally for Tristan's parents he arrived on February 22nd.  Aisha was very open about her and Nicholas' struggle to get to this point, but I could tell that they could somewhat put all that behind them because they had a gorgeous baby boy to hold and to love.  Baby boy slept like a rock for his entire newborn session, only waking to eat once.  Thanks so much to Aisha and Nicholas for inviting me into their home to photograph this special time. 

If you are looking for a maternity or newborn photographer in the Indianapolis area, please contact me at kellymartinphotos@gmail.com or 765-749-4388.

Welcome Henry | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

Henry was one of the smallest babies I've photographed but there was nothing small about his personality.  He gave me several smirks, serious looks, some animated faces, and then the beloved potato sack smile (my first!!).  But most of all, he was so sweet.  A big thanks to Joe and Ellen for inviting me into their home to photograph their sweet boy.  They were cool and calm first-time parents and the lifestyle shots show how much they adore little Henry. 

If you are looking for a maternity or newborn photographer in the Indianapolis area, please contact me at kellymartinphotos@gmail.com or 765-749-4388.

Baby Graham | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

Graham has it all - the sweet baby cheeks, the long lashes and those dark grey eyes that stared at me for the first half hour of our session as he fought sleep.  But the joke is on him because I absolutely love when I can capture some eyes-wide-open shots and I'm pretty sure parents adore them as well.  Congrats to Kate and Ben on their beautiful addition.  They graciously invited me into their home to capture their new baby boy and it was a pleasure meeting them and creating these images to remember this sweet time.   

If you are looking for a maternity or newborn photographer in the Indianapolis area, please contact me at kellymartinphotos@gmail.com or 765-749-4388.

Neev | Belly to Baby | Indianapolis Maternity and Newborn Photographer

Not many of my maternity/newborn clients take the surprise route.  Usually they find out whether the baby brewing in mom's belly is a boy or a girl.  The Patel's didn't know what they were having....which I think is so awesome (my hubs and I were surprised three times), so it was fun to wonder with them at their maternity session whether they would add another boy to their family or mix it up with a girl.  Well, surprise - it was another boy!  Three year old Tanush now has a new best friend in brother Neev.  My favorite pics from their newborn session were the sibling shots.  (:  I look forward to watching the Patel brothers grow this year! 

If you are looking for a maternity or newborn photographer in the Indianapolis area, please contact me at kellymartinphotos@gmail.com or 765-749-4388.

Prepping for an In-home Lifestyle Newborn Session | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

Lifestyle newborn sessions are one of my favorite sessions.  They feature more of a documentary style than the traditional posed sessions.  The goal is not to make everything look perfect (although many families make it look like adding a child to their household is a piece of cake) - the goal is to capture the emotion of those first couple weeks after birth.  Most of the session is unposed. I may direct you based on lighting, but most of the session is meant to be natural and free-flowing. Speaking of lighting, if your house does not have much natural light and is on the dark side, then we may want to reconsider the type of newborn session you want. If it’s summertime, we may consider an outdoor session. At other times of the year, consider a studio option. If anything, let’s discuss and you can send me some pics of your house to assess the situation.

Scheduling

Since it is pretty much impossible to know exactly when your little one will be born, at this point we will just set a tentative date based upon your due date.  However, once your little one arrives, make sure to email me or text me (765-749-4388) so we can agree on a session date that works for both of us.  I like to schedule lifestyle newborn sessions during that first month. 

Session Length

Lifestyle newborn sessions typically last about 1.5 hours.  If baby is upset, we'll take a break.  Feeding time is also a great time to get some photos taken, whether mom is breastfeeding or dad is feeding with a bottle.  Trust me - you will want to remember everything! 

Session Prep

TIDY UP - I completely understand that you just brought a little human home and babies need so many things!  And these new things are probably scattered throughout your home.  If you can, please tidy up in any rooms that we may use during the session.  Your bedroom and the nursery are popular spots, if they have ample light.  Make the bed, pick up any random bedside table items, etc.  Less is more.  If conditions are good, we can also venture outside. 

AWAKE - Try to keep baby awake for a couple hours before I arrive.  Give baby a bath, play with baby, tickle his/her feet.  It will help assure that baby will be tired when it's time to sleep for the session. 

FEED - I recommend feeding baby right before I arrive, that way we have the best chance of a cooperative and happy baby during our session.  As I mentioned earlier, if we need to take a break for feeding, no big deal!

WARDROBE: As for what to wear for mom and dad - I suggest something simple.  Solid colors are good - busy patterns or wording take away focus from the baby.   (:  As for baby's wardrobe, a plain white onesie is perfect. We can also do some in just a diaper if you want. I HIGHLY discourage putting the baby in any complete outfits (pants+shirts, dresses, etc.).  Newborns don't fit in any clothes very well and they just end up being baggy/awkward and covering the baby's face and cute features.  Newborn sessions are about the newness and tiny little features - clothes cover all of that up. 

Go-Time

WALKTHROUGH - When I arrive, I will first perform a walkthrough of the house to determine the best rooms for photographing your family and little one.  Lifestyle sessions are shot with all natural light so I'm looking for rooms with nice and ample light.  We may even use a guest bedroom that you never use, if the lighting is good.

NATURAL - I try to let the session flow naturally.  I will definitely help pose and direct you into the best light but I look for cues from baby and mom and dad to get some great natural shots.  We will get a variety of images and groupings from the session.  If there is any specific shot you want, please let me know.  Lastly, relax.  Gaze at your newborn and smile and trust me, the session will come together perfectly.  Lifestyle sessions are so amazing because the emotions are so real. 

After the Session

I will post a sneak peek on Facebook and Instagram within 2 days, unless you opted out.  Post processing of all of the photos will be completed within 14 days (21 days max during peak fall season) and I will send you a link to your online gallery.

If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to email me or give me a call at 765-749-4388.