My favorite time of year for outdoor portraits is coming!

In Saratoga Springs, New York we begin shooting portrait sessions outdoors again at the beginning of May, and it is my absolute favorite time of year for portraits! Everything is starting to bloom, the colors are soft and beautiful, the trees are fluffy, and it’s not too hot out yet (so no one is sweating or red-faced in their portraits!). Plus, we can finally break out the gorgeous summer dresses and the cute little rompers and shorts for the kiddos. It is literally a dream and the spring provides the perfect backdrop for portraits - milestones and family sessions alike. 

I love this season for family portraits so much that I have already scheduled my own family’s portrait session for May! I can’t wait to capture some sweet portraits of the four of us just as the seasons are beginning to change. To be honest, I will always, always opt for spring and summer portraits over fall portraits for my own family because the colors are so much softer and they are more year-round for displaying in my home. 

Our home is filled with neutrals and blue accents, and the red and orange leaves of fall just don’t look quite right on our walls. But the muted greens, soft pinks, and whites of spring fit right in (and then of course the blues of the ocean during our time on Cape Cod every summer are perfect for our decor, too!). There’s absolutely nothing wrong with fall colors and for many families, the palette works better for their home and life! But if you’re someone who loves neutrals and pastels, springtime portraits are going to look beautiful in your home! 

If you’re like me and lean towards spring colors for your portrait session, reach out today! I have limited available dates in May and June, when the colors are soft and the weather is warm. I can’t wait to see some of my favorite faces and many new families this spring - I hope you’ll be among them.

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Beautiful & playful family portrait session in Saratoga Springs

Spring is coming - and it happens to be one of my favorite times of year for family portraits in Saratoga Springs. The light is beautiful, the grass is green, and flowers are blooming everywhere you look. In upstate New York, our outdoor portraits begin in May so that we have the most gorgeous natural backdrops. You might notice more outdoor sessions on the blog over the next few weeks, because I just love capturing family portraits outside under the sunlight and in the fresh air! 

Today, I’m sharing the beautiful Evans family. I’ve created portraits with them for many years now - since their first daughter’s first birthday, actually. It’s been so amazing to watch them grow and come into their personalities over the years. I can’t believe how big Wesley, Julia, and David are. This session took place in the fall, but it’s definitely one of my favorites in this spot. The light is always so gorgeous and the open fields give the kids plenty of places to run and play throughout our session together. I just want to say a huge thank you to Kat and her family for trusting me with another beautiful portrait session together! 

Like I said, this path is one of my favorite locations in Saratoga Springs, and it’s perfect in the hour or so before sunset! I can’t wait to bring more families here this spring when the trees start to blossom. It’s going to be so beautiful in the springtime. I can’t wait to see everything in bloom! 

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Family portraits with toddlers in our Saratoga Springs studio

I was so excited to welcome Andrea’s family back to my Saratoga Springs studio this winter! Now that the family has welcomed Valerie, it was time for new family portraits! Her children, David and Valerie, are simply the sweetest. They were amazing for me the entire session - smiley and happy to cuddle each other! I couldn’t have asked for better models. The family even brought their sweet dog to the session, too! I’m all about including EVERY family member - including your furry ones! Our session was joyful and simple, really focusing on the interactions between the kids and their parents. 

In fact, the portrait of Andrea and her daughter looking over her shoulder is my absolute favorite. As a photographer, there are portraits from every session that speak to me, and my goal every time I pick up my camera is to capture a moment that takes your breath away and makes you feel something when you look at it. This photo does that for me, and it is such a gorgeous depiction of motherhood that I hope Andrea will enjoy looking back on for many years to come. 

After their session, I went to Andrea’s home to complete their ordering session! I loved going to their house and seeing all of their family portraits from our previous session (2 years ago!) on the walls. They were thrilled to update their family portraits now that they have welcomed a new baby into their family, and it was a joy choosing their favorites to display at home. There’s not much more that excites me than knowing my families are displaying and enjoying their artwork every single day. 

Andrea, thank you for asking me to document your beautiful family again! I loved seeing all of you - and meeting Valerie. I hope we’ll get to work together again soon! 

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Our Studio Refresh: A Peek inside our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

I can still hardly believe that this studio is mine. It’s one of my favorite places to be in Saratoga Springs, and it’s filled with everything that I find beautiful and inspiring — lots of light, soft fabrics, pretty neutrals, natural wood and rattan, linen, dainty little flowers on itty bitty headbands, and just a touch of subtle sparkle here and there.

With the new year, I’ve been looking forward to spending a little extra time in our Saratoga Springs baby portrait studio getting everything organized. I made some pretty significant changes to the layout in 2023, and I’m finally getting around to photographing the space now so that I can share it with all of you!

We’ve been in this particular studio since 2020, and it has grown and evolved to fit the needs of our clients since then. I’ve always had a knack for maximizing space and carving out little corners to serve a purpose (the toy corner! the snack cart! our prop storage! our new dressing room area! and the secret hiding place for allllll of the cake stands!). Ever since I had my very first classroom as a first grade teacher back in 2009, I’ve enjoyed being able to look at a space and figure out exactly how to configure it so that every space has a purpose, yet it all flows together seamlessly. This studio has been such a fun spot to design and bring to life, and while there will always be more little changes to come, I’m excited to share our 2024 studio with all of you today!

If you’re looking for a Saratoga Springs photographer for your next family or baby portrait session, I would love to chat with you and help you bring your vision to life! We have everything you’ll need in the studio, and I look forward to creating beautiful artwork for your family.

Best of 2023 Family Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs NY

2023 was truly an amazing year here at Nicole Starr Photography. This year, I had the honor of working with many repeat families for their new portraits as well as lots of new faces! Every time I show up to a family session, I am humbled and overjoyed that these families trust me to document their memories. I am so grateful to each and every one of them for believing in me to capture the best moments for their families. 

While I will never take this honor for granted, I also love how much fun I have every day at work. My family portraits are never boring! I’m all about laughing and finding genuine moments of connection between everyone. This year was filled with lots of tickles, games, and silly prompts to help bring out the belly laughs! I even brought some fun tricks along with me - like squeaking dog toys - to capture a toddler’s attention. Worked like a charm! 

In 2023, I captured my families all over the Saratoga Springs and Cape Cod areas. From beaches to parks, from benches to picnic blankets, and the city sidewalks… I loved every moment exploring with my 2023 families. This year brought some new locations to me and I am so happy that we have even more options for the future now, too! It’s important to me to find a location that feels authentic and genuine to each and every family I work with.

While I’m thankful for all of the fun and all of the beauty we found, I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to help all of these families create beautiful heirloom albums that they will be able to enjoy for years. Our albums and heirloom artwork are so important to me. I want to create something tangible and meaningful that my families will enjoy for decades to come with their children. It’s such a huge honor to be a part of creating something so important. 

All of our 2023 clients will be invited to our second annual Client Appreciation Event in a few months, and I look forward to seeing them for this extra special celebration to capture some new portraits for them to enjoy! Thank you again for trusting me to document your family and I hope that I’ll see many of you again in 2024!! 

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Our 2023 Holiday Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs

I always look forward to our holiday portrait event, and this year was no exception! Each year, I am reminded of how lucky I am to have so many families that come to the studio year after year for their holiday portraits! It’s always a joy getting to catch up with them and see how their kids have grown. Plus, it’s so much fun coming up with our setups each year! Honestly, I really do look forward to these holiday portrait sessions each winter. 

For this year, I wanted to create something really special! When I first saw these golden arches I knew that they would be incredibly versatile and that they would look gorgeous with garland & some sparkly ornaments. I love how this turned out! I think it’s such a classic holiday look. It was the perfect spot for kids to warm up to me and get ready for more portraits!

We always create two setups in the studio for families to have some variety in their holiday portraits, and you know I’m a big fan of neutrals because of how timeless they are. This year I found the perfect stockings with little pearl accents, and I love the simple & luxurious touch that they added to our setup alongside my simple Christmas tree. 

To every family that came to celebrate the holidays with me this year, thank you! It was so special to have you in the studio and I hope you have a wonderful season with your loved ones! 

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Fall family portraits with a toddler in Saratoga Springs

Daniel, Shannon, and Isla are adorable! We captured a fall family portrait session for them in Saratoga Springs. It was actually the first family portrait session with the three of them, which made it all even more exciting for me. From the start, Daniel and Shannon shared that they were thrilled to put some beautiful new canvases up on the walls of their home and to send some gifts home with Isla’s grandmother who was coming to visit from South Africa.

For their portrait session, Isla wore the most adorable pigtails and inspired me to go home and try pigtails on our daughter for the first time the very next day! She was so cute! I even loved the cute little fall dress she had on. It was adorable, and the perfect little nod to the season. As a girl mom, I have to admit I get extra excited seeing such cute outfit options! Isla was just full of pure joy, which made her so fun to photograph. She loved playing with her parents and was always excited about each of the games I played during our session, which meant we captured so many neutral moments between them all. 

Isla was full of personality and really playful. She especially enjoyed the little squeaky toys I’ve started to use to help with the toddlers… so much so that she hid one under her foot to stomp on it. That resulted in the most adorable expressions! Daniel and Shannon, thank you so much for trusting me with these beautiful family portraits. I hope that your family will treasure them forever! 

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A Generational Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

I’ve photographed this family many times since Elliana was born, and we’ve now done generational portraits for both the mom’s side of the family & the dad’s side of the family, too! It is beyond special to document a family over and over, but also to be able to capture portraits of three generations together. This year’s session with Nicole’s dad and his wife took place in Saratoga Springs. We had the dreamiest light and I couldn’t be more pleased with how their generational family portrait session went. 

I absolutely loved capturing this session. Elliana and Colton’s grandparents are SO much fun and absolutely wonderful to be around. It’s clear they all have a good time when they’re together. We had lots of laughs together and the sweet and playful bond they share with their grandchildren is very apparent. Elliana and Colton loved the chance to show off their grandparents to me - and I loved capturing new portraits of the two of them, too. They’re growing so quickly! 

I am confident that everyone is going to love the heirloom album that we created from their session, and I hope they spend many hours flipping through the pages on the couch with Elli and Colton! It makes me happy to know that these portraits will be enjoyed for many years. I truly believe generational portraits are simply the best!!

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Light and airy fall family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer

I absolutely adored working with Lauren, Will, Charlotte, and Harrison! This was such a fun session, because it took place in one of my favorite new spots in Saratoga Springs. This little spot is just perfect with gorgeous golden light streaming through the trees before sunset. It resulted in the most glowing light for this sweet family - and how amazing do their outfits look?! 

With family sessions, you never quite know what’s going to happen with the little ones. But Lauren and Will’s kids are so sweet. Harrison loved the camera and he gave us so many adorable smiles. Charlotte enjoyed the great open field to run around and loved playing games and snuggling with her little brother. We captured some truly beautiful portraits of them and their growing personalities. 

My secret weapon for getting toddlers excited this fall has been using little squeakers like the kind that go inside of dog toys. I buy them these clear plastic squeakers in bulk, and they fit perfectly in little hands without being seen in photographs. Plus, kids have fun squeaking them and tucking them into their shoes to make them squeak while walking. This was a hit with Charlotte and really got her engaged in the session! It was so fun - and I love the natural smiles we got.

Lauren, Will, Charlotte, and Harrison: thank you so much for a beautiful session. I adored working with you all and had a great time making you laugh! You’re all so sweet and this was definitely the perfect fall portrait session! 

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Simple and candid family portraits in our Saratoga Springs studio

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari come to me every year to capture portraits around his birthday. It’s hard to believe that Ari is already 4! It seems like I just met this beautiful family yesterday.  Lyndsay and Niral love documenting their sweet boy’s personality and celebrating each new stage as a family, and I always adore our sessions together. Whenever they leave my studio, my heart feels so full and I feel beyond grateful for another session together. 

We’ve done sessions in gardens and fields, pathways and parks, but it had been awhile since we had done family portraits in the studio. So when the endless rain wasn’t working in our favor this fall, Lyndsay sent me some photo inspiration and told me she wanted really candid, simple portraits with minimal color. Basically like our Little Loves portraits, but for the whole family. I was absolutely on board with the idea. If you’ve been around at all, you know that I believe less is more when it comes to portraits - whether it’s your baby’s milestone photos or family photos in the studio. 

Lyndsay, Niral and Ari kept their outfits very minimal so the focus would be on their interactions with each other, and on Ari’s adorable expressions. I feel like they were definitely channeling a 90s vibe with the matching white button downs and jeans, and it looked amazing on them! Simple and sweet, and it totally works to show their personalities here. Sometimes the simplest ideas really do pay off. 

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari: thank you for letting me capture another beautiful session for you. I am so grateful to get to work with you year after year and watch Ari grow up! I’m already counting down to next fall!! 

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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Cake Smash with White and Gold Backdrop

Sofia is one! We celebrated this sweet girl’s first birthday with a gorgeous cake smash in my Saratoga Springs studio this year. I’ve done Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star setups before but they’re always fun to create and I love to find new ways to make them unique to each baby in the studio. For Sofia’s session, we focused on a light and airy feeling in her setup. I’m a huge sucker for any setup with gold stars, and that was a great place to start for her backdrop! The end results are so timeless and just perfect for this little birthday star! 

Before we dove into her cake though, Sofia and her family met with me in Congress Park – one of my favorite Saratoga Springs parks. We managed to find the last flowering bush in the park. It wound up being the perfect spot for their new family portraits! Sofia and her big sister Ella were fantastic for me. We had a blast! Mom and dad played along with the girls, and everyone looked absolutely amazing. It was the best way to kick off their session. 

When the portraits were done, we headed to the studio and Sofia got to get into her cake. She looked adorable with a simple headband and ivory outfit for the smash. This little girl loved when she got to play with the wooden spoon and cake. It was adorable! Our session ended with her little bubble bath – a favorite among the babies in the studio. She was so cute and happy the entire time for us. It was truly a dream cake smash session!

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Spring family portraits in Congress Park with Saratoga Springs family photographer

During each cake smash session I do, one of my favorite parts of the session is family portraits we make time for. It’s important to me that every family has updated portraits as their little one grows up, so we make time before the baby gets messy to pop outside or down the street for new portraits as a family. Jordan’s family decided to use Congress Park for their family portraits! 

Jordan and his family were in the studio for his cake smash to celebrate his first birthday! He brought his parents and big brothers, Jacob and Jonas, along to Congress Park. We were in luck, because Congress Park always has such beautiful blooms in the spring. The blossoms on the trees are always my favorite part of spring! As usual, the boys’ mom absolutely nailed their outfits - leaning into a gorgeous blue and white palette. All of the boys looked adorable and I loved watching them help Jordan walk through the park! 

I’m so happy that we had the chance to update their family portraits because I’ve been working with this family for many years now. They have been coming to me ever since their oldest was born! This was their last session in Saratoga Springs, and they are moving to a new state this summer. I’ll miss them terribly! It makes these gorgeous spring photos in Congress Park even more special for me - and for them. 

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Fall family portraits on a sunlit path in saratoga springs

Fall family portraits might be one of my favorite parts of the year. When the Coppola family reached out about a session in Saratoga Springs, I couldn’t wait! I loved working with Mariesa, Benji, Benjamin and Nora for these sunny fall portraits. During our session, we tried to keep things super light and fun - relaxed for the kids AND their parents. Family portraits don’t have to be stressful, trust me! 

Throughout the session, one of my goals was definitely to bring everyone’s personalities out. While Benjamin was a little more reserved and shyer, Nora was all about the camera. It was a lot of fun to watch them interact and see Benjamin open up a little bit as the session wore on. Nora being silly definitely helped him relax a little bit! We also made sure to capture lots of cuddles with mom and dad in the photos too. 

Mariesa and Benji chose a great color palette for their portraits. With navy and creams, they stood out against the yellows and greens of the Saratoga Springs path we were on. I also love that the guys had their puffer vests on - they looked so cute together! Choosing what to wear is not only about picking colors you like together, but also making sure you’re comfortable and can move. I want us to play, run, and cuddle up during your portraits! 

Enjoy a peek into this beautiful fall session here in Saratoga Springs! 

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Personal Post: Christmas Portraits of My Two Little Loves!

This year the holiday season feels extra special because we have a baby in the house again! Every year since my son was born has been more and more magical and I truly love watching the holiday season unfold through his eyes, and now we get to do all of those fun holiday traditions with Grayson AND his baby sister, Adelaide.

I was a little late in getting my own children’s holiday photos done (what’s that they say about the cobbler’s children having no shoes? Yeah, same thing for the photographer’s children!) but we finally made it happen and they were so smiley and cheerful. I may have forgotten to plan shoes for my son, and we might have improvised with a super simple wreath for the backdrop, but everything about these portraits leans into my minimalist style of photography and I love the moments we captured of these two for their very first Christmas together.

As I have always believed, this proves that you don’t need much for a great portrait besides beautiful light and connection between the subjects, and not too many props or colors to clutter the background and distract from the people you care about in the photo!

These are some of my favorite sibling portraits of my two little loves this year, and I’m excited to share them on our holiday cards, as prints for the grandparents, and with you on the blog!

We also did a VERY FUN photo series with headshots and holiday ornaments for each child. I absolutely loved this setup, and it was so much fun to create and pull off. Grayson really enjoyed setting it up with me (I love how excited he gets about the photography studio!) and he was eager to see how his portraits turned out. Isn’t this so cute?!

And then Adelaide’s had gold, rose gold, and sparkly pink ornaments. These looked so beautiful with her creamy skin and bright blue eyes, and I loved using a dress and headband from the studio wardrobe!

We’re off to continue celebrating the holiday season and filling each day with a little bit of holiday magic. Thank you for following along on our journey this year and for supporting this small business, and I hope that your family enjoys this beautiful holiday season!

From my family to yours, happy holidays!

2022 Holiday Sessions in Saratoga Springs

Happy holidays!! I’m so excited to share a little sneak peek into our holiday sessions this year. I was so happy to see a lot of repeat families this year, and I love when they visit the studio year after year for their holiday portraits. It’s so much fun watching the kids grow, and this year I loved when the children walked in and asked right away about the toy corner and told me, “I remember this toy! We played with this last time!”. It’s seriously such a special moment for me each time a family comes back to my studio. 

The all white studio is so versatile for these classic holiday portraits, and I keep adding to our furniture collection of chairs, benches, and loveseats with linen upholstery and weathered wood.  Every year I add more trees or greenery, and I love how it all comes together so beautifully and I can mix and match furniture, wreaths, and trees across the setups while still keeping everything classic and minimal with the focus on the family and not too overwhelming with props. This year, I created three different setups. 

The one I was most excited about was a collaboration with a talented local floral designer, Samantha Nass Floral Design.  She absolutely nailed the design with the inspiration photos that I sent her and incorporated the most beautiful greenery, winter stems, and a hint of red flowers.  

I’ve been wanting to do another giant wreath setup.  The last time I did an oversized wreath was in 2017, but since then I’ve refined my studio style and I am in love with flocked evergreens, so a flocked wreath with frosted berries mixed in was just the perfect look for the studio.  This was so much fun for some casual family & sibling portraits, and the perfect spot for fun Christmas pajamas!

I added the ornament wall the day before our sessions began when I saw that we had enough room for one more simple setup.  I love everything in muted neutrals like gold and champagne, and this wound up being a favorite setup for just about every family! I love that I have the flexibility and space to do that for families in the studio. 

Happy holidays! I hope everyone has a cozy year with their loved ones. 

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Boho Family Portraits in a Field | Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I've been photographing this family every year since Johnathan was a newborn. We've done portraits in every season and every stage so far, and I always look forward to our sessions together. Johnny is now 3 years old, and he’s just a joy! This year, we planned fall family portraits at one of my favorite hidden gems in Saratoga Springs.

This little spot is just beautiful this time of year. With tall grass and lots of trees, it’s a lovely quiet location for family photos with a boho vibe. The grass grows tall in this spot during the late summer/early fall, and I drive by constantly in the final weeks of summer to be sure the town hasn't mowed it yet. It's perfect for early morning sessions, especially with toddlers who are early to rise! Here, we can walk and play - even bring a small stool or box for your little ones to sit on. I seriously can’t get enough of this little gem!

Speaking of boho vibes, Kristen and Matt planned the most perfect outfits! Kristen’s dress was on point and I LOVED her hat with the this gorgeous long dress and jean jacket. Everything was perfect!! Johnny even looked adorable in his little overalls during our session too! After working with this family for the last few years, I can say I still adore watching them interact and now, seeing even more of Johnny’s personality come out in our session. Enjoy a little peek into their perfect fall family photos!

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Family portraits at Empire Plaza in Albany

When your baby turns one, it’s definitely time for updated family portraits - and that’s exactly what Luke’s family planned! Luke recently turned one and he and his parents celebrated with family portraits at the same spot his parents were married at a few years earlier: Empire Plaza in Albany, NY. It was a beautiful spot for their portraits! We had a gorgeous sunset the day of their session that worked in our favor. The sunset gave us beautiful light, and the light color of the building reflected so much of it back on these three. It made my job so easy!

Luke started walking just a few weeks before our session and he was so excited to be showing off all over the New York State museum grounds. I can’t believe how big he his now - I still picture him as that little baby in his newborn portraits a year ago!! He’s such a fun handful now and I know his parents are excited to be watching him grow and change.

I love that the Underwood family wanted their portraits at the place they were married - it’s such a special way to see how your family changes over time, and honor a place that means a lot to you. I’m always open to sentimental locations for your portraits, especially if they’re as beautiful as this spot in Albany!

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Black & white personality portraits for adorable siblings

I was so happy when Nora and Benjamin’s mom reached out to me about capturing personality portraits for them here in my Saratoga Springs studio! These sessions are always a lot of fun. They’re simple and to the point, focusing on your little ones so we can truly capture what makes them unique. During personality sessions, all portraits are done in black and white. Your kids have the chance to show off their expressions and milestones, no matter what age they’re at!

For Nora and Benjamin, we photographed each of them individually in the studio before making sure to take some portraits of them together. I hope that they’ll treasure these portraits forever because you can just see how silly and fun both of these kids are! That’s truly my goal when it comes to personality sessions!! And these are great for kids of all ages once they pass their first birthday and you may not be in the studio regularly for portraits.

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Creating family heirlooms from your portrait session

If there’s one thing I’m passionate about as a family and newborn photographer, it’s printing photos and creating beautiful heirlooms from your portraits. In a digital age, it’s tempting to let our images live on our devices. And believe me, as a busy mom… I understand why. But, there’s something so powerful about seeing our images where we live and grow as a family. That’s why creating heirloom products together is a service I provide to every family that I work with, and it's why we get together in person after the session to choose your favorite portraits that you want to print and enjoy.

Choosing the Perfect Spot for Your Portraits

My favorite part about helping you create heirloom products from your portraits is determining the perfect spot for your portraits in your home! Strategically placed portraits will bring a smile to your face every time you see them, and that is what’s so special about them!

One of the spots I always recommend a family or sibling portrait is at the top or bottom of the stairs, or outside of the bedrooms. This is because after a long day with a baby or toddlers, you tuck them into bed at night and close the door and let out an exhausted sigh just thinking about the day, but seeing that portrait of their smiling faces will help you reset and bring you so much joy.

Wall Art and Self-Esteem

Believe it or not, there is power in showing your children that they matter through portraits and photos hanging on the walls or on display in your home. Giving them a place where they feel like they are valued and where they belong is so important. I actually read the article linked below years ago, and I come back to it time and time again thinking about how powerful it is for children to see themselves up on the walls with their families.

Heirloom Albums

Albums have the same impact on my son, and he pulls our family albums off the shelf at least weekly to turn the pages and talk about the photos and stories that he sees there. He now keeps our most recent annual album in his bedroom, and it's one of his favorite quiet time activities to enjoy! There’s nothing that brings me more joy than watching him thumb through our albums. It’s so special to all of us!

Heirlooms for Gifts

After we’ve finished deciding what’s best for your family, I always like to talk about gift options! Grandparents love our mini accordion - well, really anything that shows off their sweet grandchildren or family. I love giving out photos of my son to our family for the holidays. Everyone loves updated portraits and I love knowing that what they’re being given is beautiful, sturdy, and truly an heirloom to enjoy for years! Beyond our accordion albums, our collection boxes with matted portraits are often so popular for gifts (or for gallery walls!).

No matter what combination of heirlooms you choose to create from your portraits, my goal is the same. I want you to celebrate your family every single day and enjoy their faces on display in your home. Days go by quickly with our babies, and I know for myself, seeing portraits of my son lining our walls always brings me so much joy. I hope it will for your family too!

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Family portrait inspiration for spring family photos

Spring is one of my favorite time to photograph families. Everything is blooming, there’s pastel and soft colors everywhere and the weather is always so lovely. No matter what season we’re in, I’m asked about what colors or outfits families should wear to their sessions. I LOVE helping my families determine their outfits because I want them to truly love their final portraits. Here’s a few things to consider when planning your outfits for spring family photos.

What colors do you have in your home?

If your home leans towards darker and richer colors, then the fall might be better for your artwork. But if your home is filled with light neutrals and soft colors, the spring is a better fit. The softer colors outside will be the perfect complement to the decor in your home. Those are also some of the colors you should consider when planning outfits, so that when you display your portraits, they fit in naturally!

How to choose colors and patterns:

No matter when we photograph your family, the principles of outfits remain the same. You want to try to avoid matching completely with each other. Instead, lean for complimentary colors, like a pastel palette. I recommend starting with one family member’s outfits (usually mom’s) and then choosing the rest around that piece. Pull the colors to compliment for everyone else’s outfits. Try to avoid large or loud patterns.

Plan age appropriate outfits and outfits you can move in.

Remember, kids will be kids during our sessions. And we want that! So, make sure whatever you choose, they’re comfortable in. If they’re not, it will show. I’m all for special outfits for your photos, but I recommend making sure your little ones wear them at least a little bit of time before our portraits. Otherwise, choose something you know they’ll be happy in and will smile for us wearing. In fact, that goes for everyone. Make sure your entire family is comfortable and can move during our portraits. I like to have my families move, walk, and play during our time together!

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