The Heart Narrative

Indianapolis faMIly photographer

Young woman in a graduation cap sitting on grass in front of a small white airplane during a lifestyle senior photography session outdoors.
A simplified, pink, four-petaled flower silhouette.

Because real is better than perfect … and memories that last forever should be chronicled with your whole heart.

Black and white candid family photography with kids leaning on a wooden fence in a rural field.
A stylized, abstract depiction of a four-leaf clover in gold color on a black background.

Wholehearted Family Portraits

You know what is important to hold onto when you look back on this chapter of your life. The crazy. The connection. The heart. And let’s get real - you deserve more out of your family photos than “pretty pictures.” The life you’ve created together is made up of more than a nice smile, and the love and connection that you breathe into each other should go beyond a nice photograph - it takes your whole heart.

When we meet, we have FUN. We dance party, make silly faces, toss babies in the air. Together, we make Magic.

LET'S MARVEL IN YOUR MESSY
Father crouching and holding hands with his toddler daughter as she points upward in front of a house.
A white flower with three petals and a yellow center on a black background.

Explore Indianapolis Family Photography Packages

The stories I tell, the ones you never want to forget.

Lifestyle family and newborn photography in Indianapolis featuring a father lifting his toddler, a newborn in a woven basket, and a mother kissing her baby in a sunflower field by The Heart Narrative
Maternity and family moments captured across Central Indiana — parents holding ultrasound photos, a family by the pond, and a mother kissing her baby during a sunset session.
Heartfelt lifestyle photography by The Heart Narrative capturing real family moments — parents laughing with their baby and golden retriever on the porch, a toddler hugging her mom’s floral dress, and a teen surrounded by sunflowers.
Maternity couple embracing in their kitchen while holding ultrasound photos — intimate, at-home maternity photography by The Heart Narrative in Indianapolis.
Family walking together near a quiet pond at sunset — natural, love-filled family photography in Central Indiana that captures real life beautifully.
Heartfelt lifestyle photography by The Heart Narrative capturing real family moments — parents laughing with their baby and golden retriever on the porch, a toddler hugging her mom’s floral dress, and a teen surrounded by sunflowers.”
Parents laughing with their baby and golden retriever on the front porch — a relaxed lifestyle family session captured in Indiana by The Heart Narrative.”
Father holding his newborn close in natural light — heartfelt, lifestyle newborn photography in Indianapolis by The Heart Narrative.
Indiana family, newborn, and senior photography that captures personality and connection — featuring a father and child outdoors, a newborn portrait in a basket, and a senior portrait in a clean studio setting.
Studio senior portrait of a teen boy wearing a maroon jacket — clean, confident, and modern senior photography by The Heart Narrative in Indianapolis.

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Young boy wearing a red fireman hat pretending to drive a vehicle indoors.
Silhouette of a cluster of five rounded flowers or petals in a gold or tan color.

Magical, Messy, Wholehearted Moments ripped from the pages of your own storybook.

Learn more
Candid family photography with siblings cuddling newborn baby on bed during in-home lifestyle session.
Pink flower-shaped cutout or shape with rounded petals on a black background.

Hey There, I’m Lauren

Indianapolis Family Photographer

Hi friend! My name is Lauren Lewis - I’m your local Indianapolis Family Photographer, Former Early Childhood Educator, and Chaos Coordinator Extraordinaire.

It's my mission to help you throw away the idea of stoic, don't-mess-up-your-outfit, pleasefortheloveofgodsmile chaos of planning your photo session. If working the last 15 years in childcare has taught me anything about Indianapolis families, it’s that perfect is overrated. I want to photograph your deliciously imperfect family. We will work hard and play harder to create a session that your family will cherish, not stress over.

I capture the heart of your family’s narrative within the perfectly imperfect moments that make your story, yours.

GET TO KNOW ME
Outdoor fall family photography with smiling family of four hugging in a grassy field with autumn leaves.
Simplified illustration of a pink flower with three petals and a red center.
A Sheridan, IN couple sharing a kiss in a kitchen, with ultrasound pictures draped around the man's neck announcing their pregnancy. There are baby shoes and a pamphlet about pregnancy on the marble counter.

The Journal

A Heartfelt Mother Daughter Photoshoot in Westfield, Indiana

This session was actually a Christmas gift, and I think we would both agree it turned out to be one of the best presents imaginable. We met at MacGregor Park, surrounded by native Indiana wildflowers that seemed to bloom just for them. The light that night was magic, warm and golden, the kind that makes you want to bottle it up and keep it forever.

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A woman with red hair and a young girl with blonde hair sitting on a blanket in a lush green outdoor setting in the Indianapolis area during sunset, sharing a tender moment, photo by The Heart Narrative

Senior Photos That Reflect Who You Are

She let go of the pressure to show everything she does and chose instead to highlight who she is. That pivot? Pure magic. With her turquoise boots, a wildflower dress, and sometimes no shoes at all, Norah showed up as herself. Not a curated version, just the real, grounded, joyful version that her family and friends know and love.

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An Indianapolis Area High School Senior with blonde hair smiling and sitting in a field of yellow flowers, wearing a floral sleeveless top and blue jeans, photo by the heart narrative
  • Family playing and laughing on a bed, with a woman, a man, and a boy, a dog in the background.

    Lauren was absolutely amazing and went above and beyond for our session. I love how she captured the way we are normally as if the camera wasn't there. I highly recommend her.

    Colleen P.

  • Do yourself a massive favor and book your next family photo session with Lauren! She is an absolutely incredible photographer with a great eye. On top of that, she really knows how to work with little ones to get the best out of them, and she delivers exactly what the parents want as well. We had some fall photos with Lauren last year that we loved, so we booked our son’s one year photos with Lauren this past weekend, and we had an absolute blast! Lauren’s process for the one year photos was full service. We sent her some inspiration ideas, told her what kind of cake we wanted for the cake smash, and she took care of the rest. She got all the perfect decorations, had the cake made to our request by a local baker, and set up her in hone studio for us to get some photos that are pure magic. Lauren really makes the process easy on her customers. All we had to do was show up, and she took care of the rest!

    Charles W.

  • Three young boys sitting on a wooden sleigh among Christmas trees outdoors at sunset, holding hands and smiling.

    Lauren is amazing at what she loves to do! She makes you feel right at home and comfortable! 10/10 would recommend, she’s our go-to. Friendly, personable, funny, and professional!

    Allison K.

  • Lauren was amazing! She was friendly, patient and kindly assertive (much needed when you are trying to get a lot of people together for a family photo). Loved meeting you Lauren! Thank you for capturing the precious moments of our parents’ 50th anniversary celebration!

    Amy G.