Hi there! I'm Katie, a newborn photographer in the small northwest Indiana town of New Carlisle. I began my photography journey in 2011, when my daughter was a toddler. I found myself so focused on being her mom that I felt like I no longer had any hobbies! I, of course, loved every minute of my job as a mom, but I really needed something that I could do for ME, too. I didn't want it to take time away from my daughter though, and I had always been interested in photography, so I saved up my money for my first DSLR. This was a hobby I could have for me - and I could capture memories of my daughter at the same time. I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about photography. And so the story goes - I started posting pictures of my daughter on Facebook, friends & family asked for photoshoots, and it snowballed from there! After a lot of practice, I officially began my photography business in 2013.
In the first few years I shot a little bit of everything, but I was always drawn to the beauty of newborn photography. Seeing how fast I watched my own daughter grow up, I knew these newborn memories were so important to capture, as they are gone too soon. Of course, I found newborns to be the most difficult subject to shoot, and ended most sessions frustrated and feeling like I would never be good enough. After having my son in 2014 and really feeling like a failure on taking his newborn photos, I went as far as to say I was quitting newborns and focusing on other things...but stopped myself when I reminded myself how much I loved babies & newborn photography, and how much I felt like I NEEDED to be able to give parents memories they could cherish.
This was a pivotal moment for me. I took an in person workshop and many online workshops, I worked with my husband to revamp a studio space that was more conducive to shooting newborns, and I practiced, practiced, practiced. I am so glad that I didn't give up on my dream, and that I am able to give parents images that they can cherish for a lifetime!
Although I start each session with a plan in mind, ultimately the baby is in control! My goal is to keep the baby soothed, safe, and comfortable, so if they object to something that I have planned, I switch gears and improvise as I go! I find having a lot of setups ready before the session starts helps speed things up so I am able to get as many shots in as possible while the baby is content.
I feel so honored when parents choose me to capture their baby's first memories. I treat each baby as I would treat my own, and I love getting those baby snuggles in!
Feel free to check out more of my work on my website or find me on Facebook or Instagram!