Sweet Penelope | The Baird Family | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

Sweet Penelope was a doll in the studio back in December - look at that smile she gave me right off the bat!  And that hair....and those little lips.  Swoon!  Although she will probably be quite the feisty one with two older siblings (trust me, I have first-hand experience with that).  Thanks Ann and Bob for choosing me to photograph your crew during this special and crazy time in your lives.  You are so blessed!

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.

Uninhibited | Lyle | Indianapolis Children's Photographer

So Lyle and I had a rough start.  Mom just wanted some sweet pics of Lyle to commemorate his 3rd birthday.  We met on the most gorgeous fall evening and I was ready to work the amazing sunset.  And well.....Lyle had other plans.....as in not taking photos.  He clung to his mom.  Cried.  Gave me some dirty looks.  (:  I pulled out all of my tricks.....my jokes (maybe that's where the dirty looks came from), my candy, my red wagon.....nope, not having it. So we hung it up and scheduled another day. 

This time a sun-kissed morning at one of my new favorite locations. Lyle brought his doggie and his toy school bus to help him feel comfortable.  He was still apprehensive at the beginning but we convinced him to search for dinosaurs in the tall grass and go explore.  He thought that falling down in the grass and getting back up was the most hilarious thing.  And we so we just went with it.  I followed him around on this exploration and he laughed and giggled and was just a kid.  Talk about some of the most natural and candid smiles I've ever captured.  This seriously ended up being one of my favorite sessions from the fall: nothing posed - just raw uninhibited happiness.  Ironic that before the session I was trying to think of what my plan was going to be if he was super shy again and didn't want me to take his photo.....and now it's one of my favs.  Unexpected is always the best, right?? 

Thanks Ali (mom) for trusting me with Lyle's milestone pics! 

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

Fresh | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

New life, new love, and so much to look forward to.  The Van Klompenburg's welcomed Artie into the world on December 6th and they are more than over the moon over this kid.  He's lanky and ready to dominate all of the "tall kid" sports.  (:  I had the luxury of shooting their Fresh 48 session (new offering of mine!) at Methodist Hospital when he was a fresh 29 hours old.  So raw, so emotional.  I was humbled by Nicole and Ryan's grace and patience even though they are first time parents.  It's like they knew exactly who Artie was going to be and he was placed right in there arms for this very reason....to be their son.  I cannot wait to watch this little big guy 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.

Baby Jackson | Indianapolis Newborn Photographer

This precious little guy was an October baby, originally slated to be born on Friday the 13th.  Well, he did not like the idea of being born on such a scary date, so he came early and we held his newborn on that day instead.  (:  Jackson was the sweetest....I seriously wish all sessions could flow this easily.  

The Harmon's mentioned they are not huge picture people, but, boy does that change when you have a little one.  I know I purchased my first "real" camera when we had our first child.  You realize how important photos are when the little human in your life changes every single day.  And when he makes cute faces and says the craziest things.....you will want to remember everything.  Thanks to the Harmon's for inviting me into your home and into your world for a few hours. 

 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.