Hadley is One! | Lantern Tree Photography | Indianapolis Newborn Photography

How can this little angel already be turning one? Rumor has it that she's now even walking. On her own. All around her house. How can it be?

It feels like yesterday that we were attending baby showers, guessing names, and eagerly rushing to Fort Wayne, waiting to hear that my niece was FINALLY here! 

And now she's ONE, friends. A cute, sweet, wide-blue-eyed, dainty little thing that's wrapped around my brother's finger and surely will be my daughter's BFF once Delaney realizes she's not a doll! My, how time flies. 

So on to Hadley's one-year photo session.

I think all photographers struggle to find the perfect location for special shoots like this one (Downtown Carmel? Coxhall Gardens? Southeastway Park? Somewhere else in Indy? AAH, none seemed right!) In the end, we finally (and ironically) decided to just run down the road a few miles to Beckenholdt Park. And boy, am I thanking the Lord for that decision! It turned out to be the most serene little place for Miss All-Grown-Up-Now Hadley to pose and play for the camera. Let's all just take a peek at how Hadley's Big Girl Session turned out:

My niece is beautiful, no?? 

So next we needed to find the perfect cake smash location. 

Sigh.

So again, we stuck close to home. Well, scratch that. We just stayed home! With a little help from my old friend, Mr. Backdrop Stand, moonlighting as Mr. Frame Hanger, we arranged for some fun frame action right in front of the woods behind my home. Who needs fancy backdrops and locations when you have your own backyard and funky frames?!? Lesson learned.

It goes to show, I suppose, that we all can find beauty in the things we see almost every day! Of course, it certainly helps when your gorgeous niece stops by to visit and smile for the camera. 

Interested in booking your own family or newborn session? Head over to www.lanterntreephotography.com, click "reserve a session" to see available dates. Or contact Shannon at 317.752.9671.

Fall Mini Session Dates | Lantern Tree Photography | Greenfield, IN | Family Photographer

   It's Fall Mini-Session Time!

Mini-Sessions are the perfect way to get those family pictures you've been wanting, or even have your Christmas Photos done ahead of time! These popular Minis only come around a few times each year, and fill very quickly. So reserve your spot now! 

Details:

- 12 SPOTS ONLY at specific times and Indy area locations (see website for details).
- 30 minute sessions (just enough time to capture those smiling, laughing faces on camera).
- 15 images to proof (all presented in regular color, black and white, and urban/vintage options). 
- Online password-protected proofing/ordering gallery.

- PLUS, an EXCLUSIVE Smartphone app, with photos featured from your session.

What's even more exciting is that if ALL TWELVE spots are filled, I will donate every. single. session fee to Izzy Mattocks and her family, as a celebration of her completion of her FINAL PHASE (can I get a WOOHOO!?!?!) of cancer treatment! You can read more about 5 year-old Izzy and her amazing journey with Stage IV Neuroblastoma on her mom's blog here or her Facebook page here.

So how do you secure your session? 

Visit www.lanterntreephotography.com and click "reserve a session" to view available dates, times, and locations. You can also pay your session fee there. Or, just call me at 317.752.9671. Sessions are first-come, first-serve, so don't wait! 

Of course, full sessions are still available throughout the fall, too! You can also reserve those on the website. 

Can't wait to see your smiling faces this fall!

Shannon

Lucas: Six Months!

There are just so many things I adore about newborn photography. Getting to snuggle and pose those brand new creatures, capturing that newborn innocence and sweet, precious moments between the babies and their parents . . . I could go on for a long time you guys. But, alas, this post isn't about newborns. 

Lucas' newborn shoot in January

Instead, we're gonna jump ahead a few months. Cause the flip side of newborns is how unbelievably fast they grow! And I loooove to see the all of the changes that happen that first year of life. My husband can attest--I'm the all-reining queen of the "Who Does This Baby Look Like? Game." It fascinates me how babies can change so much from looking like one parent or side of the family to the other, and then back again. I swear, my college roommate's daughter switched from the spitting image of her dad to her mom's identical twin overnight. How. Does. This. Happen?!?!? I can't be the only one amazed by this, right? Please say you play this game, too. At least so Matt will think I'm a little less crazy. 

So anyway, it's just perfect that my job is to stare at these babies' faces for hours while I edit, quietly contemplating to myself whether those eyes and dimples are mom's or dad's. Handsome Mr. Lucas here was no different! Those eyes--totally mom's, in case you were wondering. 

Three month-old Lucas! 

Jumping ahead a few more months, I recently met Lucas and his parents for a morning session at Fortville's Memorial Park for his six-month(!!!) shoot. There is something magical that happens when babies hit the milestones of sitting up and standing with help, usually right around that sixth month. Eyes brighten, smiles get a little bigger, and you can really see little personalities developing!  Lucas was the perfect example--this little man just lit up for the camera this time around, which you can see below! And feel free to comment, leaving your "he looks like mom/that's dad's smile" votes, too!

Interested in booking a newborn session or first year package with Lantern Tree Photography? Visit www.lanterntreephotography.com for details, email or call Shannon at 317.752.9671.

Dylan and Elijah

Oh man, there are some sessions that make it so difficult to decide which photos to preview for you guys! When you take two little handsome studmuffins and put them in a place that somehow feels magical on camera, the pickins are a'plenty in photoland! 

Studmuffin Photoshoot Background: I met Dylan, Elijah and their rad parents at Southeastway Park last week. The rain that beat us there almost ruined our session, and I am so thankful we decided to embrace the wet evening instead (Has there been any evening without rain lately, anyway?)! So although the ground was a little damp, the night was just perfect, along with the stars of the show:

See what I mean? Sooo much magical cuteness. Lucky for these guys' mama and dad, they'll get to see the rest of their session in a couple days! Consider them teased. ;)

Interested in scheduling a session? 
Read more info on summer/fall sessions here, 
visit Lantern Tree's full website at www.lanterntreephotography.com, 

or call Shannon at 317.752.9671

Family Reunions, Scheduling Sessions & Where'dthesummergo?!?

Someone needs to tell me where June has gone. Seriously! Last I knew we were gearing up for field day and end of the school year teacher presents--and now I can nearly count the remaining summer break weekends on one hand. Our little family trip to Virginia, complete with family reunion is sadly already over (complete with family photos below!). Next up comes summer heart camp for my oldest (cue my sniffles and nervous twitch). And with that, summer vacation is wrapped up in a bow, complete with new school shoes and backpacks. Just like that. So fast!

My extended family, gathered 'round my adorable and AMAZING Grandma Vern!

Grandma Vern's grandkids and great-grandkids! We're missing a few, but so happy to have taken this photo! HUGE thank-you to my cousin-in-law, Adam, for doing some crazy entertainment to get these smiles and laughs out of the little ones.

So if you're joining me on this Ohmygoshwheredidsummergo? anxiety attack, you'll see why I have now opened up my session schedule into August. Dare I say the words "Christmas card photo" next? If you're not ready to hear them, I'll understand. But it's definitely not too early to reserve your spot for family photos for that, um, red and green themed holiday. 

You can hop over to the session reservation page on my website to see available session dates and times. If you don't see a date that works for you, just let me know and we'll try to get something worked out. 

If you're new to sessions with Lantern Tree, I'll give you some quick and dirty details: Sessions are $100, include up to two hours of shooting time with unlimited props and wardrobe changes during that time. You and I pick the location together based upon your style and preferences. Sessions include a personal, password-protected proofing website with minimum of 30 proofs.

More questions? Call (317-752-9671) or email me and I'll be happy to help! You can also view my full website at www.lanterntreephotography.com.

Fortville = Urban Fun

When I tell clients that one of my favorite places for urban-feeling sessions is in Fortville, there's usually a bit of skeptical laughter that greets me. Totally understandable! Now I've never lived in the town, but I don't think I'll offend anyone when I say that Fortville, Indiana is not known for it's urban living! And still, I could shoot there for hours and not run out of options for some fabulous city-style shots! Downtown Fortville is a fabulous option for families who are looking for these types of photos but need to be in a safe location with little ones. 

My most recent Fortville session was with Orlando, Yelina & Naiya--Gawwwwgeous siblings with an age difference that turned out to be so much fun!! I loved how big brother Orlando could show some love for his little sisters, and how middle sis Yelina fit perfectly into the mix! I'm totally in love with so many of these photos, and I'll think you'll see why. The individual shots are cool and dreamy, and those less-posed, natural shots of sweet moments between them are just precious!

Love, Love, LOVE.

f

Aaand, sigh.

Interested in scheduling a session? Visit Lantern Tree's full website at www.lanterntreephotography.com, 

or call Shannon at 317.752.9671