A Sparkling Anniversary Session in Charleston, SC

Make it happen. That was one of the underlying themes of the November Creative and Heart Conference in Charleston, SC.   This was a conference for the creatives, the boss ladies, the hustlers, the small business owners, the entrepreneurs, and the big dreamers.  One of the (many!) things I loved about C@H was the opportunity to connect with so many other creatives from across the country.  Not just photographers, but artists, planners, crafters, designers, and more!

One of these lovely ladies was Erin of Erin Padgett Events.  She is the owner and lead planner of a boutique event planning company in Charlotte, NC, and her bubbly personality and sparkling spirit truly shine through in her work and in her everyday interactions with those around her.  This girl truly makes it happen every.single.day.  She just opened a new office space for her business, and she is an inspiring boss lady with big dreams!

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Erin & Jonathan were the cutest!  They arrived to Charleston just in time for their sunset session at the College of Charleston.  This location was a photographer's dream come true.  The Spanish moss blanketed the Spanish live oak trees above our heads.  We were surrounded by old brick pathways, colorful houses with wooden shutters, wide porches & winding staircases.  So many stunning options for this couple's photos!

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I just adored the old columns of this building, and I love how we incorporated the clean lines into their photos.  And look at Erin's adorable expression!  See, I told you -- a sparkling personality!   ;o)  These two were playful and so in love the entire session, and I love these moments that we captured for them during their visit to Charleston.  Such sweethearts!

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The light that night set the sky on fire, and it sparkled through the tree tops in the most beautiful way.  I always adore some good bokeh in my photos, and this location did not let me down!  Seriously, now.... can I just move here?!?!?!?! anniversary session in charleston south carolina nicole starr photography_0001

Erin & Jonathan, thank you for such a fabulous session together!  I truly loved capturing your relationship on camera, and I'm thrilled to share these beautiful memories with you.

 

This wasn't the only photo shoot I did while in Charleston!  Click here to see a colorful family session at Rainbow Row in Historic Downtown Charleston with another photographer's family!

Are you celebrating a special milestone with your significant other?  Ask me about our anniversary sessions, the perfect way to document your love for each other!

*****Do you live far from Boston?  Would you love to do a destination photo session with Nicole Starr Photography?*****

I'm always up for a little adventure, and I adore traveling and exploring beautiful places.  I have a handful of faraway visits planned for 2016, and I would love to come to your city or town!  Let me know and we can create some beautiful memories for your family!

 

Behind the Scenes at Rockin' NDSS Studios

UPDATE:  Our Rockin' NDSS Studios project has been featured in an article on The Mighty!  Check it out here.

Last week's photo shoot at the National Down Syndrome Society in NYC was so much fun!  It was a heart-warming, eye-opening, incredibly collaborative experience that left us all with full hearts, happy souls, and tired bodies.  Overall, it was a huge success and I am truly honored to have played a small part in making this dream become a reality!

You can read my full blog post by clicking here to learn more about these extra special photo sessions, what we're going to do with the photos next spring, and see every single one of our lovely & talented models who rock that extra chromosome.

Here I am sharing many of our behind-the-scenes photos from our two days at the NDSS offices.  We turned their staff's offices into dressing rooms, their hallways into makeup studios and hair salons, and their conference room into a photo studio.  A little imagination goes a long way, and this amazing team of organizers, hair stylists, makeup artists, moms, dads, grandparents, cousins, siblings, models, and photographers truly showed what amazing things can happen when we all work together.

Enjoy a peek into our #rockinNDSSstudios adventure!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0333

Three photographers excited for sessions to begin: me, Sherri Harnisch and Wendy Zook.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0334
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0339

Joey, our Slash model out on the streets of New York City!  He really mastered the hard-core rocker look, tattoos (sleeves) and all!!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0340
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0341
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0343

Lady Gaga and Joan Jett in the makeup studio!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0344
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0345

A little bit of windblown fan action on our very own Mariah Carey!

Sibling love!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0346
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0347
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0348

Katelynn celebrated her 5th birthday by coming to our photo session as Scary Spice!  What a cutie!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0349

Kelly Clarkson and her twin sister.  As a twin myself, you know I always have a special place in my heart for twins on camera!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0350
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0351

Wendy really got our little Pat Benatar to rock out.  We had a full-on dance party in the studio to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" to get this little one in the spirit, and it truly worked!  Her photos are phenomenal!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0352

Our Usher had all the moves once we put on his favorite song.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0353
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0354

Isn't she the most adorable Tina Turner?  I love the missing front teeth!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0355
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0356
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0358

Our Buddy Holly was a little uncertain about the camera at first.  His sisters started a dance party with his guitar, and before we knew it, he was rocking out all by himself.  We couldn't resist a few fun photos of his whole family's jam session first, though!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0359

Sara's presidential duties at the NDSS also include custom makeup application.  This little guy was an amazing band member for KISS!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0360

Fist bump with Bob Dylan!

Rock on!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0361
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0362

Mason didn't want to have all the fun by himself, so he pulled his big sister out onto the dance floor at the end of the session.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0363

More KISS band members and their family's dance party!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0364

Oh my goodness.  This Elvis impersonator was seriously impressive.  Mickey owns multiple costumes, he performs all around town, and he is REALLY, REALLY GOOD at what he does.  I loved watching him when he was totally "in the zone" as Elvis during his shoot with Wendy.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0365

Teaching his sister and father how to groove.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0366

The sweetest sisters!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0367

Runaway baby!  Johnny Cash and June Carter.

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0368
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0369

Grace was our youngest model, only 11 weeks old.  I insisted that we capture a few images with her gorgeous mama, and I am sure she is going to treasure these forever!  (Don't worry -- we'll send you a copy of the photos, Celine!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  From the bottom of our hearts.

A huge thank you to every single person that made this event possible, turning it from a dream into a reality.  It was a labor of love, and these two days spent sharing stories, making new friends, and bringing dreams to life were so incredibly worth it.  This was most definitely the most rewarding professional experience of my year, and it's all because of the incredible individuals that came together to make it happen.

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Now that you've had a behind the scenes look at our NYC experience, don't forget to check out our full blog post here on the Nicole Starr Photography page, too!

To see more of this journey, visit blog posts by fellow photographers Wendy Zook Photography and Sherri Harnisch - Picture Taker.

Rock Star Sessions with the National Down Syndrome Society in NYC

UPDATE:  Our Rockin' NDSS Studios project has been featured in an article on The Mighty!  Check it out here.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little "extra".  

Oh my goodness!  My heart is so full right now!  I am wrapping up 2015 with what has truly become one of the highlights of my year -- and this has been an amazing year already, so that's saying something!

I've spent the past week going through my photos and reliving the brief but incredibly satisfying two days I spent in New York City doing photo shoots for the National Down Syndrome Society.  It was an amazing experience, and I'm still so overwhelmed with all of the smiles, laughter, and bonding that we fit into the little hallways and makeshift dressing rooms and studios of the NDSS offices.

This photo sums it up for me.  It's a behind the scenes look from my dear friend, Wendy Zook Photography, and I love the emotion captured in this moment.  There was so much laughter and so much connection between everyone involved.  In the end, we truly are more alike than different, and I LOVED getting to know each and every person that was involved in our sessions.  (Right here is when Judy told me, "Of course, sweetheart! Don't worry -- I got this!" when I showed her the Mariah Carey look we were going for in her shoot.  Such a doll!)

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NDSS Photos 2015-424

When the National Down Syndrome Society first contacted me about joining them in NYC for an extra special photo shoot, I was speechless and so, so honored.  They had this crazy dream of bringing together a bunch of individuals with Down syndrome, dressing them up as rock stars, and having two days of photo shoots to recreate famous album covers that would be used as posters at their spring gala, their biggest fundraiser of the year.

They wanted me, Wendy Zook Photography of New York, and Sherri Harnisch - Picture Taker of Nebraska to help them bring this dream to life.  For two days, we worked with an incredible team of photographers, organizers, hair stylists, makeup artists, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and models who all came together for our amazing Rockin' NDSS Studios photo sessions.

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ndss (1 of 297)

Our models ranged from 11 weeks new to 50 years old, and came in from all across the state and the country for these once-in-a-lifetime sessions.  They shared their stories, their dreams, their struggles, and their goals.  They taught us about their lives, what they were working hard for, and how much fun they were having in the process.  They studied hard to come prepared with the look, the moves, and the music of their idols.  We watched them make new friends in the group photos, shaking hands and sharing hugs while their families rushed to share their phone numbers to set up a get together.  We had dance parties in the studio, and we definitely rocked out to "Shake It Off" a time or two with our cameras snapping to loosen the models up.

It was SO.MUCH.FUN.

These photos are still a work in progress, and will be turned into posters for the NDSS Gala's fundraising auction next March.  We'll get to see these life-sized rock stars on display at B.B. King's Blues Club in Times Square.  I can only imagine how amazing that nightclub will look filled with all of these smiling rock stars' faces.  :o)  I can't wait to see it in person in March!

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And now, here are the photos you've been waiting for!

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0303

Carter as Justin Bieber

Ben as Buddy Holly

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0304

Caryn as Carole King

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0307

Carson as Janis Joplin

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0308

Auren as Usher

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0310

Emely as Beyonce

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0311

Riley as Marky Mark

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0312

Brennan as Elton John

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0313

Lucas as Kenny Chesney

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0314

Anthony, Race, Sammy & Matthew as The Beatles

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0332

Ryan as Bob Dylan

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0317

Kailani as Tina Turner

Gabriel, Taegon, Luciano & Mason as KISS

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0301

Judy as Mariah Carey

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0320

Kayla as Madonna

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0321
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down syndrome photo shoot

Francesca & Robby as June Carter and Johnny Cash

Grace as Aretha Franklin

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0322

Luke as Billy Joel

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0323

Joey as Slash

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0324

Amber as Ginger Spice

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ndss (284 of 297)

Katelynn as Scary Spice (This photo was taken on her 5th birthday!)

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0330

Elena as Joan Jett

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0325

Ameliah as Gwen Stefani

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0326

Janissa as Diana Ross

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0327
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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0328

Evelyn as Pat Benatar

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rock and roll ndss photo shoot_0329

Christopher as Elvis Costello

This is one of a three-part perspective on the #rockinNDSSstudios experience. To see more of this journey, visit blog posts by Wendy Zook Photography and Sherri Harnisch - Picture Taker.

And, because I couldn't possibly fit all of my photos into one post, be sure to check out some of our behind-the-scenes photos and fun family moments captured that day at the #rockinNDSSstudios by continuing on to this post.

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Love the photos?   View our original photo project for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month with Nicole Starr Photography right here with our local Massachusetts families.

Making Spirits Bright | Our Studio Holiday Sessions

Fa la la la laaaaaa, la la la laaaaaa. As I type this post, my studio smells like a Christmas tree, tiny lights are twinkling behind me, a peppermint marshmallow candle glows on the table, and Ella Fitzgerald is singing Christmas carols on Pandora.   There are presents to be wrapped, cookies to be baked, and cards to be mailed.  And there's definitely a mug of hot chocolate waiting for me somewhere.  It's mid-December, and our holiday cheer is officially at 100%.

I love the holiday season.  Could you tell?  ;o)   The lights, the traditions, the scents, the cozy foods, the gatherings with friends & family.  There is nothing better than those first few weeks of December when the world is a truly magical place.  These are the weeks when everyone is talking about their elves, Santa, and flying reindeer.  The tree in your living room inspired breathtaking wonder, and the colorful lights in your neighborhood fill your evenings with cheer.  The magic of childhood is more tangible than ever.  That same magic that I adore capturing all throughout the year is on full display this month, and I feel so, so lucky to be able to preserve that for the families that I work with.

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We hosted our first in-studio holiday sessions, and I had so much fun creating the perfect dreamy set up for our little ones.  We turned the studio into a winter wonderland, a soft cloud-like space where children sat beneath golden stars and told me all about their wishes for Santa and what their elves had been up to lately.  There were giggles, jingle bells, Christmas jammies, candy canes, and songs.

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Our holiday sessions were short and sweet, and allowed just enough time for a simple rustic set up, too!  After all, I acquired a vintage sled from another photographer over the summer, and I couldn't let a holiday season pass without using it for some adorable photos!

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Wishing you all a magical holiday season!  Take the time to slow down, create memories, and start a new tradition with your family.

Create magic, and inspire wonder.  After all, that's what childhood is all about!